Static electricity pulled the rubber mat right off the Turntable!

Hey Brent don't know what's up with your GR. I'm using a Funk Firm Achromat 3mm on top of the rubber mat without a static prob.  It's 93 and humid here today and my AC is set to 68. Now that I think about it I was pretty staticky until using the Funk mat. 

Do you have a ground wire from the TT chassis to ground?  Maybe even the ground on the wall power socket?  Might want to try a continuity check between the tt chassis / plinth and ground.

If you have a static issue, Gruv Glide will totally cure it.  Period.  I'm not saying it sounds better, it will NEVER hurt your records or any other things that make people start lining up like Gangs of NY.  IMO, based on years of use, at least in the past, it totally takes care of static and leaves a very little bit of gunk on the record, which the stylus removes after a play or 2 at most.  It has never harmed one of my records and made them much more enjoyable to play without electrocuting myself.  Now that I have a Basis with a grounded bearing, static doesn't seem to be an issue, so I don't use it, but I would definitely recommend it for you.  It will make your analog life better I think. 

Excellent advice everyone. The TT is ground to the phono pre @bpoletti  I'll look into a better wall socket too. I have the Gruv Glide kit but haven't opened it. Was concerned about putting it on my records. I appreciate your input @chayro 

I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again for chiming in!

Your case is exceptional, Brent
I have 4 different turntables and never experienced anything like that with the static, but as i said if you could start with the basics you may not need anything else. $10 Carbon Fiber Brush must be used each time before you play a side of a record. And simply $60 Antistatic Gun, it works like that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgQLMBG-eQs

It's good that you're open minded about GG.  I've used it on brand new records before I had a RCM and I thought it worked well,  Just follow the directions and don't use too much, but don't use too little either or you will end up charging the records like rubbing a balloon on your shirt till it sticks to the wall.  2 short bursts, rub the pads together and apply it smoothly to the surface.  Maybe allow the stylus to play through 1 time to remove excess residue and you're set.  

I would not feel comfortable about using anything on my LP is that I was expecting to be “removed by the cartridge after one or two plays”. Or similar words to that effect. There are certainly many other options that come before that seemingly dangerous one. Who wants the gunk on the stylist tip?

Furthermore static electric charge build up is most commonly associated with a dry, low humidity environment. So there may be something else going on in the environment to cause such a huge amount of static buildup.

I guess my point was that even if the 0P is successful at reducing the humidity from 60-65% ambient to 45% in his house, 45% humidity is not particularly low. Certainly not low enough to account for the massive problem with static electricity.

I have a Dual CS-5000 that causes records to amass static.  It has a grounded bearing/spindle but that doesn't seem to help.  I replaced the stock mat with a Herbie's Excellent mat and this helped some with the static, worked better with the sound.  A definite step up from the stock rubber mat which to me sucked the life out of the music.  I tried a cork mat and that didn't help either.  

So, I use a carbon fiber brush before and after play on each side and do a quick blast with a Zerostat after the second side is played.  The odd thing is that I don't notice as much static until I play the second side then lift it off to put it back in it's rice paper sleeve and I hear that crackle and of course any dust in the air immediately attacks the record before I can get it back in the sleeve. The Zerostat seemed to help with this phenomenon.  

Nick, do you, or does the OP, have a wool carpet underfoot?  Leather-soled shoes?  Very often, the static charge happens because of what the user brings up to the turntable (what he or she is standing on, what shoes he or she is wearing) during the changing of an LP. Like you, I'd use the zerostat way before I would use the Gruv Glide, based on chayro's description of how the stylus must clean it off an LP.

I do have a big Persian rug that everything sits on. I've got the Milty, anti static brushes, creams, ointments, if it's anti static I've bought it! Again, vinyl is dead when pulled from jacket. Upon playing record, it's an electrical storm.

Low humidity in Miami is oxymoron :)  I'll keep blasting the vinyl with the Milty before and after each play. Maybe a better ground will help?

