Garrard

The Garrard Engineering and Manufacturing Company is a British company, famous its high-quality phonograph turntables. It was established by jewellers ñ Garrard & Co in 1915, during the First World War to produce precision mechanisms for the Ministry of Defence. After the war, it diversified into producing motors for gramophones and tools, seeking opportunity in the increasing demand for gramophone as a popular source of home entertainment.

Early turntables were driven by spring motors. Garrard started producing electric motors for turntables, which were first manufactured in 1928. Eventually, the company switched over from making turntables to complete record players for the household market segment. However, Garrard Co. did not stop there; it expanded further by producing heavy duty, high quality turntables for recording and broadcasting purposes before the Second World War. The company’s commercial clients comprised several leading recording companies including BBC, for whom it produced specially customised units.

Garrard contributed immensely during the rock 'n' roll era, with its high quality turntables, especially the Garrard 301 ñconsidered as 'an icon of design and performance' among audiophiles. A series of unfortunate events during the late Fifties and early Sixties doomed the company’s fortune. The huge fire at Newcastle Street factory led to one of the major losses of the company.

Some of the popular Garrard products include Garrard watch, Garrard Zero 100 SB turntable, garrard SP 25 single record players and Garrard 501 turntable, etc. Several of the Garrad’s phonograph equipments are a collector’s item today, which are available in several online antique stores.