Looking for guidance with older VPI HW-19 tables

If possible, try to buy the HW-19 Mk 4, which was the last incarnation of the TT. It has an improved bearing and platter, and also allows for further upgrade to several of the earlier TNT platters. I have owned the HW-19 TT for nearly 20 years, and have continually upgraded it by: 1. getting better tonearms (I finally settled on the Rega RB-900, which I modified as well); 2. upgrading to a TNT platter; 3. removing the original plinthe suspension springs and replacing them with the Sorbothane pucks; 4. adding the SAMA. Each of these upgrades made audible improvements to the overall sound quality of my LP's. I also made a home-built TT platform filled with 40 pounds of lead/sand mix, which provided a subtle but helpful improvement to reducing vibration feedback. Several years ago I was considering selling my HW-19 on consignment thru a local high-end dealer, and then replacing it with the VPI Scoutmaster with JMW-19 arm. Interestingly, the dealer actually talked me out of this, saying that the HW-19 Mk4 -- as I had modified it -- was at least the equal of the newer Scoutmaster (in sound quality, although not necessarily in appearance). I subsequently took my HW-19 to his store and did some A/B comparisons against the Scoutmaster and a Nottingham Space Deck, and his judgment proved correct -- my HW-19 stacked up very well. So, until such time as I have a LOT of spare income, I'm quite content to live with my HW-19 Mk4. The one precaution I have is to provide regular maintenance to the HW-19's thrust bearing and well. If you use your TT a lot, then I suggest you replace the bearing grease/oil every 6 months or so. With moderate use of the TT, then annual maintenance should be sufficient.

I really appreciate everyone's response. I'm still in exploratory mode right now, but the HW-19 Mk 4 is on my radar. The big unknown is how I'll mount the Hadcock. It has an unusual pivot to stylus distance of 228 mm. Most 9" arms are 222. If I go with VPI, will I have to drill a new mounting hole? Or should I use a third-party armboard?

HADCOCK 228
Mounting Hole Diameter 3/8" (15.87 mm)
Overall Length 289.6 mm (11.4")
Height - 43 mm (1.70") - 90 mm (3.5")
Pivot Stem Length to Top of Arm 86.4 mm (3.4")
Pivot to Stylus Point 228.6 mm (9.0")
Pivot To Centre of Turntable 212.85 mm (8.38")
Offset Angle 23°
Rear Overhang 60.9 mm (2.40") maximum

Mingles, Finding a Table used such as the HW-19 MK-IV used would then more than likely need an entirely new Armboard fabricated ala third party as you suggest, and would need to be drilled for the Hadcock Arm-Armbase.

The Spindle to Pivot Distance is very very close to the AQ PT Arm's specs, and since the Hadcock's Mounting Shaft Diameter is very thin, only requiring a hole diameter of 3/8", it may be possible to superimpose the new Hadcock Arm Base over the existing hole, re-drill-tap holes for the Hadcock Arm Base, and possibly "hide" the existing hole from the previous AQ Arm Mounting Base? This is a big "maybe" though?

The Arm Board is a seperate piece on the better HW-19 Tables which possess the Steel Sub-Chassis, which attaches via screws to the Sub-Chassis. There were two version Armboards, one was the standard .500" thick, which was at the same height-level as the Acrylic Plinth, and then there was the Super Armboard, being 1.00" thick, and did sit higher than the Acrylic Plinth itself.

VPI's literature back in the day usually touted the thicker Super Armboard as a sonic upgrade to the table, but there was another reason for the "requirement" of the thicker Armboard.

That reason was, the MK-III Platter, and particularly, the MK-IV-TNT Platters were much thicker and were higher in height versus lesser HW-19 Platters, and thus needed the Super Armboard to better correctly attain correct VTA height with an Arm. Without going to a thicker Armboard, the other option would be a custom made spacer between Tonearm Mounting Base, and Armboard. Mark

If you had a choice to mount a Hadcock GH228 on a VPI HW-19 MKIV with heavy TNT platter OR a Scheu Eurolab Premier, which would you choose? The Scheu is a little more expensive than the MKIV.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Tough to say? The VPI HW-19 Series (although I own one) is sort of a dated design, being introduced well over 25 years ago. This doesn't mean its a bad Table, but hard to tell you what Table you should be using-buying to fit this Arm to? Much depends upon the amount of money you wish to spend?

One could also simply buy a VPI HW-19 Jr, the least expensive of them all, and re-construct the Table with a new custom Plinth, which could be made of various substances, MDF, Corian, Acrylic, and even Aluminum if one chose to. This then means labor, or labor costs. Any-All Parts used on the Jr can be sold seperately on this forum to offset any incurred costs. Parts such as Platter, Plinth, Tonearm, Dustcover, etc, etc.

The question is, is it worth it for you to go this far, taking a simpler Table, and doing all this to it?

Since the HW-19 is very modular by design, one can upgrade to a variety of VPI Platters, bought used, or new, including the newest $1200 MSRP 25lb Super Platter, the Stand Alone Motor Assembly (SAMA) can still be gotten, the VPI SDS Speed Controller works will all VPI Tables as far as I know. Some physical issues will be encountered going to thicker-heavier Platters, such as attaining proper Arm-VTA Height, and Dustcover clearance issues with Clamping systems. The Taller HW-19 Clear Acrylic Dusctovers are still available through VPI.

This was how my HW-19 started life, as a Jr model being upgraded over a 2-year period, with Better Cone Feet, MK-IV Platter, new Acrylic Plinth, another Tonearm, Custom machined Parts, such as Platter Clamp. I only went this route, because it was what I had on hand, and seemed to be the most cost effective, and the easiest for me to do.

No, the HW-19 is not the lastest, and greatest, won't win any beauty pageants, and rank comparably to a Aries 3, HR-X, and of course doesn't cost what these Tables do, but it is a good design, that can sound very good, dependent upon components (Arms-Platters-etc) used in the build up-modification.

There's countless ways one can go, one can also buy a complete table, with a good, comparable, or even better Arm than the Hadcock, and sell the Hadcock to offset costs? Tonearms are somthing that sell very well here, so that can be another option? Of course, how much is willing to spend will be a very important consideration? Again, hope this helps you. Mark