Mint Protractor for the Classic Toneram 10.5i-SE

Captain_winters,

Thanks for the link to the alignment calculator; it's a great tool!

Perhaps it wasn't very clear, but I already have a Mint protractor for the Classic tonearm. I got it a few years ago, but don't have the emails I exchanged with Yip. It wasn't made specifically for my tonearm in a sense that I did not provide him with S2P; he already had stock protractors for the Classic as they were very popular. I believe they were a bit cheaper or the wait was shorter, or something like that. I wanted to confirm with others who use the protractor what S2P Yip used to make theirs since it should be the same specification. Doing research, I saw the 259 mm figure and after I measured mine, I began to question whether I should even be using the Mint, if it is indeed based on a different S2P than mine.

I will try to measure it again, just to make sure. Btw, how different do you find the alignment with the Mint vs. the VPI jig in terms of the stylus position on the grid? For me, the offset angle is identical, but the stylus is about 1 mm further out with the VPI jig.

I used Feickert Protractor to measure S2P distance on my VPI Classic 3 and I got 258 as well. I tried both VPI protractor and MintLP and slightly prefer Mint's result as well.
I looked back at my email with Yip and he did not mention what he used for my JMW 10.5i arm (I ordered his mintLP while I still have Classic I, I use the same protractor for my Classic 3 now, assuming that it would be the same).

Suteetat,
Would it be possible for you to compare the position of the stylus on the VPI grid with the alignment using the Mint? If your cartridge was aligned with the Mint, all you have to do is position the VPI jig and observe where the stylus lands on the grid. This would go a long way toward clarifying the specs on my Classic. Thanks!

Using VPI alignment, the tip of the stylus would be
between 0.5-1mm behind mint protractor. I am having a bit of a difficulty as my VPI protractor has a bit more wiggle room than Feickert protractor when seated on the platter so
there is going to be a little bit of give and take here.

Interesting, I optimize my VTA the realign with the MINTLP. For my cartridge I have 9 turns on the VTA tower. I then realign with the MINTLP with the 9 turns on the VTA tower, that ensures I am right on with the arc protractor at my optimal VTA. I just checked the Jig, with the same 9 turns, and the stylus is still within the dot, but towards the back of the dot, towards the pivot. It is not centered on the dot. Of course if I lower the VTA the stylus moves up, so I could change the VTA and make it come right on. Bottom line, when the MINTLP is right on, with my 9 turns on the VTA tower, I am towards the back of the dot on the VPI jig.