Other arms: RP2 to RP5

THE RP2

The RP2 was a prototype which was intended for the original circular Dunlop Systemdek II.

Once, when Winston Ma visited me in Millbrae, Peter Dunlop came too, and the possibility of an arm to match the deck was brought up. I made a few different versions, but the project never went any further than that. As far as I remember, only one was actually sold and mounted on a Systemdek II. The others went out on other decks, and a couple went to Hong Kong.

I did an S-shape version, and one silver version. The styling was fairly basic, echoing the grooves on the deck.

 

 

The RP2 was an exercise in trying to keep costs down, but ultimately the big Japanese companies like Jelco could produce arms for much less than I could. In 2014 I was given the only existing silver finished arm above. I repaired and refurbished it and you can  read about it here.

THE RP3

This was intended to be the flagship model. The prototypes are long gone,  although I have found a few sketches and drawings for making the form. The arm was to have an expanded acrylic foam core with an electroformed outer skin to form a monocoque arm "tube" or vertically moving part, which included all bearing shaft mountings and counterweight fittings. It had spring downforce setting and bias. It had a motor-driven lift lower device, and incremental mounting distance via a screw adjuster. The integral cartridge mount had three holes, intended for a cartridge which ultimately never materialised, although  later there was an Odyssey cartridge.

THE RP4

I have no pictures of this arm, although I have found some sketches which I may post. It was a design for Mike Moore, who wanted an arm to sell with the Source similar to the Zeta but cheaper than either it or the RP1-XG. It was a bit like a squared off Mission Mechanic or PU3, but lower and faster looking.

THE RP5

The first RP5 was made prior to Source-Odyssey, and later was further developed as the budget arm to complement the RP1-xg2. But after the demise of that company, it was taken no further, although a small batch  of parts was made.

Recently, my friend, Fernando Palacios, has been experimenting with some of the old bits I had, in order to make an arm for his Gyrodec, using wood for the arm tube.