Measuring VTF with electronic gauge....

Straight on platter!

It depends on the gauge, but most of the decent ones designed to be placed right on the platter and the pad for the stylus designed to be on the same level as the record top surface.

The situation with some cheap Chinese gauges is different if they are not designed for measuring cartridge VTF.

Thanks that's what I thought. I'm using a Winds ALM-01

I want to admit that I put my Ortofon digital gauge on my metal (or graphite) mats. So it’s not exactly the platter, because I do not remove the mats, but i definitely remove the record :))

What matters is that VTF be measured with the stylus at the same level as when playing a record. Some arms because of their design can cause VTF to change as the angle of the arm changes. So in other words you want a gauge that works like chakster said, with the stylus at LP level. Not LP level plus the gauge. LP level.   

VTF btw is always specified as a range. Anything within that range is perfectly acceptable. Within that range however VTF is set by ear. If you like it at the high end of the range then that is the "correct" VTF for you. Precision therefore is only a factor to the extent it keeps your "by ear" setting from being too high or low.

My cheap Chinese scale is the exactly the same level as an average LP.   
Nyah nyah.
Of course vinyl comes in different thicknesses.
What to do? You can adjust to each platter...
OR. 
Enjoy the music.

millercarbon
Has nailed it but that is only the start of the fine tune process..

Depending on stylus shape (and not using simple conical shape that they do not care about VTA).
You may consider that if you like for example by ear to be in the upper/lower range of the VTF. Then that means you have also in the same time when you adjust VTF inderectly also adjusted the VTA.

So it could in other words be that you by ear actually liked the sound of the different VTA..

So when adjusting a TT it is NOT just to adjust VTF then done.. When altering VTF you are also inderectly altering VTA and antiscating (in some extent also overhang but that is nitpicking.. but i have been there.)

So if we really want to adjust a TT for the best sound for you then you do it by ear and the procedure goes in circles.

In the way that when you have a more advanced stylus shape than conical. And you are you are preferred the sound near max VTF than that can be a sign that you also may be liking a lower VTA.. 

So how can you know if it the positive sound quality increase came from added VTF or lowered VTA?

The first cycle is done. Proceed with second cycle of adjustment by lowering (or vice versa) the tonearm/VTA and adjust by ear again VTF. (Now you got the ability to hear the difference between the two parameters).

So you go in "circles" and iterate trough each adjustment one by one. And each iteration the adjustment window and fine tuning will be smaller and smaller. Until you find nirvana and can start to enjoy the stylus for several hundreds of hours!

So in summary the more expensive stylus shape we get the ability to do more adjustment and fine-tuning and it also eneble us to do that.

That we are not wasting your time and money by sitting in a F1 car during rush hour traffic when you were better of being in a Toyota Prius with AC. 

(A pro tip is to adjust VTF to the lowest range and listening (same record and track and something with a repeatable bass line) then do the same thing again but with max range VTF. To hear and learn what the difference is and you know/learn what to listening for/after.
And if you do not hear any difference at all then there is several reasons why that would be. But until those "issue/s" is not corrected then it is a waste to spending the time to make the adjustments above or to buy a F1 car when a Prius is more suitable in that situation.)

I use a cheap "battered" old LP bought for virtually nothing from a charity shop. Cleaned it up of course and never played, but used solely as a set up LP for when my cartridge has been retipped. Then I use my ears !!!

Recommended vtf at lp level and then fine tune with ear.

remember the beloved Shure balance bar

https://www.google.com/search?q=shure+tracking+force&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS881US881&oq=shure+track...

they show it on top of an LP, eke, Heavens to Murgatroyd

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/heavens-to-murgatroyd.html

Elliott,  I still have my Shure balance bar and a little kit of "Last" and the full Zerostat set in a walnut base with lid!  Oh and a very old Audio Technica record weight.  But, no TT......

Regards,
barts

The Shure isn't accurate.

No, but the pot shops here in Seattle sure are. So what I do, buy a gram, put the green bud on the Shure, zero it out at 1g. Transfer weed to bowl. Drop the stylus, adjust VTF, light the bowl. Very important these be done in that order. You can trust me on that. Barts will vouch for me on that. He keeps his Zerostat in a walnut case with a lid.

The Shure SFG-2 is definitely not accurate.  But I still have mine and keep as a nostalgia collectable.  Same with my original Discwasher.

I tend to believe the best electronic stylus force gauge is from Rega.  However, they are very expensive.  You can get basically the same results with the Riverstone stylus force gauge.  They sell for about $35.  This gauge is done right by measuring the stylus force at record level.  As mentioned, some records are thicker than others.  This gauge is based on the average of record thicknesses.  From there you can tune by ear if you feel that is necessary.  The Riverstone is a very good stylus force gauge and highly recommended.

I’d bet money that the Rega SFG is a re-branded Chinese product or that it is made in China for Rega.

Same here. The acid test is you take the tare weight used to check the digital scale and put it on the Shure. Or any other known weight. Then if necessary tweak the Shure to zero it out and you will know the correction factor. The Shure can then be used with just as much accuracy as anything. 

Bollocks.