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Post by steamysteam on Nov 29, 2009 13:13:14 GMT -5
Has anyone attempted the replacement of the diamond needle in the stylus? If so, could you please outline the procedure? And where does one acquire the proper diamond? I am comfortable with tools (including machine tools) and would like to give it a try. Many thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.
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Post by larryh on Nov 29, 2009 13:31:21 GMT -5
This is strictly my opinion here. As someone who has purchased three new four new needles in all. I did have them installed. But of the four, only one is working without showing some kind of line in the run off. The one is very mild and I use it anyway, but the other two are rather pronounced and I am not comfortable with them.
I purchased several old reproducers on ebay in order to get hopefully good diamonds yet. They both work reasonably well and leave no lines. I think I might get a bit of fuzziness in some places consistent with a needle that has played thousands of sides over 90 years. But no damage to the records at least and they are not so easily replaced.
New needles are available from a number of sources but all come from the same place in England. Issues with quality has from time to time been a question about the new needles. If they are ok, they can give a superior performance due to fitting the groove well. If you purchased heads that had good needles yet you could simply change out the stylus which is done by removing the pin that holds it. A lot simpler than installing a new needle. Actually now that I think about it the new needles come on an old stylus bar, or a new version in some cases so you still have only install the pin again.
Great lakes antique phonograph Supply, George Vollema is one source and Steven Medved is another.
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Post by steamysteam on Dec 1, 2009 23:07:16 GMT -5
Hi Larry. Thanks for the info. This is beginning to look like my only option, aside from finding a good used head. I appreciate your insight.
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Post by steamysteam on Dec 6, 2009 0:10:24 GMT -5
Thanks to all. I'm a newbie, just feeling my way at present. I appreciate being straightened out on semantics -- no offence taken. Would still be interested in learning about replacing the STYLUS in the STYLUS bar. Is it possible? Do people do it? Or does everyone buy theirs? From Larry's response, it would seem that even buying a new one is something of a crap shoot, when it comes to quality and reliability. Are dealers willing to take back any stylus that marks the record? Thanks.
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Post by larryh on Dec 6, 2009 8:21:16 GMT -5
I had one of mine replaced, and that was perhaps due to intervention by Medved with the people at Expert in England where they are made. However two others that he himself sold me were not replaced when they developed issues. So for my money I would stick to trying to find a good old stylus bar with stylus in place. Your likely to spend upwards of near 100.00 per new needle and some will charge even more installed. So if you have to pay 30.00 for a used head on ebay you can go though 3 or 4 before you spend the cost of a new one with no assurance that its worth it in the long run. It is a bit hard to decide which way a new person should go with this due to the way in which so many factors can play into everything. You could buy 3 old heads and never get a good needle. You could buy a new one and have a fine point that doesn't effect the record. Yes the word Crap Shoot does ring a bell here. Generally if your purchasing a head from a collector (who is honest about it) you can get a feel for how the needle is. The two I purchased both were stated to not have any issues and work well. They both did to my surprise. So its best to stay away from one's where the owner either knows nothing about it or says he knows nothing about it, if you get my drift.
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Post by larryh on Dec 6, 2009 10:09:32 GMT -5
Since we are discussing the issues of new stylus. I will mention that one of the new stylus I have and have been regularly using had left a rather faint line in the run off. I noticed yesterday and now this morning in bright light, that the needle is making the grooves look cleaner, but in the run off when I start it in isolation, I can really see the light grey lines its leaving in the surface. Not a comforting thought. I don't know for sure what the real issue is here. For one even though they say its a original replacement stylus, I understand that its really a phony diamond, can't off the top of my head think of what they call those? Any way this issue has surfaced for a number of years now. Some say its not hurting the records, but my feeling is that anything that is leaving lines the surface must be wearing the grooves as well. Expert has hemmed and hawed over the situation, at one point I wrote them and they mentioned finally that there had been some "issues" in the production of the points, but always say that there is no problem with their stylus yet this keeps coming up and I have two needles at the moment that I am concerned to use.
Larry
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Post by bostonmike1 on Dec 6, 2009 12:23:40 GMT -5
Larry---the phony diamond you referred to, was the term cubic circonia? Michael keep up your good work and thanks for sharing your knowledge with us
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Post by steamysteam on Dec 7, 2009 23:32:59 GMT -5
Again, thanks for your input. Being new to all of this (I was given an H-19 for a recent birthday), I really wouldn't know a good sound if I heard it. I have no idea how much background noise there should be, how clear the tone and the words should be, how loud it should be, etc. Mechanically, the machine seems to be in fine condition. There is a tiny scraping noise as the turntable goes around -- I've not had time to try to sort it out. I have George Frow's book on order and have been prowling the Internet for information/education. I have a second head, a Kentone, that I've been using to play some Victrola records that came my way. I'd like to listen to the music but am in fear of damaging the records through ignorance. Anyway, onward through the fog.
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