Hi all!

I picked up a 1967 Packard Bell console stereo off of Craigslist, and it has a Garrard 3000 turntable in it. They guy tried to show me that it worked, but when he put the "needle" on the record it just slid sideways to the center, "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrip!" Oh well. I got it home and inspected it and found out that while it has the little 78/33 flip lever, it doesn't actually have the needle in it. If you touch the little cradle the needle used to rest in, it makes noise.

The console came with some original paperwork, and the Garrard circular instructions that sat on the platter in the showroom says it needs a high compliance cartridge. I can't for the life of me tell what kind of cartridge it has in it now though, so I can't figure out what stylus to buy. I don't even know if I'm supposed to get a magnetic or ceramic cartridge. The current cartridge says "U 15-2" on the side of it.

The more research I do on this the more confused I get, and the more I realize that there is a lot to all this (or maybe there's not and I'm making it tougher than it needs to be). I would like to get the most out of this system, but I don't think I want to spend more than what the system warrants either. There's not a lot of information on the Garrard 3000 out there.

Thanks for any suggestions on cartridge or stylus selections you can give me. I apologize for asking what seems like should be common knowledge.

Thanks again,
Brian Z

That turntable has a ceramic cartridge in it. Probably an Euphonics U15-2 brand from the 70's.

I'd replace it with something more modern since it's hard to get OLD decent needles these days. Plus the cartridge is aged, and most likely won't sound as good.
Here's the needle you'd need, but invest in a Varco TN4 from Mat Electronics online.
http://www.musonic.co.uk/x5713.html

http://www.musonic.co.uk/x5713.html

I got a 1967 RCA Victor portable stereo record player, and it's got a Garrard 3000 changer too! Great changer.

I was thinking of replacing the cartridge with a modern Ceramic one. But I'm not sure whether or not to do that, because I have some 78s I'd still like to be able to play on it.

But if you don't have any 78s, then go for a modern cartridge, since it's hard to get the stylus for those types of cartridges anymore.

You are definitely dealing with a ceramic cartridge, probably Euphonics.
Check at www.garage-a-records.com.