Vinyl Asylum: RE: Technics SL-1200MK2 tonearm by escher2

I just rebuilt my 1200 deck - new tonearm, etc..

The anti skate is controlled by a very thin spring.

Take the tonearm assembly back off, and unsolder your connections (SORRY!!!).

Pull the tonearm via the two screws.

Once it is off the base, turn the anti skate wheel back and forth and you will see the small spring pass through the slots in the fixing plate.

Since as you turn up the anti skate, you want additional pressure to keep the tonearm from moving toward the middle of the record, you want the anti-skate spring to counteract that movement.

I'm saying this from memory, so you may have to test it first -- but the higher the value on the anti skate wheel, the more pressure opposing the tonearm. Confirm this by watching the spring as you turn the wheel.

Now - turn the anti-skate so that the spring swings out of the slot, toward the middle of the turntable (should be a lower antiskate value).

Once the spring is out of the slot, then install the tonearm.

BEFORE SOLDERING - reinstall the tonearm and assembly in the turntable.

Balance the tonearm and test the antiskate wheel. Start with the arm in a position near the middle of the platter - As you increase anti-skate - it should swing back toward the arm rest.

Once this is the confirmed operation, remove the tonearm assembly and solder your connections. Then reinstall the assembly and rebalance the tonearm as normal...