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Feickert analogue protractor....Owners impressions

I'm contemplating the purchase of this brand of protractor.

Over the years I have relied on a good friend to mount cartridges and set up the few tables that I have owned in the past.
Relying on someone else to do this was for good reason.

I would never make it as a watch maker or any other profession that requires a fine touch and skill with steady hands.
The time has come where I will have to do this totally on my own.

My question to you owners of the Feickert protractor is what is your experience with it regarding ease of use and accuracy compared to other protractors?

Secondly, the disk has strobe markings for speed set up, does the Feickert package come with a strobe light for the $250. selling price?

I asked these question of a dealer sent via a e-mail and have not received a reply as of yet.

Thank you for your replies.
stiltskin
lewm
13,169 posts
 
So, if one wants a custom-made arc protractor, shouldn't one supply to the maker the ACTUAL spindle to pivot distance, rather than the optimal theoretical one, which may not pertain to the arm for which the protractor is to be used? Forgive me if the question is redundant.
mjglo
127 posts
 
Consider this, the gauge that comes with the SME arm is driven by the effective length and you change the spindle to pivot to dial it in. So, maybe the 233.15mm spindle to pivot recommended by VPI is not cut in stone but a starting point, if that is the case maybe a a protractor based on the effective length is best for this arm.
Mike
mjglo
127 posts
 
"So, maybe the 233.15mm spindle to pivot recommended by VPI"
Sorry, SME not VPI
jtimothya
612 posts
 
Wouldn’t you be defeating the purpose of a custom protractor by changing the spindle to pivot distance as an adjustment?

My admittedly limited and possibly flawed understanding is that pivot-to-spindle distance + overhang = a spot on the arc of a protractor designed for a specific pivot-to-spindle distance, 233.15 on the SME V. The way to adjust a cartridge in an SME V/IV is by moving the entire arm via its sled. If by moving the tonearm via the sled I cause the stylus to perfectly trace the arc on a protractor designed for the tonearm, doesn't that equate to proper setup? If I follow that method, is my cartridge not aligned correctly? (Genuine question, not rhetorical).

Tim
mjglo
127 posts
 
Tim,
Proper setup is probably what sounds good on the SME and as pointed out by Thom your effective length probably matches what the spec should be. "I suspect he's getting such good results with a Wally because his cartridge's stylus position closely matches SME's design assumptions, and therfore his tonearm's effective length is close to specification"
I just thought I'd bring up some other points as food for thought. I have not yet decided which way to go for a set up tool.
One other point, I think some of the changes we make are so small as to not be detectable from one to the other by using the arc, even with a magnifying glass they might look the same, so probably sound the same.

Mike
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