SME 309 Tonearm For Sale

I bought this on ebay about six months ago for an up coming DIY turntable build. The project never materialized so it's up again for sale. The previous owner purchased it new from Music Direct in Chicago as an "open box" when they used to be an SME dealer. He only used it for a few months, then sold it to me. I have not used it or even mounted it. So it's virtually brand new. I only took it out of the box to take pictures. It comes with cable and all accessories including the manual and setup gauge. This tonearm needs no introduction. It is one of the worlds finest tonearms available. It will be packed well for safe arrival to you. I'm also offering free USPS Priority shipping. I'm not accepting offers on this item. It is already being offered at a considerable discount. From the SME website:

The Series 300 broadens the application of SME technology.

Although the unique one-piece magnesium tone-arm is used for the Series 300 Model 309, advanced metal techniques produce a fabricated arm of exceptional stiffness for the Series 300 Model 310 and 312 arms thus allowing a choice of three arm lengths to suit all decks.

The detachable magnesium headshell has a new style coupling, providing the convenience of rapid cartridge interchange without loss of rigidity.
Our designers can be justly proud of these models which offer a performance and manufacturing excellence unmatched by many more expensive models.

• Unique pressure die-cast magnesium shell detachable and interchangeable without disturbing cartridge or wiring.
• New design clamping arrangement ensures rigid junction with tone-arm. 
• Internal constrained layer damps minute residual vibrations making tone-arm acoustically inert.
• Stainless steel cross shaft, ground and thread ground. Carried in massive yoke on 10mm precision ball races. Axis at record mean level to minimise warp-wow.
• Unique assembly gives high rigidity and allows bearings to be critically adjusted before tone-arm is fitted.
• Stainless steel vertical shaft, ground and thread ground, with integral 16mm diameter flange to couple shaft and yoke.
• 23mm diameter steel pillar, heat treated, ground and honed, carries two 17mm precision ball races, widely spaced to resist tilt.
• Anti-skate control operates through tension spring and filament. Dial corresponds with VTF and has positive OFF position.
• Lowering/raising control gives smooth positive action. Height of lift can be adjusted.
• Dual-lock base provides movement control with high rigidity.
• Tungsten-alloy balance weight carried on damped two-point suspension. Extra-low inertia design assists warp riding.
• Underslung weight housing corrects centre of gravity and provides non reflective tone-arm termination.
• Swivelling, damped output socket minimises vibration transmission in sub-chassis use.
• Reference lines on tone-arm facilitate VTA setting.
• Fine adjustment of horizontal tracking angle (HTA).
• New design alignment protractor sets HTA with great accuracy.
• Cartridge leads and internal wiring LCOFC litz.
• Balanced LCOFC audio lead with gold plated phono plugs.