Playing original lacquer discs

A buddy of mine is in a band that just discovered their original lacquer cuttings from back in the day. He’s asked if I’d be willing to play them and record them digitally. A prior attempt from master tapes didn’t work because the tapes failed during playback.

While I have no problem with the request (I’m actually pretty flattered to be asked), we’re talking about lacquers of unknown quality cut 40+ years ago in unknown condition. Some problems are visible with magnification, but I’m also concerned about how many "set-up" attempts I can run to get good recordings without causing damage. Adjusting VTA, pitch and input levels can take a few tries to get right.

So if any of you analog and recording pros out there can pass along your wisdom, I’ll be most appreciative. I can then relay those on to the folks who played the music in the first place to make an informed decision about whether they want to move forward.

I look forward to your replies.