Ever seen this mod? Empire 398 with SME 3012 arm...

[MHan76]

I recently came across this cool Empire 398 and I'd like to fix it up, but I have no idea where to begin or if it's even worth doing. It's got this crazy plate (I'm assuming homemade) that holds the 12" tonearm. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.

Btw, the TT motor seems to be working, it just needs a new belt.

Mark

 

[bob smog]

I've seen that method used on various tables to mount a 3012.

You should definitely fix it up. Great table and arm!

 

[sreten]

Hi,

Personally I'd clean up the SME 12" and sell it for the arm and a leg it goes for.

If you want interchangeable headshells you could far worse than the very
budget (if you can find one) original Rega RB250, which is simply an utter
bargain for the performance offered in the realm of detachable models.

Fixed go for a later used Rega RB300, or any decent standard arm.

Clean up the deck and lose that very dubious extension plate.
[It does the deck no favours, and negates any point of a 12". IMO
you'd be much better off (sound as well) with a standard size arm.]

Modifications at this point depend on what arm your trying to fit.

rgds, sreten.

 

[MHan76]

Hi,

Personally I'd clean up the SME 12" and sell it for the arm and a leg it goes for.

If you want interchangeable headshells you could far worse than the very
budget (if you can find one) original Rega RB250, which is simply an utter
bargain for the performance offered in the realm of detachable models.

Fixed go for a later used Rega RB300, or any decent standard arm.

Clean up the deck and lose that very dubious extension plate.
[It does the deck no favours, and negates any point of a 12". IMO
you'd be much better off (sound as well) with a standard size arm.]

Modifications at this point depend on what arm your trying to fit.

rgds, sreten.

Thank you for the advice! I was kind of thinking the same thing about the 12" arm. I think someone else will get much more out of it than I ever will.

 

[jgordon]

Clever. I wish they'd simply used the original tonearm mounting points, but nicely done nonetheless.

 

[MHan76]

Thank you for your response. Do you think it would be worthwhile to try to mount it back in the original mount? Or is the 12" arm too long for that?

 

[sreten]

Hi,

The arm is way too long to use the original mounting area.

rgds, sreten.

 

[jgordon]

As has been said, the arm geometry wouldn't work in the original mounting point. I was saying that I wished they had used the original three screw holes to mount that extension piece, rather than drilling three new holes in the table.

Thank you for your response. Do you think it would be worthwhile to try to mount it back in the original mount? Or is the 12" arm too long for that?