the dreaded breaking of tonearm wire...now what?


I just got a new (used) benz micro h2 in the mail and began my first install. Needless to say, didn't go very well. Actually, except for one tonearm wire breaking, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

So, is there anything I can do to salvage it? Or, should I just send it somewhere, or just a new tonearm cable? It's just the stock in the MMF-5, but don't have a budget right now for anything much better.

What would you do?

Good news: even though I only have sound through one channel, it already is an incredible difference. I think I need some extra counterbalance weight, as the force is tough to adjust. But already much better, except for the fact there is no soundstage with one speaker..

Thanks
pablo16
To prevent doing this again, do not just pull the clip off. The mass of your hand and the tool will keep going with obvious results. If you are right handed you grasp the cartridge with you left thumb and index finger. The thumb should be just proud of the cartridge. Then you grasp the clip with your needle nose and lean the side of the tool against your thumb tip using the thumb as a fulcrum. You have just created a force multiplier. Now you can smoothly pry the clip off.
The better arms have teflon insulation on their wires which you can not burn. Tin both the wire and the clip with solder. Leave a good sized blob on the clip. Arrange the wire so you can orient the clip straight away from the wire. Heat up the clip and while holding the iron against the clip press it into the wire and remove the iron. The wire will melt in instantaneously.
Even if you have teflon wire if you overheat the wire you will shrink your heat shrink tubing so you have to be fast. Never use an iron less than 25 watts. With smaller irons it take longer to melt the solder and you wind up over heating things. The pros use a weighted stand with alligator clips which holds wires in place. 

pablo, it has happened to most of us who have been at this for a long time:)

tpsonic said
"If you are going to rewire ,I suggest a 24ga or greater solid core wire> 30-35ga would be best/sliver?"

Never use solid core wire for a tonearm cable. It will mess with the free motion of the arm and all the bending will make it short lived.

BillWojo

Many times I comment on how maybe the problem isn't what anyone said, maybe its a total lack of reading comprehension. Either not comprehending, or maybe not even bothering to read. Case in point. People giving advice to a guy who solved his problem 13 years ago. Thanks you two for confirming what I've always known.
No, just a lack of attention millercarbon. It's ok. There is still some useful information like using your thumb as a fulcrum. Now you won't rip your tonearm wires out again:)