Needle Care and Questions

Critter

Critter

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Joined
May 15, 2019
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Vancouver, Canada
I hope it's okay that I started this thread. I felt like it was missing.

Here's my first topic to get things rolling. I bought an OG copy of Horses by Patti Smith. It is shattered in a very substantial part of the record:

9EC4A3C7-343F-4D85-AAB1-D2B286F8A35D.jpeg

I'm not going to get a refund, nor would I try, as this was really undetectable in the lighting at the store. I'll be looking for a replacement copy. But in the meantime, here's the question: will this tear the crap out of my needle?

I ask because it sounds SO good despite the popping caused by the shatter. I'm scared to play it again though.
 
I wouldn't play that. In a worse case scenario, a crack can chip a stylus, and one that bad can cause extra stress on the cantilever when the stylus is yanked across that. I'm shocked it even tracks at all, but some carts are more resilient, especially those designed for DJ use.

I would usually hesitate to bring anything back to a shop because IMO anything you missed is usually your fault. That said, a crack is one kind of flaw that is entirely unacceptable to me for a shop to be selling. That's a true "P" on the Goldmine scale, and although it is likely something the shop just missed themselves, it may be worth asking nicely if anything can be done if you payed VG+ prices for it.
 
zombie.modernist said:
I wouldn't play that. In a worse case scenario, a crack can chip a stylus, and one that bad can cause extra stress on the cantilever when the stylus is yanked across that. I'm shocked it even tracks at all, but some carts are more resilient, especially those designed for DJ use.

I would usually hesitate to bring anything back to a shop because IMO anything you missed is usually your fault. That said, a crack is one kind of flaw that is entirely unacceptable to me for a shop to be selling. That's a true "P" on the Goldmine scale, and although it is likely something the shop just missed themselves, it may be worth asking nicely if anything can be done if you payed VG+ prices for it.
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I think I am just going to use this incident to see if they can track me down another good copy ;). This really was VG+ without the shatter. So sad.
 
Critter said:
I think I am just going to use this incident to see if they can track me down another good copy ;). This really was VG+ without the shatter. So sad.
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Yeah, always good to ask. Likely nobody's fault, so many stores have such bad lighting even the vendors can't properly grade. One of my favorite shops here just moved to a new location and put in a skylight. Total game changer for buying used.
 
zombie.modernist said:
Yeah, always good to ask. Likely nobody's fault, so many stores have such bad lighting even the vendors can't properly grade. One of my favorite shops here just moved to a new location and put in a skylight. Total game changer for buying used.
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I guess a part of the problem is that if you have some ambient light that shows all the dust on the record, even a clean record can look worse than it actually is.
 
I am wondering if the price of this Anniversary Edition blue stylus is inferior to the standard one:

Ortofon 2M Blue 100th Anniversary Edition Replacement Stylus (Blue): Amazon.ca: Gateway

Ortofon 2M Blue 100th Anniversary Edition Replacement Stylus (Blue): Amazon.ca: Gateway
www.amazon.ca

It's quite a bit cheaper. The above can be bought new for $179 CAD with free shipping on amazon.ca while the standard blue stylus goes for $238 CAD plus $19 CAD in shipping. 🤔

For clarification, the specs are identical, I am just wondering if anyone has personal experience with the anniversary edition. I am doubtful that Ortofon would allow there to be any discernible difference.
 
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Critter said:
I am wondering if the price of this Anniversary Edition blue stylus is inferior to the standard one:

Ortofon 2M Blue 100th Anniversary Edition Replacement Stylus (Blue): Amazon.ca: Gateway

Ortofon 2M Blue 100th Anniversary Edition Replacement Stylus (Blue): Amazon.ca: Gateway
www.amazon.ca

It's quite a bit cheaper. The above can be bought new for $179 CAD with free shipping on amazon.ca while the standard blue stylus goes for $238 CAD plus $19 CAD in shipping. 🤔
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It’s exactly the same cartridge. They did it with the blue and black for their 100th anniversary last year to encourage red and bronze users to upgrade.

That’s a really good price. From Analogue seduction in the U.K. (which is the cheapest I’ve seen them) you could get it for CAD $167 but if you get hit by customs it’s going to bring it higher!
 
Joe Mac said:
It’s exactly the same cartridge. They did it with the blue and black for their 100th anniversary last year to encourage red and bronze users to upgrade.

That’s a really good price. From Analogue seduction in the U.K. (which is the cheapest I’ve seen them) you could get it for CAD $167 but if you get hit by customs it’s going to bring it higher!
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I'm not sure why I'm even being paranoid, but simply because the plastic is slightly different I was wondering if that might affect the sound. Isn't that ridiculous of me?
 
Critter said:
I'm not sure why I'm even being paranoid, but simply because the plastic is slightly different I was wondering if that might affect the sound. Isn't that ridiculous of me?
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The plastic isn’t any different. The stylus is identical in every way. The only difference is the number 100 is printed under the body of these ones lol.
 
So I just played Grandaddy's nature anthem 7". There is nothing on the B side, which I couldn't tell from looking at the labels. Both labels are the same, and they both say Nature Anthem on it. Well I had it on side B, the arm just shot across the record onto the label and I immediately lifted the arm. When I see the needle, I see that it is now off center. It seems to be playing fine. How fucked am I on this?


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DevonJD said:
So I just played Grandaddy's nature anthem 7". There is nothing on the B side, which I couldn't tell from looking at the labels. Both labels are the same, and they both say Nature Anthem on it. Well I had it on side B, the arm just shot across the record onto the label and I immediately lifted the arm. When I see the needle, I see that it is now off center. It seems to be playing fine. How fucked am I on this?


View attachment 2321
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I wouldn't play anymore records until that is replaced.
 
Also if it did that on the blank record, correct me if Im wrong, you should probably turn up your antiskate.
 
The flashlight/flash on a phone makes for a good light when looking at the grooves or runouts in a store, as most stores don't have great lighting.

Mine has saved me a bad purchase many times in the last few years.
 
DevonJD said:
So I just played Grandaddy's nature anthem 7". There is nothing on the B side, which I couldn't tell from looking at the labels. Both labels are the same, and they both say Nature Anthem on it. Well I had it on side B, the arm just shot across the record onto the label and I immediately lifted the arm. When I see the needle, I see that it is now off center. It seems to be playing fine. How fucked am I on this?
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HiFi Guy said:
I wouldn't play anymore records until that is replaced.
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I concur.
 
What about using needle nose plyer try to slightly bend cantilever back? At worst you snap already bent stylus. Im just guessing.
 
Haimez40 said:
Also if it did that on the blank record, correct me if Im wrong, you should probably turn up your antiskate.
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🤷‍♂️ I just set it up per the instructions. I tried it on a non-important record and it played fine. But I went ahead and ordered a new needle
 
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