How much should I pay for a Garrard TA MKII

TylerH

New Member
Hi everyone I am new to this forum and also new to the vintage equipment scene.

I recently saw a 1963 Garrard Type A Mark II and wanted to know how much I should pay for it. It was in complete working order and appeared to be in great condition.

If I can get it for that suggested price I also wanted to know what kind of speakers and amp I should be looking for.

Thanks in advance for the help.
 
I should note, on the amp and speakers, since I am just starting out I would like to stay under $500 for them.
 
I guess if you want a period system, an A would be a decent representation of a early/mid sixties system.

I've had a couple. They track somewhat heavy and are a little clunky. The arm is pretty primative. Other than that, they are fine although you can tell they are an idler table. You can hear it. There are a bunch of them around so parts are not an issue. I wouldn't pay over $75 for one. Under $50 would be much better.

A lab 80, if you can find one at a decent price, would be the one to go for. If you can't find one of those, a lab 95 or even a Zero 100 would be a better table than an A although they are a few years newer. A's are not terrible and you can do worse, but there are better ones. The best Garrards are 301's and 401's but they would probably be way too much and would eat all of your budget, if not more.

If something other than a Garrard is acceptable, consider a Dual, Elac Miracord, or an AR. My choice would be a Miracord. They look vintage, perform well, are reliable, not super expensive, and easy to fix. Although Elac made them, they also can be found under the Benjamin name and even a couple of Realistic models. Actually I would prefer an AR but you will probably pay twice as much as a Miracord and they are a manual belt drive, not a changer idler drive like all the others mentioned.
 
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Thanks for the response ggregg. I am not partial to the Garrard brand. It just looked really nice with it's vintage look and wood appeal. My other option is restoring and 80's B&O TT. Just not sure that's worth it either.
 
If the cartridge is good and it works OK it would be fine. B&O cartridges go for huge bucks these days either for used originals, or new replicas made by Soundmith. That's all that fits the arm unfortunately.

Check out ELAC Miracord turntables. They might have the look your looking for and they are really reliable. I have a 45H branded as a Realistic and it works just fine after minor sorting out. New idler tire and cleaning. $30 Craigslist find. Or a Garrard Lab 80. I'm still waiting to come across the right one. The A would be OK if you could get it for the right price. I would not pay a lot for one but that is my opinion.
 
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I was given my Mark II. Record changers are generally pretty cheap in unrestored shape. I wouldn't pay more than 50 bucks for one. The A isn't bad, and its a spectacular 78 machine but its not the best you can get.
 
Any recommendations for a speaker and receiver setup? I was hoping to stay well below $500 but still want it to sound good. I will be listening on the TT mainly jazz, pop, and rock (not heavy).
 
I'm going to check out some Technics SR-CB77's tomorrow. I've read they are good for their price. The guy wants $60 for them. What wpc should I be looking for in a receiver to properly power these? I believe they have a max of 200 watts so I know I obviously don't need to go crazy with the wpc.
 
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