Cartridge query

[Roy S]

Please excuse my ignorance but is this cart for 78s?

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/P1020836.jpghttp://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/P1020837.jpg

[walpurgis]

Its a Decca Deram stereo ceramic cartridge. The various styli were colour coded and if I remember correctly the blue one shown is the stereo LP/single type, there was a 78 version. It was possibly the best ceramic cartridge made. It will not work properly into a modern MM input though.

[Roy S]

Thanks Geoff. It's actually green, it's off a GL78 that's just come into my possession. This is the plug on the output cable from the turntable, can this be easily changed to RCA plugs?

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/P1020841.jpg

[DSJR]

Best to replace the entire audio output cables from the terminal block under the platter to the amp, retaining or making up a separate earthing lead for the chassis.

PLEASE - DON'T ditch the GL78 tonearm until you've replaced the V Blocks and done the fresh exit cables. I should be getting my Lenco plinth sorted in the next month or so and shall then set about doing a refurb job on my GL78. Plenty of cartridges able to safely work in the L78 arm and one I'm hoping to try is an A&R P77MG with replacement EsCo stylus (EsCo made the later originals for A&R).

[walpurgis]

Yeah, Dave is right.

Change the whole lead.

I used to make successful replacement 'V' blocks for Lenco arms out of Tufnol, but I believe there are now new equivalents available (try ebay).

Don't forget to loosen the screw halfway down the main bearing if you intend to take the platter off to service the deck and reinstall it slowly without too much lubricant or you'll blow the polythene bearing end cap off and have a mess.

Clean the idler wheel, the tapered motor spindle and the underside of the platter with methylated spirit or isopropyl alchohol.

A very small drop of fine machine oil on the motor spindle bearings won't hurt either, but keep it away from the tapered shaft.

[DSJR]

Loads around on refurbing GL75's and 78's. DEZMO is the chap doing replacement V blocks and you may need a couple of small PTFE washers on the V rods to prevent excessive lateral movement once replaced (the new blocks don't have the ends that the originals were moulded with).

By the way, for 78's, many of the popular cartridge makers do 78 styli for their cartridges. The Ortofon OM model is readily available, Grado do one as well for their cartridges and numerous Shures can be got too for their best known and loved models. The deram I don't know, except to say that like all ceramic pickups, it will need at least line level sensitivity plus 1M loading IIRC without RIAA equalisation..

[Roy S]

So I should go for a set of these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Goldring-Lenco-L75-V-Block-Bearing-Up-grade-/150912757180?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Turntables&hash=item232319edbc

And here's the GL78, it's a minter

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss68/Lodger56/P1020830.jpg

[walpurgis]

They look OK, but as mentioned they lack end stops. You can see the end stop on the old rubber one pictured with them.

[Roy S]

Thanks both, much appreciated.