Vinyl Care

@twangy57: You’ll "probably" take @billstevenson’s VPI HW-16 for $75? Don’t just think about it, do it! That’s one hell of a bargain.

My first vacuum-style LP cleaner was a Nitty Gritty, which I found to be lacking (too many revolutions to completely remove the cleaning liquid, and water drops left on the edge of the LP and in the area near the paper center label). I replaced it with a VPI HW-17, which I found to be quite a bit better. Two revolutions on a VPI and the LP is bone-dry, in some instances only one being necessary. More than two revolutions may create a static charge on the LP.

The major difference between the HW-16 and 16.5 is that the 16 has the suction "wand" built into its plexi-glass dust cover, while the 16.5 has the wand attached to a spring-loaded tube separate from the cover. I believe VPI sells a 16-to-16.5 conversion kit.

The Last brand products may be purchased on the Last Factory website. They sell a Stylus Cleaner in addition to their Stylus Treatment product. The brush is like that in nail polish bottles, with long soft bristles attached to the end of a handle. I prefer the "pad"-style brushes (with short dense bristles), offered by a number of other companies.

Yeah, I bought Last directly from them, and even talked to the owner - he was a big tape fan. I didn't try his Stylus cleaner, I use Lyra with seemingly excellent results.

bdp24

I will buy it,but he's not going to sell it until he moves in June.

thanks.

New Stylus Shapes contact areas of the grooves of old worn LPs that prior spherical and elliptical shapes did not contact, thus the content is there!.

It is important to get all the gunk out of the bottom of the grooves of old LPs, like mine from high school and college days (I'm 76 now). 

I use a strong mix, manual vigorous scrub with baby scalp brush, rinse with distilled water, batches of 10 at a time

It is amazing how much better they sound. IOW, Vigorously clean them before you buy new versions.

elliottbnewcombjr

I have done this in the past.

I had a keg party back in the 70’s and a bunch of records got a pitcher of beer spilled on them,which I didn’t discover until the next day.

Unfortunately I was young and dumb and used dishwashing detergent,which left a haze all over them.

When you say a strong mix,what ingredients are you using?

Oh,I also recently purchased a McIntosh MX110,I believe that’s what you have there in the background.

One other question,where can I go to read reviews on good vinyl recordings,I might want to purchase?

Thanks