VPI scout, pivot spike burr for scout owners be aware of this


For many years now since I purchased my scout I have said on various threads that I could not get my Benz micro cartridges to track correctly.  Well, I have finally found the culprit.  It is a burr on the pivot spike assembly.  I never thought this would be an issue until recently when I visited the soundsmith website because of my tracking issues.  They said before sending in a cartridge for retip to check the jmw pivot spike for burrs.  Well, you cannot see it or at least I cannot see it without magnification.  I just felt it and it seemed Sharp enough.  Not the case.  So when I informed VPI, they were kind enough to send me a new pivot spike assembly.  All I can say is I am hearing my turntable for the first time.  The spike is critical to performance.  I am pretty sure it was defective from day 1 because I have been struggling with this from day 1.  I just do not want anyone else to go through what I went through for years.  If you are having tracking issues and excessive siblance, I would check this first before anything else. You will and your ears will be glad you did.


tzh21y
Thank you for the heads-up.  I will go home and check the spike on my Aries 3 - I have not had any problem setting up my arm, unless lack of patience is a 'problem'.


I have run into this issue on my friends classic. In our case it was not causing mistaking but adding a background noise. It was not really noticeable but when the pivot was fixed clarity was better and background was quitter. It was not hard to spot the tip was rounded off.

Handle the arm with care and defiantly check with a loupe every now and them. Its a pretty cheap fix from VPI.

tzh21y, how did you eventually find it? Did you use a magnifier? If so, what type? Did you feel it with a fingernail?
I actually used the magnifying glass and loupe I received from mint lp.  I could not tell just by touch.