Thorens TD124 with Fidelity Research FR-24 Arm help


Wondering if anyone had experience with this combination?  I picked up an FR-24 due to reputation and well...aesthetics!  Drilled out a new armboard (which barely fit with the 230 pivot to spindle distance) and installed it.  Very excited until I found that it was impossible to adjust the VTA in further to get the cart in the (roughly) parallel alignment.  The arm looks to be nearly 1/4" (about 7mm) too tall.  Like I said, I've taken the VTA adjustment within the arm design down as low as it will go.  Outside of adding a thicker mat or putting a bunch of spacers on the cart (adding weight), I'm at a loss.  Any expert advice is much appreciated.
machine0a

Showing 1 response by fsonicsmith

You would likely get faster responses in the analog forum. I almost never come to this forum but was bored. 
I have a TD124 and mounted a few arms before coming to my last arm (I think), a Reed 3P. 
The TD124 has a very low profile due to the design of the chassis. Before I had mine overhauled and hot-rodded by Greg Metz of STS, I had to have a woodworker help me craft some armboards with a countersunk mounting circle drilled out of it. 
If you go to my profile you can see my Thorens now, with it's aftermarket tall massive platter which then needed the opposite-a machined block of alloy to raise my Reed. This involved an aftermarket bearing to support the heavy platter and I by necessity lost the platter clutch. 
The TD124 was designed for the tonearms of the day, which most often meant one of the SME 3009 variants. 
I hope this helps.