[Topshelf]

Hi can anyone give me a contact who can re-wire a WTC tonearm.
If someone has had it done please feel free to comment how it went.
Thanks and stay safe.
Cheers Ian in Sydney.

[VinceT]

I have also wondered this.

I think the stock wire seems pretty decent. Seems tricky with the connector on the end and the sand filled tone arm.

[mick wolfe]

I'm not that knowledgeable in regard to the earlier WT designs, but I have to agree with Vince. Unless the wire has broken or been compromised, I'd leave well enough alone and consider other upgrade options. 

[marchunter]

Was just looking at my Classics arm. It looks like the worlds fiddleyest job, but doable (he said, knowing nothing of how it’s done). The wires have a plug at each end to go through. They’re tiny. I soldered the arm wires back to the clips before and that was plenty for a hamfisted knuckle dragger like me. Getting the plugs out at each end of the arm might be ok as it looks like the “headshell” may be held on by a screw. The other end looks press fit.
Here’s a couple pics.
It would be a heck of a commitment but if you have no other choice........... have at it.

[/mp]

Rewiring the TA provides an opportunity to run a single pair of wires directly to the phono input downstream. Every junction reduces S/N 3 DB. At least that's how I learned it way back when. Never tried it so I can't comment if reality maps theory 1:1 in this application. I decided I'd leave the wires on the outside of the tomearm instead of fiddling with the plugs & sand filling at least initially. That way the original isn't removed. The two can be compared most easily as well as returned to original state w/minimum fuss.

Would be tweakers may now consider which wires to use, how to secure them to the tonearm, straight or wrapped & how many coils if wrapped.

[Topshelf]

Thanks for the input so far, my tonearm wires snapped so I have been forced to run some litz cable on the outside of the arm and it is held in place by black shrink tube. It sounds fine but looks OK. II read of a gent called Duc from a forum in Australia who managed to do this procedure. Unfortunately he has passed but was considered a guru of many things Audio.
I agree the original wires look very fine and I presume the sand must also be very fine too.
Keep safe all,
Ian in Australia.

[VinceT]

I think in your situation I would reach out to WTL directly, all else fails maybe the manufacturer may be worth a try to find out the right procedure to make this repair. Found this on Google.

Well Tempered Labs are manufactured by Opera Audio in China, the company that's behind Consonance electronics

I'd be curious to know the process of you find out how to do this.

[Topshelf]

Hi All,
Thanks for the thoughts. I thought the current production of WT tables is made in China but the earlier tables elsewhere? I think my table was made in NZ and the arm assembled on it from that "somewhere"
If I were to attempt it where would I get tonearm wire to match what was originally on it? It looks so very fine and fragile?
Cheers Ian.

[Apesbrain]

Another option: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649710585-well-tempered-labs-ltd-tonearm/

A "classic" plinth with a new generation arm like this would be very cool.

[familytree2000]

Topshelf are you still interested in redoing your well tempered arm?  I rewired mine with much success!  It took me about 4 hours in total.  Tools: angled pick, Phillips screw driver, pilers, solder pen, solder.  Materials: set of 4 tonearm wires (2 ft), tonearm ground wire (2 ft), set of cartridge pins.
 


You need to remove the front of the arm with pilers and a piece of cloth to not scratch the metal.  Just slightly turning it while pulling it out gently (like you would pulling a tooth out).    Their should be some cotton inside.  remove it with small angled pick in a scooping motion.  Making sure you don't not push it in further!.  There should be a fine white sand inside.  Save it it in a small glass cup (shot glass). 



Gently break free the tiny black gaskets where the actual wire comes out of from the back and front of the arm (they're glued).  Save them if you use a small enough wire set that will fit through them.  These are used so the sand doesn't come out.  My wire set was actually much thicker so I couldn't reuse them.  I used small amount of tacky glue which worked great. 

