Sell Me Your Women, Your Children, Your Vintage Turntable...


Ok I’m trying to understand the appeal of buying something like an old Garrard 301 or an elderly Technics all trussed up in a shiny new plinth, versus something manufactured in the 21st century by people not wearing clogs.

Surely modern gear has to perform better, dollar for dollar? It isn’t like these restored Garrards are exactly cheap, i was looking at one for almost $11k yesterday on Reverb. The internals looked like something out of a Meccano set.
 I ought to be more in tune with the past, I’m almost 60 and wear bell bottoms, but the style of the older TTs just doesn’t do it for me. Now then, my Dr. Feickert Volare had a look that was hardly futuristic, but that’s about as retro as I’d prefer to go.
All that said... I will buy one of these old buggers if it genuinely elevates performance. 
With $10k available for table and arm, on the new or used market, how would you splash the cash?

Rooze 
rooze
I should've said - I sold both turntables this weekend. Long story.

I want to nudge my vinyl performance forward a notch or two. 

I loved both the Origin Live and the Feickert Volare and I'm considering stepping up the line of one or the other. But I might as well throw the doors open and consider all options, particularly since both are quite difficult to come by (on the used market).

As I cast my eyes over my wood (not oil) work shop and back over a second machine/tool (with oil) work shop, I take note, that just about every tool in both shops are 30-130 years old.

The newest things I have are only for safety. Straps have an expiration date.

At least 100 different TT plinths. Thoren, Russco/QRK/Sparta, Fairchild, EMT, Garrard and 4 or 5 TT kits.

No CNCs here, the newest thing I have (but haven't used this one) is a duplicating machine. Great for carved table legs, guitar bodies and parts, piano parts, Mask, speaker cabinet holes (best I've found for a baffle)
and TURNTABLE plinths.

I'm old, I'm GOOD. Some TT are better, just not GOODER, get it?

Click my mystery page coming together. Look at that old Russco and the OLD style speakers.. LOL

SOTA, means State Of The Art,

I say it requires CANI, Continual And Never-ending Improvement to remain SOTA..

No matter where you spend your money on a Turn Table, BUY some new pants.. Give me an address and sizes I'll send you some. :-)

The PLINTH, that's on you.. I'm flex sealing the bottom and inside on two TD124 25lb 4 layer plinths now. HIGH gloss clear coat coming up, hand brushed, wet sanded and buffed to a mirror.. Spring/shock system is added right before the deck it set in place..

You see all that to say.. Some of us like to TINKER and make our own stuff.. Look at Farm Girl, older is better. SHE can wear bell bottoms all day long..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev9oigcIc_A

Regards
@oldhvymec I score big time with these pants on. Propper dapper.

The next time I need a tractor pulling downhill I'll call your farm-gal. (If she bought a modern tractor she could probably get it started.)

;)

I haven’t heard the Dr. Feickert Volare, but I have heard the Woodpecker and Firebird, both of which sounded very good. The AMG Giro, while not as good as the Viella, is very good and in your approximate price range.

The Garrard 301, when updated and placed in an excellent plinth is a great turntable. I have one and prefer it to many other turntables. I have my system posted with pictures of the Garrard 301.

If you have a $10K limit, you should consider a Garrard 401 as the performance is similar, but the price is less. I have mine installed in a Woodsong plinth (they can also restore a Garrard or Thorens), which I can highly recommend, then spend what is left of the $10K on a tonearm.

You should probably hear a Garrard 301 or Thorens 124, if you are considering it.

Good luck with your search.

Jim Perry