Dealing with Static on LP palyback

@lewm 

Where did I say I see electrons or that it is even possible to see them

I can only see the bulldust of more misquoting! 

I said you have no chance of seeing micron-sized dust particles.  I know you don't like ChatGPT but there are lots of atoms in a dust particle and even more electrons.  The numbers are staggering:

A micron-sized dust particle (around 1-100 micrometers) contains an immense number of atoms, ranging from trillions to quadrillions (10^12 to 10^18 atoms), depending on its exact size and composition, with a 1-micron particle potentially holding roughly 10^12 to 10^14 atoms of common materials like silicon dioxide, as atoms are incredibly tiny building blocks. 

The fundamental electromagnetic force is even more staggeringly big compared with gravity - 10^36 times more.  So a stray electron can effectively anchor a small dust particle to an insulator.

@dhite71 

Hudson has something similar for a tenth of the price. Hudson Hi-Fi Anti-Static Vinyl Cleaning Arm

The key is that both have an earth leakage path, and conductive bristles, something missing in the old Dust Bug and similar products.

You might just have nudged me into getting one!

The issue of whether you said one can see electrons or microns or whatever in an EM is moot.  If I misunderstood you to say that one can see an electron, under any circumstances, then I apologize.  Has nothing to do with the point of contention. And if an electron or a negative ion is neutralized by positive ions in a dust particle (your hypothesis), then that negative particle it is able to exert no force, no matter the potential magnitude of an ES force in comparison to gravity, which as we know is not a force at all.  We get an estimate of the magnitude of ES force in units of Volts. No volts above background, no ES force. Similarly, if EMI in the cartridge is able to neutralize negative charge traveling from diamond to vinyl surface (my hypothesis), such that significant V is not measurable or is measured to be similar to a background value, then no significant ES force can be present. My cheap meter can measure ES force in magnitude from background to +/-33kV.

@richardbrand 

Sweet!  I think I will also order one at that price

@lewm 

if an electron or a negative ion is neutralized by positive ions in a dust particle (your hypothesis), then that negative particle it is able to exert no force

That is not my full contention - you need to look at both the sub-microscopic and macro scales. At the sub-micro level, the electron remains embedded in the vinyl. It does not move - the insulator does not become a conductor.  But the electron is attracted to the positive charge in the dust particle, as you have previously pointed out, with a force that obeys an inverse square law.  The force between the two is huge yet the two charges are separated.

This applies to a comb attracting a bit of paper. The paper does not fall off if it touches the comb.  The charges remain separated.

But step away and wave a charge meter around, and there will be no reading because at a distance the fields from the two opposite charges cancel.  This is similar to using a Hall-effect ammeter, which gives zero reading if the outgoing and incoming conductors, carrying equal and opposite currents, are both in the gap.

In the Standard Model, gravity is regarded as one of the four fundamental forces of nature along with the weak and strong nuclear forces, plus the electromagnetic force.  Gravity is not part of the Standard Model, which cannot explain gravity’s extraordinary relative weakness, nor does the Standard Model integrate with relativity.

EMI comprises energy packets called photons, which can interact with electrons to change their energy levels, as in light emitting diodes and photo-receptors.  They cannot change the charge carried.  I think you are looking for ionising radiation, which has far higher energy than found in hi-fi gear, unless an unwanted spark is letting all the smoke out.