Refurbish Fidelity Research Tonearms

I was late to see this thread, but I am the one that had my FR64S refurbished/greased/rewired at IKEDA/Japan, in Japan.

They rewired using IKEDA silver wire.
Total cost was just under $900.00, which included shipping both ways.

Very glad to see that AnalogMagik provides the same service much closer to home, as I’m in the US.

I have not yet done any close listening to the newly rebuilt arm, as I don’t have all my system set up due to remodeling.... that seems to go on forever.

Just sent my SP10 MK3 off to ’JP’ yesterday, to have him go completely through it.... then will mount and try the arm.

Ikeda IT-345 is made later but every comparison I - or others - made, the 64s always was the winner. Better in Tone, much better in physical presence ... well, it is the way it is. I think, the 345 is much cheaper made ... and that counts finally.

Well, the IT-345 matte finishing (not later CR version) is much better made than FR-64s, absolutely no questions about it, I have both. Even FR-64fx is much better made than FR-64s.

Users who own both 64s and 64fx commented on this forum before, it's hard to decide which one is better, the difference is not so clear ass you are trying to say. The FX and old IKEDA are more expensive tonearms than older 64s. In my opinion the FX series (64fx and 66fx) is better made than 64s and more user friendly.

Ikeda-San designed his IT-345 series with better understanding of the 64s issues, read J.Carr’s posts on audiogon (he knew Ikeda-San personally).

The mirror finish CR latest IKEDA are different, I don’t like them.

Everyone has his own Point of view. I also did own 345 and sold it after comparison. For some it may important to quote wisdoms from a Designer but i am not interested what they say. They have to live from their product and the latest is always better than the former one.
The worst sounding preamps i ever listened to came from Lyra … so each his own. A complicated and expensive arm is always a problem in numbers of sale…
after all these years i do that, the more i know that most excellent designs are based on pure luck, there are endless examples out there, that the next one 
didn’t bite the bullet. But it is fixed in the marketing later.

Maybe, but I want to say that I’m happy with 64s, fx, fx pro, IT-345 tonearms. I like them all. 

Based on my positive results I sent my FR-66s also for refurbish to him …