Philips GP390 Ceramic cartridge NOS 1970s

[Jimbo]

Interesting Post Dave, I heard one of those Philips Ceramic GP390 cartridges sometime back at a little get together and I was quite impressed at the SQ.

You have got me interested now in the GP400 as they are very cheap to pick up. I suspect it is just a case of finding a decent stylus but you have mentioned Mr Stylus so I will check this out.

Might sound good on my Lenco GL75?

[Dave999]

i think it probably will, i get the impression that Philips were pretty much at the top of there game at this time, but it looks like their product wasn't well received here in the UK... i guess we were preoccupied with exceedingly low mass arms and belt driven turntables, and those that were not had a Golding 800 or a shure 75. whilst much of Philips cartridge output was designed to get the best out of their funky looking record players.. i.e they just didn't fit for the fashions at the time.
So many for sale from GP400 right up to the 422 on various European sites indicates they were very popular in Holland Belgium and Germany 422 is a couple of hundred quid,

https://www.ebay.de/itm/PHILIPS-GP42...8AAOSwLQpgGp~L

which i guess based on my purchase of a £20 400 is £180 quid for the stylus... i chose cheap, and an interesting, cheaper stylus and i like to think potentially got closer to 422 performance than what i would have had with a 400 and replacement conical, for not a lot less than i paid.

running mine on my main deck now 401 with origin live rega derived 250... i like it, needed the VTA tweaking but its works really quite well.

Dave