12" Tonearms for TD-124

Looks like we are on the same path. I was fortunate enough to find a NOS TD 124 MkII and I also found a NOS 3009 Series II Improved fixed headshell arm which I am mating with a NOS Shure V15VxMR but I also wanted to use a 12 inch arm. After much reading and researching I contacted Pete Riggle and he built me a 12" Woody Tonearm which I will mate with a Denon DL103 or DL103r. Pete build the arm to match the 124 and and DL103. Pete is a super nice guy to deal with and will build the arm to your specifications. His website is:
http://www.vtaf.com/id82.html
 
Good luck with your table!

The Thorens 124 is the favorite table of a local dealer (apart from the $100k Audionote table with three motors and three giant power supplies for the motors).  He particularly likes to equip them with the top of the line 12" Ortofon arm.  This combination is sold to all of his high end customers, may of them own systems that are well beyond $100k in value, so this analogue setup is the cheapest part of their systems.  I have not taken one home to try in my system (WAY to lazy--it would be hard to move and then re-adjust my table), but in the shop, the combination sounds quite good--dynamic and propulsive sounding.

The SME 3012 series I is certainly a different animal than the following versions and with some rewiring a fine match for the 124, availability though can be an issue.

 

I used a Schick with my TD-124 using both a Denon 103R and Miyajima mono cartridge.  It works ok but I encountered some noise issues with the Schick/Thorens combination, pretty much the same thing Art Dudley described in his review of the Schick.  I used the Schick for a longer time on my Galibier table where it had no noise problems at all.  Honestly, though, I don't think the Schick is a particularly good sounding arm.  It looks nice, it's fun to use and certainly a good value, but I found the sound quality to be below the other arms I have owned.  These others include a 12" Moerch DP-6, Triplanar VII-Improved, and a 12" Siggwan.  I used each of these arms on both the Thorens and the Galibier, and I would rank the Schick below each of them.  Also, the type of headshell used on the Schick has a major effect on its sound.

The current Jelco made Ortofon tonearms all have a sweet sound. They are not the most dynamic or exciting sounding arms but they sound smooth and sweet which on a relatively raw and propulsive idler TT is a good combo. The new age SME M2 series tonearms are more dynamic and neutral in comparison.