Garrard AT6 - why two versions?

[GP49000]

The SP20 was marketed in the USA to schools, other institutional audio-visual use, and to "budget music systems." At first the USA SP20s had two-pole motors; later they received four-pole motors. This was announced only on a sheet listing part numbers for frequently-ordered replacement parts, and not in advertising.

The SP20 was cheap to make. Nothing on it, except for the printed "SP20" badge, was new; everything was sourced from existing parts stock. It, Sue's 60 Mk II, and countless other variations, many produced by special order as an OEM builder, were good examples of Garrard's "parts bin engineering."

[suebutcher]

In that case, I'm fairly confident that I can buy a Garrard AT6 from the USA and use a motor and other bits from my Garrard junk box to convert it to run on the Australian mains.

[Edward Huggins]

Seems you are making yourself a lot of work surely - why not just buy an early AT6 locally?

[lazythread]

Originally Posted by suebutcher

In that case, I'm fairly confident that I can buy a Garrard AT6 from the USA and use a motor and other bits from my Garrard junk box to convert it to run on the Australian mains.

They do crop up in the UK as well which would save you the motor swap hassle. I'm guessing that shipping from the US is cheaper than the UK?

In the earlier autoslim 4 pole models the terminal block is usually fitted on the motors, later ones have a separate mounting and harness. Just something to watch out for if they're not in your junk box.

[suebutcher]

I have been checking locally for a couple of months, but the only one that came up was extremely rusty. Haven't seen an affordable one from Britain either. The Americans have gone nuts over Garrards, and there's always plenty for sale there, sometimes fairly cheap if they're in need of a spruce up. 60Hz pulleys for A-Series motors (I assume that's the AT6/AT60 type) are available NOS for about $100!

[suebutcher]

I have bagged a cheap AT6 Mk1 from America, grubby with light rust in places. It'll need to be disassembled, cleaned, retouched, and put back together, but that's much more fun than paying a fortune for one still in its box!

[Nickthedentist]

Originally Posted by suebutcher

60Hz pulleys for A-Series motors (I assume that's the AT6/AT60 type) are available NOS for about $100!

Seriously?! I'm sure I have a handful of these as they were often supplied with UK models and then either discarded or stored away safely "just in case". It's not uncommon to find them in a little polythene bag inside well cared-for machines, along with the instruction manual, alternative centre spindle, a spare stylus, Dustbug and so on.

N.

[suebutcher]

Google "garrard motor spindle pulley", Nick. Americans must be buying dual-voltage Garrards from the UK and Europe and finding they can't use them without the 60Hz pulleys. No-one's offering 50Hz pulleys, or I'd buy one.

[suebutcher]

Collecting bits for the AT6, I've found a 1966 Garrard catalogue and price list. Anyone want a scan of this? It lists the SPR-12, a tiny manual with a 7" turntable I've never seen before.

[D_S_J_R]

There seemed to be many small refinements as the years went on. My AT6 doesn't have a decoupled counterweight and I'm not sure the AT60 does either (SP25mk1 era?) The 60mk2 seemed to be of the SP25 II era and later, gained the synchro-lab motor, turning it into the SL65. With a soft Stanton 500V3 or livelier Ortofon OM-Pro (I also have a related Ortofon GT cartridge), it can 'sound' really good with singles especially.

[GP49000]

AT60 doesn't have the decoupled counterweight, 60 Mk II does (USA version; UK and Aussie versions have variations so I'm not sure). The rumble went down from AT6 to AT60, perhaps the four pound cast platter and improvements in the platter bearing are reasons why. The short tonearm has the same geometry as the Autoslim, and tracking error is higher than ideal, but nobody is going to use it to play records with critical, advanced stylus shapes anyway.

[D_S_J_R]

My AT6 has a fibre washer under the main bearing ball race and indeed, a lower mass platter as used in subsequent 10.5" platter Autoslim derivatives, but its main cause of noise is overly soft (collapsed?) motor suspension grommets. The 60mk2 has an O ring under the ball race and the motor grommets were fine. I fitted an 'SL' motor with correct pulley (the SL motors run at a slightly different speed to the donor 4 pole types) and it's fine

[suebutcher]

I've fixed the AT6, and I'm very pleased with the result. Luckily the muck wasn't rust, and washed off easily. It sounds really good with a Sonotone 9TA, and with this there's no scratchy noise radiated from the headshell, which suggests the arm and cart are well matched. The 9TA is actually better than my Pickering V15 dealing with the nasty high level orchestral bells on the Shure test record!

[suebutcher]

Originally Posted by GP49000

AT60 doesn't have the decoupled counterweight, 60 Mk II does (USA version; UK and Aussie versions have variations so I'm not sure).

My Australian 60 Mk II does have rubber decoupling on the counterweight.

[Edward Huggins]

This has "scrubbed up" very well. The Sonotone 9TA/HC and/or the Decca DERAM were the ideal cartridges in these. The Acos GP96/1 was also quite a good performer. I've never tried a Magnetic in an Autochanger, only in the fully automatic Garrard AP75 single player.