should I chuck my P-mount TT?

[leadbelly]

So, I am without a TT as my cheapo old JVC is in desperate need of a cartridge, and even then I don't know for sure if replacing that would cure all its ills.

It of course takes a dastardly P-mount cartridge. Since it's not easy to do a search on "P", forgive me if this is repetitive, but are there some DIY techniques for dealing with the issue of replacing a P-mount cartridge without tracking down something antique and overpriced?

TIA

[Ren]

Don't know if you should chuck your p-mount tt or not, but there are a few carts still available. Browse www.needledoctor.com and search on "p mount". There are p mount carts from Shure and Stanton for $65 and $35, respectively.

BR,

Ren

[EC8010]

I suppose it all depends on just how DIYaudio you are. It isn't that hard to make a headshell out of 1 1/2" aluminium angle 1/8" thick. You want the stylus to be on the centre line of the arm, and the stylus tip to be 9" from the pivot point. The slots need to be at 22 degrees. You needn't worry greatly about precision, because you will align the cartridge later. I have made such headshells with a power drill (in stand), needle files, junior hacksaw, ordinary files, and a bit of patience. A machine tool doesn't actually help very much...

[leadbelly]

Thanks for the replies.

EC8010, is there someplace I might find more info on making my own headshell? The aluminum work sounds easy for me.

[Nat Eddy]

I am not sure that making a headshell to adapt a P mount arm to standard cartridge mount makes much sense. One of the arguments against the P mount was that the attachment method wasn't perfectly rigid -- whether this is true or not, or whether it is all that important doesn't really matter because the headshell you make to allow standard cartridges to be used will be no more rigidly attached than the cartridge would be. So there is no improvement in that area. Meanwhile you have significantly increased arm mass, probably not a good thing especially since the arm itself's rigidity and damping, and bearing slop, were optimised (probably wishful thinking) for the original situation. And, of course, only a few P mount arms had adjustable tracking force.
If there were no P mount cartridges available, or the turntable was flat out excellent and demanded a highend cartridge, then maybe all this work would be justified, but there are plenty of cheap and not so cheap P mounts available, and you do not seem to think that the turntable is so great. It would make more sense to me to simply get a decent cartridge and leave it at that, or replace the turntable.
Unless, of course, what you really want is a project, in which case this sounds like fun.

[planet10]

In Calgary, you should be able to find lots of reasonably priced turntables better than the JVC (i'm imagining one of those later units with the cheap plastic bases).

Any of the mid-late 70s Japanese belt-drives with a standard headshell would do. You would probably need a new belt, but those are obtainable. Something like a Pioneer PL 512, or 514 could run you as much as $5 -30 CAD. Add a budget Grado & a belt and you should still be <$100.

Setup is important too -- many a turntable came with templates that would end with you having a less than optimum cartridge alignment. There is a thread here somewhere where at least 3 good alignment protracters/schemes were posted.

dave

[leadbelly]

Thanks all,

Dave, I think you're right, I've been on the fence about this TT so long I think I will let it fade away.

[EC8010]

Just like this.

[EC8010]

Or viewed like this

[nania]

I have a P-24 catridge that isn't doing anything at the moment. Why do you need to replace the cartridge? What model JVC turntable is it?