OP's question about what do other tonearms do?
MOST VPI unipivot arms (NOT the stock Classic 1 arm) lift the entire base on which the pivot is located. The mechanism uses a fine-pitch screw to accessible on the arm base to make the adjustment. Allos good on-the-fly adjustment.
For a lot of tonearms with a "standard size" arm pillar, there is the Easy VTA base. It replaces the original tonearm base with a hole and set screw for the arm pillar. A fine pitch screw system using parts from a micrometer is used to gently raise or lower the arm at the arm at the pillar while the record is playing. Once the correct VTA / SRA is attained, a set screw can be used to lock the mechanism in place. Works GREAT on FR, Grace, Jelco and (IIRC) Linn arms. I'm using it with a Jelco TK-850L. Best combination I've heard.
MOST VPI unipivot arms (NOT the stock Classic 1 arm) lift the entire base on which the pivot is located. The mechanism uses a fine-pitch screw to accessible on the arm base to make the adjustment. Allos good on-the-fly adjustment.
For a lot of tonearms with a "standard size" arm pillar, there is the Easy VTA base. It replaces the original tonearm base with a hole and set screw for the arm pillar. A fine pitch screw system using parts from a micrometer is used to gently raise or lower the arm at the arm at the pillar while the record is playing. Once the correct VTA / SRA is attained, a set screw can be used to lock the mechanism in place. Works GREAT on FR, Grace, Jelco and (IIRC) Linn arms. I'm using it with a Jelco TK-850L. Best combination I've heard.