Making a £13,000 Turntable.

[kitfit1]

I thought this might be the most appropriate section of the forum to post this in.
This isn't my work, i'm a kitchen fitter. But it absolutely combines two of my passions, woodwork and HiFi.
The amount of work and attention to detail that has gone into this record deck is staggering and done with such skill.
It is 35 mins long, but once you start watching you just can't stop.

 

[ChuckM]

The finishing part...crazy.

I could almost feel sweat on my palms as he hammered those feet home...all he needed was a just miss!

By the way, £13,000 was just for parts, right?

Edit: After watching the video, a friend of mine showed me his Airforce2 turntable (current retail price £34,998, the arm (Graham Elite) is extra £16,500):
[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

"The cartridge is extra cost...." he added. [scared]

 

[kitfit1]

The finishing part...crazy.

I could almost feel sweat on my palms as he hammered those feet home...all he needed was a just miss!

By the way, £13,000 was just for parts, right?

I was transfixed all the way through that video, but yes, hammering the inserts home i couldn't look lol.
Yes, that was only the parts. I'm not even shure it would have included him making the plinth itself. In the UK the same deck retails for £32,400. That's using a much cheaper arm and cartridge than used in video. As you will see from the link below, even the plinth is not even in the same league as the video.
https://www.audiolounge.co.uk/garrard-301/

 

[woodbutcherbower]

For those watching this - Bradshaw Joinery (the guy in the video) has a fantastic channel. The work he turns out is on a whole different level - the best on YT by a country mile IMO. I'd strongly recommend anyone to watch the numerous videos he's made about the projects he's completed as a pro.

Not so sure about the merits of this turntable though - it's an ancient design (introduced in 1954), but housed in a staggeringly beautiful case/plinth. I'd personally spend £2k less and buy the new Rega Naia.

 

[ChuckM]

The finishing part...crazy.

I could almost feel sweat on my palms as he hammered those feet home...all he needed was a just miss!

By the way, £13,000 was just for parts, right?

I was transfixed all the way through that video, but yes, hammering the inserts home i couldn't look lol.
Yes, that was only the parts. I'm not even shure it would have included him making the plinth itself. In the UK the same deck retails for £32,400. That's using a much cheaper arm and cartridge than used in video. As you will see from the link below, even the plinth is not even in the same league as the video.
https://www.audiolounge.co.uk/garrard-301/

And people complain how expensive a DF500 or an OF2200 is!!!!

 

[woodbutcherbower]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member] Buddy - this is peanuts. As I'm sure [member=76994]kitfit1[/member] will attest to, the world of high-end audio is looney-tunes. It's perfectly possibly to spend a million dollars on a system which just plays vinyl records.

 

[ChuckM]

Snip. I'd personally spend £2k less and buy the new Rega Naia.

My next big purchase that would be closer to some of those high-end HiFi stereo systems will be a luxury fully-loaded hybrid SUV (EV is out of the question because there isn't enough charging infrastructure built where I live). My current decades old complete stereo system cost a lot less than just the tonearm seen in my friend's photo. [embarassed]

 

[kitfit1]

Not so sure about the merits of this turntable though - it's an ancient design (introduced in 1954), but housed in a staggeringly beautiful case/plinth. I'd personally spend £2k less and buy the new Rega Naia.

Agree 100% [member=75780]woodbutcherbower[/member]. The plinth, arm and cartridge in the video far far outclass the 301 and is not what i would have done either. I wouldn't buy a Rega Naia either to be honest  [wink]. Especially as i already have a Michell Orbe with an SME V arm  [wink].

 

[kitfit1]

[member=57948]ChuckS[/member] Buddy - this is peanuts. As I'm sure [member=76994]kitfit1[/member] will attest to, the world of high-end audio is looney-tunes. It's perfectly possibly to spend a million dollars on a system which just plays vinyl records.

Oh yes, it's perfectly possible and i'm shure that some of the super rich do. For us mere mortals though, keeping the spend under £100,000 is not too difficult 

 

[ChuckM]

A million-dollar system? I've got quite a few....

