My Formula 4's on Ebay!

[shane]

If anyone's looking for a decent Formula 4, I've just posted mine on Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161088007938?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

[Rare Bird]

Nice Shane, looks like a Mk.III!

[walpurgis]

You'll like the 774. I've been using one for over twenty years, it replaced an Ittok and was far better! It's also superior to all the various standard and upgraded Rega arms I've used.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Geoff
Aye the original '774' is in my top three pick-Up arm favs :thumbsup:

[shane]

I started looking for a 774 seriously about a year ago, since when prices have nearly doubled on Ebay :stalks: . Managed to get one a couple of weeks ago for next to nothing, but the horizontal bearings are shot. Johnny at Audio Origami has quoted me a brilliant price to sort them out, so I should end up with a better-than-new arm for about the same as I'm expecting (is there a fingers-crossed emoticon?) to get for the Mayware.

If I was clever enough to design a pickup arm, I'd probably end up with something like the 774. Everything about it just looks right to me. I particularly like the way the arm-wand mount works. Dead simple, easy to change wands, but at the same time perfectly terminated to sink resonances and vibration. Brilliant!

[walpurgis]

One thing you definitely have to watch is not to overtighten the clamping screw that holds the arm tube. The thread in the clamp can strip. This is sortable, but a pain if it happens. As you know some have iffy bearings, but those are the only snags, otherwise a brilliant product that can be tweaked no end. I have three without any problems.

[wiicrackpot]

Someone on my local Gumtree sold a systendek II (nextel finish), Mission 774 (great nick and not LC version), and Goldrinng Elan for £90.00,
mail the guy with number and he called, turns out the mail box was red hot within minutes of it going up,
i told him he has prced it waaay too low, i said the arm in that condition and complete would command double what he was asking for the whole lot,
guess he liked what i was telling him and i was genuine ( not a dealer), he asked if i was willing to make a reasonable offer and he'd stop the guy who was coming,
i said i wasn't really needing another arm as i have SME IV, 2x Alphason HR100s and a Audiotechnica ATP12t,
lust that it was so cheap i thought to get the arm, i advised him to call all prospective buyers and pull the plug on it and put it on the Bay,
he eventually got back to me later that evening to say he sold the whole lot for £120.00.

Have i missed something special?.

[shane]

Given the choice between a 774 and an HR110s in good nick, I think I'd probably go for the Alphason, but it wouldn't be an easy choice. Best thing would be to have both!





One thing you definitely have to watch is not to overtighten the clamping screw that holds the arm tube. The thread in the clamp can strip. This is sortable, but a pain if it happens. As you know some have iffy bearings, but those are the only snags, otherwise a brilliant product that can be tweaked no end. I have three without any problems.

It was because of the varying bearing quality that I thought I'd wait for a cheapo and get Johnny to sort it out. I've seen 774s going for up to £250, with no guarantee that the bearings are any better than mine (it was this one, by the way: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111128346935?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 ). Once Johnny's got it sorted, I'm guaranteed to have bearings probably better than new, and still won't have paid over the odds.

PS: If anyone wants a very home-made Techy armboard for a 774, it's yours for the cost of the postage :) .

[Rare Bird]

It's just a pair of ball race bearings, you could fit posh ones with Ceramic balls..

You got that for a good price.. These do want the wiring modifying so that the arm has it's own dedicated ground lead.

[wiicrackpot]

Given the choice between a 774 and an HR110s in good nick, I think I'd probably go for the Alphason, but it wouldn't be an easy choice. Best thing would be to have both!.
Thats what i thought myself, thought the 774 would only equal the Alpha at best, so was only half hearted with my view of a purchase,
it shows some people don't know what they have before letting things go, he bought 2nd hand from Bill Hutchison back in the day and never tampered with it,
C.D, came along and sat unused for a time, thought he'd get back what he paid.

[DSJR]

Systemdek (original) with 774 was a truly classic combination and swimmy suspension apart, would sound excellent with any cartridge the arm would take, including the AT95e, which is taken to a much higher level in this arm for whatever reason. Again, removable arm wands offer all sorts of alternatives for enterprising tweakers :) Glad Johnnie can sort the bearings too :) As for prices, 774's have always hovered at the ton mark and the less 'we' say about them in the future, the better prices will hold instead of shooting up.......

[shane]

Not sure About the ton, Dave! I've followed four or five recently that have gone over £200.

[walpurgis]

[QUOTE=Rare Bird;471977] you could fit posh ones with Ceramic balls..

I've heard of "ceramic balls". What kind of surgery does that require? :)