SME 3009 Series III Tonearm - Rare, Boxed, Complete & Matching Serial Numbers

NOTE: the €550 listing price is the eBay starting bid for an auction which ends this Sunday 2nd August at 8pm:
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/267735266680

Description:

This listing is for an absolutely stunning, original SME Model 3009 Series III tonearm (Serial Number: 333219, dating it between roughly 1979 and 1981).

The serial numbers stamped on the main assembly and written on the original SME Guarantee Card and the original SME box are all 100% matching.

(Note: don't confuse this original flagship Series III with the later Series IIIS. This earlier unit features the far superior, highly sought-after titanium alloy CA-1 carrying arm in gold, rather than the lower-cost black arm tube found on the later cost-reduced Series IIIS production runs).

Condition & History:

As you can see from the photos, the tonearm is in beautiful aesthetic condition. I’ve had this installed on my Thorens TD160 Super since just after Christmas and can confirm that as well as looking absolutely fantastic it is also in perfect working order, performs flawlessly, is a joy to install, setup and use...and sounds incredible.

Reason for sale:

I am parting with the Thorens to fund a Nottingham Analogue Ace Spacedeck (with an Audiomods S3 arm). Because this SME is so uniquely complete, I wanted to list it separately - it deserves to be enjoyed on a wide variety of high-end decks rather than remaining tethered to a single turntable.

Completeness & Collector Value:

Fans of classic SME tonearms will quickly recognize how rare this "time-capsule" level of completeness is. Having the original packaging, documentation, and original box contents makes this a true collector’s piece.

The only items missing from the original manual’s "Box Contents" checklist are:

1. The silicone damper fluid (probably not a great idea to use 40-year-old fluid anyway)

2. The original cartridge screws (I included some decent Thakker cartridge screws in the box, although you probably want to use your own).

Market Context:

It’s getting increasingly hard to find such nice examples of these stone-cold classic SME 3009 Series III arms as standalones, they’re sadly almost always only available to buy attached to various high-end vintage turntables. I have seen a few arm-only listings here on eBay over the past couple of years though, usually in and around the €700-750 price point but never as complete as this and pretty much always from Japan. The only other similar(ish) standalone SME boxed and complete listing on eBay at the moment is for a later Series IIIS, currently on a Buy it Now of €1180 (search eBay item 326421334911).

Auction Details:

Regarding the right price for this boxed and uniquely complete SME 3009 Series III I’m gonna do my usual thing when I’m selling such a desirable unicorn-poop rare item and let the bidders and the bidding decide. To that end I’m gonna start the bidding on this at what I hope you’ll agree is a ridiculously generous €550, with NO RESERVE. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of interest, but if the bidding goes your way then at that starting bid with no reserve price to exceed you may well have the opportunity to bag this absolute beauty at an absolute bargain price…

Questions?

If you have any questions about the listing please feel free to message me. I’m a proud and confirmed hi-fi nerd so am always more than happy to chat tonearms in particular, especially when it’s one as undeniably special as this piece :-O

Postage Details:

Naturally the tonearm will be carefully and lovingly packaged and double-boxed with tonnes of padding and bubble wrap and will be posted from Dublin, Ireland (EuroZone) using the An Post Registered Post service (tracking number will be provided):

€15 - IRE / NI

€25 - GB

€30 – Europe

€35 - USA / Canada

€45 – Rest of World