[Eric Strasen]

Does anyone know of a cartridge alignment protractor that will work with a TD-126, equipped with a Thorens Type 16 arm?
I contacted the fellow who is flogging the Purest Audio CA-01 on eBay, but he informed me his protractor will not work on the Type 16 arm.
My Mobile Fidelity Geo-Disc won't work either. When the Geo-Disc is lined up with the tonearm's pivot point, the cartridge stylus doesn't come close to the disc's indent for same.
My Clearaudio Aurum Alpha and Stanton 681EEE (Jico stylus) appear to be lined up OK, but I am having a devil of a time with my Stanton 881S (Stereohedron stylus).
By the way, I have four wands for this arm. Thus, all the cartridges.
Thanks for reading this.

[Wayner]

The MOFI Geodisc is for a Baerwald alignment (I believe, but don't own one). Sounds like you need to go to a Stevenson alignment, which puts the overhang the shortest of the big 3 (Lofgren, Baerwald, Stevenson). Go to the vinylengine and down load a Stevenson alignment protractor. Make sure it is to scale (hope you have a metric ruler).

Wayner

[Letitroll98]

I would suggest Conrad Hoffman's generator.  http://www.conradhoffman.com/chsw.htm  Measure your effective length and it's easy to generate a custom Stevenson arc protractor that Wayne recommends.  I think he's got the right idea trying a Stevenson if Baerwald won't reach.  Go down to the third link on the page of free stuff.

On a separate note, Wayne, would you be willing to check out that generator and give us your opinion on it?  I think it's an amazing tool and would appreciate your thoughts on it.   

[Wayner]

I already use it. Simply add in the info, like distance from spindle to tonearm pivot centers, select IEC method, then Baerwald, Lofgren or Stevenson, and then hit print. A small table pops up with all the values you need, like overhang, inner and outer groove null points and stuff like that. It does not tell you what the offset angle is, however. You would need a CAD for that (which I have).

Wayner

[Eric Strasen]

Thank you, Wayner and Letitroll,
I may have discovered the problem with cartridge alignment in the wand with my Stanton 881S cart.
This is something I failed to mention in my original post. Three of my wands are the T-16 Mark III, standard with the Thorens TD-126 Mk. III. The fourth, however, is a T-16 Mark II from a TD-126 Mark II junker TT. And that's the one the 881S is mounted on.
Not only is there a significant difference in VTA between the two different tonearm/wand combinations, but they are different in length also.
I believe I have located a Tp. 16 Mark III wand and will be trading in my Mark II wand on it.
Sorry I didn't include this vital information before. Mea maxima culpa!
Eric S.