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I recently purchased a vintage JVC Q-A2 from a yard sale, no lid or cartridge but purchased a Shure M97xE which cost 7x the turntable! I plan to get into analog again and purchase new records (plenty of old records available from various sources too.)
However, in setting up the cartridge I noticed something about the tonearm base. It's a little off laterally, hopefully the pic I took can show what I'm talking about. So far I like the sound of the turntable/cartridge, no wobbles, and surface noise I expect. However, if I purchase new records I'm just worried I'd be damaging them with the off-kilter tonearm trace. Is this easily fixable with a small screwdriver?
Thanks for your help, everyone!
Follow Ups:
set the anti-skating to 0 balance the arm so it levitates then blow gently at the head shell side ways and up and down. The slightest airflow should be able to move the arm through the entire range of motion of the arm. If it is sticking then you have a bearing problem. On a JVC QL 2 they used fairly good bearings if they are not damaged you should be able to move the arm without any noticeable stiction. If that fails look into getting another arm or have the bearings rebuilt, at that point you might also want to rewire it. Also gently tugging and twisting the arm tube you should not be able to detect any play. If you do the bearings are loose.
dee
;-D
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
quote by Kurt Vonnegut
When I mounted the cartridge I zero'd out the tracking force, up and down motion seemed good. On lateral movement there is some stiction as the tonearm reaches the end of the record, I assume it's because of the auto return function. I don't detect any play when I lightly twist the arm so I think they were misadjusted at the factory--or exactly the way they should be.
check for play and you should be cool
dee
;-D
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
quote by Kurt Vonnegut
Or forcing something with your fingers, why not download the owners and service manual? I'm guessing (ha!) the manuals will have a complete set of instructions on how to set up and service the arm and table.
You'll have to join the Vinyl Engine, but it's free.
Otherwise, I'm with John. I wouldn't use the arm unless I knew it was right.
Good luck with it.
Thank you for the referral to the service manual, I had no idea one existed, it should prove very handy! However, PAR is correct, the two bearing screws which attach the tonearm to the central pillar are not even listed or covered in the service manual. Those two bearing screws on opposite ends of the pillar are not perpendicular to the pillar. I don't even know if the screws are attached to each end of an axel in which case I wouldn't be able to make it parallel. If they are independent of one another then I thought I might be able to make an adjustment, but I now hesitate to even try.
Unless you are ready to redo the bearing s :)...It can be done, but it is a challenge for all but the most experienced tonearm jockeys. Those screws are used to preload the pivot bearings. The adjustment is a very touchy feely procedures. over tightening them will make you arm stick under tightening them will case bearing chatter and cause distortion.
dee
;-D
True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.
quote by Kurt Vonnegut
Edits: 05/22/16
I would recommend checking the tonearm bearings for any play and also for excessive friction. If you discover either, it's a problem that would preclude me from using the tonearm.
I don't know what you mean by the statement: "It's a little off laterally." I don't know what to look for in your picture, but tonearms are delicate and if it has been damaged, I wouldn't use it with a good cartridge. Since you picked it up at a yard sale and it appears to be damaged to you, I would conclude it certainly must be damaged. That's why I buy all my turntables, tonearms and cartridges brand new.
Good luck,
John Elison
I wouldn't want to risk damaging the cartridge by using a defective tonearm. Can the tonearm be rebuilt to correct the problem, or can you replace the tonearm with another one (either the same, or a different one)?
I noticed, while it was playing a record, that the two lateral screws were at a slight angle (not perpendicular) on the mounting pillar, so the headshell and cartridge are off by like, 3 degrees. There is some play in the detachable headshell I can work with to correct the angle, but when I thought about it, I was wondering if the vertical tracing of the stylus remains off and there might be more wear on the inner groove as a result. Inevitably I may have to buy a new turntable but if this is an easy fix I'm capable--I just don't have any experience or the right tools.
If the two screws that you are referring to are the slot headed ones that can be seen in your photo on the bearing housing then DO NOT TOUCH. These are not identified in the table's service manual as being available for any service procedures and are, I believe, for adjusting the arm bearings during manufacture. So please keep away from them, especially if you don't have the experience or tools.
Thank you for the warning. I was about to call a friend to borrow his set of micro tools. I'll leave them alone till I can figure out what to do.
It looks like that plastic collar is touching the tonearm. Try just pushing it down with your fingers and see if that helps......
The plastic collar is part of the tonearm lift mechanism, so yes when I took the pic it was touching the tonearm.
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