Need advice on a headshell wieght for a JMW9 arm?

While it is true that you will only need 0.6 more grams to reach the recommended maximum 2.2 grams, your arm's counterweight will still be at it's maximum position along the arm tube. In general, it is better to have the counterweight positioned approximately midway along its two maximum positions, once you have found the best VTF - this will allow the arm to track better. So that 3 gram spacer may not be such overkill after all, but I would think a 2 gram spacer weight would work for you. Call music direct, elusive disc or needle doctor to see what they have in stock. If using a spacer weight, you will need to remove the cartridge to install it and realign.

seasoned-

Blu-Tack :)

My own main arm is a JMW 10.5. I personally prefer to have the counterweight
as close to the pivot point as possible and have never experienced any tracking
difficulty with that approach. In situations like yours with lightweight carts, I've
simply affixed some small pieces of Mortite (plumber's putty) up under the
headshell where it's not noticeable, and smoothed them with a flat tool of some
kind. This also provides a bit of resonance damping, and it's easily removable if
you decide to try something else. If it doesn't offend you esthetically, it should
do the trick :-)

The mortite is fine when new, but hardens after awhile. I would go with the VPI weight. The right way is always the best way.

Mortite doesn't harden for at least a couple of years after which you can simply remove and replace it if you haven't switched to a different cart by then. Frankly, it's never hardened for me. It also allows a great deal more weight precision and better resonance damping than the "best" way, aside from being cheaper than dirt. But to each his own. Blu-Tack is okay too, BTW, but steer clear of the look-alikes such as Fun-Tack which can become gummy and runny if exposed to the least bit of heat. Dave

Thanks very much, folks:

Seasoned: Never thought about getting the counterweight back to the middle position, rather than just adding the minimum to get me to spec. I appreciate your insight. It makes sense. I'll check your suggestions.

Dave: Never would have thought about Mortite. Very interesting option. Stringreen's concern raises caution as my listening room gets very dry in the winter. And would not fare well with "look alikes", such as Fun-Tack that you warned me against, and perhaps would accelerate the drying of the Mortite.

Thanks guys, very much, for your responses. I am weighing my options (no pun intended).