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  1. #1
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine

    Why the Garrard Lab 80 (you ask)? The Lab 80 has been the turntable I was born into that it's almost synonymous to call it "Dad".

    Background ...

    I once had a Lab 80 that I ruined back in the days when I was only 5 yrs. old when "the automatic" peaked my curiousity (as my Dad would put me on a stool to watch it play and cycle). At that age, I was just amazed to see how the tonearm lifted by itself at the end of the record and return itself to its rest. One day when my Dad wasn't around, I got up on the stool and decided to spin the platter as fast as I could as I engaged the auto cycle. You could just imagine the arm going back and forth to and from the platter - to its rest - then back again at such speed (as the stylus hits the mat!), I was enjoying myself! Not for long though as my Dad returned home unexpectedly and caught me in the act! Boy could you see his disappointment! But what can he say, I was only 5. He tried to play a record and the auto function just came to a halt from then on. Oh well ... it was off to the attic.

    Later on when I was in high school, I dusted off that Garrard and placed a Shure M447 on it. Still sounded good. But the auto malfunction just got into me that I started dismantling the table thinking that I might be able to fix it ... but no hope for me. I just didn't know how to put it all back together again. So this time its off to the the trash.

    One thing I've observed though ... that this was really a quality automatic transcription turntable as they claimed it to be. From the heavy dynamically balanced platter to the craftsmanship of a well dynamically balanced armature of the motor! And even the arm itself with the aformosia wood, the feel of the controls, and just the whole unit itself was oozing with quality and craftsmanship.

    I have never seen such quality ever displayed again ... not even on the later Zero 100 models (or even on the top of the line Z2000B) during the 70's. Those were just flimsy models with a lot of hype that didn't add up to performance. They just didn't have that quality feel at all as I had with the Lab 80. It was built like a tank.

    The Lab 80 was engineered the best of its time.

    Fast forward to today...

    I just feel that I have to undo and pay my respects to the beloved Lab 80. Hardly could you find one these days that are fully functional and would require a total rebuild. But when I found this one for $50, I jumped on it ...

    WOW! You would have thought that this Lab 80 came right out of a time capsule from 1964! This is totally immaculate and fully functional on all auto functions! It even came with the long changer spindle and I tried loading 8 records (for its maximum). It worked flawlessly! There's not even a hint of sluggishness to the auto cycle! I even haven't put a drop of sewing machine oil to it, and yet it's quiet and working oh so smoothly. Even the cue function ever so gently lands the stylus on the record. This is almost like New Old Stock condition! I am a very happy man knowing that my beloved Lab 80 is back to life once again, and that I didn't have to worry about rebuilding it. What a find!

    Update ... I managed to take off the platter and lubed the bearing spindle and idler wheel post. Just a little maintenance after 45 years.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-garrard_lab_80.jpg  
    Last edited by gillsev; 01-28-2010 at 05:51 PM.

  2. #2
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Lab 80
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-.jpg  

  3. #3
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Lab 80
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-b.jpg  

  4. #4
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Garrard Lab 80
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-c.jpg  

  5. #5
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    More tonearm features ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-d.jpg  

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Site Moderator JohnMichael's Avatar
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    Thanks for posting. Nice addition to the Analog Room.
    JohnMichael
    Vinyl Rega Planar 2, Incognito rewire, Deepgroove subplatter, ceramic bearing, Michell Technoweight, Rega 24V motor, TTPSU, FunkFirm Achroplat platter, Michael Lim top and bottom braces, 2 Rega feet and one RDC cones. Grado Sonata, Moon 110 LP phono.
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  7. #7
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Tab controls and arm lock ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-e.jpg  

  8. #8
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    On Automatic mode ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-f.jpg  

  9. #9
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    The Spindle & Magnetic Auto Trip Mechanism ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-g.jpg  

  10. #10
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    The 5 lbs. heavy dynamically balanced platter ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-h.jpg  

  11. #11
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    The beautiful motor on a new suspension system isolated by 6 rubber grommets!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-i.jpg  

  12. #12
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Lab 80 comparator vis a vis ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-j.jpg  

  13. #13
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    ahhhhh, nice. I read about a Garrard model which had a swiveling headshell. As the arm moved inward, the cart would maintain a perfect angle. Nice innovation.

  14. #14
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Popular Science, July 1965 ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-pop.jpg  

  15. #15
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Lab 80 Ad ...
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  16. #16
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Sept. '64 Ad ...
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  17. #17
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    A Report from United States Testing Corporation - April 1965 ...

    http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8...repportay9.jpg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-lab80-shurem91ed.jpg  

  18. #18
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Just recently, an NOS Lab 80 sold for a record breaking price of $355 with 45 bids at the Bay!!!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-5215_3.jpg  

  19. #19
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Actual Ebay ad ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-ebay.jpg  

  20. #20
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Don't you just love that wooden arm!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-arm.jpg  

  21. #21
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    Had to be creative to make my own dustcover from Hobby Lobby, since the original one is so hard to find ...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-dustcover.jpg  

  22. #22
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    A creative owner and his Lab 80 MK II with SME Arm besides the original one! Nice plinth too!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Gillsev's Garrard Lab 80 Shrine-lab80_mk2_with_2_arms_d.jpg  

  23. #23
    Forum Regular gillsev's Avatar
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    90th Anniversary
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  24. #24
    AR Newbie Registered Member
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    Hi,

    I own a......Gararrd Lab 80.

    This is my second one. I had one years ago and it broke and I never quite got over it, so now I have been able to find a replacement, the trouble is that the platter does not spin.

    The motor runs correctly and the wheel engages properly but just rubs agains the platter to no effect - could it be that the rubber has no stick to it?

    I'm also wondering whether the platter has a rubber insert where it meets the drive wheel? or is this just plain metal?

    Thanks

  25. #25
    I took a headstart... basite's Avatar
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    the idler engages you say? and it really touches the platter?

    could be that there is some oil spill on the platter or motor, or on the idler wheel, causing it to slip, or the rubber on the idler wheel is worn out, it becomes hard and loses grip then.

    Can you spin the platter easily? could be something in the bearing too...
    no brakes are engaged or so?

    Good luck,
    Bert.
    Life is music!

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    I'm a happy 20 year old...

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