non-magnetic mechanical stylus force gauge

The reason I still occasionally use mine is to check on the accuracy of one of my digital gauges; I have 4 if I remember correctly. At times they have been wildly inaccurate. I question whether a complex device like a digital gauge can be considered more reliable than a simple balance like the Shure; I have had mine for decades. On the other hand one of my digital gauges is defective, it runs down the batteries even though it is shut off. It carries the name of a famous audio company and I got it as a dealer for them; when I informed the importer it was defective he didn't bother replying. It APPEARS to be identical to one that can be bought direct from China for under $20 rather than the $150 it retails for here. I had another that cost about the same and it was also identical. My Technics gauge stopped functioning years ago. I have a friend who is a professional audio technician who is obsessive about TT set up and he uses a Shure. Will the Shure measure down to 1/100 gram? No, but I have never found that minute variations in tracking force were significant. But then I don't alter my VTA for each record either.

Yes, thanks, I see the point.
I think this is also the case (at least for me) when simpler is better :)
Regards

I have an older Shure gauge as well and tested it with a magnet I have at home - the gauge plate is NOT magnetic...no sticky...magnet falls off.

In my experience, the Shure is not nearly accurate enough, the Canrong units that have exploded on the market and have mutiple manufacturerers badges on them are unreliable. I bought the Mapleshade which measures at record height and has been extremely reliable. Also it uses AAA bateries that are less expensive than the button type. That was $75.00 well spent in my view.