Overhang
Overhang is the distance, in millimetres, that a pivoted tonearm’s stylus extends beyond the platter spindle centre when swung over it.
Effective length runs from the arm’s pivot to the stylus; mounting distance runs from pivot to spindle. Overhang is the difference: 230 mm minus 215 mm gives 15 mm.
Overhang — Tonearm
Together with the cartridge’s angle in the headshell, overhang helps reduce the angular mismatch between stylus and groove. Correct adjustment does not eliminate tracking-angle error everywhere on the record.
Use the instructions and gauge for your exact arm and intended alignment. A headshell gauge may measure from the headshell mounting end to the stylus, rather than from the spindle: that dimension is not the overhang itself. Do not copy another arm’s setting.
Linear-tracking arms move along a straight path instead of this pivoted arc. They need their own alignment, not this overhang setting.
Sources
- Tonearm dimensions and tracking geometry (Japanese) — Audio-Technica
- Cartridge alignment protractor manual — Audio-Technica
- SL-1200GR2 cartridge gauge diagram, page 13 (Japanese) — Technics
- Air Line tangential alignment, pages 10–11 — Kuzma