Turntable advice

@nonamodnar There is a set screw (actually a hex) that one of the included VPI hex keys will fit. You can lower the lifter mechanism a little to gain the clearance you need.

I’ve taken the lifter mechanism out before and dissembled it to add more silcone grease because it was dropping way too fast.

The screw in question is in the photo below inline with the lifter body

 

I'm looking for a cheap method to clean some dirty old vinyls. I've read about using titebond II but it makes me a bit nervous. Does anyone here have experience with or advice for gluing records?

 

Using glue sounds new to me. Never tried it on records, but I can see the reasoning. Anytime I've glued pieces of wood together, any glue that dried on the surface was very easy to peel off. Maybe experiment on other surfaces first to see how comfortable you are with it.

 

I actually tried this once, a few years ago with a shit record. It does work, but I wouldn't waste time, and by time I mean a lot of time. Because it took forever. Your kitchen sink, some Dawn dish soap and a very soft cloth is the better way to go. Just be careful not to get the label very wet...

 

As odd as it sounds, wood glue to clean a record is a pretty tried and true method to clean a record. I'm fairly certain I first read about it on Chang - but google it, dozens of youtube vids, articles etc. Obviously test on a throwaway record until you get the process down, but I know budget do it yourself-ers have had great success with this method.

 

I saw the same thing. I tried it on a throwaway record too a while ago if I recall it did seem to clean the record. Everything I read before I tried it said it worked great.

That said what I remember vividly was..its kind of a pain in the ass and I was relatively nervous about it. Everything said practice on a few throwaway records until you get it down. Its a bit messy because its glue and you have to be mindful of how you spread it on the record. You have to put it on pretty thick because you cant have any thin spots or its a bitch to get off. Where this will probably get you on at the edges of the record, I left a couple thin spots on the inner part of the record, the runoff area and left a couple bits of glue that I needed to sort of scrape off. The idea is you want the dried sheet of glue to come all off in one piece. I think the standard to shoot for was 4 or 5 records per bottle of Titebond II IIRC and that should give a rough idea of how much to use. One you get the glue on and it appears to be of a satisfactory thickness you let the record sit a day or so, I think it was 8 hours they say but this varies for a number of reasons, so most people just say let it sit for a day. I think I let mine sit for 2 days, because I wanted to make extra sure the glue was dry.

Add to that fact that I was super nervous that somehow glue got left in the grooves somewhere and I have probably 3 crates full of records that need cleaning and it just didn't seem worth it to mess with anymore.

I don't know maybe it works great, maybe it has a niche place in ones cleaning arsenal for something thats maybe super dirty, but I think id rather spend 150ish bucks on that DIYish vacuum set up..it seems far easier and less time consuming. Not to mention it being relatively foolproof.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. The record I'm trying to clean is the Electric Ladyland I picked up this weekend. Was rated VG+ but it's super dirty and covered in greasy fingerprints. The place I bought it from, their ultrasonic cleaner is broken right now so they couldn't clean it for me. From the research I did it's a 1968 first pressing.

I think I'll try some cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth for now, I would wash in the sink but I don't want to risk the label.

 

Here's another possibility - looks like it should protect the labels:

http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2016/03/howto-vinyl-lp-cleaning-with-3m-bondo.html

 

Not mine, but for sale in a local Facebook group. Thought I'd share for the sheer novelty.

Album here: https://imgur.com/a/BqGikLN

 

Looked up a couple DIY videos and decided to try hand cleaning. I laid out a clean microfiber towel and set the record on top, then sprayed it down with a mix of distilled water, isopropyl alcohol and jet-dry. Then I used this brush to scrub the record. You can use light pressure and the grooves will guide the brush around the record. I then dried the record with a second microfiber cloth. This worked extremely well and the records now look brand new! I'll report back after they fully dry and I give them a listen.

Update:

This method worked wonders. Electric Ladyland was a hot mess of pops and noise. It now sounds just as good, if not better than my new-bought records. I admit, being a vinyl noob and not realizing just how bad a dirty record could sound, I was a bit disappointed with my purchase, but now I'm ecstatic and I cant wait to do some more crate digging to revive old dirty records!

 

I've cleaned many albums with PVA glue. Particularly, Aleene's Tacky Glue, from the craft section of WalMart. I lay the album on newspaper and, using the glue thinned with distilled water (save an empty bottle) to a thin syrup consistency, I make a "daisy" of glue over the surface. Then, with a thin cardboard or plastic spreader (thinner than a playing card) , I spread the glue over the playing surface, covering from lead in to lead out grooves. Let it dry until completely transparent. Then, I get the peel started with scotch tape. Might take a try or two, but it will peel. Pick up little missed spots of glue with the tape. This peel creates a big static charge, so I use a Zerostat, until the newspaper falls on its own accord. One side clean, so, flip it and do the other. The PVA seems to renew the vinyl as well as picking off ALL the dirt. It won't save a seriously damaged album, but it will clean off mold and dirt. In one case, I had a half speed mastered Nautilus Joni Mitchell disc I had nearly thrown away many times. One glue job and it sounded as good as new. My first course of cleaning is a Spinclean. I go to the glue as a last resort.
Try it on something you don't value highly, first. The method takes a little practice but it isn't rocket science. If you don't thin the glue, the application is too heavy and takes forever to dry.

 

My Mate Pete bought one of these - first listened to DSOTM the same night it was released, on this - it was a full moon and ther HG was excellent - we all lifted off.

 

A VPI Classic 1 has come up near me and it's the first one I've seen in a long time. Should I go for it? It's expensive but I can get some money back by selling my RP3 and some other stuff. Trying to justify the purchase..

 

At a certain price point it's never justified. Just need to decide whether it's a fair price for that particular item and if you are willing you to pay that.

 

It’s $2800. To put it into perspective a VPI Prime Scout is $3600 and a MOFI Ultradeck with MM cart is $2500. I have been after one for a while but it never came up. Just a lot of money to drop is all.

 

Now check out the price for a Kenwood KD 990 on Ebay.de even allowing for shipping - what is this obsession with VPI?

 

VPI Classics go on sale fairly regularly on Audiogon and other sites. Great tables. I've seen (and probably posted) some between $1500-2000. I'd wait for a better deal.

Local pickup is worth something, but not that much.

 

$2800.00 seems high though I have no tangible evidence to support that. I'm a believer in the SAMA configuration as opposed to plinth-mounted motors on VPI decks but that's just me. As a price comparison, I ordered an 'open box' VPI Prime from Soundstage Direct for $3k, after a month went by they sent me a $100.00 gift certificate and a brand new Prime. I'd keep an eye on the 'outlet' stores of Music Direct and Soundstage Direct, or just talk to Seth directly at SD and see what he can do. Also, sign up with the aggregator HIFi Shark, get new listings delivered to your email from many sites:

https://www.hifishark.com/

The Prime Scout is $2200.00, at least in the States, don't know where you're posting from.

Also, I'd consider a motor control a necessity for VPI with their notoriously cheap Hurst AC motor. It makes an immediately noticeable sonic difference. That I already owned an SDS is one of the motivating (among other) reasons I stuck with VPI. Lots of nice TT/arm combos, particularly on the used market, out there in the 3k range.

The Schiit deck may be available in a few months. (-: