Garrard model 210 question/problem

[bencritchley]

hi
I recently got a Bush SPR31 portable unit with a Garrard 210 turntable in it. It was professionally serviced and runs and sounds wonderful, but on some 45s, often on only one side, the cartridge seems to audibly drag on the record, slowing it down and elongating the sound quite horribly. Now and again it slows the record to a halt, with the platter rotating beneath it. It's only on a small minority of records that I play on it, it's not my primary deck and I don't expect miracles from technology this old.

What troubles me is I don't know why it behaves in such a manner when it does - I can't see anything in common in the singles I play on it - they're clean and range in age over 50 years. It seems illogical that it is random, can anyone explain this to me?

Thanks

[Nickthedentist]

Hi Ben,

Does it also slow down and almost stall when the autochange function is operating (i.e. when the pickup arm is being moved by the mechanism)? This can be caused by the rubber-tyred wheel under the turntable becoming hard and shiney.

Does it only occur when you're playing a stack of records, or have you noticed it with just one record on the turntable? If the former, the records might be slipping with respect to each other.

Nick.

[Valleyjinker]

Here's a few ideas,

I infer that you don't think the platter is slowing down.

Is the tracking weight excessive? Could the friction of the stylus be greater than the friction between platter and the record?

Is the platter particularly even and flat - tricky question to put, that. For instance if a record was slightly domed as some of mine are - as if you'd supported it by the edges and plonked a weight in the middle for a week - then when played on one side it the edges of the record would touch the platter - good friction, played on the other side the middle would touch the platter - low drive friction.

Does the platter have a mat which has a deliberate depression in the middle - if it has not, should it have?

[Stewart]

Hmm - from the original post it sounds to me as if the turntable platter continues to rotate under a stalled record? If so.. I would check the turntable mat. The rubber used by Garrard at this time does seem to be failing quite a lot these days - typically going quite hard and biscuit like. In the process almost all grip to the record is lost. You might get away with it on those records with a generous centre hole that run with little friction - but some discs don't seem to have such clearance and run tighter.

[peter_sol]

HI
Is this when records have dropped one on top of the other
If so it is quite common and 45's were made with ridged centres to try and minimise it
Not much you can do I am afraid
Regards

Peter.

[bencritchley]

Many thanks!

reading over the replies I've noticed references to the mat. I've not got one, which is rather an obvious problem, so obvious I didn't think of it. That should (hopefully) increase the friction, and stop the record stalling.

Thanks for your help!

[geofy]

You could use an old mouse mat with a hole punched in the middle for a temporary mat, really bring it into the computer age, just make sure the turntable rotates freely.

[Nickthedentist]

No mat at all, just bare painted steel with your records plonked on top?

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by geofy

You could use an old mouse mat with a hole punched in the middle

It would probably work very well, so long as you can find one large enough

I'd use it with the rubbery underside uppermost, and the decorative side attached to the platter with double-sided tape.

[geofy]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

It would probably work very well, so long as you can find one large enough

I'd use it with the rubbery underside uppermost, and the decorative side attached to the platter with double-sided tape.

That's a rubbery idea

Now we'll get a thread "My mouse doesn't work anymore"

[Stewart]

This is starting to become an issue with the cream coloured Garrard decks (with the Collaro range not far behind). Its not that rare to spot changers on ebay and the like with with mats missing:- presumed turned to dust.

A friend pointed out how some of the rubber mats issued on the budget japanese turntables of the 70s and 80s - and at a boot sale near you for a few coins - have mats just itching to be trimmed down to size for these old autochangers; having, as many do, lots of concentric rings molded in to guide the knife!

[geofy]

But like it or not the Japanese decks of the seventies and eighties are going to be better than the deck that is trying to be saved, even the budget ones. It would be a shame if a potentialy good deck is used just to supply a turntable mat. Replacement mats are no doubt available or could be made.

A mat if stored correctly should last, I have a forty year old Bush record player (which I modified the PSU to reduce hum, but that's another story), and it is still as good as new, as is my mid eighties Pioneer PL76 deck.

Geof

[bencritchley]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

No mat at all, just bare painted steel with your records plonked on top?

yes yes, it's obvious NOW, I was being obtuse. Luckily in my cupboard was a gubbed 1870s hitatchi that I couldn't bear to throw away as it only needed a new drive belt and lid and stylus. I've pinched the mat off that and it all seems to be working fine.

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by bencritchley

Luckily in my cupboard was a gubbed 1870s hitatchi that I couldn't bear to throw away

Not surprised, it's over a century old so far too good to chuck out!

Seriously though, glad it's all working now.

Nick.