McCartney is currently 84 years old, his hearing is probably closer to "deaf as a post" after years of playing live gigs than it is to "reference quality."

I absolutely loved this video! To watch and listen to you working through the fine details of this repair is truly fascinating.

I grew up with a Garrard Lab 80 that my Dad bought as part of his 'hi-fi' setup in the late 1960's. Unlike a lot of young kids, I was allowed to use his hi-fi setup from a very young age. When I set off on my own, this became my turntable, and I used it through the early 1980's. At that time, I was a technician at a very large audio/video repair facility. The Lab 80 was far and away the most complex turntable, from many hundreds of different turntables that crossed my bench. They were not terribly common and hard to work on. Eventually. my Lab 80 grew unreliable and I tried without success to overhaul it. I never did have the manual for it, which would have helped me with things such the tapered platter spindle, etc. I eventually just parted it out for all the exotic hardware it contained. I think Dad and I both cried a little over that. I just noticed the other day that the power cord for the Lab 80 is sitting on top of my refrigerator, for some unknown reason. Although I have a perfectly adequate for my needs turntable now, I shall keep my eyes open for another Lab 80!

Didn’t expect to watch this whole video. This is great!

such a lovely video! gonna refurb a sp25 mkIII soon

Please note that, although this error is extremely common, and its presumption oft used freely in the era by us salespeople in the hi-fi business, idler diameter has no effect on platter speed.  Vibration, yes, but speed-induced pitch error, no.  The motor shaft diameter produces a specific surface speed which is applied directly to the idler's surface, which then drives the surface of the platter's drive ring.  Yes, the idler will change diameter slightly as it wears, minutely increasing idler rotation speed, but the surface speed does not change until the motor shaft's diameter wear becomes a factor..  Accordingly, the idler, as an intermediate member, can be of any diameter, but the driven part will not vary in rotational speed as a result.  This erroneous idea sold lots of Pioneer PL-10 belt-driven turntables (for $89.00 plus cartridge) to lots of converts.  (And we, as the mechanical experts we were, believed it ourselves!)  Belt drive eliminated that dreaded idler.  The idler was a huge noise generator, and did eventually cause speed problems due to slippage, but diameter reduction was never the cause of lowered musical pitch.

Fun fact , Walter Stanton joined Norman Pickering in developing the Magnetic Cartridge..

Big Garrard fan here, as my dad had purchased a Type A back in the early '60s which I proudly still use today. A Scott 299C and a Garrard Type A are a great combo.
 Around 10 Garrards later I learned my sister had a friend's Bentley console. I opened the lid and couldn't believe there was a Lab80 in there !! I have a A70 MKII i think, and it's wonderfully, too, but the Lab80 sports a full 12" platter (A70 and prior Aluminum platters were 10") and was called a Transcription turntable due to its accuracy.  So it's a serious performer as long as u keep that idler quiet, and the bearings.
  I am glad I didn't have as many issues as you did. I never acquired a Garrard with a motor issue but it happens.
  So coincidentally I puchased the same bearing kit you did a few years ago but I am still running the old ones.  Yes, that crazy wire clip must come out to get to the bearings. I made a video just on getting that clip off.
  Anyway, I have both the manual and the record changer spindle, but I only use this in manual mode. My bearings are not smooth.  I oiled them with bar and chain oil, but they may need a cleaning.  But if I'm removing the old ones, I will at that time put in the new ones I bought (same kit u have). I think modern ones should be quieter. The original ones seem similar to the Garrard Type A bearings just sitting in that phenolic disc. So I have been using mine as-is after some cleaning and oiling.  I leave both clips off for now and use it in this manner. I have a slippery idler which I can replace or try to repair. It's not a big deal as I just help the platter, then she's  up to speed.  Are you happy with the modern idler version? I was tempted by that but didn't buy it yet.  
   Well, these are fine turntables that probably can track around 2 grams, due to the improved tonearm bearings.  Thanks for the helpful video.  When time allows, I'll get my Lab80 to perform as it should.  Happy Listening  !!

