What's your favourite stylus cleaner?

[niklasthedolphin]

Hmmm, well having experimented with various methods of record cleaning I would say your method is about the best example of how not to do it! Sorry, that's my personal view.

In contrast I 100% agree with your aspiration towards ultrasonic cleaning. Surely this is the way to go. I have experience of using ultrasonic cleaners on the components from SCUBA breathing valves subject to the corrosive effect of salt water and without doubt it is the ultimate cleaning method. A while ago someone developing such an LP cleaner visited the WD site but we've heard nothing since.

And may I ask what, about "my method" as I have been using for + 30 years with splendid results, you find wrong?

"dolph"

[niklasthedolphin]

I have to admit that the "water as hot as my hands can stand" shocked me, thats how we used to turn old 78`s into ashtrays.
Before i had a DIY RCM i had put S/H records from charity shops etc into TEPID soapy water and used a brush and a good rinse with distilled water, being carefull to dry the label before putting the LP in a plate rack to dry.

I'm a non-smoker and don't need ashtrays.
I guess that "as hot as my hands can stand" means somewhere between 40 and 50 degrees celsius.

As I mentioned, I have a device that ensures labels not to get wet when the LP is co mpletely soaked in water.

Distilled water might be a good idea in many countries.

In Denmark we are lucky to have the purest drinking water comming from the taps.
The soap will ensure that no minerals/calcium remains in the grooves............just as you did in film developing with a great result.

"dolph"

[Sid and Coke]

I use an AT 637 vibrating thingy.
I sometimes use a couple of drops of IPA on the pad.
In the instruction manual for the Shure V15VxMR cartridge, which was their top of the range cart for quite some time, and one which i owned until quite recently, they recommend to use a few drops of IPA to clean the stylus tip.....

I also use the long bristled nylon 'swishy' brush that comes supplied with all Denon cartridges, it is great for removing the odd stray hair , or bit of fluff that might get onto the stylus.

I also use asmall clearaudio carbon fibre bristled brush.

I once bought a s/h turnatble off e-by that came with a Goldring 1012Gx cart fitted. The seller said that the cartrdige was worn out , however just before removing it i thought i'd give it a clean, even though i couldn't actually see the diamond at the end.

I tried all of the available methods that i had at hand and still the stylus tip looked blunt and worn out. I then had one last try with some 'Last' stylus cleaning fluid. I applied the fluid , let it soak in for a few minutes than was both amazed and pleasantly surprised to find that a great big clump of dust/dirt/debris that had been hiding the diamond came off in one big lump, revealing a perfectly sharp and pointy crystal clear diamond behind.

Basically the reason why i got the TT so cheaply was because the seller couldn't be arsed to replace the stylus- when all it needed was a bit of TLC.
My records are maintaind in an almost forensically clean condition, and my stylus gets cleaned regularly too, so i doubt that i'll ever actually need the Last fluid again, but if you do have a perticualy shitty stylus give it a try.

I use a small 20x magnifying viewer to inspect the stylus 'in use' and also have a kid computer microscope that i can connect to my computer to view new styli and take pictures just before i sell them on after i've finished with them.

a few pictures: http://imageevent.com/sidandcoke/upcloseandpersonal

[Marco]

Hi Tim,

How's it going? I hope all is well.

What Denon cartridge are you using these days - is it still the 103? Or do you switch between it and the 304?

Marco.

[Sid and Coke]

Hi Tim,

How's it going? I hope all is well.

What Denon cartridge are you using these days - is it still the 103? Or do you switch between it and the 304?

Marco.

Hi Marco, all fine, cheers.

Still happily using the 304, i now only keep one cart on the go, seems silly having a spare tucked away in a drawer doing nothing. . I'm not sure that my set up is optimal for the 304 as the physical characteristics of this cart are comletely different to a 103 , but it seems to work OK. ( I'm still using my custom made 5g headshell weight - on my Akito 2B ). pic 1, pic 2
I should probably be using a light weight arm.. but hey I'm increasingly finding as the years go by that you can't always trust what is written down, often by so-called experts...

[shuggz]

I've had a AT637 for over 20 years but hardly touched it for the last 19!

I've got a few brushes, those you get when you buy a cartridge...I do a scrape back to front now and again. I've at the moment got 3 record decks which get fairly regular use.....I don't seem to get dirty stylii....dunno what's up with me.....perhaps i need therapy of some sort Any offers of help gratefully accepted.

Cheers......Dave

You could sell it to me knowing you've helped someone else would be immensely therapeutical

[Mike]

You could sell it to me knowing you've helped someone else would be immensely therapeutical

I'd best not mention how much I've seen some of these things go for on ebay then!

[thrunobulaxx]

I'd best not mention how much I've seen some of these things go for on ebay then!

from between 60 and 85 quid, i watch them, get a gillette vibrating razor,stick a bit of foam with the tiny hooks on the end and you have a cleaner that operates at the same 300htz frequency, does the job just as well and costs less than a tenner.
I kid you not you can even spray it black and hide the gillette logo.

[Mike]

from between 60 and 85 quid,

Sounds about right.

I payed £15 or so for mine. Brand new!