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Old 11th Jun 2013, 6:55 pm   #116
GP49000
Hexode
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sonoma County, California, USA.
Posts: 405
Default Re: Garrard record player deck identification.

The "Delglide" direct drive models

Garrard's excellent DD75 direct drive turntable had no automatic tonearm setdown and cycling, only an end-of-side arm lift and shutoff. That was because its Matsushita direct drive motor could not accommodate a mechanical drive to an auto mechanism. The auto mechanism in Garrard's GT models, dubbed "Delglide" by the advertising department, used a cogged belt from a gear at the center of the platter. Garrard designed an all-new direct drive motor that would clear the path of the cogged belt, and having a through-shaft with a drive gear for the belt, underneath the motor chassis. The new motor was combined with the basic GT-20/25P/35P design, to create a new series of direct drive Garrards. The DD75 was discontinued.

The first "Delglide" direct drive models were DD131 and DD132, with varying levels of single play automation. The DD130, fully manual, came later. All had a manual cueing device for tonearm lift/lower. All had a pitch control and stroboscope on the plater, for an approximate ±3% speed adjustment. There were no record changer models at all; multiple-play, once Garrard's bread-and-butter, was only on the low end Unimech models and the belt-drive GT Delglides.

Cosmetics, essentially the same as the corresponding GT models, varied in details through production of these models. Some of every model had silver tonearm tubes, others black; nearly all DD130 had silver armtubes, while the other models had a more equal mix. Counterweights were of the same basic construction as those on the large-chassis, belt-drive GT models but during production the chrome plating was supplanted by a black finish, with the silver-tonearm DD130s generally still supplied with silver counterweights; and black counterweights found their way onto samples of the GT series, too. The headshell, while remaining of the same excellent, lightweight but rigid magnesium construction, also came in a matte grey and in black as production progressed. Some photos show a later headshell design but since that part was so easily interchanged, they may show a change made by an end user.

Plinths were matte silver on top with charcoal control panels, and matte dark grey below.

The DD131 had automatic tonearm lift and return at the end of side or when selected by a Reject control; but manual setdown to begin play, with the optional aid of the manual tonearm lift/lower device. It appears to have been the most popular of the line.

The DD132 added automatic tonearm setdown at the beginning of the record, and repeat play. Record size selection was linked to speed selection: 33rpm records were all assumed to be 12-inch; 45rpm record, all seven-inch. Setdown to begin play of other sizes could only be done manually with the aid of the manual lift/lower if desired.

The DD130 was fully manual; no auto setdown, no auto arm lift and return, no Reject control. It had only a vestigial tonearm base replacing the automatic module in the higher-line models. Its only operational controls were OFF/33/45 and the tonearm lift/lower.

Photos:

DD130 (later type headshell)
DD130 tonearm, counterweight, antiskate and cueing detail. Silver arm and counterweight.
DD131 with matte grey Garrard magnesium headshell and silver armtube.
DD131 control panel. Black headshell and armtube.
DD131 control panel. Grey or aged silver headshell, black armtube.
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Last edited by GP49000; 11th Jun 2013 at 7:21 pm.
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