Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

OldTechFan96 · 8th Mar 2018, 3:23 pm

Hello all,

Last week I won a Hacker Gondolier GP42 at a local auction. I lugged the thing all the way home in the snow, which was fun.

It is fitted with a Garrard 3000 auto changer and a manual spindle. The tall changer spindle was not included. There was a blob of blue tack stuck to the end of the tone arm. A bad omen, perhaps?

A few niggles were ironed out by stripping and cleaning the auto trip mechanism and other parts of the turntable. The trip pawl is free and unlubricated.

Now I'm having the following problems:

1. The tone arm sets down too far in on the record. Adjusting the screw moves the tone arm either in or out but for some reason when the tone arm is adjusted to the right position it will not move to its rest without some force. This is because the screw is nearly adjusted all of the way in. I may have adjusted it too much so I will look into this further.

2. The auto return does not trigger at the end of record. I've tried increasing the stylus pressure to no avail.

Nothing looks to be excessively worn or broken. Some more degreasing and a better understanding of how this TT works will be necessary.

Does anybody have any ideas?

Thanks

Edward Huggins · 8th Mar 2018, 4:49 pm

I assume you have read the Stickys above which covers the many variations of this Garrard chassis quite extensively. You must not attempt to increase tracking weight to trip the auto-return (and do remove any Bluetak!). The tubular tone arm on the Gararrd 3000 will track very well at just 3.5 grams. The problem will lay elsewhere in the Linkage/s.

Michael Maurice · 8th Mar 2018, 11:36 pm

Does he arm move very freely horizontally? I've found at times that the bearings stiffen up with dried out lubricant. You need to remove the arm and its wiring and the remove the bracket to which the arm is mounted on. clean it and relubricate it, then re-assemble.

OldTechFan96 · 9th Mar 2018, 6:21 pm

The tonearm did move somewhat freely. Your post prompted me to have another look at the horizontal section of the turntable.

When I removed the pivot screw I noticed that the tip was covered in old, sticky grease. The bearing on the upper casting assembly and pivot screw were cleaned. Now the tone arm sets down in the correct position.

The problem now is that once the tone arm lowers on the record the turntable switches from manual to off. The service manual I found suggests some possible remedies.

Edward Huggins · 9th Mar 2018, 6:38 pm

Do you have the overarm set back over the spindle in its correct position and seated properly?

OldTechFan96 · 9th Mar 2018, 10:34 pm

I tried the above remedies in the service manual and it did not sort the problems with the turntable stopping after the tonearm starts on a record. The auto return still does not work.

I've discovered that when the over arm is turned to the left the tonearm lowers without the mechanism switching off. I'll investigate further.

When selecting auto and playing a record I do have overarm set back over the spindle. The overarm is seated properly.

Audio1950 · 9th Mar 2018, 11:35 pm

Follow this advice and it will cure the problem of the arm not rejecting at the end of the record.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=112708

GP49000 · 10th Mar 2018, 9:37 am

For proper automatic shutoff, service the automatic trip as per the link suggeested by "Audio1950."

The Model 3000 was not designed to auto-start on a single record. If you select AUTO with the overarm raised and turned to the right, the arm will set down properly ONLY on a 12" record, and the unit will not shut off at the end of a record, but resume play from the beginning again. If you select AUTO with the overarm swung over the spindle and dropped down, the tonearm will not set down on the record and the entire unit will shut off. This behaviour is all WORKING AS DESIGNED.

OldTechFan96 · 10th Mar 2018, 6:51 pm

Thanks for letting me know that this behavior is to be expected GP49000. A valuable piece of information about how the Garrard 3000 should work.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

8th Mar 2018, 3:23 pm	#1
OldTechFan96 Octode Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 1,181	Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble Hello all, Last week I won a Hacker Gondolier GP42 at a local auction. I lugged the thing all the way home in the snow, which was fun. It is fitted with a Garrard 3000 auto changer and a manual spindle. The tall changer spindle was not included. There was a blob of blue tack stuck to the end of the tone arm. A bad omen, perhaps? A few niggles were ironed out by stripping and cleaning the auto trip mechanism and other parts of the turntable. The trip pawl is free and unlubricated. Now I'm having the following problems: 1. The tone arm sets down too far in on the record. Adjusting the screw moves the tone arm either in or out but for some reason when the tone arm is adjusted to the right position it will not move to its rest without some force. This is because the screw is nearly adjusted all of the way in. I may have adjusted it too much so I will look into this further. 2. The auto return does not trigger at the end of record. I've tried increasing the stylus pressure to no avail. Nothing looks to be excessively worn or broken. Some more degreasing and a better understanding of how this TT works will be necessary. Does anybody have any ideas? Thanks

8th Mar 2018, 4:49 pm	#2
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,328	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble I assume you have read the Stickys above which covers the many variations of this Garrard chassis quite extensively. You must not attempt to increase tracking weight to trip the auto-return (and do remove any Bluetak!). The tubular tone arm on the Gararrd 3000 will track very well at just 3.5 grams. The problem will lay elsewhere in the Linkage/s. __________________ Edward.

8th Mar 2018, 11:36 pm	#3
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,224	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble Does he arm move very freely horizontally? I've found at times that the bearings stiffen up with dried out lubricant. You need to remove the arm and its wiring and the remove the bracket to which the arm is mounted on. clean it and relubricate it, then re-assemble. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

9th Mar 2018, 6:21 pm	#4
OldTechFan96 Octode Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 1,181	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble The tonearm did move somewhat freely. Your post prompted me to have another look at the horizontal section of the turntable. When I removed the pivot screw I noticed that the tip was covered in old, sticky grease. The bearing on the upper casting assembly and pivot screw were cleaned. Now the tone arm sets down in the correct position. The problem now is that once the tone arm lowers on the record the turntable switches from manual to off. The service manual I found suggests some possible remedies. Attached Thumbnails

9th Mar 2018, 6:38 pm	#5
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,328	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble Do you have the overarm set back over the spindle in its correct position and seated properly? __________________ Edward.

9th Mar 2018, 10:34 pm	#6
OldTechFan96 Octode Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 1,181	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble I tried the above remedies in the service manual and it did not sort the problems with the turntable stopping after the tonearm starts on a record. The auto return still does not work. I've discovered that when the over arm is turned to the left the tonearm lowers without the mechanism switching off. I'll investigate further. When selecting auto and playing a record I do have overarm set back over the spindle. The overarm is seated properly. Last edited by OldTechFan96; 9th Mar 2018 at 10:40 pm. Reason: Response to Ed

9th Mar 2018, 11:35 pm	#7
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,761	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble Follow this advice and it will cure the problem of the arm not rejecting at the end of the record. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=112708

10th Mar 2018, 9:37 am	#8
GP49000 Hexode Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sonoma County, California, USA. Posts: 405	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble For proper automatic shutoff, service the automatic trip as per the link suggeested by "Audio1950." The Model 3000 was not designed to auto-start on a single record. If you select AUTO with the overarm raised and turned to the right, the arm will set down properly ONLY on a 12" record, and the unit will not shut off at the end of a record, but resume play from the beginning again. If you select AUTO with the overarm swung over the spindle and dropped down, the tonearm will not set down on the record and the entire unit will shut off. This behaviour is all WORKING AS DESIGNED.

10th Mar 2018, 6:51 pm	#9
OldTechFan96 Octode Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 1,181	Re: Garrard 3000 Set Down and Auto Return Trouble Thanks for letting me know that this behavior is to be expected GP49000. A valuable piece of information about how the Garrard 3000 should work. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.