Hello,

I've got a lot of 78s which I'm keen to listen to and transfer (not all, some).

I have an existing LP replay / dubbing setup but that turntable has 78 rpm without varispeed, so I can't play the many earlier 78s nominally recorded at 80 rpm (not to mention what the *actual* speeds achieved might have been...).

On the advice of a collector friend, I recently bought a Strathclyde STD 305D, which has varispeed and a numerical speed display. It also has a cut-out for an SME arm.

Unfortunately, the separate SME 3009 which the seller also sold me had been bodged by him - wrong connector can, so the arm didn't fit in the turntable chassis, and rewired so the 'detachable' headshell was now fixed! (He took it back.)

I'm looking at second-hand 3009s on the bay (I've missed a few bargs, foolishly) but I also see people saying 3009s are now over-priced because of their cult status, and quite a few recommendations Jelco arms.

Would I really benefit from buying a more modern arm? And how would I fit a Jelco (ar anything else) onto the STD 305D? (It's also too small for a 12" arm, but I won't be playing bigger discs.)

(I have three cartridges I could use - Ortofon OM body with several styli, which I could get retipped for 78s; VMS V15 III, but I don't think I've got any spare styli; Stanton 680 Mk II, no syli. Also have three spare Technics headshells.)

(Haven't decided what pre-amp to use yet - my friend recommends the Graham Slee Jazz Club.)

Any thoughts, dos, don'ts etc. will be gratefully received!

Thanks a lot,

Nick