Exactly what Lew said: "The absolute cost no object best is the SMARTractor. The next best and much easier to use and cheaper is the Feickert. For one tonearm only, the Mint."
The SMARTractor is more precise than the Feickert and easier to get exact. It just costs an arm and a leg. Borrow one if you are lucky to know an owner.
The Mint is close in accuracy, but limited to being made for each combo of arm and cartridge.
The Feickert is a great compromise option with simplicity and good results, but it's not the be-all-end-all. Without a mirrored surface, it can't be because with many cartridges you can't see the stylus from the front and are forced to align to the body. As much as we'd love to believe that cantilevers are perfectly mounted, it's just not a reliable assumption. You've got to align the stylus, not the body. Cheers,
Spencer
The SMARTractor is more precise than the Feickert and easier to get exact. It just costs an arm and a leg. Borrow one if you are lucky to know an owner.
The Mint is close in accuracy, but limited to being made for each combo of arm and cartridge.
The Feickert is a great compromise option with simplicity and good results, but it's not the be-all-end-all. Without a mirrored surface, it can't be because with many cartridges you can't see the stylus from the front and are forced to align to the body. As much as we'd love to believe that cantilevers are perfectly mounted, it's just not a reliable assumption. You've got to align the stylus, not the body. Cheers,
Spencer