[S Clark]

I've picked up a JVC UA-5045 tonearm that will have to be rewired. Cardas 4wire cable is on it's way. 

The old wire barely extends past the bottom without enough exposed to easily work with.  The plan is to pull a string with it, then use the string to thread the new wire. You guys that have done this before,  what are the things that can go wrong?  There's always something. 

[orthobiz]

Whatever you do, post a lot of pics! I'd love to see a how-to.

Paul

[S Clark]

Let's see if it works first.  But I'll take lots of pics, if for my own reference if nothing else.   
One thing I've read is to use a solder pot to tin 33 ga wires... not many of us have a solder pot.  I've worked with these little guys before, and you can pull your hair out trying to control such tiny stuff. 

[Charles Calkins]

Let's see if it works first.  But I'll take lots of pics, if for my own reference if nothing else.   
One thing I've read is to use a solder pot to tin 33 ga wires... not many of us have a solder pot.  I've worked with these little guys before, and you can pull your hair out trying to control such tiny stuff.

  I don't have much hair left on top of my noggin. ALL!! because TINY,TINY,TINY wires.

                                                                      Good Luck with your project
                                                                                   Charlie

[S Clark]

  I don't have much hair left on top of my noggin. ALL!! because TINY,TINY,TINY wires.

                                                                      Good Luck with your project
                                                                                   Charlie

So Charlie, have you rewired a tonearm?  If so, were you successful?  I'm hoping to profit by our members experience.

[Elizabeth]

When I was much much younger I foolishly decided to rewire a tonearm.
Steady hands capable of working with near invisible wires that have to go through tiny holes... . cutting same wire insulation... Good luck, you will need LOT of it. Soldering same tiny wires. Good luck, you will need more of it there too.

[S Clark]

When I was much much younger I foolishly decided to rewire a tonearm.
Steady hands capable of working with near invisible wires that have to go through tiny holes... . cutting same wire insulation... Good luck, you will need LOT of it. Soldering same tiny wires. Good luck, you will need more of it there too.

Thanks for the reply, Elizabeth.  Every bit of experience, successful and unsuccessful, will help.
Work under magnification--- check
Burn insulation rather than cutting-- check
Use mini multi vice---- check
Soldering station---- check
Threading through holes----???
Luck----??????

[Letitroll98]

Rewired a couple of Rega arms.  Spent hours and hours trying to thread tiny wires through the grommet on a RB250, ended up using small sewing thread to sneak it through after many, many tries.  So I had some trepidation when it came time for the RB300 to be rewired.  Couldn't have been easier, took about twenty minutes total.  Lesson is you don't know until you get in there.

[S Clark]

That's helpful.  Thanks, Leti.   I'll find out what I have after the Cardas wire gets here next week.  I"ll try to post some pics and whatever bits of nsight I gain.   

[undertowogt1]

I will be interested in this thread and pics as well. I have some tone arm wire that I have been meaning thread as well. On a Project debut III

[wushuliu]

I've picked up a JVC UA-5045 tonearm that will have to be rewired. Cardas 4wire cable is on it's way. 

The old wire barely extends past the bottom without enough exposed to easily work with.  The plan is to pull a string with it, then use the string to thread the new wire. You guys that have done this before,  what are the things that can go wrong?  There's always something.

Just take your time. Not sure about the string part. I assume you mean another piece of wire. String may be more likely to get stuck inside the tonearm and break. Maybe tie wire around the original ends, carefully pull original out, then tie cardas to the end of that guide wire and pull through...

[Letitroll98]

Wire is hard to tie knots tight enough to hold on to the original wire without breaking and/or small enough to fit through the grommet I needed to get through.  Sewing thread is pretty strong and I could get the knot to stay on the wire when pulled and was small enough to fit.  That being said, all arms are different so whatever works is the rule.

[gbeard]

I don't know if this will be of any help or not, but perhaps, at least, hopefully, it might be entertaining!

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/audio-circular-no-16-learning-vinyl-rules-phase-two/

Cheers and good luck!
g

[S Clark]

Just to update this for those following.  WARNING: Never try to rewire a tonearm!

Basically it came apart easily.  I tied some heavy fishing string to the wire and, with much resistance, pulled it through,  Part of the resistance was that the ground wire was soldered to the bottom of the tonearm frame where I hadn't noticed, so I broke it pulling the other wires through.  So now was time to solder new wires on. I made a mini solder pot out of a 1982 penny with a depression pounded into it.  I cut a piece of Romex and put it in a soldering gun as a heating element, with the wire wrapped around the penny.  It worked!!
I'd get one wire soldered, break it while soldering the next. Then I ended up with all but one of them off the plug.  I had marked each color on the plug in sharpie, but I didn't notice that the ink had come off.  So now I had three wires and no idea which where they went.  I got a spare headshell and mounted it in the plug, and got the correct order.  This time a piece of tape went on and the colors were written on the tape. 
After a long and frustrating effort, all wires were attached. But now one of the pins is binding, and this may now be irreparable.   I'm probably 6 hours into this, multiple times put away in frustration, with promises to my wife to get it off the kitchen table asap... and then I got sick for the last couple of days.   I've got pictures, but I've also got flu like symptoms, so they won't get posted for a while.
I wish I'd spent the extra $ on a new Jelco.  It's still in pieces and needs to back together.  Tomorrow.  After a good night's sleep. 

[sunnydaze]

I wish I'd spent the extra $ on a new Jelco.  It's still in pieces and needs to back together.  Tomorrow.  After a good night's sleep.

Extra $$?  What's 6 hrs of aggravation worth to ya?   

Earlier in the thread I was gonna suggest the Jelco, or use BritAudio to re-wire your JVC, but I didn't wanna rain on your parade.  I just got a Rega RB300 back from Michael -- excellent professional work, fast turnaround, and it sounds fantastic.  If you have an arm you like, well worth the $350 IMO.......especially since it is one continuous run, cart clips to RCA connectors.   A decent phono cable alone can cost at least that much.

Since the intro of the new Jelco lineup, used prices have dropped on the 250 and 750 models.  In past few months I've seen asking prices in the $300-$375 range for the 9 inch 750D.   For the performance it's an absolute steal.   I own the 10 incher (750E) and I'm stunned at how good it sounds paired with both Denon 103R and Dynavector xx-2 Mk2.   Holds its own against big name pricey arms I've owned.  Back in June, one was listed on USAM for $355.

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=jelco+750d

I hope you get the JVC sorted out.