Added: 2 years ago
From: BadEditPro
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  • Very cool! I have heard about this method before, but it's nice to see a little myth-busting about it from somebody who knows what he is talking about.

  • @TheZeekgeek1 Thanks! :) JC

  • You are talking about stylus with THOUSANDS hours of use! Why to clean them? They are worn out and destroy records while playing. The magnified image of the clean stylus demonstrates it - the needle tip is sharp instead of being rounded.

  • @holtzman72 No. I am saying to clean EVERY stylus this way whether it has use on it or not. I don't think I said anything about keeping a worn out stylus that needs to be replaced anywhere... I just said it bcan bring new life back to a really dirty one that's never been cleaned. :) JC

  • This worked great, although I did have to do a couple more steps cause I played some really dirty records recently and gunked up my stylus pretty good.

    Tools:10x magnifying glass, 97% alcohol solution in a dropper, 1 mr clean sponge cut into a strip. First I removed the stylus from the tone arm. Then I punched the stylus into the mr clean sponge a couple times. I used one drop of alcohol on the stylus, punched the sponge a couple times. Checked with glass. Repeated once more. Done! Clean!

  • @omcn7That's a good tip. I have had to do that once after playing a record that had something sticky on it. Don't know what it was but it gunked up my .6 mil conical to where it made the audio sound like I was playing a wet record. :) JC

  • Thanxz fa tha heads up. I'll giv it a try.

  • Great! Can I use the eraser to clean the vinyl as well?

  • I brought in a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser from the food bank yesterday, and I decided to clean the stylus to make it look like new again. I have my GE Wildcat that has a stylus that has only one sided after years of playing it, I did clean it to get rid of that gunk off the stylus to make it play like new again. I tried this as many times as I can to get the best performance, so that it won't break the needle.

  • how long do you place needle on sponge???

  • @chuckdee121 You just dip it into the material and then lift it right up. It''s the movement that cleans the stylus. I do it a couple of times. It works wonderfully. :>) JC

  • @BadEditPro - great tip! Which side of the eraser do you use? One side appears to have a "pillowy fiber" appearance whereas the other side is smooth.

  • @prairiepegger Use the smooth side. I cut out a little strip and keep it right on the turntable so I can do it every few records or so. It keeps the stylus sparkling. :) JC

  • When buying Isopropyl alcohol with then idea of cleaning ANY media equipment, get it with the highest percentage of purity as possible (usually 99 % if the highest you can get), as lower percentages can and do leave a film on anything you clean. Read the fine print and always get the 99 % version.

  • I just use a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Most of the time, I only use the swab. Been doing it for years and never had problems. But, whatever the heck works for you...

  • I use Isopropyl alcohol and a very soft needle brush

    you can get Isopropyl alcohol in every pharmacie

    it works perfect too as long as your diamond tip on the needle isn't glued :D

    for me it always worked but I read someone that it fell off, but it has to be a very cheap needle then

    however Isopropyl alcohol works very good because it cleans got and leaves no rests on it, plus I use it for my tape recorders heads and for cleaning records too

  • Cheers sir

  • Would this work on my beogram 1202?

  • @cyrustom Sure. As long as you can dip the stylus safely, it will do wonders. :) JC

  • This is awesome - I just used this and got my stylus clean. 

  • N.B. ALSO MAKES A KILLER CD LENS CLEANER!

    That is, if you can access your cd lens- fortunately I have a toploader (Rega Planet). If not, maybe you could glue a little bit to your normal lens cleaner CD?

  • Just tried this, it appeared to work; there's a lot more high end in my playback. Thanks so much!

  • @iHaveAnger Cool. I've been doing it for over a year and it works great on all my carts. :) JC

  • to richead ..I tried the Aldi sponge on a orotofon stylus(Project Turntable)plus my Dansette 1960s with new stylus..they cleaned up great.Just be careful.Good Luck with Aldi..JML have them too..just saw the TV ad..but they are 4.99!!

