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
Over here records are played only to record onto reel to reel tape. The LP's are played wet with isopropyl alcohol using a 1/2" wide flat brush to distribute the alcohol. The alcohol seems to lubricate the stylus while eliminating all but the most egregious of hurdles in the groove. Be certain to not apply too much alcohol toward the outside edge of the LP as that can be a mighty mess. A custom machined brass record clamp is used as well. This 'ritual' is tedious and is not being recommended but the result is a CD-quiet very high-quality copy of an LP.

Cody
Well, I gave in and tried StyLast. While the stuff works really well I will continue to play records wet using a 33/66% soultion of GlassPlus and isopropyl alchohol. While the StyLast did indeed dramatically reduce surface noise it did NOT yield the CD-quiet results of my special home-made magic brew.

Alright, ixnay on the GlasPlus. The pigment in the cleaner accumulates in the groove which will prevent the record from playing 'cleanly' dry. Back to the straight isopropyl alcohol. Sigh.

Don't try this at home - I am a professional?

Cody Grayland
Anybody experience their cleaning fluid getting moldy? I have to clean out my VPI every so often, I don't want to put the mold onto records. I have the gallon jug on the floor beside the VPI.