I am not clear from your post whether you tried to play music with your vintage cartridge. In any case, while I have never heard one myself, this is a very highly regarded cartridge. If it works and plays music and you’re happy, there is no need to do anything further, or to spend any money on it. Just enjoy it. I think you are correct in thinking your dealer was just trying to cover his behind. I have many cartridges that are older than that cartridge, and have never been worked on by Andy Kim or VAS, or any other guru, and they sound wonderful. I can’t see any way in which having a check up would help a problem that may not exist.
Safe to use an old Sumiko Talisman Virtuoso B?
I bought a VPI HW19 / Souther Linear tracker some time ago, surprised to find it came with a Sumiko Talisman Virtuoso Boron cartridge. The seller ( a reputable shop) warned me that the cartridge was old, and he couldn't verify it's condition. he mentioned the possibility that the suspension could be old and dried out, could even fail and drop the whole cantilever out, allowing the cartridge to scrape along the record (if I understood him correctly). I think he was trying to cover himself from any liabillty, he didn't even try to sell me a new cartridge. I did try the cartridge, and it worked, but I replaced it with a Clearaudio Maestro Satine (installed with the supplied weight plate, due to the Souther low mass arm). I don't remember how it sounded relative to the Clearaudio.
I'm wondering if I'd be better off with the Talisman, and if the whole suspension scenario is a real concern. Has anyone heard of such a thing? I'd hate to ruin a prized old record.