What are the best cartridge matches for Linn LP12?

I might be more concerned with matching the cartridge to the phono preamp (or vise versa).

If you like the cartridge, you might get a newer Grado.

A used equipment dealer told me that his first choice today for a Linn would be a Shure V15--even though it's not trendy. I haven't heard this combination myself, although I have heard of people using it.

The one thing that I'd be cautious about considering a moving coil cartridge. I'm under the impression that, in general, moving magnet cartridges work better than moving coil cartridges on the Linn Basik. (A very arm friendly MC might be OK.) In addition, I'd check to make sure that the preamp you have can handle a MC.

I had a Basik + arm w/my LP12 and that arm mated well with a broader spectrum of cartridges than other tonearms.

The Goldring Erocica LX (low output) sounds amazing on it. The high output version has the same body shape and materials so you could probably expect similar results.

The Linn K18 was even more gorgeous but its out of production and impossible to find.

Actually if you listen primarily to modern-era rock and rock-based fusion the best budget cartridge for that combo might be the Audio Technica 120e (don't laugh: only $54 thru Garage-A-Records online)! I had one on that combo and it had an almost "master tape" feel to it in terms of the detail and bass energy. Subtle tonalities of low level instruments on classical records were a bit forced-sounding compared to the Goldring and K18, but still bearable.

Most important advice: remove that arm before tightening or loosening cartridge bolts. Linn arm bearings are very sensitive to this...its no joke. Deformed bearings will give you compressed imaging and distorted sound.