Tips For Replacing Record Player Needles

By Mark Smith


Vinyl sales were on an all time high back in 2014 with a whooping 9.2 million sales in America alone. This means that more and more people are buying phonographs. The vinyl revival is urging people to go back to listening to their current musical favorites with what seems to be regressive machinery in comparison to devices now.

Also known as phonographs, record players are more complicated to play music on and are not portable. The personality it gives any room makes it a good bargain despite the cons and maintenance required. Parts like record player needles need replacement and maintenance. This guarantees great music quality from the player and the vinyl.

Finding the right replacement is the first vital step. The compatibility of spare parts is very important for machines that can be disassembled. Checking any papers and manuals that come with the player can help identify what type of metal tip is used and what type of cartridge. Consult specialty online shops and other professionals if it becomes difficult to find the specifications on the machine especially when dealing with an antique.

Nose pliers and compressed air may be needed as extra helping tools in replacing the stylus. Best to have means of pulling out the needle if there is any difficulty removing it from the cartridge. Use the compressed air in cleaning the area before inserting the replacement tip.

Make sure to turn off the machine before disassembling it. This includes the speakers and the built in preamp, if there is any. Remove the tone arm with the lock or lever function. Some cartridge carriers can be removed from the arm so it is easier to locate the part that needs replacement.

Access the stylus by lifting the arm up. Once the part is exposed, carefully remove the stylus by hand. Grip its side firmly but gently enough not to damage the fragile thing. Wriggle it until it loosens and gets removed. Use the pliers if the it gets stuck in the cartridge.

Put away the old stylus from the new one to avoid confusion from each other. Then, clean the area where the needle is lodged using the can of air that was prepare. This makes sure that the crevice is clean and does not have any excess particles that might damage the stylus.

Some separately purchased needles come with their own instructions, so it is best to follow that. The fresh stylus should fit into the same spot as the previous one in the cartridge, perfectly. While making sure the pointy end of the tip is facing down, make sure the replacement stylus is placed in without using too much force.

To make sure that the replacement is a success, test the record player. Put in a record and listen for any skipping, snapping and popping. If after the replacement your turntable still makes the same irregularities in sound, then the issue could be another part of the machine. In the event where the problem still persists, bring the device to a professional for repair.




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