I have an original WT tonearm. In fact, its one of the very first that Bill Firebaugh built. I've was the second owner, being the first to take it out of the box. I've rewired it with Cardas tonearm wire and dampened the tube with one layer of shrink wrap. This was a nice improvement. Also, the fluid well has a heavy, custom machined brass clamp around the fluid well where the paddle rests. On the hum: Loosen one of the screws on the top of the motor and attach a ground wire to the screw and re-tighten. That eliminated all hum for me. I my honest opinion, the Well Tempered table, when properly set up (yes, I know its a bear) is one of the finest tables, especially considering the cost, out there. If you can find an early Moncrieff review, that's the one to read to understand what the WTTT can really do.