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Tonearm choices for "new" Empire 208: Help??

Posted by CometCKO on April 26, 2012 at 11:01:51:
My current project is rebuilding an Empire 208 turntable. Mine was mostly stock, with an SME 3009 s2. tonearm.

Just for background, the Empire dates from the early 1960's and is a heavy, unsuspended belt-drive table. The central bearing and platter and motor are all outstanding. That's all that I'm keeping. Everything else will be redone for the rebuild. My Empire rebuild includes a whole new baseplate. I'm machining a new one using 1-1/2" aluminum cast plate. Cast plate is more stable and stress-relieved compared to extruded "aircraft" aluminum. I'm retaining the original design, suspending the motor from rubber bushings from the top plate. The plate will rest on a bed of Isodamp C-1002 glued to a laminated baltic birch plinth. Eventually, I plan to build a new motor controller for the 3-phase Papst motor. The Papst motor is being rebuilt, and I've just finished cleaning up and polishing the ball on the platter spindle, which will ride in oil on a lignum vitae thrust plate in the original main bearing well. The original cast aluminum platter (rings like a bell for more than 30 seconds) is getting a damping treatment of 3M DP-105 Epoxy, and I'm machining the top flat so I can use a Herbies 3.7mm mat and a titanium record weight or a clamp (tbd). The Empire is unsuspended, so I can fit arms of different mass with no issue.

Anyway, that's the background. My question is about the ideal modern tonearm for THIS table. The existing SME 3009 will end up going elsewhere. I don't plan on using a vintage arm (I've got one of those already that I like on another table).

My timing is a bit critical, since I'm at the point in the machining when I need to decide what kind of mounting hole to drill for the tonearm.

If I were rolling in money, I'd buy a Graham Phantom II. I love the one my best buddy uses in his system (on a TW Acoustic Raven). Instead, I'm looking at buying a used arm, or maybe a cottage industry arm.

The arms I'm looking at now include:
* An SME V, earlier version, not silver-wired
* An SME 309, practically new
* An SME IV.Vi, practically new, with upgraded bearings (equiv. to SME V)
* A Funk FX-R (new)
* A Kuzma Stogi(used)
* An Origin Live Illustrious (almost new)
* A Graham 2.2 w. carbon arm (used) w. SME base
* An Audiomods (new) w. VTA adjustment

Which of these should I be looking at, and why? Most importantly right now: should I be drilling a mounting for SME, for Rega or for ???

I have other tables, including a VPI Scout, a Thorens TD-150 w. Fidelity Research arm, Technics SL-Q2, etc. but I have very limited experience with different tonearms. Surprisingly, after 50+ years playing analog, I have never before purchased a tonearm by itself.

All help & advice gratefully accepted!