Garrard 5-300 record deck

[112stereo]

I am having serious issues with a Garrard 5-300 deck.
Everything totally seized when I got it and dead.
The off/on switch was faulty and the power cable damaged all now fixed!
To the deck, never seen anything like it, everything buried under the deck so total strip and clean was required.
After removing the main cam plate assembly three times I still can't get the record size control to work, although all clean it is still very stiff in operation, but the mechanics all appear to work!
It is stuck on 12" and I just can't work out what's part is not working!
Can anyone help please?

[RojDW48]

There is some discussion here of this deck - might be a good place to start - https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...t=89840&page=5

[112stereo]

Thank you, will check out the threads hopefully something will turn up.

[112stereo]

I soaked the appropriate joints in wd40, not recommended I know, but it did the trick after a through clean and reassemble as per one of the threads you put me on, the size selector now works.
I have now totally reassembled the deck and it works, however, the tone arm , after setting it to zero weight, it slowly moves from its rest to mid way across a record.
There's a spring under the tone arm in poor condition and I am not sure where it goes and the schematic is not clear enough, do you know where it should go?

[Edward Huggins]

Are the 4 pick up wires fouling anything? Re: the Tone-Arm drift, is there an Anti-Skate control? Edward

[112stereo]

The wires are completely free, yes it does have a anti skate, but it's quite sensitive one click in either direction makes the arm swing in that direction,
there doesn't seem to be a happy medium with it.
It's this spring I think is causing the problem, it is connected but I don't think it's in the right place and it seems damaged.
Tomorrow I will disconnect it and see what happens.
The cartridge is also faulty so will need to find a compatible replacement, not sure at the moment how it comes off.
I m beginning to wonder if it's worth the trouble!

[Edward Huggins]

How do you know the cartridge is faulty - what are the symptoms? Please post a pic of the cartridge please so we can advise further. Edward

[112stereo]

One of the channels are dead, swooped the leads over confirmed my thoughts.
Checked all the leads for continuity all OK.
The cartridge is a sonotone 9ta...Can't read the rest, struggling to see how to remove it.
The deck is in a HMV stereo music system, the radio works great.

[Nickthedentist]

The cartridge will be a 9TAHC which are very good when they work.

The connection is via little round plug (black or white) which can be carefully teased out of the cartridge body with a fingernail or penknife. You will find that its connections are tarnished and black, as are the mating contacts in the cartridge. Clean them with Brasso or Servisol Super 10 (or both, in that order) applied with a cotton bud (not sprayed), and the fault may well clear.

N.

[112stereo]

Removed cartridge and cleaned contact pins until they shine, reconnected still the same only one channel working.
Found a cheap rubbish cartridge, works on both channels, conclusion dead cartridge.
Seen a 9ta on eBay but want £45 for it, but there's a non working Garrard deck with one in it going in 4 hours and so far £5 but I have to collect which may be an option.

Still have trouble with the bias control.
With the stylus pressure set to zero and the bias control set to zero the arm returns to it rest from the end of play position by its self, consequently whilst playing a record the tone arm is constantly pulling back and occasionally jumps back a Grove at this point I turn it off!
The tension spring appears to be connected correctly, but not 100 per cent sure as nothing to compare with.

[112stereo]

Just been reading up on bias, it appears that if the bias is set correctly the tone arm should travel about half way towards the centre of the record, stylus weight set to zero, mine travels in the opposite direction from the centre of the record to its rest with the bias set to zero!?
So it appears I need less bias, how do I do that ??!

[Audio1950]

Are you certain that the deck is sitting absolutely level in all directions?

Barry

[Edward Huggins]

You are expecting far too much from a crude spring driven "feature" on this budget Garrard deck. Maybe best to disconnect the spring and leave as off. If the turntable is level and the tone arm tracking weight OK, should be good to go. Edward

[Nickthedentist]

I agree, the bias feature was probably more of a marketing feature than something designed to dramatically improve performance.

A worn or chipped stylus is a more likely cause of jumping.

BTW, these "Unimech" Garrards are not very highly regarded. You might be better off finding one of the older, Autoslim-based ones (e.g. 2025C, 3000) and swapping them over. These would need a complete strip and service, but then you'll have a reliable deck with good performance.

[112stereo]

Good to know.
Will try disconnecting it and will let you know the result.

[112stereo]

Firstly I would like to thank those who responded to my thread, disconnecting the bias worked a treat, this is the first time in over 10 years I have listened to a record, my mum never used the record player side only the radio. Now I want a better cartridge other than a very cheap one from eBay i use for test purposes.
Another 9TA would be brilliant, but I can't spend that sort of money on it so a good compatible replacement must be found.
Again thanks to all.

[Nickthedentist]

I'm glad that worked for you!