Garrard RC98/4 (1950s)

If you have a stack of 78s gathering dust, this British autochanger was built for them.

Overview

The Garrard RC98/4 isn't one of the headline acts of vintage turntables - no 301-style cult following, no SME pedigree. It kept records spinning in homes across Britain through the 1950s and beyond. Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company Ltd. made this automatic record changer to be practical, durable and flexible about formats. It handled 78s, 33s, 45s and even the odd 16rpm LP, stacking up to eight records and playing them in sequence with the clunk of a well-oiled mechanical brain.

It's easy to overlook a machine like this next to more refined manual turntables, but the RC98/4 had a job: make record playing as effortless as possible for the average listener. That meant automatic start, automatic arm drop and automatic shut-off, with no cueing or timing. It likely left the factory with a basic mono crystal cartridge. Owners report that with a better cartridge, like a Shure M7 D-M, it can deliver sound that is "surprisingly good, even compared to modern Hi-Fi tables of the 70s."

Don’t expect ultra-low tracking or audiophile-grade silence between the grooves. This is a rubber idler-driven machine with all the mechanical presence that implies—there’s a hum, a whir, and the occasional hesitation in the auto-cycle. But for those who value format flexibility and mechanical ingenuity over absolute sonic purity, the RC98/4 earns its place in the pantheon of solid, no-nonsense British engineering.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company Ltd.
Product type	automatic record changer
Drive	rubber idler wheel
Speeds	16, 33, 45 and 78rpm
Record capacity	will play automatically any number of records up to eight
Compatible record sizes and speeds at each loading	10 or 12" at 78rpm, 7, 10 or 12" at 33rpm, 7" at 45rpm
Optional accessory	large record spindle type LRS3, available as an optional extra
Tonearm thread type	type BA (British Association) threads
Dimensions	approx 14 x 14 x 4 inches
Weight	approximately 15 lbs

Key Features

Format Flexibility That Actually Works

The RC98/4 wasn't built for speed accuracy or sonic transparency. It was built to play every kind of record people actually owned in the 1950s. That meant 78s, which were still in wide circulation, and the newer microgroove 33s and 45s. It handled 10" and 12" discs at 78rpm, 7", 10" or 12" at 33rpm, and 7" singles at 45rpm. Even 16rpm records could be played, though they weren't part of the standard auto-changer cycle. The optional LRS3 large record spindle let it take 7" 45s with the oversized center hole, a common format quirk of the era.

Designed Around the 78 RPM Experience

More than one owner points to the RC98/4's ability to handle 78s reliably. Many changers of the time struggled with the weight and wear of shellac discs, and this Garrard was engineered to cope. The tonearm's tracking force is estimated to be significantly higher than 2 grams. That is necessary for stable playback on 78s, and while it might be rough on modern vinyl, it suits old shellac. One forum user called this capability "the beauty of that turntable."

Upgradable Sound with Modern Cartridges

It likely shipped with a basic mono crystal cartridge, the kind that needs no phono stage and plugs straight into a line input. Owners who have swapped in a stereo magnetic cartridge, like the Shure M7 D-M, report a dramatic improvement in sound quality. One listing describes the result as "stereo and sounds very good," and a forum user says that with such a cartridge, you can "play records to a better standard probably than a mono crystal cartridge that probably was fitted as new." The tonearm uses BA (British Association) threads, so adapters may be needed for modern cartridges.

Reversible Stylus Compatibility

Some compatible cartridges for the RC98/4 have a reversible stylus - sharper for 78s, finer for 33s and 45s. That allowed optimized playback without changing the whole cartridge, which helped when stylus wear was a constant concern and replacement tips weren't as readily available.

Historical Context

Garrard's roots go back to 1915, when it began as a division of Garrard and Co., a company originally known for manufacturing motors for gramophone audio products. The brand's first complete turntable came in 1930, and it built a reputation for precision engineering, especially in the high-end manual decks that followed. The RC98/4 belongs to a different branch of the family: the automatic changers that dominated living rooms before the rise of the audiophile-grade turntable.

There's no specific documentation on why or when the RC98/4 was introduced, but it emerged during the 1950s, when record changers were the default choice for home audio. It wasn't a flagship model. It was a competent, well-rounded machine that reflected Garrard's commitment to mechanical reliability. The company would later be acquired by England's SME Limited in 2018, long after the RC98/4 had faded from production.

Collectibility & Value

The RC98/4 isn't a high-value collector's item, but it isn't disposable either. A working unit was recently listed for $49.95, while a mint example in original box - a rare find - was priced at $120.00. Prices reflect condition, completeness, and whether the unit has been serviced.

One seller noted a "slight tear in the plastic on the automatic record releaser mechanism," but said it didn't affect function. The general consensus is that this is a non-restored machine that "will need some care and routine adjustments."

Owners should also expect to replace the cartridge and stylus. Many listings state "it does need a cartiage/needle" (a typo, but the point stands). Given the age, original cartridges may be degraded, and pairing with a vintage-compatible amplifier is advised, especially if using a high-output crystal or ceramic type.