Garrard Zero 100 from Hero to Zero (and back again) - Arm re-wire.

After successfully overhauling the mechanics of the Zero 100, I carted it in the lounge for a proper test.

All good ... a couple of LP's in and it loses the left channel. It comes back again.

Sunday morning, bacon sandwich. Beatles Rubber Soul. I return from the kitchen, coffee and sandwich in hand, and sit on the sofa, listening to the Beatles....

Funny, didn't think I had the mono press of this....

... and I don't.

Damn. Arm wiring.







Now I'm one of those odd people who actually enjoy arm wiring, but this could be a little daunting.
A quick google search chucks up loads of people who say it can be done, but it's very difficult neigh on impossible etc etc etc .....

Good, I like a challenge.

Cartridge Slide out first, and put it to one side, so we don't damage it.

Undo the gimbal housing screw and slide the gimbal housing down the arm and put that somewhere safe.








As there was no doubt in my mind that the wiring was at fault, I just cut it off ...











Slacken the arm bearing off, this will allow extraction of the arm.











OK so far ....












Removal of two screws allow the separation of the arm tube from the bearing support. There's a small grub screw at an angle, losen this to remove the plastic insulation "top hat" which the wiring passes through. I didn't do this at this time, and broke the wiring, not that that mattered.







I spent a few minutes looking at this, trying to work out how to get the headshell pivot apart.










Get a piece of blu-tak, and stick it over the pivot...











... and pull. Bingo, the small silver cover pops out, and reveals a small black plastic nut. Undo this, and don't lose the washer underneath it.










... And there's the wiring :)











The headshell is then removed, and four lengths of Litz wire prepared. Always allow for much more than you think you'll need. It easier to make it shorter ;)











A piece of teflon wire is used to pull the new new wire through the arm tube.











Out with the old ...













In with the new.












This is the angled grub screw I talked about earlier. Loosen this to remove that white plastic insulating "top hat".










Pass the new wiring through the insulator, and refit. The bearing support can now be re-attached to the arm tube.










My teflon wire is once again employed to pull the wiring through the centre of the gimbal.











Refit the arm, and nip the bearing up just enough to remove any play.











Refit the cartridge slide, with three wires diconnected, and, using a multimeter, identify each conductor. I use a coloured sharpie to mark each one.








and finally trim the leads, and solder them to the output connector.

The Beatles are now back in stereo (which is a pity tbh, the mono mix is far superior.)









Feet up, Sunday afternoon listening to The Blossoms.










Now, what about that plinth?