I have wall to wall carpeting made of some kind of synthetic.  
The thing is, I have two turntables in the same room.  The Dual and a Bluenote Bellavista Signature and that produces no static at all.  Of course the platter is not aluminum like the Dual's.

@lewm 

Very often, the static charge happens because of what the user brings up to the turntable (what he or she is standing on, what shoes he or she is wearing) during the changing of an LP.

Exactly, barefoot is what the OP should try first. 

P.S. Antistatic Gun = Zerostat   

Yup, I couldn't get anymore barefoot than I am.

Now take off all your clothes.
i know it’s a bit awkward to do it for every LP.

@lewm always. And I do it backwards just in case

Sometimes it might be better to give less, rather than more information.

@lewm that was pretty funny.
People here are way too serious.

When I got back into vinyl a few years ago, I similar problems with a VPI aluminum platter and did an all on assult on the issue.  I grounded the cartridge to the phono preamp and grounded the platter to the 120VAC wall source but using ground cable made from 1/4in wide tin plated copper braid (source Amazon) within Titeflex housing (source Amazon), some crimped connectors and heat shrink and it looks and works as designed.  The platter needed to be grounded all the way back to the 120VAC wall source, grounding anywhere else did not work, and the resistance from platter to wall is less than 1.5 ohms.  The best mat I found was a piece of leather remnant from a craft store that was very thin, about 1mm. Used a precut mat for a template, and use skin side down, suede side up, the suede side is very dense that couples very close to record.  A similar leather maybe available from Amazon.  For cleaning I use an optical cleaner Leader Lense Cleaner that is safe for optical coatings that has a very small amount of an antistatic.  If you review the material safety data sheet, this cleaner has a small amount of an alkaline to buffer the di water, otherwise, di water will go acidic from absorption of air/CO2.  The butylcellusolve is weak water soluble hydrocarbon solvent for cleaning, and is common in many water based cleaners.

Aluminum is quite commonly used either alone or in concert with other metals to build turntable platters.  I would guess that the majority of platters have some aluminum in them.  Therefore, I am trying to figure out why some of you guys believe that the VPI aluminum platter is particularly prone to static electric build-up.  Moreover, isn't the static charge most often present at the interface between the mat and the LP itself? It is and always has been so at my house, in my system.

My discussion was not intended to imply that the aluminum platter was the cause, only as a pointbof reference.  I suspect that the very thin leather mat which can conduct el

Let me try this again, my discussion was not intended to imply that the aluminum platter was the cause, only a point of reference.  I suspect that the very thin leather mat that I am using can more easily conduct the static electricity produced to the platter which via the platter bearing is electrically drained to ground.  When I tried a thicker leather mat which had a thicker suede nap, even with the platter grounded, enough static developed to allow the record to lift the leather mat.

I'm running a VPI HW-19 MK IV.  I too had a static issue.  When humidity was low, upon removing a freshly played record from the platter static would discharge from the record to the cartridge.  My VPI has the Delrin, lead platter which is used with no mat to stick to record.  I grounded the bearing shaft to the lug on my preamp and the static issue disappeared.  I assume this is because static buildup is now draining from the LP to the spindle, to the bearing, to the bearing housing to the preamp.

@viridian  I have a huge Persian rug that everything is sitting on except chairs. It's either the rug or the system. I'm thinking start with smaller rug, then assess. 

Groove glide is working well. No more static!

Amazing.  Who would have thought?
It's nice not having to fight with static discharges and go through a ritual every time you put on a record, isn't it?

lol.  omg never heard of such a thing but things do happen

@chayro  yes it is wonderful! I don't see anything collecting on the stylus although I clean it regularly

I've seen several people get so hung up with analog that they stopped playing records because it's "too much trouble".  Plus they are always obsessing about alignment, VTA, etc, etc.  IMO, analog should be fun.  Yes, we should try to get an accurate alignment, turntable speed and take good care of our records. And I know that nobody likes smearing stuff on the records if they don't have to, including me.  But when static really becomes an issue to where it's making playing records not enjoyable, it's time to make some compromise and give in to something that helps the issue in a simple way, without static guns, magic stones, spraying down the house with fabric softener, humidifiers and god knows what else.  Just try to enjoy.  Really. 

