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Lost stylus seeking similar experience

I just got off the phone with Steve of VAS.  The stylus went missing off the cantilever on my AT ART20.  The cantilever is intact.  This is a new one on me.  Steve thinks it is because I use Stylast, but I have been using Stylast for decades and never had any trouble using it.  Has anyone else had a stylus go missing with no damage to their cantilever?  If so, were you able to determine a probable cause for the separation?  Facts would be helpful, speculation not so much.

billstevenson
tablejockey
4,403 posts
 

Sorry for you loss.

Me-Kiseki Blue lost it's stylus @ the 60 day mark. Fortunately, replaced under warranty. Under magnification, looked like a clean break of its adhesive bond.

Did you contact AT, to get their take on warranty(if any?) 

A non warranty replacement for ART9 owners is send them the old cart, no receipts, dealer involvement necessary. 30% off MSRP. 

Not a smoking deal, but better than paying full pop.

I've got 2 in boxes.

 

billstevenson OP
1,165 posts
 

I never thought about warranty, just sent it to VAS for repair.  $450 is fair and VAS does first class work.  Faster than sending it to AT too.  No idea what caused it or where the diamond is either.  Steve at VAS it quite certain that Stylast attacked the adhesive.  I won't believe it unless I can discover a statistically significant incident rate of similar occurrences.  The stuff has been on the market too long with no discoverable history that I have found so far.

mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
6,487 posts
 

I've used STYLAST on many carts over the years.  Never an issue.  I was also one of the very first LAST dealers and sold a lot of it.  Never a complaint...

jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
1,827 posts
 

I bought a Supex 500 mc cartridge with a missing diamond. The cantilever and suspension is intact. It awaits a replacement diamond.

elliottbnewcombjr
7,705 posts
 

I believe Steve is correct, the adhesive got dissolved, the tip simply fell out.

It happened to me, on a rebuilt cantilever/stylus, one day the stylus was gone. I used liquid stylus cleaner frequently on all my cartridges then.

It happened to my friend's Benz Micro Ruby Wood, Steve was able to put a new MicroRidge in the existing hole in the cantilever, glue it, and put a warning not to use liquid stylus cleaner on it.

Steve just repaired another friend's Grace F9 Soundsmith replacement stylus and warned my friend not to use liquid stylus cleaner.

 

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