Found a Milty Zerostat alternative

I still have my original Zerostat (the body of which is glossy red, both smaller and more rounded than the Zerostat III) sitting in a drawer, but stopped using it when in the 1980’s I got the already-mentioned Nagaoka Kilavolt No. 103, which I greatly preferred. If you find a used one, snap it up!

Another great anti-static gun is the Furutech Destat III, which unfortunately sells for around $300. If you’re patient, you may get lucky and find one for $200, as did I on an auction site.

Whichever pistol you use, de-stat both sides of your LP whilst holding it in your free hand, off the table’s platter.

I have used a Zerostat for decades. They work for me.

What a great investment my zerostat has been! Still efficiently removing static 43 years later. Pressing and releasing it slowly so as not to hear any clicks has always been the way I’ve done it and I believe the way that was originally recommended. If I do hear a click, I start over. Static is definitely a problem. Here in Tulsa in the winter. There are times when running my whole house humidifier all the time I still can’t get the humidity to 40%. I don’t know what others have found, but I recently got an acrylic mat and it seems to add the least charge compared to felt, rubber, and cork.

Thiis was a great read.  I've continuously wondered if my old Zerostats were still working.  I got the first one probably in 1970 and 2 more since then. I've also had reasonable results with the Walker Audio Talisman   I remember a tiny spark on the first one, I also have a felt mat that I also zap (off the TT) such that it does not cling to the vinyl. For me it's the tried and true method - obviously along with clean record and stylus. 

This is discussion is very curious. It seems very unlike the “cables don’t matter” where are religious deniers chime in to protest a well documented and known effect. The folks that have experienced Zerostat  being effective and not seem to be deeply experienced and credible… but have had the completely opposite experience. And generally deep experiences. Like mine, having tried using these over 30 or 40 years many times, and having no effect whatsoever. Then there is the group that find them extremely effective. Makes me wonder if half of them work and half of them don’t work. I don’t know very strange.

I have a highly experienced dealer friend, who completely agrees with me, never been of any value whatsoever.