A tale of recent events ....

Ok so in a relatively non random order it goes like this -

1) Missus away for the night - check

2) Curry ordered - check

3) Beer in fridge - check

4) rig warmed up and ready to go - check

5) Moggie fed and banned from room - check

There was I psyched and ready to go for an evening of curry , beer and turntable groovyness. Tense with anticipation I dropped the needle onto Kate Bush's recent live offering and sat back with a glass and closed my eyes..

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Mmmmmn... sounds...like......mono.......

WAT!

6) Cue cold sweats and a realisation that the left hand channel was silent.

7) Hyperventilation...

8) Panics , recovers, panics, recovers (repeat ad naseaum )

9) Checks speaker connections - fine.

10) Checks connections from phono stage to turntable - fine.

11) Now in full on Miss Marple detective mode double checks connections from stage to amp - fine

12) Starts to weep silently into Chicken Madras.

13) Sauce to chicken ratio gradually increases by 30%.

14)

15) Checks cartridge tags and finds one has come away from the wiring .

16) Mildly swears and rages against the injustice of the HiFi Gods, fickle that they are, while shaking fist at sky "GAH!".

17) Taps furiously into Google and find various options of cartridge tag replacement and considers expense of a full tone arm rewire.

18) Checks banks balance and scratches head, opts for replacement tags only.

19) Finishes chicken madras, finds it slightly watery and saltier than usual..

20) Mitchell tags arrive via EBay.

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21) Decides to make good broken finger lift bit by filling and painting to square it off.

22) Solders new tags using hi tech bespoke jig

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23) Files and squares off the finger lift bit, paints with black paint to disguise bodged efforts.

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24) All soldering etc done, cartridge (ZYX Yatra) remounted and back in the game.

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25) Goes back to listening and thanks fickle Gods of HiFi for their help in solving intractable problem.