Stylus skipping at beginning of record

aside from other considerations, suppose everything is absolutely correct:

some cartridges are 'low riders', meaning the stylus cantilever is very close to the bottom of the cartridge body's underside.

thus a low rider bottom of it's cartridge body may still be in contact with the raised edge of the LP, UNTIL, as you describe, it 'moves in' a few grooves, thus no longer being 'pushed up' by the raised edge, (thus allowed to drop down properly into the groove).

i'e. I bought a Wayne's Auto perimeter ring, it's outer edge is thin, yet up a bit from the grooves. My cartridge body is unable to get low enough to play the beginning of the 1st track, until the cartridge body moves in enough to get down enough for the stylus to get into the groove properly. My Sumiko might work, it has a much larger space from the stylus tip to the underside of it's cartridge body, I guess I could call it a 'high rider'.

@rvpiano try and bump the vtf up to 2.04gr like I suggested. It solves the problem. 

Do not exceed the recommended tracking force. 

The recommended tracking force is always a good starting place, but it does not take into account the mass of the tonearm. A heavy tonearm is going to work the cartridge suspension more than a light tonearm. 

OP, you never answered if it was only after you adjusted the anti-skate that the issue developed, if so then retrack your steps and you will find the issue there. Enjoy the music

Tooblue,

The technician had set it at zero antiskate. Of course the problem was acute. 
I then experimented with various settings.  When I increased the antiskating  level it didn’t skip at all but the sound was dull. I then lowered the antiskating a bit and the sound was the best I heard it. The needle still skipped but not as much.

I just increased the tracking force and that seems to have improved things further.