[zettelsm]

So, for anyone contemplating swapping their older VPI arm for a new Fatboy gimbaled arm, the process couldn’t be easier.

The arm comes with a new arm rest to fit the larger diameter arm tube, a bushing to adapt the larger hole in the VPI arm base to the threaded post attached to the gimbal assembly, and a new stainless steel nut to snug the arm to the base.

After removing the the old armwand from the base, the existing round nut under the “boomerang” platform holding the unipivot needle is loosened and removed using a pin spanner (Park bicycle tools makes an inexpensive one).

The old arm rest is removed using a small allen wrench to loosen the set screw in the side of the “boomerang”. The new rest is set in the same hole as the old arm rest, and the set screw snugged up.

The new arm’s threaded post with the supplied bushing is placed in the pivot hole and the new nut is tightened up. If needed, readjust the height of the new arm rest and snug up its set screw again.

Place the new counterweight over the arm stub with the two holes (for adding an additional and not supplied weight plate for balancing heavier than normal cartridges) facing away from the gimbal bearing. The hole concentric to the counterweight that faces the gimbal bearing is larger than the central hole on the part that faces away from the bearing. This allows the counterweight to slide completely over the clever little carriage-and-lead-screw adjusting assembly on the arm stub.

Plug the new arm’s Lemo connector into the connection box.

Voila! You’re done with the swap. Mount your favorite cartridge, align, and add vinyl.

Note: the sharp-eyed will see that my counterweight is butted up against the shoulder of the VTF adjustment mechanism instead of being slid completely over it. This is because my Dynavector’s weight is just enough that I couldn’t get VTF within the recommended values without the additional counterweight weight plate. But, by reversing the counterweight it rides just far enough back on the arm stub to do the job until the additional weight arrives from VPI.

Best part of the whole conversion besides the sound? For a limited time participating authorized VPI dealers are offering a very generous trade allowance for your old arm wand on a new Fatboy.

A Fatboy unipivot is a very similar procedure, however my understanding is that the existing unipivot needle bearing on the base assembly needs to be swapped out for a new compatible needle assembly.

Steve Z