To guard stylus or not?

Dear @cakids :  +1: :

The stylus guard could be only if you have kids that like to " play " down there or pets.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I leave the guard off always, unless installing or removing a cartridge.

Right. Even a really intelligently designed stylus guard like Soundsmith uses the fact is you get that close you don't have to be all that big a spaz to do some real damage. I keep mine handy and mount it any time I think the risk of a something catching it by accident is greater than the risk of botching it with the stylus guard.

Also keep a strip of Scotch tape handy. Usually when the stylus guard goes on the next thing is to secure the arm in the arm rest with the tape.

cakids, you are the very first person I have ever heard of that uses a stylus guard between sessions. 

If you can lock the armwand then no need for stylus guard (imo)

On my Lyra, I always utilize the stylus guard between listening sessions. I am VERY pleased that the Lyra’s feature this design.
Admittedly not a good idea to remove or put on the guard if you are drunk or otherwise impaired, lol. So, like all things analog, a steady hand is a must, and carelessness does NOT get rewarded. 

Always install my stylus guards after playing music, too many things going on in my house to leave to chance, cat, dog, 7 year old, me and cleaning lady. Have a Grace F9 OCL stylus coming for my back up cart upstairs and have already built a stylus protector for it as it does not come with one. Awoke  one night after playing music wondering if I had put the stylus guard on my Dynavector XV1s, rushed downstairs to discover I had not, installed it and went back to bed where I slept like a baby. Enjoy the music

I say not. I can't even find one for the installed cart. The other 3 are covered.
Flux busted it without. 
Of course if I had a strain guage I'd revisit that thought.

I never realized audiophiles were so anal retentive. 

ZYX has the worst stylus guard - hard to get on and off.  So don't use.  Might use if it was designed properly.

No stylus guard unless turntable maintenance is required and / or there’s a cartridge change.

My favorite cartridge, which I run 90% of the time in my main system, is a ZYX Universe and I have never had an issue with installing the stylus guard on it.

Hi,
anal retentive for expensive cartridges?
I have destroyed a Clearaudio Delta S and that did hurt.
ZYX guard is awkward but use it when cleaning the table.

YES!!

The Linn Krystal guard is very nice, it fits from the front on, rather from underneath and up. That said, I tend to use the lid on my LP12 which solves the entire issue I guess.