Extended Length SMD Replacement 301 Spindle

Extended Length SMD Acoustics Garrard 301 Spindle

Many Garrard enthusiasts find the standard 301 and 401 spindles a little too shorts where the protrude through the platter and mat to allow use of thicker mats and record clamps and for that reason we have produced a spindle that is 4.5mm longer that the standard spindle. The pictures show an extended (401) spindle next to a standard Garrard spindle. The purchase is for one extended spindle not two spindles.

Made in the UK this spindle is dimensionally an exact copy of the original Garrard 401 spindle. It is manufactured from a high carbon, high chromium tool steel grade offering very high wear resistance and toughness. After the spindle is CNC machined it is vacuum hardened to HRC 55 - 60.

Once hardened the spindle is precision ground to the original diameter a nominal 0.4825" +0 - 0.0001" (12.255mm +0 - 3 microns) that's an incredible tolerance to achieve (see below "Making Sense of Microns"). Finally the spindle is subject to ceramic polishing to give that polished look of the original.

The materials, the number of processes and accuracy required make this a relatively expensive item but it is at the heart of your 301 and a cheap spindle will give poor results and worse still may cause expensive damage to your 301.

If you are considering buying a replacement spindle from any supplier you need ask a few questions to make sure you get a quality product that won't wear out quickly, it won't be poor mechanically and consequently poor sonically and that it will not damage your existing bearing housing:-

• Are you sure it is made to the original sizes and tolerance and is it parallel?
• Is it made from a suitable steel that can be hardened and won't wear excessively, corrode or seize (beware of stainless steels) in the Oilite bushes?
• Is the spindle correctly hardened on the base of the spindle and on the diameter where it rides in the bushes?
• Is supplied with a smooth ground finish, not a turned finish that will be rough and may damage your bushes and be mechanically noisy?

Note: We have stripped down countless Garrards 301 and 401's and have measured the spindle diameters many, many times when evaluating the condition of a turntable. With the odd exception of a rogue spindle the process spread across Garrard originals in good condition suggests a nominal spindle diameter of 0.4825" (See photo Below) and this varies very little typically +/- 0.0002".

Key Features SMD Replacement Spindle

• British Made
• Manufactured from the finest British tool steel (Don't buy mild steel spindles you can't harden the material sufficiently and they will have a very short life).
• Vacuum Hardened to HRC 55-60.
• Precision ground to 0.4825" diameter+0/-0.0001"
• Ceramic Polished