Feickert analogue protractor....Owners impressions

My MintLP Best Tractor also arrived today. Took about 45 minutes to set the overhang and align the cart. If you follow the instructions, it's pretty straightforward, albeit fussy. I found using an additional small flashlight was helpful.

My overhang was incorrect, and the MintLP instructions guided me into getting it right. The final alignment wasn't too difficult, although I did have to re-do the overhang before dialing in the alignment for the final adjustment.

Just did my set-up with the Mintlp Tractor. I must say, this is a wonderfully precise instrument for cartridge set-up. I found my overhang was off using the VPI jig. My first try, it just didn't sound quite dialed-in. I then checked pivot-to-spindle distance, and found it was long by a mite. After adjusting and set-up with the Mintlp again, the same lp, "Blue Bash" by Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Smith, sounded great. It's a good feeling knowing things are as good as you can get them. Good tool, worth the money!

Dan

Dre i,
Welcome and thank you for joining in.

I'm fully expecting to hear from Canadian Customs explaining why my MintLp tractor was not allowed to enter into Canada.
It could of very well of been the sample bottle of record cleaner that alarmed ,as Dan ed suggested, some over zealous inspector.

Of course this hic up has not stopped me from spinning vinyl, so far 22 hours have been logged onto my new record player.

Yip has never had a problem of this sort and for now the both of us will have to wait until this week for Canada Customs reasoning.

Islandmandan wrote:
I found my overhang was off using the VPI jig

You have to be a little bit careful if you're using the VPI table. Because VPI publishes some bogus specs on their website which were not the real things. MintLP requires very accurate specs, so if Yip designed the Best Tractor based on the bogus specs you'll expect to find some differences from the VPI jig.

I have a VPI Aries-3 turntable and when I checked VPI's website, originally it says the PS distance is 262mm, I did my own measurement and found that it's 256mm on my table. I called up VPI and sought clarification, telling them about my measurements. VPI soon corrected the number on their website. But then there're a bunch of other number, like overhang, offset angle which I cannot verify. I found that if I use their published numbers I cannot get the same null point as shown the VPI jigs. The whole thing just appears fishy. And that's the reason why I haven't yet ordered a MintLP, because I don't know what specs to give Yip.

Viper,
That is exactly what I found with my Aries 3 and 10.5i arm. The 262 number was bogus, I did my own measuring before I ordered a protractor from Ken Willis. So those with a VPI 10.5i arm should not order a protractor based on the 262mm distance.

Mike