Little Fwend LOW Automatic Tonearm Lifter

The Little Fwend LOW — Nothing to Plug In, Nothing to Program

An automatic tonearm lifter for turntables with ordinary-thickness platters. It sits on the plinth, the arm reaches it at the end of the side, and it raises the stylus clear of the run-out groove. There is no power supply, no electronics and no sensor.

This is the model that fits most turntables — Little Fwend calls it “The original model for Rega, Linn, Thorens, Pro-Ject, MoFi Electronics and many more brands.” If you are not sure which of the range you need, this is nearly always the answer.

How It Works

A Trigger, a Ramp and a Gel

The whole mechanism is mechanical. The arm meets a small trigger as it crosses into the run-out groove, which releases a lift that raises the stylus. A fluorocarbon damping gel slows the movement so the arm rises smoothly rather than snapping upward.

Because nothing is powered or timed, there is nothing to set, nothing to draw current, and nothing electrical near the cartridge. It also means the lifter cannot mistime itself — it responds to where the arm actually is.

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.

Will It Fit Your Turntable?

The Two Measurements

You need a flat, unobstructed patch on the plinth between the edge of the platter and the base of the arm, about 28 mm across, to take the magnetic mounting disc. Little Fwend's method: point the stylus at the middle of the run-out groove of a 12-inch record and look at what is underneath the arm.

Then measure the clearance from that mounting surface up to the underside of the tonearm, with the stylus down in the groove. The LOW covers 32 to 49 mm. If you land right on the boundary at about 48.5 mm, Little Fwend's advice is to take the LOW and build it up with the extra mounting disc in the toolkit.

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. A linear tracker has nowhere for the trigger to sit and no arc for it to intercept. Little Fwend also publishes a compatibility list and a printable height gauge, which is worth checking if your deck is unusual.

Who Is the Little Fwend LOW Best For?

• You fall asleep to records — the stylus lifts on its own rather than tracking the run-out groove all night
• Your turntable is fully manual — this adds the one automatic function most people actually miss
• Your arm sits 32 to 49 mm above the plinth — the range this model is built for
• You want nothing electrical near the cartridge — no power, no sensor, no signal path
• Your turntable has a linear-tracking arm — Little Fwend does not work with those; a trigger-and-lift design such as the Q Up needs a pivoted arc too, so check tonearm lifters before ordering

How Do You Install It?

A magnetic disc goes on the plinth in the space you measured, and the lifter sits on the disc. Set the height with the supplied Allen key so the trigger meets the arm at the right point, then play a record you know and watch it work. Nothing is drilled and nothing is permanent — the disc is held with a mounting pad.

Pairs Well With

What most owners fit alongside a lifter.

• 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 the arm sits 32 to 49 mm above a flat 28 mm patch of plinth, yes. Little Fwend publishes a compatibility list by brand and model, plus a printable gauge you can put between platter and arm base to check.

How do I know whether I need the LOW or the HIGH?

Measure from the mounting surface to the underside of the arm with the stylus in the groove. Under 49 mm is the LOW. Thicker platters — VPI, Clearaudio, Kuzma and the like — usually put the arm higher, which is what the HIGH model is for.

Does it need power?

It does not. The mechanism is entirely mechanical, triggered by the arm itself, so there is no supply to find and nothing to switch on.

Will it damage my records or stylus?

It lifts rather than pushes, and the damping gel makes the movement gradual. The point of it is the opposite — a stylus left circling the run-out groove wears for no musical return.

Does it stop the platter as well?

It lifts the arm only. The platter keeps turning, so you still switch the turntable off — but the stylus is out of the groove and safe while you do.

See It in Action

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