LP Cleaning Services


I don’t visit the Analog section section often, so forgive me if this has been covered, but I was unable to pull any thread up that addressed this particular topic.

  I am definitely a Digital Guy, but I did recently purchase a Technics Direct Drive table, which I am using with an Ortofon 2M Blue and a phono preamp from Cambridge Audio.  I am very pleased with the Sonics.  I don’t however intend to buy many lps, if for no other reason than I am in downsizing mode, and am trying to confine it to old favorites (my several hundred lps were destroyed in a flood years ago) that are not currently available digitally.

  I recently bought two, from a well respected lp resale shop, and they are both dirty as all get up.  I am not blaming the store, as far as I am concerned its  caveat emptor.  I don’t really feel like investing in an expensive and space occupying lp cleaning machine for cleaning a small handful of lps.

  My question is: are there businesses that one can pay buy the lp to clean lps?  Preferably with an ultrasonic cleaner?  My local googling reveals home cleaning services and the aforementioned lp cleaning machines, but not per lp services.  I asked at two second hand lp stores and although they had machines for use in the store for their own purposes, they weren’t making it available to customers.  

mahler123

I'd suggest seeing if there is a local audio club with members who could let you use their machines.  If you live near Williamsburg, VA, you could come over and use mine, though it's only a VPI 16.5, not one of the more effective ultrasonic cleaners.  Failing all that, here's a link to a record grading service that  might help: Home (aagservices.org)

"I recently bought two, from a well respected lp resale shop, and they are both dirty as all get up.  I am not blaming the store..."

I wouldn’t have have much respect for a record store selling "dirty as all get up" records.

I would find a store that cleans their records before sale. Does the "well respected" store even have a record cleaning machine? Maybe they would let you use it even if they don’t.

If you are in Phoenix, AZ I would be happy to clean a few record for you.

Also, if in Phoenix, what record store?

To date, I have not been to a used record store that cleans all LP's prior to selling them. In addition, some of those records are on shelves for a long time and will attract dust over time. Regardless, all used LP's should be cleaned properly prior to playing.  If you want a clean LP, buy new, although that is not a guarantee either.