Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 22nd Dec 2012, 5:27 pm

Hi,

Sorry if this has been done before, but thought I'd share my version.

The SC12H is a popular choice for a replacement cartridge and I happened to have two in my bitbox, but no clips. I wanted to use them to replace two dead Garrard GC8s. With a little bit of thought (not too much!) I was able to mod the fixing brackets from two dead BSR TC8 cartridges.

This allowed me to:

1. Use the twin hole mount in the Garrard headshell.

2. To "bodge" a fixing for the turn-over knob so that, from a distance, it looks reasonably original.

3. To play stereo records without damage.

On the BSR bracket there are two tapped holes. I drilled out the rearmost one and elongated it a bit. I then used a small screw with two nuts through this hole and screwed it in to the hole on the top of the SC12H. Using a small pair of forceps I gently tightened one nut upwards to lock the screw to the bracket, and the other nut downwards against the cartridge. (Don't tighten it too much as it's very easy to strip the thread in the cartridge!) I did this as I didn't have a suitable spacer. Be careful not to insert the screw too far into the cartridge as this will damage the ceramic elements.

Then the bracket is fitted to the headshell as normal. In the Garrard headshell there is a hole between the fixing points and this will accomodate the centre screw head.

It works a treat and yours truly is quite chuffed with the results.

Cheers,
Pete

Nickthedentist · 22nd Dec 2012, 5:53 pm

Nice work, thanks for sharing!

Tractorfan · 22nd Dec 2012, 10:14 pm

Hi,
Thanks for changing the title, Mods. I intended to change the "working title" before I posted it, but failed so to do.

I tried afterwards, but couldn't. I presume a title can be changed after posting, but don't know how to do it. Sorry chaps.
Cheers, Pete

mark pirate · 22nd Dec 2012, 11:15 pm

A good job well done, a little thought goes a long way

I have managed to rebuild one of those horrid Philips heads with the cartridge from a cheap 90's midi system!

Mark

Darren-UK · 23rd Dec 2012, 1:26 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tractorfan

I presume a title can be changed after posting, but don't know how to do it.

You can't. Members can edit their posts within a certain window (I think it's 30mins) but not their threads ie the thread title. Only moderators can do the latter.

We edit titles frequently, mainly so the threads concerned can be found by search engines. We do appreciate it's not always easy to come up with a suitable title; indeed I changed the title of this thread myself - but only after scratching my head for a couple of minutes to come up with something concise.

Tractorfan · 23rd Dec 2012, 12:27 pm

Hi,
Thanks Darren, much appreciated.
Cheers, Pete

camtechman · 29th Dec 2012, 3:54 pm

Brilliant and noted for future modifications. Many thanks for sharing.

ben · 14th Jan 2013, 12:08 pm

Great work!
Somewhere I have pics of a similar thing I did with a philips AG3302 and a Sonotone 3509.

radiotircoed · 14th Jan 2013, 8:45 pm

Novel solution. Nice to keep the original look too!

22nd Dec 2012, 5:27 pm	#1
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Hi, Sorry if this has been done before, but thought I'd share my version. The SC12H is a popular choice for a replacement cartridge and I happened to have two in my bitbox, but no clips. I wanted to use them to replace two dead Garrard GC8s. With a little bit of thought (not too much!) I was able to mod the fixing brackets from two dead BSR TC8 cartridges. This allowed me to: 1. Use the twin hole mount in the Garrard headshell. 2. To "bodge" a fixing for the turn-over knob so that, from a distance, it looks reasonably original. 3. To play stereo records without damage. On the BSR bracket there are two tapped holes. I drilled out the rearmost one and elongated it a bit. I then used a small screw with two nuts through this hole and screwed it in to the hole on the top of the SC12H. Using a small pair of forceps I gently tightened one nut upwards to lock the screw to the bracket, and the other nut downwards against the cartridge. (Don't tighten it too much as it's very easy to strip the thread in the cartridge!) I did this as I didn't have a suitable spacer. Be careful not to insert the screw too far into the cartridge as this will damage the ceramic elements. Then the bracket is fitted to the headshell as normal. In the Garrard headshell there is a hole between the fixing points and this will accomodate the centre screw head. It works a treat and yours truly is quite chuffed with the results. Cheers, Pete Attached Thumbnails __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

22nd Dec 2012, 5:53 pm	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,854	Re: Fakin' it! Nice work, thanks for sharing!

22nd Dec 2012, 10:14 pm	#3
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Hi, Thanks for changing the title, Mods. I intended to change the "working title" before I posted it, but failed so to do. I tried afterwards, but couldn't. I presume a title can be changed after posting, but don't know how to do it. Sorry chaps. Cheers, Pete __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

22nd Dec 2012, 11:15 pm	#4
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. A good job well done, a little thought goes a long way I have managed to rebuild one of those horrid Philips heads with the cartridge from a cheap 90's midi system! Mark

23rd Dec 2012, 12:27 pm	#6
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Hi, Thanks Darren, much appreciated. Cheers, Pete __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

29th Dec 2012, 3:54 pm	#7
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Brilliant and noted for future modifications. Many thanks for sharing. __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!

14th Jan 2013, 12:08 pm	#8
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Great work! Somewhere I have pics of a similar thing I did with a philips AG3302 and a Sonotone 3509. __________________ Regards, Ben.

14th Jan 2013, 8:45 pm	#9
radiotircoed Pentode Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tircoed Forest Village - Swansea, UK. Posts: 193	Re: Substitute mounting for SC12 cartridges. Novel solution. Nice to keep the original look too! __________________ Radio Tircoed - Working for the Community