  • Great tip apart from one problem! This is a U.S ONLY method! You cannot get magic erasers here in the UK! So, another video where the host presumes everyone lives in the U.S! So, what are we in the U.K suppose to use? Perhaps you can find out what type of fibres are in Magic Erasers and I can find an equivalent over here! Thank you anyway I guess!!

  • @richhead2011 Hold on... You can find these for sale on eBay internationally. Yes it will cost a bit more that way but, for this purpose, a box of four of these should last you several years. Also, I have been told there is a UK and Australian equivalent but I can't remember exactly what they are called. The common link is the word 'eraser' in the name, though. :) JC

  • @richhead2011

    ALDI UK have the UK version ..called PowerForce 6 Eraser Sponges for 1.49 pounds..Got some today and my stylus cleaned brilliantly.Get down to ALDI....!!

  • @TheLeeDin Thank you for the tip! I will see if our local Aldi has some! Does it matter if the tip of the stylus is diamond or saphire? Because I am sure mine is a saphire tipped stylus! Thank you again!!

  • @TheLeeDin i'm going to go to my local aldi store and look for a pack of these- many thanks for the info on the UK name for the product :)

  • @richhead2011 nonsense.

    they sell them at Wilkinsons - JML Magic Eraser...pink pack

  • @richhead2011 Magic Eraser is a trade name for melamine foam. You can get that in the UK, or just about anywhere!

  • @asaaasaaaa

    Cant find this stuff in the UK..

  • Comment removed

  • what's your opinion on stylus brushes that often come with antistatic vinyl brushes?

  • it works big difference

  • turntable owners watch this video

  • "very coolest" lol 

  • @TheJosh00023 Nope. A brush will take the dust off but it won't remove vinyl build up and other containments. The fibers of the Magic Eraser do a great job of gently scrubbing that stuff off. Try it and see... :) JC

  • Wow - this really works - I've been through a few needles now after they just didn't play right anymore - distortion etc. I used to use Audio Technica cleaning fluid but it really didn't help at all. I recently got a new needle and tried this method after the needle had picked up some dirt - absolutely worked.

  • @fogzax This is the only method I use and I have been doing it for over a year now with great results. :) JC

  • What is a magic eraser?

  • @TRAM22 It is explained in the video. They are available in the US under the 'magic eraser' name but they are marketed around the world under other names, too. You can get them on eBay if you don't have them locally. :) JC

  • ps: I bought this one, hope it is right via *bay: 270649265084

  • @kotze5 That should work just fine. :) JC

  • @BadEditPro:

    thanks a lot, I will leave a comment when I get my sponge. Anyway, if you had to choose between AT7V and a shure 97 which one you would prefer? I have this chain and like to upgrade the PS. please see under flickr via people search: no*dice

    thanks

  • Hi there,

    I am listening to your vid for the third time. I am still not sure how to do this precisely (english is nit my native tounge). I ordered those sponges yesterday. So as I get it right I have to cut a little piece of it and glue it to a hard material. Then I let the needle fall in the sponge which is laying where? On the plate?

    After the needle falls in I take it out imiditly. I controll this via the turntable lifter?

    regards and thanks for the help---

  • @kotze5 Exactly how you do this depends on what kind of turntable you have. I simply take a small piece and put it on the platter then lower the stylus onto it and lift it up. You do not want the stylus to get caught in the material and move sideways. This could snag the stylus and pull it off the shank so straight up and down is how you want to do this. :) JC

  • My turntable is an Audio Technica LP60. I'm wanting to upgrade the stylus or the cartridge and not sure which one to go with. Can you give some advice on this issue? Thanks again for your help. I'm not trying to be a pest, I promise! Lol.

