1. The thrust box is hung from threads connected to the center post. Do you need to assemble the thread or is it pre-assembled.
Normally the arm is supplied separated from the pillar. To install you have to connect the five electrical contacts in the pillar and insert the two hoist toggles into holes in the thrust box. Description and diagrammes of the installation process are available in the manual. I don't know if I am allowed to provide a link to that here but please contact me by the obvious means if you would like to know more.
2. The tonearm mount seemed to be drilled from under the arm boards. Can you drilled directly from above?
I have supplied bases with through holes. These are standard for Jelco/VPI/Rega bases, but if a customer requested through holes in a Linn-SME-type mount, that can be provided at no extra cost.
3. Can you provide a SME adapter to your mount?
Yes, the Linn base has six bolt holes. Three are 120 degrees apart for a standard Linn arm board. One of those joins the other three in forming two pairs at 30/150 degree intervals which clamp an ABS bracket under the arm board, compatible with an SME capsule-shaped hole. The SME spindle-to-pivot adjustment is slightly less than the full range but there is plenty, and it works well. Again, if you contact me privately I can provide images of this arrangement. In brief the Linn/SME base is compatible with both kinds of arm board.
4. How extensively have you tested the arm with various cartridges? I am thinking of pairing it with a low compliant Koetsu. Any problem?
The arm is designed for the widest range of compatibility with half-inch bolted cartridges. Adam at hifiaf.com is currently using a Miyajima Mono on one, a cartridge which has zero vertical compliance, and he has added half a kilogram of ballast to the arm to achieve the desired natural frequency. I have heard the arm with a Koetsu Rosewood Signature and a My Sonic Lab Eminent and I hope I'm allowed to say that all seemed to function correctly. One curiosity of the arm design is that however much mass you pile onto it, the load on the bearing barely changes, since the bearing is horizontal. You may need to tighten the hoists slightly, but that is a normal part of set-up.
I hope these answers conform with site policies - if they don't, please let me know and I will edit or delete them.
Richard, Manufactuer of Supatrac