With mixed feelings, I must withdraw my endorsement of Thorens 16X armboards made by Sound Supports based in the UK. I have been using Shaun’s armboards for over a decade, and in terms of customer service and one small business understanding another, the relationship has been outstanding. However, in terms of the Thorens armboards which they currently offer, their two-piece design held together with just an adhesive, is no longer something I deem sturdy enough to endorse.
Over the course of the last decade, there have been three instances where the two pieces of the armboard separated, resulting in extensive damage to the turntable, tonearm, and cartridge. Unfortunately, two of these instances happened just in the last six months. In each case Shaun was kind enough to replace the board itself free of charge, however, I lost hundreds of dollars on each transaction.
As a result, working closely with a local metal manufacturer here in the US, I have begun to have manufactured a one-piece design in solid aircraft quality aluminum. They not only look amazing, but they are impossible to break under turntable use or turntable shipping conditions. As a result, beginning today, all of my restored turntables with custom arms will be shipped with these armboards.
At this time, I am only offering boards for three models: Rega with single hole, Rega 3-point design, and SME. All will be available in my eBay store, and eventually on my sister website Vintage Thorens. The introductory price, available through December 31, is exactly the same as what one would pay to have a Sound Supports board shipped from England.