  • @scottymacgray The LP60 has an integrated cartridge that cannot be replaced. The stylus for that cart is the ATN3600 and it is the only option for replacement. However, don't get bummed out because the performance on these is not bad. They feature a wide frequency response, low distortion and wide stereo. It's plenty good enough for the turntable it's on so you're good until the turntable breaks or you get another one. :) JC 

  • @scottymacgray you can buy high end replacements from LP Gear. For $40 you can get a much improved belt and stylus kit. There are higher end options for the stylus if you please, the highest end options is about $45. I'd get the belt too. I used this to replace the stock stylus and belt after owning the table approx a month. It made a huge difference; if nothing else it droped out a lot of the noise I was getting older records.

  • @robottaway I was looking into that website, but it received several negative reviews on a review site. I thought about trying them anyway just to see what happens. They have a stylus that is called the ATN3600DLX. I would really like to try that one. From what I understand, it will fit my cartridge. Thank you so much for your help and comments. I play every digital format, but I'm really "Into the Groove" as it's been said! I love vinyl!

  • I think your method works fine! However, before I started using this method I didn't have anything to clean my stylus with. I used a cotton swab dipped in alcohol once. It cleaned it but now I have a piece of cotton stuck on the stylus or cantilever. How do I get this off? I've tried brushing it, using my fingers (which I know I shouldn't do but only did it once). As far as I can tell, the audio hasn't been affected but I would appreciate some help. Thanks :-)

  • @scottymacgray Try a small set of tweezers to get a hold of the fiber and pulll it off. WHat may have happened is that the alcohol dissolved the glue that holds the stylus tip to the shank or the shank to the cantilever and the cotton fiber is actually glued on there. If it doesn't come off easily with tweezers, leave it there. :) JC

  • @BadEditPro First off, thank you for replying! I finally got it off using a foam swab. It took a couple of tries, but it worked. I have used tweezers but didn't have any luck. But I still thank you very much for you help! Not meaning to bother you, but I've got one more question; When I'm playing a record and the stylus gets to the 3rd or 4th track, I start noticing a slight distortion. The 1st 2 or 3 songs sound fine but the rest sound different. Why is this? I'm new to vinyl!

  • @scottymacgray What you are noticing is the effect of inner groove distortion, apparent on all vinyl. As the stylus approaches the center, the linear speed of groove passing under the stylus decreases, which means more music is packed in less space. The better your stylus, the better it deals with this inherent problem.

  • @29def90 That's what I needed to know. Thanks again for your help!

  • These methods seem too difficult and possibly destructive, i would NOT recommend this method. You should check out my method on my Video page. I have had my turntables for over 11 years and i have been using my current stylus for about 7 years with lots of scratching and mixing. These still track just fine.

  • @DJColorTV I couldn't disagree more. This method is effective, safer than using liquid cleaners and economical. I have several cartridges and I have been doing this since I posted the video. All are spotlessly clean and track like new. :) JC

  • Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and their equivalents are made of melamine foam. The structure of this foam is abrasive, which is how they can clean as well as they do.

    I use a generic brand, which is the same stuff. Works well.

  • @Watcher3223 It keeps the stylus pristinely clean. I dip mine about every five plays and they all perform like new.. :) JC

  • @BadEditPro

    Nice. The cleaning certainly does help and it's wonderful that such an effective solution can be so inexpensive ... and versatile, too.

  • I don't suppose you can clean vinyl records with a mr. clean eraser can you?

  • @DOCTORDOOOOOOOOOOOOM No... It just works for styli.  Water and a little dish soap is perfect for records. :) JC

  • You should have been more specific. There are different types of 'Magic Eraser's: cubed, prism and that.

  • I have been using the magic eraser method for about 5 years. It does keep the stylus very clean. Only thing I would caution folks on is to be VERY CAREFUL when lowering the stylus on the magic eraser. I use a cuing mechanism on my TT. If you don't have a cuing lever...GENTLY lower the stylus on & off vertically. There have been reported instances of people ruining their stylus with this method.

