cartridge repair....repair service center needed


I need to have a Monster Alpha Genesis retipped ...broke off....

I got a quote of 400 from a place in Bellevue WA at phonocartridgeretipping.com.

Anyone use them before? Not sure where to turn.

Thanks 
mswobo
I had a Denon MC cartridge retipped by the Needle Clinic in Washington.  Andy is a stand up guy and returned my cartridge with new cantilever and stylus tip for 200.00.  It was exactly 8 days time from me sending the cartridge to him from the other side of the US to when I received it back.  He emailed me when cartridge was complete and I paid him via PayPal..  He was less expensive and took much less time to repair than Soundsmith.  Andy will get all my business from now on.
@stereo5  I talked to him today and got great advice....I am glad I called him....off it goes to him.
 
Will update my experience when its finished.


Please let me know how you made out.  I also have a Monster cartridge in need of retipping.  How will your cartridge be repaired?  New tip? New cantilever and tip?  Cantilever material?  Type of tip?  Thanks! 

Dear frogman, According to J. Carr the least harm by the so

called ''refurbishing'' is the stylus only exchange. Cantilever

(boron) + stylus is about $500. Monster cartridge can be get

for about the same price. The best ''place'' for the new stylus

is ''Expert stylus, uk'' (=/- 180 GBP).

 

Dear nandric, thank you for the information.  After my recent and long foray into MM land I would like to revisit the land of the MC. I have, among others, a Monster Sigma Genesis 2000 which is in need of a new tip; no other problems that I am aware of.  This was was a favorite and which I preferred even over my VanDen Huls.  I will contact “Expert Stylus” for advise.  Regards.
I've had two cartridges done by sound-smith.com  both came back sounding like the cartridge did new. One went 2 years before i sold it and was still fine. The other is at 1.5 years and sounds wonderful. 
Andy at the Needle Clinic replaced a sheared off cantilever from my vintage Koetsu Rosewood and the repaired cart was better than new (boron cantilever/mirco line stlyli). Andy knows whats he's doing.
Dear @frogman : For stylus tip only Needleclinic is what you need. Your ZYX relatives si a good design. I owned the Genesis 1000 and the 2000 and for me the 1000 is a little better.

Better than VDH?, well that depends of the VDH model. If you own the Colibri I think that the Monster can't outperforms it but.......

Regrads and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
Thanks for the suggestion, Raul. Do you have a reason(s) for recommending Needle Clinic over Expert Stylus for a new tip? Btw, I don’t agree re the two Monsters. I too owned both and find the 2000 to be considerably more refined and better in just about every parameter that matters to me. Yes, better than the VDH’s that I have owned: MC1S, Frog, Grasshopper. Regards.

Dear @frogman , my advice was not accidental. First gluing an

new stylus in the ''old'' cantilever is much more difficult than gluing

the cantilever/stylus combo in the so called ''joint pipe''. Second not

every repair service offers this possibility. I moved to ''Expertstylus''

because my friend Axel was not (anymore) willing to do ''only

stylus'' exchange. The engineer by Expertstylus who does this work

has 40 years of experience. Besides they produce their own styli

with ''Paratrace'' ( variation of micro ridge) as their best. 180 GBP

all included was my price.

Dear @frogman : Unfortunatelly I owned first the 2000 with a different system than when I owned the 1000 so maybe you are rigth and yes are better than the Fog that I owned at the same time than both but not at the Colibri level.

About the retipper all what you need is a line contact ( different names but at the end almost the same shapes. ) stylus tip and Andy can do for you fast, good and at low price.

If you want the best retipper then you can go to Northwest in Europe and obviously for a high price.

I don't see any real " trouble " that Andy makes that job.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.
Thank you both for the suggestions.  I will report back when I have the work done.