Pivoting cartridge clip - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

hayerjoe · 7th Aug 2021, 7:13 am

Hello everyone

I've just got this Garrard At60 and it has a Sonotone 21t cartridge (sadly dead). But the cartridge is mounted on a clip I've never seen before. It pivots back and forth and uses a spring to do this (see photos)

What's the purpose of this (self levelling I assume)? should/must I retain it when I mount a different cart? why didn't this self-levelling cartridge idea take off?

Look forward to your replies

cheers
Joe

Audio1950 · 7th Aug 2021, 10:19 am

It's just the standard mounting clip for this cartridge, and is made of spring steel purely to make inserting the cartridge easier. Hang onto it, though, for as soon as you've thrown it away, another similar cartridge will pop up minus it's bracket!

Barry

Edward Huggins · 7th Aug 2021, 12:11 pm

I don't think it is at all standard. Note the 1/2" spaced bolts are fixed to a mounting plate BELOW the sprung cartridge carrier. New ro me.

hayerjoe · 7th Aug 2021, 1:33 pm

it's a difficult thing to photograph, but see attached. The very shiny thing under the clip is the start of a coiled spring which is about 15mm long, and runs to where the single hole is to mount the clip to the Garrard head

it pivots very easily. I don't like the idea of the stylus landing at a strange angle before the cartridge then flattens out via the spring, it's quite strange

7th Aug 2021, 7:13 am	#1
hayerjoe Hexode Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bridgewater, Tasmania, Australia Posts: 483	Pivoting cartridge clip Hello everyone I've just got this Garrard At60 and it has a Sonotone 21t cartridge (sadly dead). But the cartridge is mounted on a clip I've never seen before. It pivots back and forth and uses a spring to do this (see photos) What's the purpose of this (self levelling I assume)? should/must I retain it when I mount a different cart? why didn't this self-levelling cartridge idea take off? Look forward to your replies cheers Joe Attached Thumbnails

7th Aug 2021, 10:19 am	#2
Audio1950 Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 3,763	Re: Pivoting cartridge clip It's just the standard mounting clip for this cartridge, and is made of spring steel purely to make inserting the cartridge easier. Hang onto it, though, for as soon as you've thrown it away, another similar cartridge will pop up minus it's bracket! Barry

7th Aug 2021, 12:11 pm	#3
Edward Huggins Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 8,340	Re: Pivoting cartridge clip I don't think it is at all standard. Note the 1/2" spaced bolts are fixed to a mounting plate BELOW the sprung cartridge carrier. New ro me. __________________ Edward.

7th Aug 2021, 1:33 pm	#4
hayerjoe Hexode Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Bridgewater, Tasmania, Australia Posts: 483	Re: Pivoting cartridge clip it's a difficult thing to photograph, but see attached. The very shiny thing under the clip is the start of a coiled spring which is about 15mm long, and runs to where the single hole is to mount the clip to the Garrard head it pivots very easily. I don't like the idea of the stylus landing at a strange angle before the cartridge then flattens out via the spring, it's quite strange Attached Thumbnails