Has anything changed with Grado cartridge re-tipping? No more Needle Doctor....


Hi everyone.....

I think I am starting to get a little inner-groove distortion on my Statement Sonata2. After some listening today I'll confirm. If so, I will want to re-tip/replace to a Sonata3 but maybe more likely a Master3.

I loved Needle Doctor that would send your new cartridge and give you one-two weeks to send back your old cartridge. It allowed for a faster, easier swap being able to instantly replace......minimal readjusting....or worse if you substitute in a different cartridge in the time it takes to get a replacement back!

Grado and Needle Doctor even allowed you to upgrade or downgrade in the line as your budget allowed.

So, Needle Doctor closed up their business....and an online search doesn't even bring up re-tip prices or mentions. I looked through Music Direct, Elusive Disc, Upscale Audio and other websites and finding no information on price or procedure for re-tip.

I will probably call Grado tomorrow....but does anyone have any recent experience?

Anyone know a dealer that does what Needle Doctor used to?

I have a local Grado dealer in Cincinnati that I would love to support, but last time they did a Grado re-tip for me (admittedly 15+ years ago)...they took 2-3 months (!) to get my cartridge back....which even back then should have been no more than a couple weeks tops.

Thanks.
 
foeraus

Showing 4 responses by yogiboy

I am pretty sure that Grado will take an exchange towards a new cartridge like the Needle Doctor!
@foeraus
This is from Grado!
We have an exchange program that allows you to trade in your old wood cartridge and buy a new, current version cartridge at a substantial discount. We even allow you to move up to a different wood cartridge at discounted prices if you would like to. The upgrade prices for the current v3 cartridges are…

Opus3 - $180
Platinum3 - $265
Sonata3 - $400
Master3 - $670
Reference3 - $1000

Here is a link to these cartridges on both the Grado Labs site and the eCommerce site.

https://gradolabs.com/cartridges/timbre-series

https://www.4ourears.net/grado_timbre_series_phono_cartridges_s/1879.htm

Each cartridge is available in high output and low output as well as 2 channel or mono. Please keep your old cartridge as you would have to send it to us as part of the upgrade.


There are 2 ways to proceed, either is fine with us, it’s what you are most comfortable with.

Option 1: you would proceed to the 4OurEars.net website and purchase your new cartridge. Please specify in the notes that this is the first step of an upgrade. When making the purchase you will select which version you want. You will pay the full purchase price at this time, within 4 weeks of purchase we ask that you return you old cartridge to us at the address below. Please include a copy of the invoice from your new purchase and note that this is the return against the purchase. We will credit the purchase the discounted amount.

Option 2: you can return your old cartridge. Please include a note saying this is to begin an upgrade and let us know which cartridge you will be purchasing. We will create a discount code that you will use when purchasing your new cartridge.

Please be sure to include your contact information on all correspondence. All items should be shipped to...

4OurEar
Attn: Rich Grado
1365 N Railroad Ave #119
Staten Island, NY 10306
@foeraus
No I have not. I use the older Grados ( TLZ , MCZ) and I replace the stylus every few years! BTW, some other cartridge manufactures like Dynavector have the same kind of deal!
@foeraus 
My friend just traded in his Dynavector for a new one. I don't know the model but it was a $2000.00 cartridge and was done at a dealer. The new one was $500.00 off the price with trade in. These manufactures do not retip they just replace and probably throw the old cartridge away. The markup on cartridges is a lot more than you and me might know!