Garrard

The 301 and 401 — turntables built like Rolls-Royces

History

Key Facts

Legendary Products

Garrard 301 (1953-1965)

Garrard 401 (1965-1979)

Garrard AT-60 (1960s)

Garrard SL-95 (1970s)

Sound Signature

Garrard turntables deliver a weighty, dynamic, authoritative presentation that idler-drive enthusiasts argue belt-drive turntables simply cannot match. The massive platter and powerful motor create a sense of drive and momentum in the music — bass notes have real physical impact, rhythms have an urgency and propulsive energy, and the overall sound has a solidity that makes lighter turntables feel like they are merely sketching the outlines of the music.

The 301 and 401 were designed for BBC broadcasting, where speed stability and reliability were paramount. That professional heritage translates directly into vinyl replay that is rock-solid in pitch and unwavering in its rhythmic foundation. Mounted in a proper custom plinth, a well-restored Garrard transcription turntable delivers analog reproduction with a scale and authority that can challenge turntables costing many times more.

Collecting Garrard

The 301 is the ultimate Garrard collectible, and the early grease-bearing version (Schedule 1, produced before 1957) is the most sought after — these units command premium prices, particularly in original, unrestored condition. The later oil-bearing 301 is more commonly found and easier to maintain. The 401 is the refined successor, with sleeker styling and improved motor isolation that makes it more practical for domestic use while retaining the 301's essential character.

Garrard collecting has a vibrant custom-plinth community — many enthusiasts purchase chassis-only units and build elaborate plinths in materials from slate to hardwood to concrete, each influencing the final sound. When buying any vintage Garrard, the condition of the idler wheel is critical — hardened or flat-spotted wheels cause rumble and must be replaced. The main bearing should spin freely without roughness, and the motor should start reliably. Parts availability is excellent, with specialist suppliers offering replacement idler wheels, bearings, and motor components.

Competitors & Comparisons

Receivers

• 800 — Garrard 800 (1956-1960) automatic record changer. 3-speed intermix changer with 11-inch aluminum platter, cueing control, and crystal cartridge.
• 810 (1980s) — Garrard 810 (1963-65) — compact idler-wheel changer sharing the Lab 80's M-series cartridge. Rumble -35dB, wow/flutter 0.25%, metal tonearm, no strobe.
• 812 — Garrard 812 turntable, 1970s era. Synchronous motor, 33/45 rpm, auto shut-off. Little documented; specs from Hifi-Wiki, one eBay listing.

Speakers

• GSS817 — Garrard GSS817 two-way speaker with 8-inch reinforced polypropylene woofer. Little documented; known from used listings and owner videos.
• GSS818 — Garrard GSS818 bookshelf speaker — a rare, little-documented Garrard speaker rated at 50W with RCA and 3.5mm inputs. Only resale listing details survive.
• RC98/4 (1958) — The Garrard RC98/4 is a 1950s automatic record changer built for 78s, 33s, 45s, and 16rpm records—durable, versatile, and surprisingly musical.

Turntable

• RC-88 — Garrard RC-88 auto-manual record changer — pusher-platform handling, cast-aluminum true-tangent arm, $59.50 in period catalogs.

