What's the 911 on re-tips?

BTW... If you have a "real deal" and you don't want the price to spike with too much interest, please PM me.

I think you meant "what's the four-one-one".....

Ha, HA... you're right.

It’s been so long since I used a regular phone I forgot. Is 411 still a thing?

Maybe I should have said..." Hey Siri"

You won't be able to buy a "world class" (read "very expensive") cartridge for pennies on the dollar.  You'll probably pay 60-70% of retail, unless the cartridge is very much a vintage model.  In which case, the condition of the suspension is a concern beyond the condition of the stylus and cantilever.  There is a reduced cost lunch but no free lunch.

Depends on how anal you want to be about the retip. For instance, most cartridge manufacturers want you to sent the cartridge to them for repair and they are expensive. But if you have someone else retip and try to sell the cartridge later, chances are resale value will drop.

Deals? I like listings with broken cantilevers or missing styli, and I have sent a few of these (including ones I broke myself) to Steve Leung of VAS Audio. Steve is an incredible EE with pinpoint expertise and materials for proper quality retips at reasonable prices. 

+1 for Steve Leung at VAS.  Sent my old Koetsu Black to him which he repaired and re-tipped.  Couple hundred bucks, not totally cheap but reasonable considering the skill of the micro surgery required.  It's sounding outstanding, perhaps as good as it's ever been, so very happy with the service.

Not sure what your price range is but I'd figure you'd be out at least a grand including re-tip for something of higher quality, so not chump change.  VAS also sells modified versions of the Denon 103 for great bang for buck.  But getting your hands on a broken Koetsu or Lyra or similar class I don't think is all that cheap.

611 is phone repair for Verizon and some Canadian land-lines ... not to be confused with 611 Steakhouse, of course

@lokie - have you tried looking for damaged cartridges to see what’s available yet?

I have done exactly this a few times lately, with great results, also using and highly recommending Steve Leung and his son Ray at VAS. Happily for me, they are only 35 minutes from my house and we have become friends.

I don’t do big money cartridges, but the process/results/savings/fun is the same for my level of spending.

See one, first send link to Steve: can you rebuild this? He answers right away: Yes, or stay away from that model. I don’t waste any more of his time, That’s all I want to know to pounce or forget it; knowing his price later will be fair, and importantly, his turn around time significantly shorter than other highly recommended sources.

Plenty of time to look every day, I’m retired, buy used, take risks, so far quite lucky. Two deals didn’t work out, got all my money back. I use my credit card with best protection to fund Paypal for double protection. That helps me take risks. Don’t send money, get an invoice for goods, then pay, even offer to pay the PayPal sellers fee for the increasing number of ’PayPal reluctant’ sellers.

Watching, Waiting, Check with Steve, jumping on a good deal is part 1.

I take the long view: Get great deal/Rebuild Now/Wait till I wear something else out

Make Offer, Pay asking price, you already know what they go for.

yesterday: received AT33PTG MONO MC with missing tip from Yahoo Japan/Aleado. Make an aleado account, transfer enough money in your account, bid/lose/win. Cheap to start, then add shipping in japan to aleado (they verify it is what seller said it was), bank transfer fee, aleado fee, EMS air to USA: $68. total.

I will have Steve put an advanced stylus (probably new aluminum cantilever too). For modern Mono LPs. Existing Grado MONO Elliptical for older mono lps.

recently: got great deal on Shure 97xe NOS, (dropped my prior one behind the bookcase in my office). My favorite MM Elliptical with Damped Brush. Took it to friend’s house to show him how well Shure’s damped brush plays his seriously warped lps. One of us snapped the cantilever before the 1st play.

Oh well, I had Steve put an advanced stylus on it. Most important to me is retaining the damped brush for warped lps. btw, Jico told me their brush for my Shure V15VxMR SAS on Boron is NOT damped.

About to receive AT14s MM body, no stylus. reverb: $65. delivered. Checking hifishark every morning for ATN14, shibata on boron, they pop up occasionally. If not, I will buy inexpensive removable elliptical that fits and have Steve change it to advanced stylus. I know I like that cartridge, I just jumped on a separate body and separate ATN14 shibata stylus when they showed up simultaneously. My friend listened, bought it from me. I knew he would buy it, otherwise I would have kept it.

Having Steve and Ray in my back pocket, I recently took a risk on a used Sumiko Talisman S, Van den Hul on sapphire tube cantilever. Seller had someone with a Shure Microscope verify stylus worn, estimated additional 500 hrs till retip needed. My new favorite cartridge.

All these beat the heck out of full price, and in the case of the 97xe, result is better than NOS elliptical, ONLY possible via rebuild. Fun too.

If spending money and time to buy and restore mediocre broken cartridges floats your boat, there is an instructional manual for you.

@Elliotbnewcombjr,

How do you use “finish”;in your home brew? Thanks DaveH

Some carts cost the same for a new stylus as a whole new complete rig.

