Feickert analogue protractor....Owners impressions

Viper,
You can get a blank armboard to cut your own or one cut for SME direct from VPI. Go to inmate picture gallery at Audio Asylum for pictures under BIGBLOCK.

Mike

Tim,
"The fine gradient movement of the SME's sled makes small adjustments simple to dial the stylus in the arc across its length"
Wouldn’t you be defeating the purpose of a custom protractor by changing the spindle to pivot distance as an adjustment? If you order a protractor for SME isn't the arc based on the 233.15 spindle to pivot distance, the distance you change to adjust? I bring this up because you mention that the Wally is the best method for SME alignment(IMO), I'm not sure it or any arc protractor is unless the cartridge one uses produces the correct effective length for the 233.15 arc. I just mounted a SME IV.Vi so I'm looking for feedback also. Now, if I measure the effective length and back into the spindle to pivot measurement and it's not the SME suggested 233.15, I wonder if it would be better to order a protractor for the SME suggested 233.15 or order one based on the spindle to pivot number derived from the actual effective length? HMMMMMMM.

Mike

Consider this, the gauge that comes with the SME arm is driven by the effective length and you change the spindle to pivot to dial it in. So, maybe the 233.15mm spindle to pivot recommended by VPI is not cut in stone but a starting point, if that is the case maybe a a protractor based on the effective length is best for this arm.
Mike

"So, maybe the 233.15mm spindle to pivot recommended by VPI"
Sorry, SME not VPI

Tim,
Proper setup is probably what sounds good on the SME and as pointed out by Thom your effective length probably matches what the spec should be. "I suspect he's getting such good results with a Wally because his cartridge's stylus position closely matches SME's design assumptions, and therfore his tonearm's effective length is close to specification"
I just thought I'd bring up some other points as food for thought. I have not yet decided which way to go for a set up tool.
One other point, I think some of the changes we make are so small as to not be detectable from one to the other by using the arc, even with a magnifying glass they might look the same, so probably sound the same.

Mike

OK, I see I had the wrong number (233.15) as the pivot to spindle for the SME Iv.vi, it's actually 215.35, 233.15 is the effective length suggested by SME. I got the calipers out and find my cartridge stylus looks exactly at or very close to this effective length. I just contacted Ken Willis for a protractor based on these numbers. Now I can see if the SME gauge is close.

04 rdking,
For the reasons stated by Ken is why I measured my effective length before ordering.
The SME jig does the same thing because it is driven by effective length and you move the mounting distance to make it's adjustment. I just find the arc protracter easier to work with than the SME jig. I have enough play in my cartridge mounting to adjust offset.

Mike

Viper,
That is exactly what I found with my Aries 3 and 10.5i arm. The 262 number was bogus, I did my own measuring before I ordered a protractor from Ken Willis. So those with a VPI 10.5i arm should not order a protractor based on the 262mm distance.

Mike

Stiltskin,
I installed an SME arm on the Aries 3 to close that can of worms.