Technics SL1200: Baerwald or 1200 white gauge?

|There is much more involved than overhang.
what more, VTA?
no way you can dial the VTA visually unless you are using some powerful microscope that can focus where your stylus contacts the LP and measure the angle on say computer screen. Dialing VTA using ears is a breeze and very repeatable on Technics.

I seriously doubt that you correct significantly off azimuth. Many today's manufactured cartridges are not properly aligned related to the azimuth. Such cartridge/stylus should be promptly replaced. Manufactures should learn a lesson that we are not going to tolerate this.

Humorous read, but I won't bang my head against this wall. I agree with Tvad. It really isn't an issue of anyone having to have the MintLP to enjoy their vinyl. That is certainly true and maybe $100 is a lot of money these days. However, this price is certainly pretty tame compared with many audio tweaks. So anyone who wishes to explore what else may be possible with their current table this is a well respected way to try.

Have fun!

Perhaps nobody on this forum yet has used a Mintlp Tractor on a Technics 1200-1210, but I have used my Mintlp spec'd at 211mm arc on my Denon DP-2550, with new Acrylic Armboard, and retrofitted my mint 11 year old AQ PT-8 Arm.

My machinist buddy Andy had to make-machine a "locating Pin, that could be installed into the AQ Arm Base (A custom Arm base was made on my HW-19) This locating Pin-Rod, which was machined to a sharp pencil point, was then installed into the Arm-Base at a level height to Spindle, which is highly critical, so an exacting, accurate measurement could be insured on the S-P distance of exactly 211mm +-.001"! Yes, Andy's that good.

Thus, my Mintlp Tractor, at 211mm woks for both my Denon, and VPI Tables. This I feel is the very most important parameter, insuring that indeed, you are giving Yip exact measurements for your S-P Spec. Just "trusting" what VPI, Technics, or any other manufacturer for that matter "claims" thier S-P distance is might not be enough. If, the Distance is possibly off my 1mm, or 2, then you are back to square one, and you might not be getting any better alignment than the cheapo plastic jig that some provide with thier Tables.

I had found on both Tables, that the Turntable Basics Mirror Protractor was at least off by +- .500mm-1mm. The sound improvements on my HW-19 prooved the Mintlp did do a better job, and the sound did improve.

As a crazy experiment, just for the hell of it, I pulled out a bought new Benz Ruby 3, from it's Box, and mounted on the Denon Table, set up with the Mintlp Tractor, and I was very impressed at the fine performance, and sonics this old Turntable was giving me. I can only think of one catchy phrase to describe the sound, and that is "PRAT".

Still, the question I persist in asking, will Baerwald null provide a suitable set-up, versus another null on these technics, and I would assume yip would not have any problems slightly skewing the null points to a slightly different measurement to accomodate some of these japan made arms.

Has anybody asked this of Yip? Or are we to assume that Baerwald will be the best for a Technics 1210? I know if I owned a Technics 1210, I might feel some comfort in knowing I did a critical alignment with the Mintlp, but might not be too happy, or confident seeing a good Cartridge sitting very cockeyed on the Headshell. Mark