Anybody heard of Girard turntables?

Garrard came up with an interesting concept for a click-and-pop eliminator. The device never got into mass production. The idea was to do the processing on the raw signal from the cartridge, before the RIAA equalization that rolls off highs (making the job more difficult). The device was in the form of an outboard phono preamp with the noise reduction as an extra feature.

A receiver with a turntable built into it was known as a "compact system." Audio legend Henry Kloss's second company, KLH, pretty much came up with the concept and some of them were pretty good. The two best were a Marantz with a Dual turntable and the Altec-Lansing 911A, featuring a Garrard SL95B, which was their top of the line consumer TT at the time it was released. That was my first stereo. The SL95B had a full 12" platter and a single gimbal tonearm with a teak wood inlay for damping. Unlike most changers it didn't have an arm that rested on the top record of the stack, but rather a little strut at the side that held up the edge of the stack. Fancying myself an audiophile, I only used it in single play mode with the short spindle, and replaced the included cartridge with a Shure M91ED as soon as I could afford it.

The receiver was based on Altec's $400 44 wpc receiver, except that the power supply was smaller, making it less powerful in the bass. Still, the phono preamp was pretty good and the tuner was excellent.

I've seen/heard compacts from Harman-Kardon and KLH from that era and they were pretty good. Most compacts, however, were more entry-level. They were a step up from console stereos. They offered the same all-in-one control convenience plus the ability to position the speakers.

Garrard, yes.

They were popular entry level tables with higher quality, lower level magnetic cartridges back in the mid 70's and prior. Some may even use lower quality, higher output ceramic cartridges, I believe.

Garrards were a step above the basic ceramic cartridge rim drive tables that the masses owned in droves, like inexpensive CD players today, and perhaps even similar tables from BSR.

BIC was another competing brand that was considered perhaps a small step up. Then came the higher quality Japanese tables like the Pioneers, Kenwoods and Technics.

Garrard, BSR, and BIC were all British made tables I believe. Build quality was nothing to write home about. i suspect most original units still around today would tend to not be in very good shape.

Electronic chain stores like Lafayette Electronics used to sell them by the dozens. If in decent working order, they are generally OK sounding but nothing special.

If you hook it up and its working and sounding OK, then go with it. If you like it but want to upgrade the sound, then most tables in good operating condition these days will probably beat it by a good margin. I wouldn't invest too much in getting it working if it is not in good working order.

Many of the Garrards are nothing to write home about but they did build a couple of tables which have a bit of a reputation. If you can find one of these sitting around in an attic or basement somewhere for $30 or $40 you'll probably have a pretty decent table:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Garrard-Transcription-Turntable-Model-301-Complete_W0QQitemZ330303354259QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item330303354259&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1458%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50