Need help and advice on a VPI 3D arm


I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue with the new 3D arm? I bought a new Prime table 4 months ago to try the new 3D arm I also have a Classic stainless steel arm to load another cart on to compare the two back and fourth, last night I was going to switch the cartridges on the two arms and could not set the azimuth on the 3D arm, to get the azimuth right I had to tilt the drop counter weight plus the Soundsmith intuitive way off of center and it is causing the side weights to rub against the adjustment column and is very tilted, after walking away from the setup 3 times I pulled the arm, pulled the side weights off so it would sit square on a level marble counter top and set it flat on the surface and eyeballed it, this thing has lost its shape, the barrel of the arm has a gradual bend downward and the cartridge shell portion of the arm is rolled down and in. This is really throwing off the geometry of the cart in the arm. I placed the stainless steel arm out in the same way and its barrel is perfectly straight and it's head shell is straight as well, it's only issue is that it is slightly off on the azimuth but that can be adjusted out easily. The fact that the barrel and the headshell on the 3D arm is so far off I certainly can not trust my setup to be accurate. I store whichever arm is not being used in a VPI holding case for the 10 inch arms and it has not been dropped or subjected to any drastic temperature changes. I am going to call VPI on Monday but if this is an issue with these arm wands I certainly don't want another one. Let me also add that I believe that this has been a gradual demise of the arm and that I do love the arms sonic signature so would hope VPI has an answer. Tooblue
tooblue
@tooblue , does your 3D arm have the finger lift molded to the tonearm?

I ask because I just received a VPI Prime from a VPI dealer (demo), and I noticed that the 3D arm I received did not look like the same arm as I see on the internet in many photos of the 3D arm. Mine has a separate metal clip that you attach to the headshell when you mount the cartridge to use as a finger-lift. The ones I've seen on the internet have the finger-lift molded to the arm as one piece, using the same material as the arm itself.

I contacted the VPI dealer and VPI about this. The VPI dealer said that he had a problem with the original arm, sent it back to VPI and that my arm was the new arm that VPI sent him.
VPI said that the one piece arm, that is in all the photos on the internet, was the 2014 version of the 3D arm, and that the version with the separate metal finger-lift clip is the 2015-2016 version of the 3D arm.

I didn't get anymore detail from my dealer about exactly what problem he was having with the older arm though. VPI made no mention of any problems, or why they changed the design.
THE METAL FINGER LIFT WAS ADDED WHEN ISSUES AROSE WITH THE MOLDED IN ONE - IT WOULD SNAP OFF.  YOU HAVE THE UP TO DATE ARM.
Miner42 is right that the arm with the molded in finger lift was the early version and was soon updated to the metal bolt on one but do not know the reason why, I do know that VPI stated there is no sonic difference in the two approaches. After going to the VPI forum I found there are other people with arms that have started to morf out of shape, the headshell seems to be where it shows itself. I love the 3D arm and am hoping for the best and am sure that VPI will take care of me on this issue.
I am sorry jmcgrogan2 started to ramble and did not answer your question. I do have the newer arm, table was bought new 7/2015, and it has the metal finger lift that bolts on with the cart.
Right...there is no difference in sound between the 2....the metal finger lift was added because the of shipping problems..otherwise they are the same.