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Moving house sale - getting rid of unused Hifi equipment.Up for sale are Garrard 401 turntable with original box. Picked this up for a secondary system that never eventuated. Very good cosmetic shape overall - see images below; TT has its original finish. Minor marks to paint, comes with set of b...
This is a buyer’s market, and this asking price looks fair to slightly firm rather than a bargain. With a median of A$2,200 and a 25th percentile of A$1,897, A$2,100 sits just under the middle of the recent comparable set, so it’s in sensible territory but not a standout deal.
That still makes sense for a Garrard 401, which has a strong following for its robust idler-drive character, musical drive, and easy custom-tuning appeal. A clean, good-condition example is worth attention because these are bought as much for performance potential and chassis quality as for nostalgia; if the platter, bearing, motor, and armboard setup are all healthy, this is a solid entry point into a very capable classic.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Garrard Turntables trace their origins to the Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company, established in 1915 in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, as a division of the renowned jeweler Garrard & Co., founded in 1735. Initially tasked with producing motors and range finders for World War I, the firm pivoted post-war to consumer audio, crafting silent spring-wound motors for gramophones supplied to brands like Columbia and Decca. By 1930, it unveiled its first complete gramophone turntable, building a legacy in precision engineering amid the vinyl era's dawn.
The brand's product focus centered squarely on high-quality gramophone turntables, with iconic idler-wheel models like the 301 (launched 1954) and 401 (1965) standing out for their robust four-pole induction motors, aluminum chassis, and support for 33, 45, and 78 rpm speeds. These transcription turntables, favored by the BBC and European broadcasters, eschewed modern direct-drive or belt systems in favor of grease-bearing designs and eddy-current braking, often sold without plinths for custom integration. Garrard innovated in record changers and autochangers but never diversified into amplifiers, speakers, DACs, headphones, or cables.
Garrard occupies a revered niche as a vintage collector's cornerstone in the high-end hi-fi market, synonymous with the golden age of analog playback. Sold to Plessey in 1960 and ceasing production by the late 1970s, its decks remain prized today for their torque, build quality, and musicality among audiophiles restoring "Swindon iron" script-logo classics. No active modern entity perpetuates the original line, cementing its status as a benchmark for idler-drive excellence.
See all Garrard listings on RADAR.
