Garrard 301 - Project


I have been contemplating for a while which turntable to pursue given so many choices. Every time I look around, I just can’t help drooling over a fully restored Garrard 301 or 401. Aside from being an idler-drive, I keep reading and hearing about their unique ability to reproduce music with its sense of drive and impact thus making them very desirable to own. And with available meticulous restoration services and gorgeous plinth options, what’s not to like, right!

Would you please share your experience, good and pitfalls (if any) with a restored Garrard 301 to avoid before I go down this path.

And what about the IEC inlet and power cord, would they be of any significance. My two choices would be Furutech FI-09 NCF or FI-06 (G) inlets.

I have already purchased a Reed 3P Cocobolo 10.5” with Finewire C37+Cryo tonearm/interconnect phono cable with KLEI RCA plugs option.

Still exploring Cart Options, so please feel free to share your choice of cart with Garrard 301 or 401.

And lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to @fsonicsmith, @noromance ​​​​@mdalton for the inspiration.

lalitk

“Ben Meets Oscar Peterson, Ben Meets Gerry Mulligan, and Coleman Hawkins Encounters”

@mdalton 

These albums are must own in any collection and they’re my favorites too. I would like to add another one to the list  - 

Art Tatum; Ben Webster

The Tatum Group Masterpieces

28 LP’s…wow! 

I also love Ben’s work on Gentle Ben and Stardust albums. 

How about Count Basie…my personal favorites, 88 Basie Street and Farmer’s Market Barbecue. 

Those are Pablo recordings. Very high quality but small group recordings made during the twilight of Basie’s career as a big band leader. His big band stuff is on lesser labels, like Roulette. Try Count Basie and Joe Williams, on Verve.

I’m a fan of the Pablo Basie records: The Gifted Ones, Basie & Dizzy Gillespie, The 3 Basie Jams, Basie & Zoot Sims. I’ve a bunch of his big band work but the later ones above are just wonderful. 
Speaking of Joe Williams, his A Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry album is an outstanding vocal work. A must have.

@noromance 

Thanks…Joe Williams shares some stylistic elements with Nat King Cole. Another personal favorite of mine is Johnny Hartman…there’s not a lot of recorded material, but what exists is pure gold.