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Cartridge inspection/cleaning

S

slawekt

pfm Member
I need to get my Koetsu cleaned a bit and inspected , it’s fairly new with a couple hundred hours use but stupidly I dipped stylus couple of times in that black sticky stuff -DustBuster also under magnification I can see bit of debris on the cantilever where it enters generator . I used Peak HiFi in the past , anyone else in UK? I’d like to get some pics of cat’s eye taken as well
Thanks
 
Jonnie at Audio Origami perhaps? He’s inspected/cleaned/reported a couple for me in the past. I’m not sure if he’s still doing this sort of thing though.

Cheers
 
IF YOU TRUST YOURSELF................

A quite decent stereo microscope costs not much s/h off the Bay. You do need high mag' to see the actual stylus and that is the hassle - high mag' means very short focal distance (lens is VERY close to the object, one twitch in the wrong direction to focus........).

Personally - jewellers blue/green putty (which may cure your problem at minimal cost), a carbon record brush, a VERY fine hair stylus brush (Nagoaka here, LONG since unavailable), and Nagaoka sleeves.....................

I have a microscope but haven't felt the need thus far...............
 
Vinny said:
IF YOU TRUST YOURSELF................

A quite decent stereo microscope costs not much s/h off the Bay. You do need high mag' to see the actual stylus and that is the hassle - high mag' means very short focal distance (lens is VERY close to the object, one twitch in the wrong direction to focus........).

Personally - jewellers blue/green putty (which may cure your problem at minimal cost), a carbon record brush, a VERY fine hair stylus brush (Nagoaka here, LONG since unavailable), and Nagaoka sleeves.....................

I have a microscope but haven't felt the need thus far...............
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Thanks , I'm afraid my hands are not steady enough to use tweezers in cantilever region also I'd like to have cats eye image taken . I do use microscope to check before and after brushing the stylus
 
slawekt said:
Thanks , I'm afraid my hands are not steady enough to use tweezers in cantilever region also I'd like to have cats eye image taken . I do use microscope to check before and after brushing the stylus
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Why would anyone use tweezers? For what?

Unless the mag' is in the order of x200, you cannot see the sylus.
 
Vinny said:
Why would anyone use tweezers? For what?

Unless the mag' is in the order of x200, you cannot see the sylus.
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as I said there is debris where cantilever enters generator , not possible to get there with any brush I have seen
 
I'd like to avoid unnecessary discussion how to clean/brush/inspect the stylus/cantilever or take the photo of the stylus
DAVEDWACK said:
Jonnie at Audio Origami perhaps? He’s inspected/cleaned/reported a couple for me in the past. I’m not sure if he’s still doing this sort of thing though.

Cheers
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unfortunately his microscope hasn't been repaired
 
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slawekt said:
I'd like to avoid unnecessary discussion how to clean/brush/inspect the stylus/cantilever or take the photo of the stylus as I'

unfortunately his microscope hasn't been repaired
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Based upon discussions on here and elsewhere, for such as cleaning and inspection, I think your better UK service outfits include Expert Stylus & Cartridge Co., Goldring, and an outfit called Northwest Analog. Also, any of these are capable of retips, repairs, and/or complete rebuilds should it be necessary. Of course, there may be others that I am unaware of. My choice at the moment would be Dominic at Northwest Analog, just looking at his work and reading the many customer testimonials via his web site instills confidence. Seems David Price/Hi-Fi Choice put NWA down for a recommended/five star award back in 2014 for their cartridge repair service, as well. Their site mentions a £70 inspection fee for cartridges sent in for possible repair (discounted from any necessary repair cost).
 
slawekt said:
It seems Northwest is a winner , they got in touch within an hour after receiving my enquiry ,
Thanks for all the input
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I found NorthWest were only interested in selling me things I didn't want and charging me a fortune.

I've used Expert Stylus for years and they are superb. I replaced a Koetsu Urushi with an Expert Stylus Denon modified with their Paratrace tip and am more than happy.
 
sls4321 said:
I found NorthWest were only interested in selling me things I didn't want and charging me a fortune.

I've used Expert Stylus for years and they are superb. I replaced a Koetsu Urushi with an Expert Stylus Denon modified with their Paratrace tip and am more than happy.
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Can you elaborate please , not sure if public forum is the best places so maybe PM ,thanks.
I’ve used ExpertStylus in the past but their response time is a bit slow
 
I've no experience with anyone else, but Goldring did such a good job repairing my Art9, and were so easy to deal with, that I'd just go straight to them for anything cartridge related. Presuming they actually offer this service.
 
slawekt said:
Can you elaborate please , not sure if public forum is the best places so maybe PM ,thanks.
I’ve used ExpertStylus in the past but their response time is a bit slow
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Expert Stylus operate a very through system. You book in a service or repair, send it in at the appointed time and it will get done in the time specified. I think it is father and daughter and three technicians. There are no surprises, no hard sell, everything is quoted before it is done. They are always amenable for a discussion on the telephone as to what is best and cost-effective. Don't expect anything done in a hurry, because they have a heavy workload.

I've always found their work excellent, there are no surprises, and their Denon DL103R with replacement cantilever and paratrace is a giantkiller.

Both times I spoke to northWest I got a hard sell and he wanted to rebuild my Koetsu for £2,000 before he'd even seen it.
 
Bit of an update , in the end I sent cartridge to ExpertStylus as their inspection and cleaning price was very competitive when compared to NorthWest and I knew cartridge was barely used , NorthWest was quite clear about their pricing btw.
ExpertStylus turnaround was quite impressive , in a few days cartridge was inspected and cleaned including the coils , their communication improved a lot since last time I have used them , big thumbs up
 
A bit late to the party here, but dust on the cantilever must surely affect its operation; nor can this be removed by the usual methods. Although having fixed headshell arms is a pain, the only way of cleaning the canti. that I've found is using a fine artists paint-brush, slightly truncated (cut short). This is soft enough to not endanger the canti. but is effective in brushing the dust off (towards the stylus, obv.). Having a decent loupe is preferable too, as is a steady hand.

After just a couple of hundred hours on a Koetsu, it really shouldn't have need anything so major, i.m.o. E.S.Co themselves have a good rep. It's their Paratrace styli which doesn't, esp. in regard to longevity.
 
Mike Reed said:
A bit late to the party here, but dust on the cantilever must surely affect its operation; nor can this be removed by the usual methods. Although having fixed headshell arms is a pain, the only way of cleaning the canti. that I've found is using a fine artists paint-brush, slightly truncated (cut short). This is soft enough to not endanger the canti. but is effective in brushing the dust off (towards the stylus, obv.). Having a decent loupe is preferable too, as is a steady hand.

After just a couple of hundred hours on a Koetsu, it really shouldn't have need anything so major, i.m.o. E.S.Co themselves have a good rep. It's their Paratrace styli which doesn't, esp. in regard to longevity.
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as I said (twice I think) earlier I found debris where cantilever enters generator , one looked like bit of metal and I'm no confident enough to use anything else than soft brush in the close proximity to thin boron cantilever hence need for someone who does it on the daily basis
 
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