Turntables

• 100-SB — Garrard 100-SB (Zero 100SB): a 1975 belt-drive single-play turntable advertised at $209.95 with scarce surviving documentation.
• 1025T — Garrard 1025T — obscure English 4-speed automatic record changer, similar to 2025T with smaller platter. Plays 16, 33, 45, 78 RPM.
• 201 (1930) — Garrard Type 201 transcription turntable — rare idler-drive studio deck, 33⅓/45 rpm, synchronous motor, 12-inch alloy platter, 0.15% wow, −40 dB rumble.
• 2025tc (1968) — The Garrard 2025TC (1968) is a 4-speed autochanger from the console stereo era. Specs, history, and real market prices for this British mechanical workhorse.
• 25 — Almost nothing is documented about the Garrard 25. The Archive’s searches of period publications have not yet turned up a direct reference to the model.
• 301 (1953) — High-performance British idler-wheel turntable from the 1950s, renowned for precision engineering and studio-grade sound quality.
• 4 — Three-speed manual turntable from the 1950s with idler-wheel drive and oil-immersed motor. Find full specifications and a price history chart here.
• 401 (1965) — High-performance idler-wheel turntable from the golden age of British audio engineering. Includes full specifications and production years.
• 401c (1965) — High-performance idler-wheel turntable from the 1960s, renowned for its build quality and dynamic sound. With the complete spec table and when it was made.
• 411 — Garrard 411, an obscure late-1950s model documented only in a few period magazine references suggesting both a turntable and an amplifier variant.
• 440 (1968) — The Garrard 440 is a manual 4-speed turntable from the late 1960s, known for its durability and accurate playback. Includes recent sold prices.
• 440M/C (1969) — A precision British turntable designed for high-fidelity playback, the Garrard 440M/C is a refined manual deck known for its elegant design and solid engineering.
• 5 — Three-speed manual turntable from Garrard's early post-war era, featuring idler wheel drive and foundational design elements for future high-fidelity models.
• 5-100 — Manual 3-speed turntable from Garrard's mid-range lineup, produced from 1959 to 1961, featuring idler-wheel drive and compatibility with crystal or magnetic cartridges.
• 5-200 — Manual 3-speed turntable from Garrard's 5-series, featuring idler-wheel drive and die-cast platter for stable playback. Covers full specifications.
• 50 Mark II — Little is documented about the Garrard 50 Mark II beyond the advertising campaign that introduced it. What survives is a series of full-page magazine
• 50 Mk II — Garrard 50 Mark II, a compact automatic turntable from 1967, priced at $54.50. Little documented beyond period advertising.
• 54 — Garrard 54 turntable, priced at $54.50 in 1963-64 Garrard ads, otherwise undocumented. A scarce, little-known model.
• 770M — A manual, single-play turntable with idler-wheel drive, produced from 1969 to 1973. Includes full specifications and production years.
• 86 — Garrard 86 (Model 86SB) automatic turntable, circa 1976. Belt drive, synchronous motor, $159.95 with base and dustcover. Documented in Audio, July 1976.
• 86-SB — Surviving documentation on the Garrard 86-SB is thin — essentially one full period review, a brief advertising mention. Covers production dates.
• 95B — Garrard 95B (SL 95B): three-speed automatic turntable from Garrard Engineering, reviewed in High Fidelity (Jan 1971) at $129.50; little else documented.
• AP-76 — Per Audio-Collection (n.d., p.63), the deck was offered as an automatic transcription-quality turntable, capable of playing single records at 33⅓, 45.
• AP75 — A manual turntable with automatic motor shutoff and tonearm return, part of Garrard's late-1960s single-play lineup. Covers detailed specs.
• GT-35 — Garrard GT-35 changer/turntable, little documented. Known from a 1978 High Fidelity review: speed accuracy no measurable error.
• GT-350 — Garrard GT-350 automatic belt-drive turntable, c. 1980. Thinly documented; known from High Fidelity reviews listing specs, prices, and performance measurements.
• GT-55 — Garrard GT-55 automatic turntable (mid-1970s). Flagship model with zero-tracking-error tonearm, belt-driven DC servo motor, and Generation Two design.
• GT20 — Garrard GT20 (1968–1970) — a budget-friendly, manual belt-drive turntable with 33/45rpm speeds and a 310mm platter. Plastic build, modest specs.
• LAB — Surviving information on the Garrard LAB is thin, and in period print the name appears mostly in association with two things: the Lab 80 model and…
• LAB 80 (1964) — Garrard LAB 80 (1964) automatic transcription turntable — idler drive, 2-speed, low-mass arm tracking 1½–2g, stacks eight records. Under $200 used.
• lab-80-mkii (1964) — Mid-range idler-drive turntable from Garrard, known for reliability and warm sound. Produced from 1964 to 1970. Covers the complete spec table.
• model 770 — Garrard Model 770, the 1966 flagship of the series 70 line — a four-speed automatic changer with synchronous motor, rim drive, and Shure M44-5 cartridge.
• Module X-11 Demi (1973) — Mid-range belt-drive turntable from Garrard's 1970s Module series, known for clean sound and user-friendly design. Find full specifications here.
