3012

About the 3012

The SME 3012 is a classic 12-inch J-shaped tonearm, first introduced around 1959, and produced in multiple iterations including Series I, Series II, and the later 3012R variant introduced in the early 1980s. It uses knife-edge bearings for vertical movement and is designed to accommodate a wide range of phono cartridges. Across its versions it offers adjustable overhang, vertical tracking force, anti-skate, and arm height, and later versions could be fitted with optional fluid damping. The 3012R revision features a revised arm tube, counterweight system, and a lighter headshell compared with earlier models, while retaining the fundamental 12-inch geometry and SME mounting scheme. SME and specialist restorers also supply genuine spare parts, allowing existing SME 3012 arms to be serviced or rebuilt to original specification so that performance remains in line with the factory design.