Quite a deal-steal. All new or only some new.

lewm,

cost seems to define ’mediocre’ for you and many. I defend my ’mediocre’ choices.

there is nothing mediocre about using Shure’s damped brush when needed for warped lps.

"Agreed. The brush was one of the prime reasons the cartridge could handle the original stamping of the Telarc 1812 at 1 gram, with no trace of mistracking, in some arms.".

Several new ’superior’ 180g lps arrived warped. Out of my own and inherited, I have many with desirable content and slight warps. The brush can also help with slightly off-center lp’s otherwise unplayable. If the most esoteric cartridge cannot play them, that’s far below mediocre. You could even break a very costly cantilever without the damped brush’s protection.

ONLY by retrofit,

I’ve now got an advanced stylus with damped brush you cannot buy new (unless you find a NOS V15Vxmr with it’s micro-ridge on beryllium). My ’mediocre frankenstein’ fits both my V15Vxmr and 97xe bodies. I’ve also got the Jico, non damped brush with SAS on boron that fits either body. Brush up or brush down as needed.

AT33 MONO comes new with conical. I'm gonna end up with a MC Mono with advanced tip for new mono lps. That combo: ONLY BY RETROFIT.

there is nothing mediocre about lightly tracking at 1.0g; 1.25g; 1.5g rather than 2.0g or higher. The Shure’s and Audio Technica’s I choose do that. Less wear to both stylus tip and grooves, yielding longer stylus life.

there is nothing mediocre about stiffer cantilevers like boron, sapphire tube, beryllium and the results.

there is nothing mediocre about wide channel separation and tight channel balance, specs that improve with price in all lines. I find them at mediocre prices.

an intelligent combo of signal strength and coil impedance that works with a SUT’s x-factor and that resultant impedance, into a wonderful sounding MM tube phono stage like my mx110z produces trouble free, hum free results far beyond mediocre

combine those attributes with proven motor systems from Shure, Audio Technica, Sumico, oh yeah.

I’ve heard a lot of expensive cartridges in showrooms (and past audio shows) (when I worked in NYC for 46 years) thru expensive equipment, I haven’t been inspired beyond what I have. Thus I always say: ’not better, preferred’.

friends, including 3 new ones I met thru audiogon, like their own and like my very revealing system. I have marks for alternate toe-in for 1/2/3 listeners, and of course put visitors in the center and single listener toe-in. IOW, ’friendly’ rather than a nailed down single listener setup. In addition my 3 tonearm setup enables instant cartridge comparisons, they bring their favorite cartridges here and we get to hear the favorite/familiar lps they bring, as well as some of mine they have heard here before, very enjoyable. (gotta pre-figure volume knob positioning first to be fair). We hear subtle differences.

Friends wanting to buy something new research, listen in showrooms, get ready to spend ’big money’, then listen here, hmm, that ’mediocre’ cartridge sounds better/preferred to what I just heard at .......

of course we are hearing the combo of table/arm/sut/tube preamp/tube amp/interconnects/spkr cables/speakers and horns/15". already familiar with that, cartridge differences can be heard.

Remind me to look for a used/broken adcom crosscoil, Jim’s sounded excellent here. (his has new cantilever/tip by Steve at VAS).

I love mediocre prices for terrific sounding results.

bigwave 1

Dave,

’finish’? Am I missing some humor? a joke because I often think/say "I’m Done"?

I never thought I would have as many cartridges as I do. Problem is, I do research and keep my eye out for friends, and if they don’t jump on a new listing rare opportunity, next morning, someone else might ...., I can’t help myself: SOLD.

............................

A friend is wanting a tube preamp, but afraid to buy outside of usa. I’ve done Russia, Ukraine, Canada, places I forget.

I just bought a filthy dirty McIntosh mx110z tube preamp like mine with Spanish Moss hanging off the rear corner. Seller had the nerve to call it ’very good’. $968. incl delivery from Spain and NJ tax.

I’ll get the dirt off, detox it, then visit my photo friend in Vestal, NY, drop it off at Audio Classics for full checkup and all new gold plated rca jacks. Friend picks it up, I get it next visit.

When fixed, any friend can buy it, or I’ll sell it. They are selling for a whole lot more than I paid for mine. Some of those decks are more corroded and/or rust than this one.

The least expensive one is very clean and has the wood case, someone should jump on it. $2,800, free shipping, make offer.

...........................................

Same friend wanted a McIntosh Amp with Big Meters. I couldn’t help myself, knowing I have Steve and Ray at VAS, I took a chance on this mc2002 with problem (?) for $681. delivered.

Later seller said he is including factory new faceplate still in OEM box, and he thinks the problem is only a short in a lamp circuit that blows the fuse.

Time will tell. My guess, Steve will want to buy it after he fixes it. What a collection of toys he has.

I was not sure of the best place to post this, so moderators, please move to the most appropriate location. 

