replacing tonearm question?

@simao

I don’t understand the choice to replace the Sumiko with a similar apparent tonearm always produced by Jelco.
If you need an upgrade to be such, the leap in quality and cost must be proportional and substantial, otherwise it is better to keep what you have with you.
The other way around, if you want to replace the tonearm for incompatibility with the cartridge or the cartridges that you have then the switch with the Jelco can have logic.

Hey best-groove ,
Good point there, but the FT-3 is twenty years old, is out of damping oil, and lacks the VTA adjustment. It's simply showing its age. I got the Jelco for a great price and it'll be a way for me to get some experience installing a new arm.

I run either a Hana SL or a Benz Ruby for a cartridge, depending on the record and my mood. 

@simao

20 years? Little thing, the arms are not changed for so little, everything can be repaired if you have a pinch of DIY.
See here if the lifter drops too quickly you can disassemble it and insert new silicone grease to put it back into operation.

I have tonearms of 40 years and over (Technics Epa 100/Epa 500, Denon 305/309, Sony PUA7, Acos Lustre, Victor UA 7045 and others .... but I would never dream of changing them for simple problems.
A good maintenance or a revision is sufficient and the tonearms return as new for another 40 years. LOL

@best-groove The Jelco 850 is a different design and is far better than the old Sumiko arm.

@simao Are you up and running yet? How goes it?