  • @Condorsat10 Thanks! That is good advice. I tried to really stress the vertical only motion in the video. I use the cue lever on my LP120 but the Realistic LAB-2000 linear tracker has to be done manually. :) JC

  • @Condorsat10 I tested that theory with an old worn out cartridge, and found I could pull the stylus through the foam (moving the foam strip from the back to the front of course,) with no ill effects. I have since used this method with many cartridges, both cheap and expensive, and have yet to pull off a tip. Don't blame me if you have a problem though!!

  • Stanton Diablo Really Rare LTD Edition Styli Are £30 each

  • @forzaboi My Shure M97xE Styli are $75 each... No problem. :) JC

  • ARE u reallly really sure the Mr.clean eraser works cause i have 4 m447 stylus thats needs to be clean im willn to buy that in stead of the liguid stuff

  • @koldkuts2 Absolutely. I have been doing it since I made this video and it does a fantastic job. . :) JC

  • @BadEditPro WOW ur right i went and bought the mr.clean eraser that shitt REALLY works i spent 2.96 for two instead payn 20.18 for teh stanton cleaner

  • Wow, I never thought of doing this. I use a brush or for a heavily soil stylus, I used a Q-tip and alcohol.

  • I used to do the same thing many years ago... I am so thrilled to find out about this. It works! :) JC

  • This is a great tip and I promise I will try it I have two turntables and the stylus cost 70 bucks to replace and this will truly help save them I am sure .Thank you again for this great tip.

  • I am so tickled I found this. It's so much easier and simpler than the brush and fluid method. :) JC

  • In fact, Chux Magic Erasers.

  • I never heard of Mr. Clean.

  • Mr, Clean is a brand of cleaning products here in the US. I am sure someone makes the same product in Europe and Australia but I don't know what it is called. You could always order some and have it shipped in. It only costs a couple of dollars for enough to clean your turntable's stylus for the next ten years,. :) JC

  • I just wrote the brand name.

  • You see, Chux Magic Eraser is just sponge material.

  • Awesome info! my cat keeps jumping on my turntable and sometimes the vibration will knock the tonearm off the holder causing it to run for hours, even days before I notice it's happened. obviously not good for the stylus to be rubbing constantly on the rubber turntable :S

  • That's a good idea, I've used a telescope eyepiece to look up closely at a new record player stylus and one thats played quite a few records, and it's unbelievable the amount of dirt that collects on it. I don't know if there are any shops round here that sell magic erasers tho, they might do in one of those foreign shops or somewhere like poundland.

  • Now THAT is interesting!

    I'd never have thought of it myself. I have a little brush I use (I don't use a liquid with it) MY Technics "close N' play" makes it impossible to use method 2, but I can try method 1 by being very careful.

    I wonder if this can be adapted in some ways to work with tape recorders. I shall look into that and let you know.

    Thanks for the video. Your audio always sounds so clear and professional, you do a super job!

  • Thanks! As long as you don't move the eraser abruptly from side to side it should be fine. I can't use the 'safe' method either because the turntable must be spiing or the tone arm won't drop at all. This is will get the gunk on the stylus the brush misses. I'm sure there's an application for tape machines but I don't know what it might be. :) JC

  • I'm sure this must be a very good method, and a cheap one too, compared to all the others.

    I have to see, maybe I can find something like that here in Germany.

  • I hope you can find some magic erasers... it works great. :) JC

  • @DrCassette '

    acording to wikipedia ther are a german produkt calld "Basotect" its used as an isolation material and it should not be to hard to find and its propobly very cheap.

  • Good idea!But we don't get the magic erasers here.l've tried this method with other things though,and it does seem to work!

  • It would be worth the effort to smuggle some magic erasers into the country. I thought my old stylus was just worn out but it turns out it had years of gunk on it. Now it sounds just as good as the new one I just put on the turntable a few days ago :) JC

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