Why Do 12" Tonearms Cost So Much More Than 9"?

It has been said that a tiny error in setting up a 12 inch arm has greater consequences for tonearm alignment error, than the same error made in setting up a 9 inch arm. I actually have never bothered to investigate the truth of this axiom, but it is worth noting. 

Being horrified by prices of 12" arms, and deciding, if I'm going long, I'm going LONG, JVC long arm 7082, terrific if rubber fixed, is actually only 11-1/8" Many 11-5/8" ...

After searching, I found a 12.5" arm, love the simple physics, looks, price. No returns, from Russia, no "yeah, good choice" from anyone, put myself thru the wringer for months, finally decided to risk it (along with Square Trade Warranty).

Not for the feint of heart, these guys don't believe in Din connectors, so you need to solder the tiny wires to the junction box they supply. The smallest delicate wires I have ever seen, Litz, silk coating, I thought a few strands, actually 37 strands, I still cannot believe it. I put it off, was going to find and pay someone, then "only thing we have to fear is fear itself", so I got my 30 power shop light and did it.

I learned here how much more important alignment is for long arms, so I upped my tools and inspected my work repeatedly like someone else did it.

I'm very glad I did it, only cost $850. plus tax and shipping, now they sell it for $950.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/tonearm-tonarm-12-long-NewArtVinyl-BLACK-BIRD12-5-CARBON/233512433389?hash=item365e6cf6ed:g:CUMAAOSw86ZeXTqK

text was english, now Russian,

web site, english translation via Google

http://newartvinyl.ru/

One thing about a long arm, for me, is that there is enough space between the arm base and the TT edge to locate this very nice auto-lift

https://www.amazon.com/gp/your-account/order-history/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_od?ie=UTF8&ij=&opt=ab&ref_=&search=112-9890941-6780204

no room for one for my 9" arm.

We all know the insane price difference between FR64S and 66S, but this is dictated by the collector’s market and has nothing to do with production cost. FR originally charged only 20% extra for the 12" 66S, around $500 versus $600 according to period price lists.

It is true that prices are a reflection of what the market can ’bear’, but thankfully there are still manufacturers in the current marketplace not just driven by greed. For example, the difference between the 10.5" and 12" version of the Reed 3P is only €100 on top of the €4000 list price.

Any tonearm manufacturer that has the audacity to charge $3600 extra for a 12" version should be avoided like the plague. They deserve neither your business nor your respect.

It probably depends a lot on the design of the arm, and the available tooling etc, whether a longer arm tube is very difficult for the manufacturer to make. Clearaudio Universal is an example where the price difference is reasonable - the 12” version is less than 10% more in msrp compared to the 9”. But the 9” is more versatile as it can also fit on the fixed arm board models like Ovation and Performance DC.

Graham Phanom is another arm with a reasonable/small price increase on the 12” version. 

The Triplanar price increase sounds sadistic.

Lewm it is just the opposite. A shorter arm setup is more critical as the offset is higher leading to higher skating forces and an error in overhang will lead to greater tracking angle errors.