Aka money-can't-buy stereo systems:

[attachimg=1]    [attachimg=2]

 

[ChuckM]

For those watching this - Bradshaw Joinery (the guy in the video) has a fantastic channel. The work he turns out is on a whole different level - the best on YT by a country mile IMO.Snip.

First time watching his video. What I like about this one is that he explains some of the details in captions, and most importantly that there's no weird sound effect or any display of fake excitement.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Michell Orbe with an SME V arm

That's my absolute 100% dream TT. I never got round to choosing my dream MC or phono stage to go with it, but I'll give it serious consideration whilst I'm buying the lottery tickets. All the best !! 

EDIT (in case you were wondering) - Rega Planar 6/RB330/Neo/Ania + Sugden A21SE + PMC Twenty5/21i. Lean, analytical front end, warm, rich class A in the middle to very slightly soften it up, plus razor-sharp detail and a massive soundstage at the back end which goes amazingly low thanks to PMC's clever mini-transmission line. It makes me very happy - and the Sugden reduces my heating bills  [big grin] 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

For those watching this - Bradshaw Joinery (the guy in the video) has a fantastic channel. The work he turns out is on a whole different level - the best on YT by a country mile IMO.Snip.

First time watching his video. What I like about this one is that he explains some of the details in captions, and most importantly that there's no weird sound effect or any display of fake excitement.

I have been watching his channel for years. He does all kinds of things from interior trim, stairs, exterior doors, windows, and even a huge beam outdoor awning. He goes into a lot of detail.

 

[MikeGE]

For those watching this - Bradshaw Joinery (the guy in the video) has a fantastic channel. The work he turns out is on a whole different level - the best on YT by a country mile IMO. I'd strongly recommend anyone to watch the numerous videos he's made about the projects he's completed as a pro.

I think you are confusing Oliver (Bradshaw Joinery) with Russ (New Yorkshire Workshop).  Russ is the guy in the video above, not Oliver.  Both have fantastic channels but are considerably different craftsmen.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

For those watching this - Bradshaw Joinery (the guy in the video) has a fantastic channel. The work he turns out is on a whole different level - the best on YT by a country mile IMO. I'd strongly recommend anyone to watch the numerous videos he's made about the projects he's completed as a pro.

I think you are confusing Oliver (Bradshaw Joinery) with Russ (New Yorkshire Workshop).  Russ is the guy in the video above, not Oliver.  Both have fantastic channels.

You're absolutely correct. My apologies !! But as you say - both massively skilled craftsmen.

 

[smorgasbord]

Interesting that he rounds over the top perimeter edge as well, exposing the substrate under the veneer, and then just uses stain over everything, but the result looks great. I would not have expected that.

 

[kitfit1]

That's my absolute 100% dream TT. I never got round to choosing my dream MC or phono stage to go with it, but I'll give it serious consideration whilst I'm buying the lottery tickets. All the best !! 

EDIT (in case you were wondering) - Rega Planar 6/RB330/Neo/Ania + Sugden A21SE + PMC Twenty5/21i. Lean, analytical front end, warm, rich class A in the middle to very slightly soften it up, plus razor-sharp detail and a massive soundstage at the back end which goes amazingly low thanks to PMC's clever mini-transmission line. It makes me very happy - and the Sugden reduces my heating bills  [big grin]

Mine:
Naim Supernait 2, Naim Cd5 xs, 2 Naim Hicap DR's, Michell Orbe SE turntable, SME V arm, Dynovector DV-20x2L cartridge, Dynovector P75 Mk3 phono stage, Airlink 3KVA balanced power supply, Spendor A9 speakers. Chord Epic X speaker cables. All the power and signal cables are Naim.

I freeze in my living room lol  [big grin] but playing music soon warms me up.

 

[tjbnwi]

I made the plinths for a friends system. All I know about it is, the sound is great.

Tom

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Beautiful work [member=4105]tjbnwi[/member]  The only component I recognise there is a McIntosh amplifier in the middle.

 

[tjbnwi]

Beautiful work [member=4105]tjbnwi[/member]  The only component I recognise there is a McIntosh amplifier in the middle.

Thinking about this, I do know the speakers are Legacy Audio out of Springfield IL. and they’re heavy. I went with Jim to pick them up.

A few more pictures.

Tom