Cart alignment with protractor

[Tys1]

So I’ve got my cart aligned with a paper protractor, it looks parallel to me however when looked at from a birds eyes I can see that the bottom screw is set further to center than the other (see photo). Would this mean my cart is not actually aligned? I can also probably align that cart with the screws set in the middle of the space given, more to the left, or more to the right. All three of those would likely pass the protractor test but is one better than the other?

 

[HiFi Guy]

View attachment 75932
So I’ve got my cart aligned with a paper protractor, it looks parallel to me however when looked at from a birds eyes I can see that the bottom screw is set further to center than the other (see photo). Would this mean my cart is not actually aligned? I can also probably align that cart with the screws set in the middle of the space given, more to the left, or more to the right. All three of those would likely pass the protractor test but is one better than the other?

You need to look at the cantilever when aligning. Make sure the cantilever “extends” the line in front of it on the crosshairs on the protractor. This will most likely end up with the screws equal or the left/top screw ending up a bit set back from the front of the headshell in the above picture.

 

[Tys1]

Ok, I’m a bit confused. Isn’t the cantilever the bar that holds the needle? That doesn’t change no matter where I have my set screws. I understand that the cart needs to be parallel to the grid when I place the needle on both inner and outer dots of the protractor, I just don’t know if before I do that I should have the cart aligned on the head shell. Pic one is in the middle, two is forward, three is all the way back .

 

[HiFi Guy]

You have to use your protractor to align the cartridge. Where you start doesn’t really matter. That’s not where you will end up.