Technics 1200 tonearm azimuth adjustment screws

I'm setting up a Technics 1200GLD for a friend. I got things sounding mostly right, except I'd like to be able to adjust the azimuth a little more than the play in the headshell (before tightening the collar) will allow. There's still a little too much signal from the right vs. the left. Turning the headshell fully clockwise gets it most of the way there, but not as good as I think it could/should be.

There are two screws on the bottom of the arm (near the headshell end) that I know allow for this. I need to buy a screwdriver short enough to fit underneath the arm, as I'm not going to disassemble the turntable for this. That leads me to these questions:

• What size/# Phillips screwdriver should I buy for this? I see Craftsman has a short (1" long) screwdriver with either a #000 or #0000 size bit - are either of these appropriate?
• Should both of these screws be loosened to make the adjustment?
• How much should the screw(s) noted above be turned/loosened? I'm guessing they shouldn't be removed fully.

Thanks in advance...

 

I think Radio Shack still sells a set of small screwdrivers with hardened ends, with both standard and phillips drivers. They usually fit under a raised TT arm, but you can always detach the head shell for less of a hassle. I've been using them for years.

 

Really? You can do azimuth adjustments with those screws? Maybe a little. but I actually think they're just there to hold on the headshell collet. But I guess you can get some play if you loosen them, adjust and tighten. Not much I bet. I hate taking out those screws. If you think taking them out is fun, wait until you try to put them back in. I had to work up an arrangement with crazy glue and a popsicle stick to get the threads started.

Yeah, I just saw your question. DO NOT fully remove them if you can.

I forget what size phillips they took. Someone should sell a magnetic screwdriver to fit them with a right angle bend in it. I used a philips bit (from one of those changeable sets) and a pair of pliers. It sucked.

 

Thanks. Not sure if detaching the headshell will help, though it would obviously give me clearance from the front (if I need it). The stylus has a guard that folds down (it's a Shure V15 VxMR cartridge w/Jico SAS).

Any idea (from anyone) what the correct size Phillips is, if I can get away with just buying one screwdriver?

 

Sorry, I don't know the size. Here are your foes.

 

Here's a thread to check out. I see there is some play where the screws enter the tonearm! You're golden.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=148792

 

Thanks. Interesting to see that, and he did more work than I'm going to do!

From looking at those pictures, it seems the "adjustment" for azimuth comes from the holes in the armtube being slightly larger than what's in the collar (which connects the headshell to it). Is this correct? If so, it looks like I need to loosen both of those screws, but only enough to turn things a little (clockwise, in my case), yes?

 

A large hardware store usually has the "bent" screwdrivers (L-shape) that would fit in such a tight space. Another tool handy for such situations is a mini-ratchet with a fine philips head bit.

 

-Bill

 

Incidentally, I've had a number of cartridges on my SL1200 over the years and some have been as much as 2 dB hotter in one channel or the other when everything was set up "correctly". It has become clear to me from those experiences that channel imbalance does not exclusively indicate an azimuth problem. It could also be caused by mis-set anti-skating, wrong arm height or even just a bad cart or stylus. For example, my m97xe was about 1-2 dB hot in the left channel until I replace the stock stylus with a JICO SAS. Now it's pretty even with most records. Before you work very hard at trying to correct what may be the wrong problem, it'd be good to confirm that the headshell is really not level relative to a real record. I'm not sure exactly how I'd go about doing that, however.

 

Yeah. I beat my head against the wall working on a small channel imbalance and gave up. I never did check to see if it was the preamp.

 

I'm glad you could see into the exquiste pain of that story.

In fact, when I got my latest Technics, I ordered a set of new litz tonearm wires and looked at that tonearm and said: "FORGET IT!"

The wires remain uninstalled.

 

I was able to safely turn those screws with a Phillips #0 bit.
I placed the bit under the arm and was able to loosen (and tighten) by hand. If necessary, I suppose you could use plyers or vice grips to turn. And you're right, just loosen and do not remove because they're a beast to put back.

 

Thanks - I'll try to get a screwdriver around that size, if possible.

I don't think it's any of the other issues raised, because it pretty much sounds as good as I believe it can, aside from this. Rotating the headshell fully clockwise seemed to work best, but things still remain a little right heavy. There's always the variable of what's off electronics wise in the chain, so (considering I don't have a meter) I'm going on the difference (while listening through headphones) while switching between mono and stereo when playing a few different true mono cut records. I also summed the output while playing the azimuth track on the Hi-Fi News Test LP, and listened for the residual sound.

I figure I can try to hopefully get things to sound balanced after loosening the screws and adjusting, and if something gets worse sonically from it, I can always try to set the arm back similarly to the way it was.

 

Are those post 1968 reissues?, if they are, most likely they were cut on Stereo cutter heads and summed.

 

No.

 

loosening the screws can give a slight azimuth adjustment

although the lock tight from the screws sometimes leaks onto the headshell connector and glues it firm in the position its in...this can make slight adjustments hard to do

my advice is to buy a detachable headshell thats got the adjustable azimuth adjustment option and this will easy solve your issues...and not damage the arm

these arms where mass produced and need real care and attention and confidence to make any adjustment work...thats why a adjustable headshell is a real advantage

hope that helps any questions please just ask

best wishes
j7

 

Seconded, get a headshell with azimuth adjustment like the Sumikos.

 

Thanks. It's not my turntable, but I can suggest it to him if adjusting it further after loosening these screws doesn't help.

Especially considering it's the special "GLD" version, he might want to keep its appearance fully "stock", though obviously the headshell is something that changes right on/off.

 

This is what you need...... wish this was available back when I had vinyl.
http://www.musicalsurroundings.com/fozgometer.html

 

"To obtain high performance from a modern phonograph system, the tonearm and pickup cartridge must be properly adjusted to within a few thousands of an inch"


That much accuracy needed to set azimuth? Come on. If you do a little tilting you can brings changes with azimuth adjustments, but I doubt you need to fine tune that tilting to "a few thousands of an inch." I suppose tracking force needs to be measured with a few thousands of a gram then. Only no manufacturer bothers to get that picky about it.

 

I got a #0 offset Phillips yesterday, and it doesn't seem to fit either. It looks like it might at first, but the bit looks too long to sit in the screw. I guess not all #0 Phillips are created equal...

 

That's a bummer. The one I had (Husky brand) bit fit. KAB sells the screwdriver but I think you'd have to take the tonearm off to use it as it's not te bit: http://kabusa.com/m1200.htm

 

That's the thing - I want to do this without removing the arm assembly.

Is the Husky screwdriver you have usable for this without taking the arm off of the body of the turntable?

 

The Husky works because it's a bit. Upon furthur inspection, it's a tapered bit which may be the reason it fits if your #0 is too large to fit.