how do you set VTA onthe SME 309 tonearm?

Here's a suggestion to make adjusting the height easier and repeatable...

Use a set of shims between the base of the tonearm bearing frame and the top of the mounting bracket to set the height. I used a small block of wood and some playing cards that I carved out to fit around the tonearm pillar. The wood block took up most of the space and then the playing cards were used to make fine adjustments in height. I check VTA and then add or subtract cards to get just the right VTA.

You could use just about anything that can be placed up against the pillar. My current method uses a set of aluminum bicycle headset spacers (1, 2, 2.5, 5, and 10mm thicknesses) and some spacers made from 0.5mm thick vinyl. I cut out an opening in each headset spacer and stack them up to fill up most of the space and then use the vinyl spacers for fine tuning.

Regards,
Tom

Tketcham,

Have a look at this picture.

http://theturntableshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/SME-V-Tonearm-Detail-2.jpg

I was looking at some pics of this arm, and if you look closely you'll see that they use tamper proof bolts. If I'm reading your post correctly, that's a bolt you need to loosen to adjust the arm. I've never seen anything like it on a tone arm before. Is that the right bolt? To be honest, I overlooked it as something that shouldn't be touched.

Zd542...SME supplies a special wrench for these screws. These are the correct screws to both move the arm forward and back and up and down.

I was a SME dealer for many years and have owned quite a few different SME arms through the years.

Do you have a nearby hi-fi dealer who knows turntables? Here in S. California we were lucky to have (until his passing a few years ago) THE turntable guy in the country, Brooks Berdan. When you bought a cartridge from him he would install it on your arm and set-up the entire table free of charge. His son, Brian Berdan, now carries on that policy at his new shop in Pasadena, Audio Element. I would give him a call.

"04-10-15: Mofimadness
Zd542...SME supplies a special wrench for these screws. These are the correct screws to both move the arm forward and back and up and down.

I was a SME dealer for many years and have owned quite a few different SME arms through the years."

I can't quite make out what kind of bolt it is from the pic. (except for the center piece that makes it "tamper proof". Most bolts like this use torx. If it that's the case, he shouldn't have any problems finding a tool. I know Lowes sells them under the kobalt name.