New book: "The Garrard Story"

[stevehertz]

Mine arrived today, nicely packed. I almost did a youtube 'opening the box' video (not..). I've only just flicked through the pages as yet, but it certainly looks nice.

[qualityten]

Originally Posted by Andrew2

I'm approaching the end of this book now and I have to say I'm feeling slightly let down. There's plenty of detail about the formative years of the company and this is quite interesting. There is also plenty of coverage of the earlier decks, but as the book moves into the 50's the detail becomes more sparse. Then we hurtle through the 60's and even the best-selling SP25 series gets only a passing mention. Before we know it, Garrard has hit the buffers.
Some of the technical info toward the end of the book is interesting though.

I share this assessment of the book. It is a disappointment, especially when compared with the equivalent Thorens book. The latter book focused on the TD124 and I was sad not to see a corresponding focus here on the 301 and 401, e.g. on their use by the world's broadcasters, the glowing contemporary hifi reviews, the current renaissance, huge worldwide fanbase (esp. Japan), Martin Bastin's work, and so on. There's nothing about Loricraft, apart from an advert at the end. Admittedly the focus is on the Garrard factory story, but where are the interviews with those who worked there, photos of how the motor units were made, etc.?

I'm afraid the definitive book on the the Garrard idlers still remains to be written.

[GP49000]

I received mine (a fully paid-for copy...I have no connection with the family other than through contact in Internet forums)...several days ago.

I appreciate the criticisms but see the book's topic as primarily the "biography" of a great audio and record-player company and its history, and though its products play a role, it is secondary, supporting. It is thus NOT intended as a "definitive book about Garrard idlers."

The book is a good read and I feel it is easily worth the modest price. Few other big audio companies could have had their stories told by someone as close to the "action" through as much of a long company history as Garrard. Fortunately we have the memoirs of Edmund Mortimer, who assembled the very first Garrard and remained there until his retirement around 1970. By then his son Brian was a key Garrard employee, remaining until Garrard had been sold to the Brazilians, and he oversaw setting up production lines there (after which he was sacked). Both have a not inconsiderable literacy, which helps bring the company's story to life, from its small beginnings to its peak in 1974 and through its decline.

It's not all about Garrard's triumphs. The major role in Garrard's decline played by Plessey, the electronics conglomerate that bought Garrard as a cash cow but then starved it to death, is told of, too. Of technical interest: a series of articles by Edmund Mortimer about Garrard electric motors, the 401 transcription turntable, production techniques for Autoslim-chassis record changers, the Lab 80 automatic transcription turntable, servicing of household and high quality record players, and the Synchro-Lab 95 auto turntable with its revolutionary induction/synchronous motor, patented by Garrard and licensed worldwide to Dual and the Asians.