Fidelity Research FR-7 Repair
If you decided to pass on Dr.Feickert protractor you can at least buy Technics Overhang Gauge to make a mark on the side and use it as a template for stylus position. But you have to make sure the length of the cantilever from SS is the same as the original. You can also buy yourself a Hi-Fi News TEST LP and you will find protractor inside. |
"The protractor'', ''an protractor'''or ''whatever protractor''? The tonearms lengths are 9'', 10'' and 12''. They ''assume'' different effective length. Aka the stylus distance to the pivot. Letch owns 10'' tonearm (FR-64) while eff. length is 245 mm for Stevenson and 246 mm for Bearwald. If his FR-7 got the cantilever with the same length as the original this length can be used for whatever other carts and headshells. Assuming the headshell has slots allowing movement of stylus in both directions. My guess for the cost of an plastic caliper is $10. |
@nandric technics overhang gauge cost $7 , look here Alternative mark for the stylus position (overhang) on the side and you’re done with that. At lest this gauge hold the headshell like a tonearm, look here. I tried it with y FR-7fz and it's fine, the stylus is a few mm behind the mark on the gauge. |
Sorry chak, I see an rubber ring behind the headshell connector while the higth of this ,uh, cheap instrument, does not allow lowering of the stylus to the marked position. One need to guess where the stylus point should be. Together they make at least 2 mm error. So there is then no sense to speak about different geometries. But if one use (plastic) caliper with one ''leg'' after the connector (without rubber ring) and the other on the stylus point one will get exact effective lenght and use the obtained lenght for all other cart/headshell combos. I adjusted this way 20 of my MC carts in their (separate) headshells . Checking with my Mint tractor made for my SP10 /FR-64 S (Bearwald) confirmed the results. Changing carts can then be done in 5 minutes time. |
