How to choose the right protractor for my effective tonearm length

Get Feickert, it was designed for ALL tonearms and all turntables and you can measure PS distance and choose one of 3 given alignment methods. So ONE protractor for all your turntables and tonearms/cartridges. 

You currently have 2 different and still don't know how to use them.  

I have a thin metal ruler, mm one edge, inches the other. 12" or 305mm.

I drilled a hole/notch one end, so it fits the spindle, starts at zero. just swing it around, pick a distance and location.

reminder: consider parked position clearances when dust cover is on when picking the location.

as for overhang, that ruler can be used for that as well, just swing it around the spindle.

the alignment discs are good for null points, overhang, and I use mine for anti-skate adjustments

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Turntable-Protractor-Alignment-Mat-Phonograph-LP-Phono-Cartridge-Stylus-A-N...

they make specif ones for specific arms, but this works for anything

Feickert is fine for your needs.  But so too are many other choices. By the way, the 223.5mm and 215mm parameters are the pivot to spindle distances recommended for your two tonearms, not their "effective length".  Effective length = pivot to spindle distance + overhang.

My favorite is the MoFi Geo Disc. Makes alignment so easy. The purpose by the way is to align the cartridge at one point in its arc. A longer arm reduces tracking error across the record but makes no difference in alignment at that one point.

I use DBP-10 for so many years and is excellent, does not cost much either. 
G

As long as your tonearm was mounted correctly with the pivot to spindle distance right on the Baerwald protractor will do just fine. You have to align the cantilever arm perfectly parallel to the lines not the cartridge body, with the stylus right on the cross. With good light you get right in front of the cartridge with your nose almost on the platter and line that cantilever right up
petg60 is referring to the DB Systems protractor. It is an excellent protractor for very little money, $45 I think. Spending more than that is IMHO a waste of money. The single greatest source of error is the operator. Not the protractor. You have to take a deep breath, get your fastidious hat on and tweak that cartridge into position. You have to leave the screws just loose enough so you can move the cartridge with just a little resistance. Once you have the cartridge in position you tighten each screw just a little at a time going back and forth until they are just snug. The result of overtightening is total looseness!

The Conrad Hoffman Arc protractor is free, customizable, dead accurate, free, easy to use, only 1 point to make parallel to, free, and you can choose your radii for standard DIN, JIS, IES, RIAA, and choice of 3 alignments. 

Line up to the arc, make parallel, done.


Did I mention it’s free?

On Vinyl Engine under Cartridges and preamps.

I also have to endorse the MOFI Geodisc. It is a very quick and easy tool to use. I have other alignment accessories in my toolbox such as my recently acquired Wally tools, Avid glass protractor, and from Germany, the Schon protractor.

In my experience after many years in this hobby, you tend to use the most time efficient method to dial in your cartridge.

I mean, who wants to spends hours and hours aligning such a small needle in an arc with these other tools. But, after you gain experience, you yawn when setting up cartridges with the MOFI, and perhaps, may want to explore using other tools for the thrill of the chase, or to genuinely compare other tools approaches to achieving alignment success.

Ultimately, your ears also play an essential part in getting anything right.
Once you go into the deep end, like I did, Not only do you have a tool kit full of other alignment tools for the sake of and because you can, but the Fozgometer azimuth tool ultimately ends up as part of toolbox as well. It’s all part of the hobby and in any hobby, you have support accessories to help you enjoy that hobby. That’s my .02 cents.

Dear @peterhaze476 : "   I currently have a Baerwald standard protractor that was made in Great Britain...... ..."

That's all you need for both tonearms and follow the @lewm  advise on tonearm effective length.

In the other side:  ""  And have a basic mirrored Stevenson protractor. " "

Do it a favor to you and the quality room/system performance levels and stay away from Stevenson. You don't need that ST protractor, its best place is in the trash can.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Thank you for all the good info to all the responders. I will try out these protractors mentioned. Although the question I'm really trying to ask is how do I know that a protractor is right for my turntable other than the advice of anyone telling me use this protractor or that protractor. How does any given protractor achieve the correct over hang when not all turntable over hangs  or tonearm lengths are the same. 

Thank you for all the good info to all the responders. I will try out these protractors mentioned. Although the question I'm really trying to ask is how do I know that a protractor is right for my turntable other than the advice of anyone telling me use this protractor or that protractor. How does any given protractor achieve the correct over hang when not all turntable over hangs or tonearm lengths are the same.

I think you just don't understand how it works, so please read Dr.Feickert manual first. Read it yourself before asking others, it's very easy to understand the whole process as there are only 4 steps you have to do.  

Short tonearm or long tonearm, this turntable or that... , whatever cartridge you're using ... Feickert is universal for all of them (I owned about 10 turntables and too many different tonearms from 9 inch to 12 inch, all adjusted and aligned with Feickert protractor).

  Although the question I'm really trying to ask is how do I know that a protractor is right for my turntable other than the advice of anyone telling me use this protractor or that protractor. How does any given protractor achieve the correct over hang when not all turntable over hangs or tonearm lengths are the same.

Protractors are used with tonearms and cartridges, typically they are not turntable specific although a turntable manufacturer may include a protractor with 'table.
The variables to know about an 'arm are its pivot-to-spindle distance (P2S) and its Effective Length. Your tonearm's manual or instructions should give you that information. 

Correct P2S is critical.  If it is not correct, no other 'arm measurement will be correct. Once it is set correctly you can forget about it until you change tonearms.  Some protractors give the ability to measure P2S which will let you either confirm your 'arm's setting is correct or help you position the 'arm correctly if you are installing it.  Some protractors include the ability to measure P2S, some do not.

There are protractors for specific tonearms. These achieve the correct overhang because they are made for a single 'arm.  Examples are the WallyTractor and the Mint protractor.

And there are protractors that work with multiple tonearms.  These achieve the correct overhang by providing settings for many different effective length tonearms.  Examples include the Acoustical Systems SmartTractor and the Feickert protractor.

Cartridge alignment is not just about setting overhang, which is getting the stylus tip at an exact position. Alignment is also about positioning the stylus tangential to the groove and centering the cartridge's motor for optimal output from both left and right channels.  Common practice is to align the cantilever against a set of lines on the protractor - getting the cantilever exactly parallel or matched to a specific line..  Some cartridge cantilevers are easier to align than others depending on how visible they are.  A protractor with a mirrored surface with parallax compensation can help in such cases.  The bottom-line here is some protractors are easier to use than others by helping your eyes.

Some protractors require you to align the cartridge at multiple points and/or trace an arc.  Some ask you to align on a single point.

In theory you can get an optimal alignment with any protractor IF you know how to use it and are skilled with it AND your cartridge is well made.  Alignment can be a finicky operation that can try your patience.  Imo, a protractor that helps you do the job is easier to use and a protractor that is easier to use is more likely to get you a good result quicker.  YMMV

There's actually a lot more to using protractors and alignment but this is too long already.

I've used the dbSystems, WallyTractor, the original Feickert and the Acoustical Systems UNI-pro which is the professional version of the SMARTractor.