I saw this marvel of Norwegian engineering mentioned in a post a while back - the Little Fwend tonearm lifter, and it got my attention.

I hate worrying about being there to raise the arm at the end of a side, it complicates things when you're working while listening or lost in a reverie. So I ordered one.

It arrived yesterday in the most functionally perfect packaging I've ever seen - suspended in a crafted H frame wooden case. The lifter is beautifully made and oozes care and attention to functionality with style. Fitting it to the deck was a doddle, and as I waited for the first side of an album to finish I watched, expecting done mishap. But no - as the stylus moved towards the label it rose as if by magic without a sound or wobble.

I then continued to enjoy my new found freedom - getting on with paperwork at my desk knowing the little fwend would take care of things.

Yes, it's expensive at €200 - but for peace of mind it's worth it.

Here's a pic from the net - will post one of it on my deck later.