My cats have loved my turntables more than any other part of my hifi too. I was made about the same time and popped out in 1966. Can confirm I have a few speed issues and need more maintenance these days. Nice restoration.

"Thanking you for bearing with me..." Unintentional pun regarding the main platter bearing! Your patience is a testament to you. In the UK we were weaned on Garrard turntables. My brother had a Bush "Dansette" type portable which had a white Garrard changer with a ceramic cartridge and my first serious stand-alone deck was a second-hand SP24 Mk III with a ghastly lift-off lid, similar to the one you show (but not as deep as no autochanger function) but too small to have in place when actually playing a 12" record. . Thoroughly enjoyable and educational video; thank you ;0)

Can you imagine if your turntables arm became faulty, trying to explain to someone it failed because of woodworm. I started my journey into hi fi with the garrard SP25 mk 3 ,goldring cartridge.  Then upgraded to a micro seiki mb10, which I still own and use, ( modified slightly). Plus the proud owner of a garrard 401, SME 6009 fluid damped arm  and audio technica moving coil cartridge.  Garrard turntables were certainly made to last. Good , patient repair.  Well done.

"Thanks for bearing with me"
I saw what you did there

I watch many restoration videos and I love my record collection (I wouldn’t consider myself an audiophile) and I have never been as fascinated as I am with this video.  It combines my big interests.

This is / was a truly great video. My very first turntable / record deck was a Garrard SP25 Mark 3. I live in England 🇬🇧 Great Britain.

I've had my Technics SP-10 Mk2 in Panzerholtz plinth for years and it has never missed a beat. An excellent broadcast quality turntable 💫💫💫

Always enjoy your videos, this one is no different. As someone who recently picked up a vintage Dual 1019, I appreciate the detailed description of the work you do in the videos. Continued success with your channel 👍

Great video! I used to make slate plinths for the 301 and 401, as well as the Lenco L75's.  I serviced and restored the decks and motors and I remember working on at least one of those Lab 80's, I will admit that the design was quite different from the 301's and 401's. I also made slate speaker stands and glass platter mats to suit the Garrards.  Its good to see you repair and service a once awesome UK based company product.  My understanding of its history is that the designers used their engineering experience from designing parts for aircraft in the second world war to design these awesome decks.  I have a unique preference for the original 301 and 401's, as I was raised with them and for me they are almost bullet proof and designed to last a lifetime with good servicing of the moving parts every ten or so years, my favourite being the 401.

Obviously the way they are mounted to any plinth will decide how they sound. having used many plinths of different materials, including sandwiched ply, oak, concrete and finally slate.  They were each expensive to manufacture and produce and I only sold a few but those that did buy them loved them and I am still occasionally servicing them.  My most popular plinths were the various Lenco L75's including the GL75's, where in I would remove the stock tone arm, widen the tonearm mounting hole and add a selection of mounting plates for use with other tonearms, the most popular being the Rega RB series.

Keep up the good work!

Nice seeing your careful workmanship. Well done.
My daughter gave me a 70's era consumer-grade Zenith rig with a BSR (I think) turntable that spins--as they all did--way fast, for whatever reason. My daughter couldn't take her Beatles sounding like they inhaled helium
My fix was to file down the motor capstan a lttle at a time, reassembling to play a known concert A record (Reelin' In The Years) against a guitar tuner or tuning fork, creeping up on the A-note. Three or four passes put it right on.

I have a Garrard 401. Lovely solid engineering and heavy. It has an SME 1V tone arm and sounds warm and engaging with good midrange and warm bass

I have that model, too - given to me by the original owner. It also came with its original dust-cover. The thin, shaped, Va-cu-formed plastic dust cover has been well preserved, with only one minor crack. It had been safely stored on a closet shelf for decades. These dust covers are rare and should be preserved. Prior to these plastic dust covers, turntables were covered with rubberized fabric. My unit has never been restored and it's in storage. You really did a fantastic job with this restoration!