Aligning Cartage with Overhang gague, Getting High end distortion

First off:
Turntable: Technics SL-23
Cartage: Pickering XSV 3000

I started vinyl a few years ago with a humble Audio Technica LP-60, which is quickly outgrew. So I upgraded to what I have now, A Technics SL-23. I had to get it repaired so I never bothered with Aligning or tracking force, I just left it how the AV shop guy did... But I wanted to learn, so I went to re-setting the table. So Suffice it to say I'm a bit of a newbie so please bear with me.

Tracking force was easy, but I'm stuck on Aligning it... I tried the Stevenson protractor, but I was struggling... so I bought an original Technics 52mm Overhang gauge (which after research on the forum I found I was good to use it). I got my needle lined up pretty good I think?



But im now getting A LOT of distortion on the higher end, and S's....

I never had this issue before....

I then realized the cartage is not really centered (if that makes a difference) and no matter how hard I tried it just would not. The... clamps? "plastic bits", whatever they're called, that mount the cartage to the shell keep moving and going crooked when I tighten the screws. Is this normal?


So at this point I really dont know what to do...What do you guys think my best course of action is?


Thanks so much in advanced

 

It's ok if the little plastic mounting bits get twisted, it is the cartridge you want centered and level to the shell. You normally don't see the mounting bits.

I see your stylus tip is a little beyond the edge of the gauge. Normally, it should be exactly even with the end of the gauge. But.....

The Technics Overhang Gauge is NOT exactly correct for your turntable. The Technics gauge was designed for the high end SL-1200 turntable. It works for and was included with many other Technics models, but not your SL-23!!!!!

But the difference is small and you can basically eyeball it while using the gauge. The arm pivot-to-spindle distance is 1/8" shorter on the SL-23 than the SL-1200 that the gauge was made for. Because of that.....

Using the Technics gauge with your SL-23, you need to bring the stylus point one millimeter back from the end of the gauge. That means 1mm inside the gauge, not outside. This is still not even exactly 100% perfect gauge use for the SL-23, but close enough. After that, if you hear a bit of IGD, you can give a tiny twist to the cart in the shell either toward the spindle or outward from the spindle - so the cart will no longer be straight in the headshell. Just the tiniest little twist, 1 or 2 degrees, but keeping the stylus point 1mm in from the end of the gauge. Try the twist one way or the other until you minimize the IGD when playing an inner track. Your ears will tell you when you hit it best, and that will be good.

This fine tuning twisting is always something to try when IGD is heard, on any cart of any price. The actual stylus point could be mounted a degree or two off and sensitive ears will hear that even if the cartridge body is aligned "correctly" with a protractor. It is the stylus tip alignment that counts, not the cart. It is more likely that an aftermarket stylus tip could be a degree or two off. It's ok - it's not ok - it can happen even with the most expensive new carts.

Technics used its own engineering to make the gauge, and using it even on a SL-1200 or the other models it was made for will not align the cart exactly with what the major types of protractors would show, but it is closest to "Stevenson" alignment. If you try again with a protractor, use a starting point of your gauge with the stylus tip 1mm inside the gauge, then do the protractor, then test and listen, then if needed do the tiny twists to the cart until it sounds right when playing an inner track. What you hear is what counts.

 

If you have not done so try washers under the screws,

 

It looks like your cart from pic one Your left side needs to come down. Straighten that and give it a whirl.

 

Sounds like your tracking force is too low. Personally I find overhang a bit overrated, theoretically my Lyra shouldn't work in my Ekos, but it does.
Obvious statement but is the TT perfectly level?

 

The Townshend Elite Alignment
Gauge is my favourite.
You can measure distortion AT ANY POINT. And do a custom setting.

 

Some additional aids that I used when stalling my Lyra cart onto the Technics shell were a business card (as a visual aid) and a small piece of blue painter's tape.

1) Attach cart to headshell, but leave some play in the screws so cartridge will slide in the headshell.

2) Slide headshell into Technics alignment gauge, and lay gauge down on a flat surface.

3) Viewing from the side of the gauge, slide cartridge backward/forward until stylus tip is at desired overhang position. (This is where the business card comes in as a visual aid to assist alignment.) Then check the top of the headshell to see if the cart is sitting square with no tilt/cant to either side.

4) Once proper overhang is lined up take the strip of blue painter's tape and carefully place it across (perpendicular) the top of the headshell with the edge of the tape lining up with the tops of the screws. This marks the screws position should the cartridge slide when you tighten them down.

5) Install cartridge wires.