Garrard Zero 100s incoming

[Markoneswift]

Hey all,

I've just secured an ageing Garrard Zero 100s from our auction site. Cost me $50 which is a bit more than I wanted to pay but recently, I seem to have a bit of a 'thing' for these old tables

I've got an SP25 Mk III idler drive waiting for a suitable home, an SP25 Mk V belt drive which is currently having the 'Garrard Glue' removed from the auto mechanism, a Lab 80 which is in need of some restoration and now a tidy looking Zero 100S which has some kind of mechanical fault (but at least the cosmetics are good and it even has a cover !!).

 

[gadget73]

The 100S is the single play variant yes? I have a standard Zero-100 with the stacker and the single play spindles.

 

[NoTransistors]

We hear your cries for help.

This group is prepared to give you any and all psychological help required.

 

[malden]

I have the Zero 100 S as well, it's a nice show piece but the arm is a bit wonky. The main thing I don't like about it is that the tone-arm, in order to be parallel to the record surface, needs a cartridge with a low profile. All of my Shure cartridges are too tall but a Pickering V-15 is just the right height.

 

[Markoneswift]

I have the Zero 100 S as well, it's a nice show piece but the arm is a bit wonky. The main thing I don't like about it is that the tone-arm, in order to be parallel to the record surface, needs a cartridge with a low profile. All of my Shure cartridges are too tall but a Pickering V-15 is just the right height.

Thanks for the tip, I haven't even looked into which cartridges it will require (although it does have one already installed, labelled 'ELAN').

 

[Markoneswift]

Ooh, looks like it's a Goldring Elan - could be my first 'decent' cartridge (although I do have a couple of Ortofon OM10's). Anyone know if the OM10 would suit the Zero or the Lab ?

 

[malden]

I just took a quick look at some cartridges I have and the Pickering V15 is the shortest, next shortest is the Shure M75.

Ortofon OM10, Stanton 681EEE and ADC QLM 34 are about the same height and all of them taller than the Shure.

 

[Markoneswift]

Thanks @malden , hopefully the Elan will be in good nick and I can use that with a new stylus

 

[JRhoBurton]

Nice! I had a Z92 for my first hi-fi and about a year and a half ago picked up a Z100SB, the one I really wanted back then. It's a belt drive. The single play automation didn't work, so I gutted those parts and made it fully manual, except for cueing. New belt of course.

I run a Shure M91ED and vertical alignment is close enough to suit me. Looks worse than it is in the pic.

Have fun, report back on the carts you try.

 

[gadget73]

hm, maybe I'll have to try one of my V15's. Mine currently wears a 680. I did manage to get my hands on one of the rather hard to find alignment jigs a while ago too.

 

[malden]

The multi-play Z-100 has a lever on the head-shell, labeled "M-A", moving the lever adjusts the angle of the cartridge so that when several records are stacked it is still in the range of proper vertical tracking angle. This is useful if the cartridge is too tall.

 

[gadget73]

People say a lot of bad things about the arm, but honestly it works fairly well. yeah its sloppy and probably a bit on the heavy side but it does track well and work reliably. Mass can be reduced by removing the sliding weight and adjusting tracking force purely with the counterweight on the back.

 

[JRhoBurton]

People say a lot of bad things about the arm, but honestly it works fairly well. yeah its sloppy and probably a bit on the heavy side but it does track well and work reliably. Mass can be reduced by removing the sliding weight and adjusting tracking force purely with the counterweight on the back.

Good idea on removing the slider, I will have to try that.

 

[Markoneswift]

I think the Zero is a very attractive looking unit. Due to logistics I'm not picking up mine until the 25th. There's actually a couple of other Zeroes on our auction site and they are in the 150 - 200 range and faulty ! Seems like the $50 I paid for mine was a solid deal.

I'm looking for a nice vintage amp to pair it with if I can find one reasonably priced. Will make a nice looking, functional system for the lounge.

 

[gadget73]

Good idea on removing the slider, I will have to try that.

just don't lose the roll pin and spring under there in case you want to put it back on. Mine went missing at some point.

 

[EastPoint]

$50 is completely fine. I had a couple of non-working ones and I think I got $80-100 each without the headshells.