Schick 12.5, 10.5, 9.6 Tonearm at Vinyl Sound Buffalo NY USA

The Schick Tonearm is a handcrafted pivoted tonearm from Thomas Schick (Berlin, Germany), available in 12.5-inch, 10.5-inch, and 9.6-inch lengths at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Each version combines precision high-quality bearings, identical parts, and the same meticulous hand-assembly process across all three sizes, with the 12.5-inch at a 305mm mounting distance, the 10.5-inch with DIN connector at 270mm mounting distance, and the 9.6-inch suited for direct mounting on most turntables and HiFi furniture plinth designs. The Schick Tonearm has been a Stereophile Recommended Component for over a decade, praised by Art Dudley as "an outstanding value and easily the most accessible transcription-length arm on the market."

Three Lengths, One Standard of Craftsmanship

The defining principle of the Schick Tonearm family is consistency: every length variant uses identical bearings, identical materials, identical damping, and identical wiring. The 12.5-inch version is the classic transcription-length arm, combining the greater effective length and higher mass of vintage 12-inch arms with precision modern bearings. The 10.5-inch occupies a carefully considered middle ground — Stereophile reviewer Herb Reichert described it as striking an ideal balance between the liveliness and lower mass of the 9-inch and the superior groove tracing geometry of the 12-inch. The 9.6-inch version offers the shortest effective length with a mounting geometry suitable for most standard-arm-hole turntables and vintage EMT record players, where it can serve as a direct plug-in replacement without modification. All sizes include a tonearm lift, anti-skating mechanism, and VTA (tonearm height) adjustment. The captive cable is 1.1 meters in length with Neutrik RCA connectors, wound with a symmetrical low-resistance, low-capacitance design for minimum signal degradation.

Bearing Quality, Geometry, and Cartridge Compatibility

The Schick Tonearm's bearings are the core of its performance reputation. Thomas Schick designed the arm to rival the bearing quality of reference arms such as the EMT 997, with a clean and spare bearing cradle that has been consistently praised for smooth, low-friction movement across multiple Stereophile review cycles. Geometry is set to Baerwald null points at 66mm and 120.9mm for minimum geometric distortion across the playing surface. The arm accepts any cartridge from approximately 5-6 grams and upward, with a compliance value below 20 µm/mN for the 12.5-inch and 10.5-inch versions, and up to 22 µm/mN for the 9.6-inch version. Ortofon SPU cartridges, Decca cartridges, and mono cartridges with no vertical compliance are all confirmed compatible. Azimuth, VTA, and tracking force are all fully adjustable on all three variants. Available in black, gold, and silver finishes.

Key Features

• Three Lengths, Identical Parts: 12.5-inch (305mm mount), 10.5-inch (270mm mount, DIN connector), and 9.6-inch versions all share the same bearings, damping, materials, and assembly process — no cost or quality compromise across the range.
• Precision High-Quality Bearings: Bearing assembly designed to rival reference-grade arms such as the EMT 997, with low friction and a clean, spare cradle design praised by Stereophile over multiple review cycles.
• Baerwald Geometry: Null points at 66mm and 120.9mm for minimum geometric distortion and tracking error across the full record surface.
• 1.1m Captive Cable: Symmetrical low-resistance, low-capacitance cable with Neutrik RCA connectors; 5-pin DIN connector option available on the 10.5-inch version.
• Full Adjustability: Azimuth, VTA (tonearm height), and tracking force adjustable on all three lengths.
• Broad Cartridge Compatibility: Accepts cartridges from 5–6g and above, compliance below 20 µm/mN (22 µm/mN for 9.6-inch); compatible with Ortofon SPU, Decca, and mono cartridges.
• Handmade in Germany: Each tonearm is individually hand-built by Thomas Schick in Berlin, with anti-skating mechanism and arm lift included as standard.
• Three Finish Options: Available in black, gold, and silver.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• Stereophile, Recommended Component (A List), multiple consecutive editions including 2021
• Stereophile, Art Dudley: "An outstanding value and easily the most accessible transcription-length arm on the market"
• Stereophile, Herb Reichert: reviewed 10.5-inch as "a superb partner" striking the ideal balance between 9-inch liveliness and 12-inch tracing accuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Schick Tonearm?

The Schick Tonearm is a handmade pivoted phono tonearm produced by Thomas Schick in Berlin, Germany, available in 12.5-inch, 10.5-inch, and 9.6-inch lengths. All three versions use identical bearings, materials, damping, and cabling and share the same manufacturing process. It is a Stereophile Recommended Component, praised as "an outstanding value and easily the most accessible transcription-length arm on the market."

How does the Schick 12.5-inch compare to the SME 3012?

The SME 3012 is a legendary vintage 12-inch pivoted tonearm with a long-established reputation in high-end analog replay. The Schick 12.5-inch was explicitly designed to offer the mass and geometry benefits of vintage transcription-length arms — including those like the SME 3012 and Ortofon AS-212S — with the precision bearing quality of a modern design. Where vintage 12-inch arms are typically 40-plus years old and may require refurbishment, the Schick is manufactured new to consistent tolerances with modern materials. Stereophile described the Schick as delivering a big, clean, substantial sound with a colorful bottom end that competes directly with far more expensive reference arms.

Which Schick length should I choose — 9.6, 10.5, or 12.5 inch?

All three lengths use the same parts and manufacturing process, so the choice is driven by turntable compatibility and sonic preference. The 12.5-inch delivers the lowest geometric distortion and the most mass, well suited to high-compliance vintage cartridges and SPU-style designs. The 9.6-inch offers lower moving mass and reduced resonance, works on most standard-hole turntables, and can be a direct replacement for EMT record player arms. The 10.5-inch strikes a balance between the two: Stereophile reviewer Herb Reichert described it as combining the liveliness of the 9-inch with the tracing accuracy advantages of the longer arm.

What cartridges are compatible with the Schick Tonearm?

The Schick Tonearm accepts any cartridge weighing approximately 5–6 grams or more with a compliance value below 20 µm/mN for the 12.5 and 10.5-inch versions, and below 22 µm/mN for the 9.6-inch version. Ortofon SPU cartridges in all variants are confirmed compatible. Decca cartridges and mono cartridges with no vertical compliance are also compatible. Standard lightweight moving magnet cartridges with very high compliance (above 22 µm/mN) are generally not recommended.

Does the Schick Tonearm include a headshell?

A headshell is not included with the Schick Tonearm. Thomas Schick recommends his own oil-soaked graphite headshell (available separately), which Art Dudley of Stereophile described as delivering far tighter, cleaner bass than wood headshells, as well as improved cartridge stability during heavily modulated groove passages. The graphite headshell weighs 15.4 grams and is optimized for use with top MC cartridge systems.

Is the Schick Tonearm compatible with my turntable?

The 12.5-inch version requires a 305mm mounting distance, and the 10.5-inch requires 270mm — both are standard transcription-arm mounting dimensions found on Garrard 301, Garrard 401, Thorens TD-124, EMT, Lenco, and Technics SP-10 turntables, among others. The 9.6-inch version is designed for direct mounting on most standard turntable arm holes, including plinth designs of HiFi furniture sets, and can replace EMT record player arms without modification. Contact Vinyl Sound Buffalo for turntable-specific mounting guidance.

Where can I buy the Schick Tonearm in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The Schick Tonearm in 12.5-inch, 10.5-inch, and 9.6-inch lengths is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Vinyl Sound is an authorised Schick dealer with expert staff to guide you through length selection, cartridge matching, and installation. Shop in store or at vinylsound.com.