Gilbert Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Anyone know what these are worth. Is there a particular series or get? http://cgi.ebay.com/SME-3012-EARLY-SER-II-TONE-ARM-EX-TO-MINT-BOX-ORIGINAL-/370491921661?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item56430a14fd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JL Sargent Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Good question. I have seen these things sell for a wide $$$ range. Some versions apparently are not so good while others are fantastic. Hopefully we can learn which ones are which! A few have come across the garage sale section here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 don't know if you are into DIY or not but if you are and if you are not buying just to get the look you can build a much bettarm for just about as inexpensively as you want, you can make it as fancy as you want too. I can tell you this is a fine design and that it sounds excellent. It can equal and better in some areas a $3500.00 SME. So if you are interested have a look. Best regards Moray James. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/173861-my-latest-iteration-nanooks-219-tonearm.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 A DYI arm is not likely to be as good as an SME arm. The matching of cartridge and a particular SME arm needs expertise that I don't have. Info on the cartridge being considered and maybe the TT may be necessary to answer the question, and perhaps someone here will chime in at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I have to disagree with your comment. I know Stew Nelless who designed the 219 arm and have listened to his system. Stew has a SME arm I believe it is the 312 which had a new retail of over $3K. The arm is in excellent condition and properly set up. Stew's simple but properly designed unipovit is an equal to the SME and in some ways I think sounds a little better others may feel it is not quite as good but it is very comparable. I think that the investment in a 219 is really insignificant and the only thing that you have to loose is the fact that so many arms that you have lusted over but could not afford are just not as good as they want you to believe they are. Why not build a 219 design and then bring home some expensive arms and see what you can find that betters it and see what that costs. If a unipivot is not your cup of tea there is a good thread at diy audio on a mechanical linear tracking arm which can be built for next to nothing also. Or if you prefer something a little different you can build a Well Tempered Arm for peanuts also. Here's a little trade trick I learned for damping tone arm tubes, this comes from competition arrow shaft makers. That's to use powder coffee creamer to load the arm tube. You can have a laugh and tell your friends it gives the music a creamy smooth quality. Don't discount diy efforts till you give it a try. Hope I have sparked your interest. Best regards Moray James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 The TT is a TD124 MkII, and I've been considering an SME 3012 for a couple years and I'm about ripe and ready to bite the bullet. Allan S. helped me to set this TT up, and in my book he defintely qualifies as an expert when it comes to all things in the Phono section of the store. I love my TT, wouldn't trade it for the world. Allan painted-up an origional plinth for me some years back, and it's rested underneath my TT since then. As for the DIY tonearm, I'm leaning with Larry, in that I think some experience (with both listening and installation) as well as expertise is warranted. I'm getting too old to want to experiment with something experimental or unproven. I am absolutely a DIY kind of person, but I love my TT too much to subject her to being part of my learning curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Gilbert, I have been looking as well, but not seriously at this point. I have a 3009 series II on my TD-124 and I am very happy with it, but I would like to see what all the fuss is about with the 3012. Like the 3009, the 3012's to have are the series I and series II (sometimes referred to as series II early) arms. Especially when wanting to mate with the heavier cartridges (SPU, Zu DL-103, etc)... so you would want to stay away from the series II Improved, and series III arms imho. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Stew's arm can be mounted on a hockey puck which you simply set on the plint so you would have zero impact on your table which I fully understand is a concern. The whole thing can be built in a few hours start to finish and only cost a few dollars in parts. This arm will run along side anything in the 2-3K range with no shame. You can build a fast nasty cheap ugly one just to check it out and if you like it make one as fine and fancy as your imagination wants. DIY does not get much better than that. I will let you consider this and leave it at that. Best regards Moray James. PS: the coffee creamer powder is really a fine damping compound especially if you are considering a long arm. Stew was giving away prototype kits asking only that folks build them up and post comments on the design. You could ask Stew if he has any free ones left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I'm not adverse to building one of the 219 arms but the thread Moray points to is more confusion than instructive. Are there any step-by-step instructions and a materials list in that thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Turner Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 I was where you are about two years ago...and my story also involves Alan to a lesser degree..or at least Alan's turntable postings. I searched and found a beautiful TD124 in Europe and a beautiful 3012 in Japan. I researched and collected all the parts imaginable to rebuild both. Bought a beautiful Roswood plinth, had a block of limestone cut for a platform...and stared at them. A friend told me the limestone base looked like a tombstone. Started my subscription to Music Matters Blue Note reissues so I could justify the time and expense...but continued to worry I would screw up the rebuild...and continued to listen to my Rega P25 - Micro Benz combo...and continued to collect unopened Music Matters 45s. I finally decided I would screw it up so I sent the 3012 off for a custom rebuild and rewire...and it arrived back bent frrom shipping. More missery and indecision. Then, in to deep to back away, bought a new SME M2-12R and a new SPU GME classic. Opened the Music Matters, and I've thoroughly enjoying my Alan look-a-like combo ever since. Is the SME M2-12R better or worse than the 3012? Who knows...it sounds as good as it looks...so who cares. Oh, I left out the story of building my Juicy Music Tercel and the upgrade to Telefunken ECC801s. The Telefunkens were worth every penny to me. Moral of this long story. Just do it and start listening to the music. I've still got about 30 Music Matters I've not opened and I no longer even bother to open the new shipments. I just hide them away and wonder if I will ever have time to get caught up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 You can either go to diy audio and search as there is another thread on the 219 or you can send a mail to Stew who is a great guy and will I am sure give you all the information you will need. Yes it is made with cheap parts but I can assure you that it works like a charm.Best regards Moray James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbert Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Gawd I love the SEARCH function..... Just found this old post,.... answered my own question. http://community.klipsch.com/forums/p/90295/913544.aspx#913544 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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