what's causing a SME 3 to stick after a few spins?

It sounds like the arm lift isn't retracting quite far enough.

Check that the arm is not touching the arm lifter bar during playback. If the arm is not horizontal but sloping up from the cartridge to the pivot point, this can happen during playback

That sounds right but when I lower the arm in the space between the arm rest and the platter it drops a few mm below the lp surface. Thanks anyway

How hard is it to push the arm across the platter in the raised position? Or does this "locking" only occur when the arm is down at the record surface level?

> Does this occur with the AS turned all the way off?
> When it 'skips', does it skip toward the center or outside edge of the record? Or rather, by 'skip', do you mean it won't track (keeps playing the same groove over and over again?)
> What Sutherk asked -- does it resist horizontal travel when the stylus is slightly above the record. You can check this by looping some thread under the TA wand near the headshell, and with the lifter down, AS off, stylus guard in place, hold the thread in one hand suspending the cartridge end of the tonearm just above the platter, and holding the thread, try gently moving the arm across the platter in both directions. If the horizontal bearing is seizing, you'll know right away. Are you the original owner?
> As far as I know, the only silicone damping in that arm is in the lifter mechanism, and the swiveling DIN plug. So I can't see how any would get into the horizontal bearing?