Can anyone identify this arm

[marcuswilson]

I recently purchased an old turntable which was supposed to have an SME arm, but it came with this one. I've looked all over it but can't find any maker's name on it. Can anyone identify it for me, please.

Thanks in advance,

Marcus.

[sreten]

Hi,

Looks severely like an Acos Lustre to me, and you been ripped off,
as in similar condition SME's go for a lot more than the Acos Lustre.



Very much a cheaper, heavier, SME look-a-like, SME type base mounting.
Still sought after, but not as much as SME's.

rgds, sreten.

Thorens TD124 if I'm not mistaken ....

[Nanook]

sreten: it never ceases to amaze me at your powers of recollection. (this is truly intended as a compliment)

marcuswilson: depending on the price of the table (and what it is) you may or may not have been "ripped off". If $50 and the table is a Thorens 124 or a Garrard 301, then certainly not. I can see where someone who doesn't really know may have thought this might be some sort of SME, as it appears to have a similar sliding mount to it. Rather than an intentional ripoff, perhaps more a matter of true ignorance.

[planet10]

Originally Posted by sreten

Still sought after, but not as much as SME's.

Don't know about the Lustre, but IMO the SME (3009/3012) are sought after way more than they are worth. I speak from experience, having owned over a dozen,

dave

[planet10]

Originally Posted by Nanook

the table is a Thorens 124 or a Garrard 301

From the arm boar i'd guess a 124

dave

[sreten]

Originally Posted by planet10

Don't know about the Lustre, but IMO the SME (3009/3012)
are sought after way more than they are worth. I speak from
experience, having owned over a dozen,

dave

Hi,

The same applies to many old arms, including the Lustre, but
in particular to the (beautifully made it has to be said) SME's.

Might have been ignorance on the sellers part, if so, probably
the seller doesn't know how much Thorens TD124's are worth,
so it may well have evened out.

rgds, sreten.

Strangely, the best value S-shaped arm, the Rega R200, is unloved.

[Nanook]

Marcus: I did do a search for a TD124 image and realized last night that it appears to be a TD124 (as did Dave and sreten). So I guess the comment is rather than being "ripped off" (depending on what you paid for the old turntable) you may have actually stolen it .

[marcuswilson]

Originally Posted by sreten

Hi,

Looks severely like an Acos Lustre to me, and you been ripped off,
as in similar condition SME's go for a lot more than the Acos Lustre.



Very much a cheaper, heavier, SME look-a-like, SME type base mounting.
Still sought after, but not as much as SME's.

rgds, sreten.

Thorens TD124 if I'm not mistaken ....

Thank you for the picture Sreten, you are right it is the Acos Lustre.

Thank you everybody for your replies.

Yes it is a TD124 and it's in good condition. I'm not being ripped off and didn't mean to infer as such, have checked what TD124's are going for.

Am very keen to set it up properly. Currently use a Tecnics SP15 for playing 78's and it works well, but I want to get rid of it in case one of the custom chips in the motor control dies and it is then valueless.

I agree with planet10, old SMEs are overpriced. I have a couple of 12" to sell and with the proceeds plan to buy a new 12" Ortofon for playing 78s and big acetates. The Thorens motor looks grunty enough to play 16" disks.

rgds, Marcus.