Source-stated differences to check
Speeds: 33/45/78 rpm versus 16/33/45/78 rpm. These are the two displayed models’ recorded specifications. They do not establish sound quality or replacement-part compatibility.
Garrard 301 vs Thorens TD 124
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Garrard 301 · Thorens TD 124.
On small screens, scroll the table sideways; specification names stay pinned.
| Specification | Garrard 301 |
Thorens TD 124 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,000 (used) | Highlighted difference. $2,500 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1954–1965 | 1957–1968 |
| Drive | idler drive | idler drive |
| Speeds | 33/45/78 rpm | Highlighted difference. 16/33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | manual | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth direction | Not listed | Not listed |
| Platter | cast aluminium | cast iron main platter with aluminium upper platter |
| Tonearm | none (motor unit, sold without arm) | none (usually sold as chassis; Thorens BTD-12S optional) |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
The Thorens TD 124 undercuts the Garrard 301 by $1,500 — $2,500 against $4,000.
Both are idler-drive, so that part of the experience should feel similar on either deck: a rubber idler wheel driving the platter rim directly, giving huge torque and a punchy, immediate character that's become a specific taste among collectors.
Bottom line: $1,500 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Buying evidence
Reference prices are dated catalogue guides. Live offers are current checks; retailer searches are routes to relevant shops and do not assert stock. Exact internal matching identifiers are not exposed as public product facts without corroboration.
Retailer searches
3 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
 Upscale Audio |
hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |
Retailer searches
3 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio |
hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |