Little Fwend DISCO MK III - Technics SL-1200 Compatible - Automatic Tonearm Lifter

The Little Fwend DISCO — Machined for the SL-1200, So There Is Nothing to Measure

An automatic tonearm lifter made specifically for the Technics SL-1200 and SL-1300 family. Where the other models in the range are adjusted to fit, this one is custom machined to a shape the turntable already has.

That removes the compatibility question entirely. Little Fwend covers “every variation of the Technics SL-1200/1300-series — from the legendary 1979 Mk2 DJ workhorse up to the 2026 high-end models G/GR/GR2/GAE/GME,” because, in their words, “they have an identical armboard geometry.” Nothing to measure, nothing to look up.

How It Works

A Trigger, a Ramp and a Gel

The mechanism is purely mechanical. As the arm enters the run-out groove it meets a trigger, which releases a lift that raises the stylus clear of the record. Fluorocarbon damping gel governs the speed, so the arm rises smoothly instead of flicking up.

No power, no sensor and no timer. On a turntable that gets handled as much as a 1200 does — cueing, back-cueing, lifting the arm by hand — that also means there is nothing electrical sitting there waiting to be knocked loose.

Built to Be Left Alone

Designed and hand-assembled in Oslo and machined in Switzerland. The base and top are nickel-plated brass with stainless steel, the contact face Neoprene 70 Shore, the magnet Neodymium N35, and the movement is slowed by a fluorocarbon damping gel. The Disco weighs 41 g.

Fit and Installation

Why This One Needs No Measuring

The other models in the range are chosen by measuring the clearance under your tonearm. This one is not: it is machined for the SL-1200 and SL-1300 armboard, so if your turntable is in that family the geometry is already correct.

The kit reflects that. Instead of magnetic discs and an adjustable height, it comes with a magnetic mounting platform shaped to the deck, a 1.5 mm Eklind Allen key, and spare 3M 300LSE double-sided adhesive.

What It Will Not Work With

Little Fwend states that it works with gimbal, unipivot, dual pivot and string suspension bearings, but not with linear-tracking tonearms. That is not a practical limit on a 1200, whose arm is a gimbal, but it matters if you are thinking of moving the lifter to another turntable later.

Who Is the Little Fwend DISCO Best For?

• You own any SL-1200 or SL-1300 — from the 1979 Mk2 to the current G, GR, GR2, GAE and GME
• You would rather not measure anything — this model is machined to the deck instead of adjusted to it
• Your turntable runs unattended — a 1200 left playing will circle the run-out groove for as long as you let it
• You want nothing electrical added — no supply, no sensor, no wiring near the cartridge
• Your turntable is not a 1200 or 1300 — this one is machined for that armboard and will not suit anything else; the adjustable models are in tonearm lifters

How Do You Install It?

The magnetic mounting platform goes onto the armboard in the position the machining dictates, held by the 3M adhesive, and the lifter sits on the platform. Set the trigger position with the Allen key, then play a record through to the end and watch it lift. Nothing is drilled.

Pairs Well With

What most SL-1200 owners fit alongside.

• Replacement styli — what a run-out groove costs you if nothing lifts the arm
• Record mats — mat thickness changes the clearance under your arm
• Stylus cleaning — the other half of making a stylus last
• Stylus force gauges — set tracking force once the arm is back in service

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it fit my turntable?

If it is an SL-1200 or SL-1300 it will. Little Fwend covers every variation from the 1979 Mk2 through the current G, GR, GR2, GAE and GME, on the grounds that the armboard geometry is identical across all of them.

Do I need to measure my arm height?

Not for this model. Measuring is how you choose between the adjustable models; this one is machined for a known armboard, so the position is fixed by the part itself.

Does it need power?

It does not. The arm itself releases the lift, so there is nothing to plug in.

Will it get in the way of cueing by hand?

It sits outside the playing area, at the run-out. Normal cueing, back-cueing and lifting the arm by the finger lift all happen well inside where the trigger sits.

Is the adhesive permanent?

It is 3M 300LSE double-sided tape, and a spare piece comes in the kit. It holds firmly in use and is meant to be removable, which is why Little Fwend supplies the replacement.

See It in Action

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