Garrard SL-95 speed issues...

I recently got an SL-95 from a friend who hadn't used it in at least 10 years or so. Upon playing a few records on it, it's obviously slow. I've run a strobe disk on it to verify that it's not just that my ears don't remember Brian Wilson's voice being that low. Now, I've tried lubing a few areas mentioned in the manual, and adjusted the Intermediate Wheel, but neither of these has helped. I centered the wheel on the 33 1/3 step of the pulley...should that be the correct spot, or might the right spot be off center? Anyone with any suggestions of how I can fix the speed before I bring it in somewhere to get looked at?

Thanks in advance!

I recently had a similar problem with a Rotel turntable I picked up. After getting some advice about it here I came to the following conclusion:

Given the prices of turntables now, it was much cheaper to go and buy a whole new turntable than to fool with it! I messed around with that table for 2 days straight and still couldn't get it to turn the right speed. A new belt would be $25, which may not fix it. If not, I'm out $25. Sending it off for repairs is not an option, just the shipping would cost at least another $20 alone. If it does fix it, the thing still needs a cartridge/stylus. So, I picked up a like new Denon table on Ebay for $40 with a halfway decent cart/stylus. Works perfect!

But I would probably try a new belt if you want to get it running. I just couldn't justify spending $25 on something that may or may not fix it when I could get a new rig for a few bucks more. And if the belt DOES fix it, it's obviously something that gonna go bad again. There's another $25!

Now if it were a $700 Rega/Thorens/Music Hall/Pro-Ject? I'd have spare belts on hand :)

It's common for the idler wheel to get a glaze on the edges from years of non-use and slip a bit. First thing I would try is to VERY LIGHTLY and VERY CAREFULLY sand around the edge of the idler wheel with fine sandpaper. Clean the idler wheel, drive shaft, and drive rim on the platter with alcohol. I've used automotive belt dressing on idler wheels to try to preserve them and keep them from slipping with success.

The idler wheel should be adjusted so that it hits near the center of the proper section of the drive shaft on all the different speeds.

Yes, I've seen some ridiculous prices on turntable belts. Which is why I buy them here http://www.iglou.com/studiosound/indexfrm.htm

Only drawback is that you have to know what size belt you need. The places that charge $20.00 for a rubber band are charging mainly for their extensive knowledge on what belt fits what table.

There are sites on the internet that tell you how much length to subtract from an old, stretched belt to get a properly fitting new belt. Or how to measure for a new belt when the old one is missing or possibly the wrong length. (Information I should have held on to but didn't)

Did manage to completely and successfully rebelt a friend's old turntable / cassette / receiver using this info. Many of the belts were almost completely dissolved and unmeasureable.

The Garrard SL95 has no belt. It is IDLER WHEEL DRIVEN.

If the idler wheel is good, clean and has traction, the next thing to look at is the motor. The Synchro-Lab motor, if its bearings have excess drag, will never lock into synchronism and won't come up to full, steady speed. Cleaning and degreasing the bearings, polishing the motor shaft with fine crocus cloth, and relubricating with a good, light oil will generally set things right. Don't forget, after bolting the motor back together, to give it a good WHACK while running, with the plastic or wooden end of a screwdriver. That is how the self-aligning bearings get themselves self-aligned. Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GP49

The Garrard SL95 has no belt. It is IDLER WHEEL DRIVEN.

If the idler wheel is good, clean and has traction, the next thing to look at is the motor. The Synchro-Lab motor, if its bearings have excess drag, will never lock into synchronism and won't come up to full, steady speed. Cleaning and degreasing the bearings, polishing the motor shaft with fine crocus cloth, and relubricating with a good, light oil will generally set things right. Don't forget, after bolting the motor back together, to give it a good WHACK while running, with the plastic or wooden end of a screwdriver. That is how the self-aligning bearings get themselves self-aligned. Good luck.

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If you read the post... you would have seen we established it was an IDLER WHEEL DRIVE (all caps)... and the post is about 6-years old. But... thanks...

THANKS for the reply. I noted the thread was old but you never know who's looking for information on how to fix these things. People who really know how to fix 'em are becoming scarce (one of the best, Joel Thurner of the Turntable Factory, died two years ago).

I cut my technician's teeth, so to speak, on Garrard changers, and worked on hundreds of SL95s, SL75s, SL72Bs, Z100s and all their brethren; of the Autoslim, AT60, SP25 chassis, probably thousands of them. I now mainly spin records on a Garrard 301, and have a Garrard Type A70 in the bedroom system.