• MRM-101 — Garrard MRM-101 Music Recovery Module (1978). A little-documented RIAA phono preamp with switchable noise suppression. Includes production dates.
• RC100 — Garrard RC100 (1938) record changer with idler-wheel drive and 4-speed playback. Rare, modestly valued, and a mechanical curiosity among early automated turntables.
• RC120 — An automatic idler-drive turntable from the mid-1950s, available in multiple variants including the RC120/4H and MkII. Includes detailed specs.
• RC209 — A manual, entry-level turntable with four-speed, fully-automatic operation, made for the 1960s home audio market. Covers full specifications.
• RC6 — Garrard RC6 (1960–1962) automatic turntable weighs 8.5 kg and uses idler drive — a mid-tier workhorse needing maintenance to shine.
• RC60 — A manual 2-speed turntable with single-post mechanism, designed for automatic playback of up to eight 78 RPM records. Covers detailed specs.
• RC80 — Three-speed idler-drive automatic record changer introduced in 1950, notable as Garrard’s first model with a magnetic cartridge.
• RC88/4 (1955) — The Garrard RC88/4 is a 1950s high-end British automatic record changer supporting 78, 45, 33.33, and 16 rpm formats with 8-record capacity.
• RC90 — Garrard RC90 record changer with Synchro-Lab hysteresis motor. Explore full specifications, detailed review, and current market pricing.
• RC98 — It supports playback at 16, 33, 45, and 78 rpm and can automatically play up to eight records of 10 or 12 inches in size. Specs, history & review.
• S-50 — Garrard S-50: a little-documented Garrard model. No specs, production years, or price have been traced. Surviving period ads show other Garrard models but not the S-50.
• SL-72 — Garrard SL-72 automatic turntable. Little is documented; the near-identical SL72B variant was reviewed by High Fidelity in 1971 at $89.50 with 0.5% speed accuracy.
• SL-95B — Garrard SL-95B automatic turntable (1970-1972). Top-of-the-line model at $129.50, praised by Audio magazine for superb performance.
• SL55 — A manual turntable from the mid-1960s, noted for reliability and clean performance. With full specifications and production years.
• SL55B — A 3-speed automatic turntable produced by Garrard during a transitional era in turntable design. Find detailed specs and production dates here.
• SL65B — A classic manual turntable with cue and pause control, produced by Garrard from 1964 to 1972. Includes detailed specs and production dates.
• SL72B — An automatic record changer from Garrard, noted for its manual and automatic play modes and low wow performance. Find full specifications here.
• SP (1975) — Vintage turntable from the 1970s with idler-wheel drive and robust mechanical design, known for warm sound and widespread use in console stereos.
• SP25 Mk 1 (1959-) — Garrard SP25 Mk I (1959-1965) — the entry-level automatic changer that launched the long-running SP series. Four speeds, auto-change, budget-priced at $29.95.
• SP25 MKII — A manually operated, idler-wheel-driven turntable with 4-speed operation, part of Garrard's consumer line in the mid-20th century.
• SP25 MKIII — A consumer turntable that brought Garrard engineering to the mass market, produced from 1970 to 1974. Includes the complete spec table and when it was made.
• SP25 MKIV — A manual single-play idler drive turntable, the final version of the long-running SP25 series. Covers detailed specs and production dates.
• SRP10 — A transportable record player deck with four playback speeds, made for portable use with built-in amplification and speaker.
• SRP22 — A compact, manually operated 3-speed turntable designed for space-constrained or portable use. Covers detailed specs and production dates.
• Synchro-Lab 55B — Garrard Synchro-Lab 55B turntable — an obscure automatic stacking changer, often found built into the rare Marantz Model 28 receiver. Little else is documented.
• Type A — A classic 3-speed idler-drive turntable from 1954, known for its reliability and warm sound in vintage hi-fi systems. With the complete spec table.
• TYPE A90 — An automatic idler-drive turntable introduced in 1961, noted for exceeding broadcast standards in wow and flutter. With full specifications.
• Z-2000B — Little is documented about the Garrard Z-2000B beyond a run of period advertisements that appeared in late 1975.
• ZERO 100B — Garrard Zero 100B (1970) — 24.25 lb automatic turntable with parallel-tracking arm, ±3% pitch control, and damped subchassis.
• ZERO 100S — A two-speed automatic turntable produced by Garrard between 1974 and 1977, designed for single-record playback with a pantograph tonearm.
• Zero 92 — Garrard Zero 92 automatic belt-drive turntable with the patented Zero Tracking Error tonearm, c. 1971–1975. Reviewed by Hi-Fi Sound in August 1974.
• ZERO-1000 — Garrard ZERO-1000 turntable, part of the tangential-tracking Zero series. Documented only by a 1972 advertisement and a 1974 equipment listing.
• ZERO-100SB — A 2-speed belt-drive turntable from the mid-1970s, sold with a teak veneer base and dust cover. Covers detailed specs and production dates.
• zero-2000b — High-fidelity belt-drive turntable with zero-pressure tonearm from Garrard's innovative Zero series. Find detailed specs here.

