Stylus stuck in groove

You guys must have really good eyes. On my LPs that have such glitches, I cannot recall ever having been able to see the problem with my naked eye. Nor did I bother to pursue the issue much further. It only affects a few of my favorite LPs, is usually resistant to any sort of cleaning, and I merely learn to avoid that particular band in the LP or to expect the momentary annoyance when it occurs. In the course of amassing my collection, I’ve purchased a lot of used LPs, but my criteria for purchase are very very stringent. IF close examination under a very bright light with glasses reveals any sort of defect, I don’t buy. But I think an occasional needle skip is to be expected when playing a used LP, where you do not know the history. In one case I cleaned the offending LP twice, once with my VPIHW 17 RCM, and then again with an ultrasonic cleaner. Neither treatment had any effect on the problem, and I concluded that it is a defect in the vinyl, not a piece of dirt or dust that I could dislodge by cleaning. One tip to the OP, after you clean your LPs with a good record cleaning machine it is wise then to replace the envelope that the LP sets in. As you probably know you can buy them by the stack and there are any number of good quality options from several trusted sources. Otherwise, you are sticking a clean LP into a potentially dirty envelope, and that can negate the effects of cleaning.

@lewm The offending particles can be hard to spot. Turn off your motor and spin the platter manually until you hear the pop from whatever is gunking up the record. That's how I usually find it. It's usually something hard and crystalline that you can pry out of the groove if you're careful. Cleaning typically won't get it out.

Good idea.  Now if and when I can bring myself to care, I will try your method.  I have no LPs that "repeat" due to LP dirt or damage.  Any time that happens, the LP goes into the garbage unless cleaning it repairs the problem.  When it's only a loud tick, I am usually too engrossed in the music to launch a careful investigation, beyond cleaning.  A very few of my favorite LPs (could count them on one hand) have a loud tick on one band; I still listen to those.  I am thinking in particular of a Johnny Hartman recording that I have played a lot over the last ~30 years.

Big_greg,

Sounds like a great idea.
Very clever.

Mount it, align it, cue it up, enjoy, simple. Why do people make more of it than there is.