Garrard 301 (Grey 'Hammertone')
This vintage Garrard 301 Schedule 1 grease bearing model on a heavy plywood laminate plinth. SME 3012-II tonearm with a Denon DL103R in an Orsonics AV101B headshell. Alternate tone arm [mounted at the back] is a Fidelity Research FR64fx, used mainly with a Grado ZTE + with 78 rpm stylus.
another Garrard 301...
The post-hammertone 301s (both Schedule 1 & 2) are finished in cream-colored paintwork. Schedule 1s mostly retain a non-strobed platter while later Schedule 2 productions (oil-bearings) are fitted with strobed ones. This pic shows a Multi-ply plinth in wood-veneered finish.
how it all begins...
Most of the Bastin plinths are usually a "7-multi-ply" with the top few layers routered-out according to the template, and subsequent plys reducing the internal clearance. Bottom plys are left uncut to create a closed base. The distance of the hole is determined by the tonearm's template, with the cables emerging from the bottom. Some designs now incorporate sandwiched plys of MDF, with it's higher density, to further dampen the plinth.