Unknown

• Zero 100-C — Garrard Zero 100-C automatic turntable — articulated Zero Tracking Error tonearm, Synchro-Lab motor, built-in record counter, $209.95 in 1974.

Other Models

• 3000 — Garrard 3000 record changer, mid-1960s. Idler-wheel drive, 4-speed auto changer for up to six records; 0.2% wow, −40 dB rumble. Thin surviving documentation.
• 60 Mk II — Garrard 60 Mk II automatic turntable: half-gram tracking, optical stylus pressure dial, cueing/pause lever, preset anti-skating. $74.50 in 1967.
• 70 Mk II — Garrard 70 Mk II automatic turntable — quarter-gram click-stop stylus pressure gauge, patented anti-skating control, balanced non-magnetic platter. The aristocrat of Garrard's automatic range.
• AT-6 — Garrard AT-6, a four-speed automatic record changer introduced in 1956. Mid-range model with a dynamically balanced tubular tonearm, priced at $54.50 in 1963.
• AT-60 (1966) — Garrard AT-60 (1966): budget single-play automatic turntable, idler drive, dynamically balanced tonearm tracking at half a gram. Period price $39.50–$59.50.
• DD-75 — Garrard DD-75 direct-drive turntable, Garrard's first DD model. 2-speed, 300mm aluminium platter, DC servo motor, 0.03% wow/flutter.
• GT-25 — Garrard GT-25 belt-drive automatic turntable from the late 1970s. Little documented beyond basic specs; cited by Popular Electronics in 1978 as more than just another record player.
• MODEL-210 — Garrard Model 210 — the $49 four-speed automatic intermix changer of 1959–61, pitched for stereo and sold below the Type A and Model 88 Mk II.
• MODEL-50 (1964–) — Garrard Model 50 (1964-66), a $44.50 budget 4-speed automatic turntable with a counterbalanced cast aluminum tone arm — Garrard's lowest-priced automatic.
• RC98/4L — Documentation on the Garrard RC98/4L is thin — no original manuals, service literature, or period reviews have surfaced in the archive. What the record
• SL-95 (1967–1971) — Garrard SL-95 automatic turntable (1967–1971). Synchro-Lab Series flagship with idler drive, 4 speeds, Afrormosia wood tonearm, 11.5-inch platter.
• SP-25 — Garrard SP-25 budget turntable from the 1960s — a low-cost single-player deck with 16-78 rpm speeds, known for value and reliability.