Help setting up JMW tone arm

It's a unipivot arm. They all act like this. If it continues wobbling when you play a record, there's a problem. Otherwise, just enjoy it. Good luck, Dave.

Just make sure the pointy thing is resting in the middle of the cup. There is a slight joint edge inside that the point may catch on.

I have a Dual 1019 and a Miracord 50H (both 1960s vintage designs) whose arms rotate on "ball race" pivots, i.e., ball bearings captured in a circular trough. I think the vertical movements are "gymbal" pivots, based on horizontal needles squeezing pits. Too tight is bad, and too loose is bad also. I used to check for the latter by looking for "play" or wobble. The challenge was always to provide arm support and directional guidance while keeping friction as low as possible.

I also have two VPI tables with Graham arms, unipivots like your JMW 9. At first, I had a hard time getting used to the idea that the whole arm rested on one vertical point ("needle?") pressing into a pit in a cup. The only things that kept the arm from flopping over were the weights and geometry -- balance, if you will. Yes, there is a lot of play. But the point does stay in its pit in the cup, and friction is minimized since there is only one point of contact. The stylus is properly positioned as it plays across the record. An admirable achievement!

It's worth mentioning that two other designs have also succeeded in minimizing friction: the Well Tempered Labs Arm (suspended by a thread) and various magnetic suspensions I have read about but cannot remember manufacturer names.

I did not notice wobble during play, just while moving the arm. If it's normal I can live with it. Never had a unipivot arm before. Now I just waiting on a stylus force gauge so I can set it up.

Steve

Oh one last question, how does one adjust the arm lif.It doesn't seem to lift high enough to raise the arm from the record.

Steve