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Jig or Protractor?

K Richner

K Richner

Active Member
What's better a alignment jig or protractor? Anyone know of a Jig for a Luxman PD-289 ? I figured out how to use the protractor but since this TT doesn't have a swapable headshell I think a Jig would make it easier to change carts. What's everyone's thoughts?
 
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An alignment jig attempts to make alignment simple and it is good for only one alignment that the particular arm was designed for. It kind of jumps over the notion that the arm has tolerances and the accuracy might then have its own tolerance.

A protractor jumps over all of that and goes directly to locating and "twisting" (offset angle) the cartridge using null points and grids. Many protractors offer several alternative alignments rather then the usual "Stevenson" alignment, offering Baerwald (Lofgren A) or Lofgren B and others.
 
The protractor can give better results if used correctly, but if you do it wrong it can royally screw things up. The jig makes it quick and easy though.

If you have both, use the jig to get a starting point and fine-tune from there.

personally I hate messing with alignments so I usually just quit after the jig.
 
Universal checker . I have been using it for many years . The flight is normal . And the protractors are lying idle .
 

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spark1 said:
Curious...how would you determine the length of the jig? Or did Luxman provide a jig (or provide a specified measurement from a fixed point on the tonearm to the stylus tip)?
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I have been trying to find a jig specific to my TT I'm not sure if they exist?
 
I made a jig for the Sol arm to set overhang. Angle aligns visually to the shell front. I double check with the arc protractor but it's almost always spot on, so sometimes I don't. Anyway, the jig is much quicker and gets me 99% of the way there, which in most cases is plenty good.
 
spark1 said:
How would it work with an offset, non-removable headshell?
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I never buy turntables that can't have a headshell removed :).... With angular headshells ( like my 770 Kenwood), this checker works fine .....And besides - you can always make a new checker, for headshells of the most bizarre shapes . It's not difficult .
 
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salamander said:
I never buy turntables that can't have a headshell removed :).... With angular headshells ( like my 770 Kenwood), this checker works fine .....And besides - you can always make a new checker, for headshells of the most bizarre shapes . It's not difficult .
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But that is precisely what the OP has...a tonearm with a fixed headshell.

I certainly did not think it would be difficult to construct something similar.

How do you determine the correct distance from the headshell collar/gasket when not supplied by the manufacturer?
 
K Richner said:
I have been trying to find a jig specific to my TT I'm not sure if they exist?
Click to expand...
According to the manual, the center of the slots are 9mm back of the stylus overhang. Most cartridges are 9.5mm, so you would set the screws 0.5mm back of the center of the slots in those case. Other cartridges are different, so you would need to adjust accordingly.

Once you have the overhang established to your satisfaction, you might be able to use a small tri-square (or similar) against the back of the shell to measure and set the distance more easily in the future.
 
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spark1 said:
But that is precisely what the OP has...a tonearm with a fixed headshell.

I certainly did not think it would be difficult to construct something similar.

How do you determine the correct distance from the headshell collar/gasket when not supplied by the manufacturer?
Click to expand...
But the manufacturer always specifies the effective length .If you install the cartridge once along the effective length, then you can measure the distances for making the checker . And then the next cartridge replacement can already be done using the checker . Checker is more convenient than protractor . I have several protractors - for each of my turntables . But I don't use protractors anymore ....But everyone makes their own choice....
 
For me, jig then verify/fine tune with an arc protractor. The arc protractor will reveal the slightest overhang error.
 
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