@chayro  Listening to Willie Nelson's "To all the Girls" and it sounds amazing.Listening from the dining room table, no pops, no staticky crap. No insane electrical charge when I grab it off the table. It's a nice product. I don't notice any sound changes. Wow, Willie sounds so good!

I have experience with Groove Lube (Merrill Audio). For me, Although I felt it slightly improved the sonic presentation, I sold what I had left. Why? Because after all of the time/effort I put into cleaning my lps, I felt applying a product that does leave some residue (how much depends upon how liberal one is when applying) made little sense. Also the application method, a piece of foam, just introduces static again. 

US cleaning removes record static very well. The ongoing problem is that static builds while a record is playing. Has anyone tried the Arlo Audio Static Eliminator? This would seem to be an effective solution if it actually works without any damage to a cartridge.

I use a 5mm Achromat, yet still have static that builds up during play. I use a Destat III as well.

Oracle hard Acrylic platter mat, HRS 315 gram Record weight, zerostat or D’stat.

Slaw if you try the Arlo; let us know what you think. I Do Not have a static problem, Those who do, would like to know; Someone has to be the first.

I meant to add, I own the latest Audioquest brush and do not find I’m as enthusiastic about it as MF.

Another option, would be for DIYers or owners of tts that have sufficient clearance is to affix a brush similar to the AQ or a carbon fiber brush underneath your platter ( the ability to machine it in, recess it, is a plus), with a drain wire so static is constantly being drained away. This way, there is no battery involved.

The Groove Glide has taken care of the problem temporarily but I'm looking into fixing the problem with a different mat, better grounding, etc..

@knollbrent

If I may, I’ve noticed several of your posts here that could involve a lot of system changes. Expensive system changes. I’d recommend slowing down an then address room acoustics before going forward. It can be fun, but it will be beneficial in whatever direction you choose later.

Happy Listening!

@slaw  Great observation. I'll be taking care of room treatments soon. 

I purchased Reso-Mat by Trans-Fi Audio UK many years ago, to my great delight I have not had static issues ever since. What a wonderful product it is as it simply works in many ways. Grab a bargain and let your records breathe ...

See if you can get a electrometer, which measures static charge in coulombs or at least a gold-leaf electroscope, then use it to determine if the charge imbalance originated with the mat or the records.

From my practical experience I’d say static issues in vinyl playback are unavoidable. Vacuum cleaning is mandatory for 'previously owned’ records, but will add some new static build up in the process. The choice of mat can make some difference, but no matter if you use rubber, cork, leather, copper, acrylic or whatever, it will never completely go away. Carbon fiber brushes are standard procedure and should drain some of the charge. Zerostat is supposed to be more effective, but I’ve never had much success with it.

One aspect that hasn’t been mentioned is the contribution of the vinyl disc itself. For some reason that I can’t explain, heavy static charges are most common with vinyl records from the mid ’70’s and onwards. Could this be caused by their ’floppy’ nature (less vinyl = easier static build up)? It even seems to vary from one manufacturer to the next. German pressing on Deutsche Gramophone and Dutch Philips pressings come to mind for being particularly ’sticky’. Some Japanese pressings are also highly sensitive. But many new ’heavy vinyl’ pressings also suffer from it, which suggests that the vinyl formula may be as much an issue as light weight pressings.

In contrast, most vintage pressings from the fifties and sixties are almost immune to static. For instance, I’ve never encountered an original 50’s or early 60’s blue note pressing with even a trace of static build up. How can this be?

I'm currently using Gruvglide and zerostat. This combo works excellent.