Jeremy Clark Redbeard Analogue Garrard 301 Bearing

[heightsmike]

Hi everyone,

Just purchased a Garrard 301 with the JC Redbeard brass bearing. It looks beautifully crafted.

Anyone know if Jeremy is still around? contact info?
Anyone have a manual on this bearing, best oil to use, how much etc?

Pics Added!

Appreciate any info!

Thanks, Mike

 

[adnick]

Congrats, but it’s just words without pictures

Andy

 

[adnick]

Beautiful table That’s an interesting bearing, don’t see an oil point for the spindle, is it on the side? There’s many different bearing offerings for 301/401s, just installed one of the new ones from https://www.classichifi-shop.co.uk/ in my rimless GB, here’s a couple of photos…

 

[heightsmike]

Congrats, but it’s just words without pictures

Andy

Beautiful table That’s an interesting bearing, don’t see an oil point for the spindle, is it on the side? There’s many different bearing offerings for 301/401s, just installed one of the new ones from https://www.classichifi-shop.co.uk/ in my rimless GB, here’s a couple of photos…View attachment 2850195View attachment 2850196View attachment 2850198

Thanks Andy!
I'll check the bearing for oil points.
As part of the deal, this Loricraft PSU came with the table.
Not too shabby.

Larry from Vintage Analog Restoration will take care of the plinthe.

Thanks for looking - Mike

 

[adnick]

Looks like you’re going to have a killer setup

 

[heightsmike]

Just checked the bearing. No oil points. The spindle comes out so assume you just put the oil in from the top, just like my AR XA.

 

[adnick]

Just checked the bearing. No oil points. The spindle comes out so assume you just put the oil in from the top, just like my AR XA.

Ok, that would make sense, is the spindle rounded on bottom or flat?

 

[heightsmike]

Round. Spindle seems to only compress under weight of the platter. Believe that it has the proper amount of oil, but just curious for future maintenance.

 

[adnick]

Round. Spindle seems to only compress under weight of the platter. Believe that it has the proper amount of oil, but just curious for future maintenance.View attachment 2850304

Thought it was probably rounded, just based on the design…

My guess is that it’s filled to about that raised area on the spindle, it should push some oil out the top, that’s how you know there’s enough one might argue that it only needs oil on the possible contact area, but I’d be more comfy with it coming out the top

 

[heightsmike]

Thanks Andy! Btw, beautiful build you did for your 301. Read up on it the other day. Maybe you know Larry from Vintage Audio Restoration up the road in Austin?

 

[adnick]

Thanks Andy! Btw, beautiful build you did for your 301. Read up on it the other day. Maybe you know Larry from Vintage Audio Restoration up the road in Austin?

Appreciate your comments

Don’t know Larry personally but certainly know his work, you’ll have a “Holy Grail” table when completed

 

[billyz]

I have one of Jeremy’s bearings in my lenco l75. He sent along some very thick oil labeled “Supagoo” . It was was a bit too thick and I thinned it with some mobile one.

 

[heightsmike]

I have one of Jeremy’s bearings in my lenco l75. He sent along some very thick oil labeled “Supagoo” . It was was a bit too thick and I thinned it with some mobile one.

I have one of Jeremy’s bearings in my lenco l75. He sent along some very thick oil labeled “Supagoo” . It was was a bit too thick and I thinned it with some mobile one.

I was reading a thread on a Lenco forum from 2012 re the lead time of Jeremy's bearings...but the folks who did get them were very happy. I also have a bottle of Supa. Seems like that is what is in the bearing already.

 

[mdelola]

The Garrard 301 is really THAT good huh? Ludicrous prices online. That motor is where all the magic seems to happen, what a beast

 

[adnick]

The Garrard 301 is really THAT good huh? Ludicrous prices online. That motor is where all the magic seems to happen, what a beast

Yeah it’s really that good….if one was shopping for a new table to emulate, the prices make a vintage 301/401 truly a bargain, even those refurbished by the boutique shops

However it’s an easy table to refurbish, updating springs, idlers and such is simpler than say a TD 124(which isn’t that difficult itself), as long as one doesn’t want everything to look “brand new” Parts and information are readily available for refreshing and/or “upgrading” ….

For those who want an extreme example, someone like Classic Hifi can recreate a Shindo 301 for a fraction what it would cost to buy one, if you could even find one for sell

VR
Andy

 

[anoninimous]

I also have the bearing from Jeremy - I was one of the lucky ones who received it in a timely manner, before all his lencoheaven troubles began. I wrote him an email to the one I had on file, but no response, unfortunately. I was looking to get a bottle of the Supagoo, as mine went missing in a move...I wonder what other oil I could use

 

[adnick]

I also have the bearing from Jeremy - I was one of the lucky ones who received it in a timely manner, before all his lencoheaven troubles began. I wrote him an email to the one I had on file, but no response, unfortunately. I was looking to get a bottle of the Supagoo, as mine went missing in a move...I wonder what other oil I could use

Probably any turbine oil like an ISO 46 would work, you might try a couple different weights….

 

[cafe latte]

Beautiful table That’s an interesting bearing, don’t see an oil point for the spindle, is it on the side? There’s many different bearing offerings for 301/401s, just installed one of the new ones from https://www.classichifi-shop.co.uk/ in my rimless GB, here’s a couple of photos…View attachment 2850195View attachment 2850196View attachment 2850198

A,word of warnabout these various bearings.
My friend Marcus has tried several both Garrard and Lenco and all INCREASED wow and flutter and noise too.
On investigation non were machined even close to correctly and the bearing clearances for the oil film were incorrect.
Ine has the bush pressed in not straight.
He was so frustrated he has got advice from bearing and friction experts to get them to design a bearing that is actually an improvement as most if not all if the ones available are far from perfect.
My advice is measure wow and flutter before and after and noise if you have the equipment as mist are a big step backwards not forwards.
Marcus really knows what he is doing, his mods got his Commonwealth crazy quiet and wow and flutter down to 0.02%, lower than his SP10MK2 which is truly amazing.
For this level of precision everything has to be spot on.
Chris

 

[adnick]

Unfortunately someone might think you’re referencing the Classic Turntable Company (CTC) products https://www.classichifi-shop.co.uk/ since you quoted my post. They have been the leader in Garrard parts for years and provide repro and upgrade parts to most other dealers that sell Garrard parts, even selling a new 301 chassis CNC machined from a solid slab of brass. Most ultimate Garrard builders use CTC products and their uprated bearing assembly I posted above is a masterpiece…

However you’re somewhat correct about some independent producers of bearing assemblies, historically many started out making fine products but for one reason or another couldn’t keep up quality control.

You should post a link to the parts provider mentioned above….

Another independent source that makes outstanding custom parts and tonearms is Serge Kamadon at https://www.karmadon.net/

BTW there’s a Byer Professional on the main page