I sent my Soundsmith Aida ll cart to VAS (Steve Leung) for a retip, and got it back a few days ago. I don’t remember exactly what tip/cantilever the cart originally had, but I had the cantilever replaced with boron, line contact. 
 

I’ve been listening for 4 or 5 days now, and the difference is shocking. Quieter, more resolution - delicate without being too tame. I just can’t get enough of it, it sounds so great!
 

 I had originally planned to send it back to Soundsmith, but I had read bad reviews about their turnaround possibly taking a very long time. With VAS/Steve, I had it back in 4 weeks. 
 

So, I cannot recommend VAS enough. It has been a wonderful experience, all around. 
 

To discover a comment having a negative context about any Service Provider, where the comment is limited to turnaround time only for their Service Offered is not a bad thing, it is a condition that comes with the Service and is not an unfamiliar info when SS are being referenced.

A Turnaround Time that has a difference in lead time from alternative Service Providers does not in any way suggest the alternative option is a a better technical service provider.

Myself, being an advocate of Cartridge Renovation that extends to, Intensive Cleaning occurring at approx' 50% of the Cart's typical usage life period, Styli Replacements, Cantilever Replacements, through to a Complete Rebuild for a Cart', has lead me to keeping my ear to the ground and finding the places I will feel confident in having access to to provide a Service.

Using Services in the UK is for myself a no no, too much 'off forum' info readily available to substantiate that decision.

Mainland Europe has a few very very attractive Service Suppliers to meet my needs.

Australia also has Service Suppliers attractive for my own needs.

Russia has a Service Supplier who is very much admired by myself for their Skills and in creating confidence, is Parity with a Mainland Europe Service Supplier as an attraction for a Service Supplier.

USA has a few Services that are attractive to myself.

I have a shortlist of Far East Service Suppliers, who work on Cart's from all Brands, but info on their workmanship is not readily found.  

As stated, I keep my ear to the ground, this as an approach can speedily cast a long shadow over a service provider, leaving concerning questions, when info about their practices or their fundamental lack of knowledge about Cartridges they take on for a Customer is learned.

Very recently, I was informed very reliably about a Service Provider taking on Ortofon Cartridges, and being quite sure in their suggestion there is not a FSE to be found in Cart's from Ortofon, being an advocate of Ortofon Cartridges this is not very encouraging and one less Service Provider is on the Shortlist  .

A Service Provider also made the claim to a prospective Customer the Ortofon Range of Kontrapunkt Cart's have an additional fee attached to the costing for the Inspection of a Cart', as the removal of the Cart's Skirt Sides on the K' range is very awkward. This when queried via another Service Provider quite familiar with the K' range, has made it known the accessing the inner pf the Cart', to be a task that is able to be carried out in a very short time period.                                                Over thinking ways to massage a quote to an increased fee comes to my mind, I would prefer to avoid this type of Service Provider, than end up with a Whiffy Smell of BS being part of the sales spiel used to Quote for the Service. 

I also know of Cart's returned to the Customer and the Cantilever is immediately noticed for being quite wrong, with the the Cart' Body witnessed resting on the LP. There is nothing that can be good about this as the outcome of a paid for Service. Especially when assessed with the other risks that are unavoidable. The initial sending of the Cart' and return delivery, is for many Customers between 3000 miles - 10000 miles and this is doubled when discoveries as the above or similar are made.

From my end, having a Valued Cart' Globe Trotting for such extensive miles, at the mercy of a Postal Service, especially when full monies are already paid out for the Gamble of Losing the Item and the Service Providers Costs. This from my perspective makes a Service Provider who does this type of work quite unattractive. Others might find this not so concerning if the end story works out fine. 

Then there are the discoveries made by one Service Provider who has received a Cart' with work undertaken by another Service Provider at an earlier time.

My preferred Mainland Europe Service Provider returns the Cart' to the owner, a Cart' that has been witnessed to have been worked on by another Service. Even as little as retip is a reject and will not be worked on.

Then there is the well documented made discovery, where a Cart' once sent to a Service Provider for a Cantilever Stylus replacement, was at a later date found to have a Solid Non Ferrous Metal used as a Splicing Material to connect the extension to the Cantilever Pipe. Time served individuals who work with Cartridges were very vociferous in their condemnation of such a methodology for a Cantilever repair. 

As stated, I am an advocate of keeping a Cart' in a condition that allows it to be used for many many years after it has been Superseded as a model, I am choosy about who is keeping the Cart' in the condition that allows it to have an optimal function. 

The risk of the Cart' being sent off / returned by the Postal Service and the Luck that is needed, becomes an evaluation of risk for each individual to accept, the harder the acceptance is to embrace, will most likely be dependent on what Value is being attached to the Cart' being let go off.

After my experience with Andy Kim’s Needle Clinic https://phonocartridgeretipping.com/

I no longer have any concerns about retipping. Retipped my Cardas Myrtle cartridge with two-day turn-around time.