I think you mean a 3009SII arm. My dad had both a TD124 and that arm and I had both restored. There used to be guy named Alfred Kayser that restored vintage SME arms with new knife bearings and wiring. Long story short-I was never happy with the tonearm despite the alleged reconditioning. Low mass arms call for high compliance cartridges as you presumably know since you named some. These cartridges simply can't match the performance of modern low compliance cartridges. The SME arm is crude and clumsy by modern standards. The deck is great. Your challenge-if you want to mate it with a modern arm-is that the platter sits low in the cast iron chassis relative to the tonearm mounting area. Also, there is no room inboard for the junction box that many modern tonearms have (e.g. VPI). If it were me, I would still go with a modern tonearm, probably a Graham Phantom or a modern SME, and have a seasoned pro install it. Now all that said, I sure find it hard to believe that you are the last guy on the planet with an NOS new-in-the-box TD124. You sure? You willing to sell?
Need Tonearm help for a Thorens TD124 Mark II
I've had a NOS Thorens TD124 Mark II for awhile now and it's still in the box but lately have considered taking it out and putting it into service. I have a couple of other turntables so is it even worth putting into service. If I do, I need some help in choosing a tonearm. I do have a NOS SME 2009 Series II Improved tonearm that has never been mounted. Should I go with something like that or a modern tonearm. I don't have a cartridge picked out yet but I do have a sealed Denon 103D and a NOS Shure V15 Type VxMR. I am inexperienced in setting this up but want some advice as to what other owners or people who heard a TD124 think, or what direction they would go in with what I'm working with. Thanks all for Your help!!!