Technics SL1200/SL1210 headshell problem

cartridge

contacts

I eventually saw 2 watchmakers screws on the under side of the arm and managed to find a small enough and angled enough screwdriver to remove. Have now been able to remove the end of the arm. I can only assume that due to very light spring action on each of the recessed springs that it doesn't take much bunching of the wires in the arm to interfere with the spring action so breaking contact.

If you get stuck with this, the whole tone arm is available from Panasonic at a very reasonable price - about 30 quid as I recall from last time I had to get one.

Arfa

very

had

Wedging a bit of brass shim in there seems to have stopped the problem, the socket section could waggle in the tube of the tone-arm , now I have to work out how to put the tiny screws back in place

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

You can actually remove the tone arm from the gimbal mount quite easily, by slackening the locking nut ( not really a nut 'cause it's round with a slot in, but I'm sure you know what I mean ) and then taking out the pivot screw. When you put it back, tighten to the point where you can feel it just start to pinch in the ball race, then back off about a quarter turn, hold in place, and retighten the locking nut.

Arfa

can

and

remove.

that

spring

by

slot

screw.

start

Yes, ta for that, was very much easier than trying to work half-blind upside down. When I first read your piece I thought you meant removing the whole arm and pivot from underneath which I've also never done. The slotted lock ring+ conical pointed screw is at the very top of the arm pivot, details again not in the service manual. I've been wary of messing with these pivots since doing something similar, years ago, to a different tone-arm pivot, and 20 or so tiny ball bearings cascaded all over the place.

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

Yes, I've done it often on these. The ball races on them are proper little complete items. I see a fair few with the tone arm broken. I do work for a local Panasonic dealer, and the local DJs who use them, always take them to him. When you order a new arm, it comes complete with the gimbals, but it's quite an involved job replacing the whole arm assembly. Much easier to just leave the existing mount and gimbals in place, and sub the new tone arm in. I guess that strictly speaking, there's some precise torque level that the pivot screws should be done up to, so that there is no play, but also,

Arfa