Garrard 301-Is there a good faq for how to adjust tonearm weight/balance?

[Randy Layton]

I had this turntable restored a couple of years ago and it's been wonderful. I pulled it out of the system for using a different turntable for a particular project and finally completed that and put this back in. Somehow in the time this sat in the office the weight is now too light-it's not going to track-and this is the odd series of string and pulleys i don't quite understand how to manipulate properly.

I've had a lot of turntables in my life, but those were easy to adjust-this is so different. I really can't quite tell how to adjust the weight and balance back to where it should be. Feel kind of silly for asking, but it's unique to me.

 

[totem]

Randy a Garrard 301 is the turntable, what arm are you referring to?

 

[Randy Layton]

Hopefully these pics make more clear what I am talking about regarding the arm and the system used to adjust weight and balance.

 

[Randy Layton]

Randy a Garrard 301 is the turntable, what arm are you referring to?

Just posted pics of the arm.

 

[friendlyvolc]

Randy, that’s an SME 3012 tonearm. A very fine arm and actually easy to adjust once you know them. Download the manual from Vinyl Engine : https://www.vinylengine.com/library/sme/3012.shtml

 

[heyraz]

The Anti-Skate string and weight doesn't look right. My "string" is nylon and looks shorter than yours. Your string looks frayed and sagging.

 

[MRL_Audio]

I doubt the AS weight position is directly your problem. You need to level the plinth and confirm arm setup from the earlier recommended users manual.

 

[Hifiler]

Randy, that’s an SME 3012 tonearm. A very fine arm and actually easy to adjust once you know them. Download the manual from Vinyl Engine : https://www.vinylengine.com/library/sme/3012.shtml

Not that it matters much, but that looks like an SME 3009, rather than a 3012.

 

[totem]

that looks like an SME 3009, rather than a 3012.

Guess I'm not the only one.

For reference my 3012

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Randy a Garrard 301 is the turntable, what arm are you referring to?

Yes. A Garrard 301 can have just about any tonearm mounted on one. Old and new. Randy, your Garrard 301 has a SME 3009 of some variety mounted. Look for documentation on the AK database or from other online vendors.