Beogram 3404 antiskating and top plate removal

Hi all,

Just brought home a 3404 to add to the brood.  Anti skating seems way out of whack.  Cartridge comes down on record and then scoots away from center and away from the record.  Force seems too light to be caused by the return mechanism.

Same cartridge will track on my linear tracking 8000, and in any case, cartridge does not just fall of record.  The arm continues to move to right afterward.

Service manual shows how to make adjustment, but not how to get at it.  Seems to me life would be a lot easier if I could remove the top plate, but I can't believe I have to remove the arm to do that.

Any ideas?

Hi,

not the top but the bottom plate. Anti-skating is a small spring near the tone-arm base. But I cannot believe, that this spring is strong enough to scratch the needle off the record.

What tracking force is the cartridge at?

Dave.

have not had a chance to recheck what I saw last night, but from what I remember:

I have seen the spring from underneath, but no way to unlock and slide the adjuster.

Have tried anywhere from 1 through 4 grams..  No difference.

I might not get back to this project for a few days, but I'll recheck everything eventually.

Still would like any info about removing the top plate.  That just has me frustrated.

Thanks for the help.

 

 

gmon:

Have tried anywhere from 1 through 4 grams..  No difference.

You mean tracking force? How can you adjust 4 gr?  Increasing the tracking force is no solution. Is the arm in balance when adjusted to 0? Are you sure, that the needle reaches the record? 

 

 

ProGram:

You mean tracking force? How can you adjust 4 gr? Increasing the tracking force is no solution. Is the arm in balance when adjusted to 0? Are you sure, that the needle reaches the record?

This is the point I was coming to and why I asked about tracking force. The OP needs to start as if the TT is new and set it up properly before making some adjustments. The tone arm could be damaged, bent, set up incorrectly as far as being parallel etc and completely out of balance. The counterweight may not be fitted correctly too. As has been said, get it balanced (floating) when adjusted to 0 and start from there. Are you sure the to earn is complete? Out of interest, what cartridge have you got on it?

Dave.