Nooo...! My cleaner killed my cartridge :(

[Marco]

Hi Nick,

Oops let me settle some of these assumptions... I was enjoying the sunday sunshine until now!

Yes I meant to say the cleaner was specifically told on more than one occasion not to mess with the hifi gear. the family already know this!

Unfortunately while well-intentioned and a nice person she's not the sharpest tool in the box, and often needs to be told something more than once before it sinks in - there's also a language barrier as she is not British. she has neither agency backing nor insurance nor wage earning husband. Although I do have house insurance which might cover some of the damage.
From what I can tell she sends most of her wages home to her family in her home country, so docking her wages takes money out of their pockets, and tbh given their circumstances they need it more than I do.

I suppose the cantilever could be saved or bent back but as its fragile aluminium its possible that the structural integrity has been compromised. I wouldn't try it myself. I'll send it off to an expert and see what the report is. Happily its not my only cart, I'm sure it can be restored/upgraded, and also happily it wasn't the DL-S1 that got knackered.

Thanks for the clarification, and sorry for spoiling your Sunday!

Whilst the fact that she's been told on more than one occasion not to go near your hi-fi gear proves she was careless and negligent, the bit in bold puts the matter into a different perspective, and in those circumstances I'd be prepared to offer her a warning, outlining in no uncertain terms that if she does that again, she's gone. She needs to made fully aware that your hi-fi system is strictly off limits.

Anyway, I hope that you can get your cartridge fixed. Like Barry says, NWA is your best bet, as Dom's an expert on anything to do with cartridges. Good luck with it, mate - and like you say at least it wasn't the DL-S1!

Marco.

[Vrajbasi]

Good on ya thats the spirit, my cleaner broke a 8k koetsu i was not pleased my heart sunk but what to do, I pleaded her not to go near my gear she later on damaged a costly amplifier I will spare the details. I had to get rid of her politely of course.

I now lock my main audio room and only allow my new cleaner to clean there while I am at home. I could not deduct someones wages that would be a bit harsh the I actually found the ex cleaner work with other members of the family who do not have bits of Hifi lying around.

[nickbaba]

Cheers guys - well, seems the story may have a happier ending than I first expected. On the recommend of an experienced AoS fellow I sent the SA to Kilian at Holistic Audio in the Netherlands. He inspected it and concluded that it could be saved, the bent original cantilever could be heat treated and returned to full working order and would not need to be replaced. Plus stylus and suspension checked and serviced all for considerably less than the cost of replacing the cantilever let alone replacing the cartridge.
As for the cleaner - she has been given another chance on the condition that she goes nowhere near the hi-fi equipment, and on the clear understanding that if she causes any more damage to it she will be politely asked to find work elsewhere.

[RobbieGong]

Excellent all round Nick.

Kilian is a class act and the cleaner gets a reprieve - all's well that ends well...

[WESTLOWER]

That's a Good ending!

All you posh folk with cleaners!

[Mikeandvan]

This post could well have been called 'Oh no, I've killed my cleaner!!'

[Barry]

That's a Good ending!

All you posh folk with cleaners!

Yes, "all's well that ends well". Cleaner - I'm quite capable of damaging cartridges myself without having to employ someone to do it for me"!

[mikeyb]

You mean they weren't taken out back and shot?

What is the world coming to

[Macca]

Don't know about shooting but it should be legal to waterboard them. At least for half an hour or so.

[mikeyb]

Don't know about shooting but it should be legal to waterboard them. At least for half an hour or so.

Good choice