Garrard 301-Worth the effort?

Wow! I didn't realize this thread was still active. First, it is a creme colored, greased bearing, schedule 1a unit with a black platter in excellent shape. Really excellent, so it didn't need much work other than cleaning the dried grease and re-lubricating the bearing and linkages. I think I will go with white lithium grease for the bearing or possibly gun grease as the lower viscosity seems to be a benefit. It came to me plug and play with a vintage Garrard tonearm and Shure cartridge mounted on a homemade (weren't they all) plinth of 1/2" pine. Actually not a bad job.
It seems I will be making 2 plinths for this 301 and use the SME 3009 tonearm (non improved) I already have. I will see which plinth sounds better and possibly sell the other.
This plinth project is on hold for the winter as my outdoor woodshop isn't well heated and I prefer the warm weather.
The sides and tops of each plinth have been glued up and cut to dimension and only need to be joined. The delay is that I hate to cut dovetails while shivering. So for the winter, I will enjoy my HK T65C while I refurbish a vintage Dynakit ST-70.
First plinth is made of glued up 2" solid red oak. No plywood veneers for me. Weighs a ton and I may also load any void spaces within with more oak. Not sure if this is overkill, time will tell. Joinery will be glue and biscuit butt joints throughout.
Second plinth is the artsy one, glued up 1x curly maple with different patterns and colors to resemble inlay work. Left and right sides of the carcase will be half-blind dovetailed to the front and rear boards, while the entire carcase will be half-blind dovetailed to the top. The goal here is to use no mechanical fasteners other than the dovetail joints and glue to assemble.
Slate, marble or other similar materials were never considered as I believe they have a greater potential to ring and resonate.
From a resonance standpoint, the solid oak plinth should be superior. Although maple wood is a little "livelier" than oak when tapped by my fingers, we'll just have to see how it sounds.
Initial listening tests of the 301 on it's original pine base were encouraging. Barely any rumble or friction noises from either the plinth or cast chassis of the 301 listening with a stethoscope. Strobe test also looks good and steady, another pleasant surprise.
My next biggest decision will be how to stain and finish the final product to maximize it's character for the most visual "pop". A minor study will probably be necessary to research and determine the best way to mount the chassis and Tonearm to the plinth as well as providing isolation from the assembly's "environment".
Of course, a mock up version will also be constructed out of "off the shelf" materials till practice makes perfect.
Measure twice, cut once.
So yeah, it looks like a go, I mean, how can I pass up this opportunity. My plan is to keep 2 turntables, my dilemma is where to put them and keep the cats from messing with the anti-slate weights.
Thanks for keeping the thread alive, I appreciate the input. Sorry I didn't check back earlier.

Agreed with JHendrixfan to keep it to the pro restoration companies like Artisan Fidelity (thornton), Dobbinss ect, ect.. to get the most out of these vintage decks. I heard a modded Lenco in a big modern system before and it was just incredible and spectacular but it was also modded and plinthed by a pro who clearly understood what to do with the thing to make it sound that way. People think sometimes you can head to your garage, take your hacksaw, drillpress, sandpaper and whatever and do what the top restoration mod companies do but they are totally wrong. It would be like saying that since I can fiddle with a Chevy LS1 small block V8 that I can do what Lingenfelter does with Corvette, which is ridiculous..you guys get the idea.

HiFiGuy (Dave)
I just saw your post last night, sorry I haven't paid attention. I think you need to fashion the weight on the string for your anti-skate if you already haven't. Otherwise, I don't know how you can set the anti-skate. If you need to know the particulars, let me know, I'm a pharmacist with access to accurate scales, so I can weigh mine and measure the length. I also have an SME tonearm that uses a similar setup, I can check to see if the parts are interchangeable or similar. SME parts are available over the net.
The lateral balance is in my opinion not as critical as the anti-skate. Imagine the shaft of your tonearm as the fuselage of a plane and the cartridge as an engine on one wing. The lateral weight balances the tonearm like putting the weight of another engine on the opposite wing.
I have read the pros and cons of anti-skate, some people don't use it at all so I think you can still operate your tonearm safely. I personally believe in using anti-skate so I would recommend making or purchasing a weight.
The lateral weight is a nice idea but even Harmon Kardon was vague about calibrating it in the manual. I also have a T60 with a tonearm by ito that lacks the lateral weight. It plays fine.
Between the two tables however, I definitely prefer the sound of the T65C, so maybe there's something to those 2 weights, maybe it's something else. Good luck and let me know if you need the measurements. Rich

Jhendrixfan,
First off, I like your username. Surprisingly, the 301 is in excellent shape considering it's age. No dust to speak of, the only problems were the hardened grease and cracked original mat. Didn't see any other problems such as spindle run-out even when measured with dial indicator. I couldn't even measure a flat spot on the idler using that method but planned on replacing it anyway due to it's age. The mat will also be replaced. I'll check the other spindles for run-out when I devote myself to the project again and replace as I see fit. Electrically, the arrestor seemed fine, but honestly I haven't checked it with a meter yet. Otherwise, this thing's a cherry.
Jeremy..Really? I'm not some guy with a hacksaw and drill press. I've been woodworking and cabinet making for over 20 years and don't generally compromise or cut corners. I really do measure twice and cut once and quit at the first sign of fatigue. The key to woodworking is patience. I planned on measuring for the resonant frequencies of each assembly as well to tune the plinth. I wouldn't think of damaging such a finely engineered instrument by modifying it having trust and respect for the designer's choices. Interestingly, the 301 was provided with plans for a plinth, so I guess they thought it was possible for a guy in his garage to pull it off.
My original post was whether or not it was worth it. In automotive terms, I would liken it to a Corvette Stingray that needs a new set of tires and a good once over. I realize now of course it's worth it. In my experience, owners usually make the best restorers, viewing their projects as labors of love. I don't really want anybody else messing with "my baby".
Will the final product be "The Best", who knows? Can someone else do it better? Why not? Every "pro" I've met is in it for the money, just because they charge an arm and a leg doesn't make their work any better than another individual with skills. In my experience, owners can do the best work and know their stuff inside and out, if they take the time.

"If you are more of a consumer and music lover (listener) and want something that once it is set up properly just works and works there are far better turntables made nowadays."

Which ones are those? I ask as a user of a 301 which "just works and works".

regards, Dave