Essential TT/Cartridge Set up tools

I'll add a *small* 90 degree bent tip needlenose pliers, a small screwdriver and a jeweler's loupe. Get up with the program!

Bombaywall, I'll speak for myself and let Doug correct me if this isn't also what he meant. With the scale I have, it is a bit "thinner" than the height of the platter + a "standard" LP thickness. My scale isn't magnetic, so I put pad of just the right thickness of "sticky pads" under the scale so as to bring the height of the scale pan equal to the height of the platter + LP. If your scale IS magnetic, maybe putting the "shim" on top of the scale pan and zeroing out the scale will separate it sufficiently from the cartridge. If THAT makes any sense. :-)

The shim that 4yanx mentions could be a small sheet of mu metal, at that point nulling the effects of any magnetics. You will also find it titled under "Hy Perm 80", or "Permendur".

I use sheets of it exclusively, affixed to the underside of all of the shelves on my stereo rack.

Unobtrusive, and extremely effective.

4yanx,
Makes sense now! Thanx for the explanation.

Buscis2,
Thanx for the reco of those mu-metal sheets.

Bombaywalla,
My scale IS rather magnetic so here's what I do. I put the scale beneath the arm but down on the TT stand next to my plinth. (On a Teres the tonearm hangs out over the stand.)

This puts the scale the height of the Teres below the tonearm, about 8" or so. I put a little homemade paper tower on the scale with the plastic weighing tray that came with the scale on top. The tower puts the tray at record height and keeps the cartridge 8" or so above the scale.

YMMV depending on the design of your plinth. Another way to do it is to make a jig like the Wally scale comes with. One guy on VA made one from a broken CD jewel case. (Good use for that, ay?)