Now for the step of inserting the wires.  After doing this I thought I could of done this differently.  But try whatever works for you.  I pushed all five wired in at once through the big opening at the front. Once I could see the wires through the very small opening at the other end.  I would fish them out one by one with the pick.  Take's some patients but you can do it. Once you get about three wires through, it become harder to see the other wires and you have less room to work with you pick.  So what I did was use a very gentle tape (blue painter tape) to fold over the already routed wires to the tonearm.  Thus giving you more visibility.  Keep at it you'll get them all!    Now here the part were I could of done this differently.  Once you route all the wires through then you got to remember you have to route all the wires through the front tiny port too!  Same process.  fish them out with the pick.  So I thought oh! I should have first routed them one by one through the small port at the front instead of through the big opening?  Hope that makes sense? 








After getting all the wires through I evened them all out to the same length.  Give Me enough length on the cartridge side to work with.  Taped it down to the tonearm.  Then on the other end started to braid it.   I use a wire set from Kabusa and its very flexible, not firm at all. Finished the braid and taped the end to keep together with enough wire to work with to solder to the post end.  Put the port gaskets back on if your wire set fits through them if not tacky glue worked for me.  Put the sand back in and and cotton you pulled out and place the cart mount end back on. 





Solder ends to the rca box.  ( take a picture before removing old wires).  standard wiring goes.  (Red wire - right side positive)  (green wire-right side negative) (white wire- Left side positive) (Blue wire-Left side negative) ( black- ground)





Solder your pins!  and you set!





Easy!  hahahahahahahah

[mikezuk]

Hi All - This is my first post, so I am glad I can actually be helpful! 

I recently had my Well Tempered Classic Arm rewired by Audio Element in LA.  My local dealer shipped it to them.  They used Cardas Clear for the tonearm wire, Cardas Head shell leads, and also supplied a new Cardas RCA Block. Total with labor cost me about $550.  They really seemed to know what they were doing right down to replacing the sand in the arm tube. 

[mikezuk]

Hi all, I would also add that if you use a third party to rewire your arm, the head shell screw at least on my arm has a ground wire attached to it so when Audio Element rewired they had to loosen that screw and then didn't align the head shell back up with the paddle spindle.  I have had a heck of a time figuring out why my paddle was crooked until I learned on this forum that the head shell twists in the arm tube and that screw allows it! 

[marchunter]

That actually looks kind of fun.
I’ve seen a couple incomplete tables lately around LA.
Think I look for an arm and give it a try.
Mine is so fragile it would be nice to have a good looking spare.

[SteveFord]

Familytree2000,

Good job and thanks for the pictorial write up!

[familytree2000]

Thanks Steve and your welcome!  Oh yes thanks for reminding me Mikezuk for that headshell mount end of the tonearm.  What I did was make a line with a marker. So when put it back together, I just lined up the marks to bring it back to the original position.   

[tweakyman]

Hi All - This is my first post, so I am glad I can actually be helpful! 

I recently had my Well Tempered Classic Arm rewired by Audio Element in LA.  My local dealer shipped it to them.  They used Cardas Clear for the tonearm wire, Cardas Head shell leads, and also supplied a new Cardas RCA Block. Total with labor cost me about $550.  They really seemed to know what they were doing right down to replacing the sand in the arm tube.

[tweakyman]

Where you able to hang the arm yourself ….are there any pictorial instructions you know of re: where and how  the mono-filament lines are properly re-attached … I installed an upgraded arm and I must have re-installed it wrong because the arm skates from the spindle to the outside edge with considerable force…I hear much more
information from my right channel then the left…It’s great yours worked out….they’re wonderful turntables …

[Ears Deluxe]

I've been thinking that I will need to get my arm rewired at some point because in attaching new clips, I managed to break the wires and they are now very short. I came across this site, which says they will rewire Well Tempered arms: http://www.britaudio.com/tonearm-rewire-service.html

[gocc]

I hope someone reads this since the discussion is really old.

I want to rewire a WT Classic tonearm (similar as shown in pictures above) bur I do not understand how I am supposed to disassemble the arm in order to separate the arm-tube from the rest of the arm. Any tips/suggestions?

Thanks!!

[FeelTheNoise]

This may be old info for this forum (I can't search yet), but this guy's very detailed rebuild thread may help someone that wants to DIY: https://imgur.com/a/well-tempered-classic-restoration-pIsiKba