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Help VPI Scoutmaster anti-skate issue

I moved my Scoutmaster and in the process bumped the anti-skate device. Now the arm will not move beyond the halfway point of outer edge to spindle (i.e. can't play more than a few songs) because the arm hits the string.

Looking at the arm in its safety rest towards the pivot there are two round knob-like extremeties. One of these is hitting the string as the arm rotates. For the life of me, I can't figure out what's wrong. I tried watching Fremer's DVD for some frame of reference but the chapter on anti-skate doesn't actually show positioning of the device as the arm rotates.

I realize this must be simple, but having a hard time here, so if someone can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
madfloyd
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
1,406 posts
 
You might want to take this opportunity to remove the anti-skate completely. As has been argued here and elsewhere, it is poorly designed, engineered and executed and must be modified (rubber "O" rings, longer string, ETC) to get it to perform properly--and even then it doesn't sound any better than twisting the tonearm wire.
madfloyd OP
411 posts
 
I've just removed it because, while I don't understand it any better, the set screw that fastens it to the rod sticking out of the tonearm box will not tighten (i.e. anti skate mechanism is free to rotate).

I do understand that this anti-skate is optional, but I recall that without it, the arm seemed to want to skip ahead to the end of the record (would never play the first few bars of first cut).

How does one twist the tonearm wire when you have to match up the two red dots (upon connecting it to the tonearm box)?
sonofjim
557 posts
 
One turn counterclockwise is what others have done I think. I am experimenting with using and not using the devise and have found the table to sound great with nothing, not even the wire twist. Stringreen has been advocating this for a while and I'm inclined to agree. As you saw on the Fremer video, Antiskate is hard to get right because it is subject to so many variables. I think the reason it sounds fine without it is that it's never "right" even when you make a diligent effort to employ it. Getting the VTF, azimuth, alignment and VTA right will get you much further.
eddaytona
216 posts
 
I thought it was one turn clockwise? Which does what?
mjglo
127 posts
 
Using the wire twist method, I lift the arm up and let the wire hang to find the most neutral position, from there add one twist counterclockwise.
A clockwise twist would pull the arm toward the spindle.

Mike
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