Cueing Support Comparison
A customer sent us a tonearm to perform a cartridge mount for his turntable.
Upon inspection, we identified an undamped cueing mechanism. We re-filled it with silicone, but the fluid once again leaked out of the assembly.
A replacement was weeks out.
The cueing mechanism was either a modified Rega, or a unit based on the original Rega design.
The upper section differs from the stock Rega and the photo shows the relative lengths of the curved support platforms: the customer's cueing assembly (above), and the Rega support platform (below).
The Challenge
Due to the positioning of the cueing device and the diameter of the tonearm's bearing tower, the Rega's shorter cueing platform would only function to approximately the end of the record leadout groove.
In normal practice, this is sufficient, but it leaves little safety margin for "black swan events" - the unusual case where the stylus tracks into the record label.
We reached into our spare parts collection and considered how to modify a standard Rega support.
Modification in Progress
The channel which houses the rubber friction interface held the answer.
Buttoning Up
Buttoned Up
After tailoring the copper bar for a precise fit, all that remained was to cover the entire assembly and fit a section of the original rubber support "bumper" to the platform.
Operation - Success!
The support range is now overkill and will lift the arm to the point where the headshell rides up against the record spindle.
Overkill? You bet!
It's an extremely rare instance where a stylus tracks into the record label area (typically due to inadequate anti-skate) but it can happen.
It's nice to have the insurance of being able to cue up the arm when this occurs.
Oh, and if your stylus ever does track into the record label area, quickly cueing it up means that you will have "power scrubbed" your stylus. No harm, no foul.
It's any ensuing panic (and your resulting actions) which can cause cartridge damage.
Installed & Ready for Action
