In 1972 I was at Audio Arts in Livermore, CA, the new hi-fi shop of Walt Davies, now of Last fame. Walt was just becoming an Audio Research dealer, and Bill Johnson was at the shop, delivering and setting up a complete ARC system. SP-3 pre-amp, D-51 and D-75 amps bi-amped on Magneplanar I-U's. The source was a Thorens TD-125 Mk.II with a Decca Blue cartridge, and the arm was Bill's prototype, which never went into production. It was a flat piece of wood, maybe 1" wide by 1/4-1/2" thick (if I remember correctly), like the old Grado. I paid for one when I bought my whole system from Walt, but had to settle for a Decca Unipivot when the ARC never materialized.
Do wooden arms warp
I hate to sound stupid or pedantic, but I have historically done a lot of woodwork - turning/routering/bedmaking. The single biggest problem is locating wood that does not warp.
Wood cut and left to settle over 50 years continue to warp, likewise, even very old wood warps as well. In my experience when a piece is smaller/thinner it is more pronounced unless there is some lamination (not always a cure). I am yet to come across or find a treatment which stops warping. It would be nice if a manufacturer of such an arm chimes in on this thread, because arms such as: Durand, Shroder, Reed etc all have wood arms/options and they really are the most expensive arms out there.
Wood cut and left to settle over 50 years continue to warp, likewise, even very old wood warps as well. In my experience when a piece is smaller/thinner it is more pronounced unless there is some lamination (not always a cure). I am yet to come across or find a treatment which stops warping. It would be nice if a manufacturer of such an arm chimes in on this thread, because arms such as: Durand, Shroder, Reed etc all have wood arms/options and they really are the most expensive arms out there.