Record-playing Rituals?


I'm curious what everybody's riuals are when listening to albums. How often do you clean the records? Every Time? How often do you clean and lubricate the stylus? Every time?

David
deshapiro

Showing 2 responses by fleschler

I cannot get my latest 3 ebay purchased, solvent (probably alcohol) cleaned records clean on my VPI 16.5 with any solution after three tries. They play okay with lots of surface noise (no scratches) but the stylus picks up (I guess) softened or sticky dust/dirt by the end of a 10" side. I clean the stylus with ExtremePhono cleaner which works 100% of the time. I don't know of cleaners of previously solvent cleaned records (I have about 40 or 50 of 17,000 LPs, on 78s, those are gone as they melted when someone "cleaned" them).
These 10" LPs are not the typical softer vinyl we know but the stiffer, less yielding vinylite. The LPs are remarkably unworn except for the solvent use. Steam cleaning and brushing may be in order after the various VPI cleanings. My friend suggested pure mineral spirits added to water and fotoflo. Thanks for your suggestions.

(P.S. Honest ebay advertising would also have been helpful).