revitalizing rubber in record player cartridges and 45 adaptors.

[classiccaprice]

I finally got my 1962 Philco stereo console working, thanks to some help from some very good friends. However, I've got a couple of random questions to see if anyone knows.

Anyone know anyway to revitalize hard rubber in a needle cartridge of the record player? Just wondering. It has good volume, but the rubber is so hard that there is more static than their should be.

Also, who knows anything about 45 adaptors? I can't get mine to retract to drop a record. I've opened it up and it looks like it should work, but I put it on the player and it doesn't. Any ideas?

Before anyone suggests, I can't join audiokarma to ask. They will not accept my yahoo account and I don't have another email address I can use.

 

[qsd-dan]

Anyone know anyway to revitalize hard rubber in a needle car

Are you talking about the cantilever suspension? I think a cartridge replacement is the only option if this is the case.

 

[classiccaprice]

Yes, your right, the cantilever suspension. I was thinking that too, I just was hoping that it were fixable.

 

[tolivac]

I can go along with qsd-dan:but when you try to purchase a replacement cartridge try to get a NEW stock one-if its an old one sitting in the store or shop stock its rubber cantilever supports would have hardened and gone out tor is the stylus assembly in the cartridge replaceable?if so try a NEW stylus assembly and see if that works better.If not than you will need to replace the whole cartridge.I have an old surplus military record player that is suffering the same problem.Just haven't gotten around to trying to order a cartridge for it.

 

[sudsmaster]

Have never tried this, and will not assume responsibility if it goes horribly wrong, but automotive brake fluid has been known to be used to soften rubber.

Probably a tiny drop would do it. Be careful not to use too much or spill it; brake fluid is corrosive to paint and finishes and who knows what else.

 

[panthera]

One of the nice things about the internet

is that you can get an email address in two shakes of a tail feather.

Mind my asking why you can't get another one? Be happy to help if it is only a technical problem.

Oh, and, no, I don't think you can revitalize the teeny-tiny piece of rubber at the very back of the cartridge, holding the other side of the piezo-electric rods. Best look for a new, new one. Thanks to the Chinese, not as hard as 10 years ago.

 

[panthera]

Question:

Is that a VM Trio-o-Matic?

Give us a clear picture of the turntable and the adapter, I might have an idea.

 

[fonografmaniac]

I have that issue too with a 1977 Truetone portable automatic mono record player. It looks like the GE portables except it his a 2-speed BSR changer. Also another issue I face is the some of my record players eats the grooves of polystyrene 45s and leave a lot of dandruff. Adjusting the weight don't always help either.

 

[dnastrau]

Glycerine

I have heard that straight liquid glycerine (that you can buy at drug stores - not the soap!) rejuvinates dry rubber very well. It is supposd to work better than brake fluid and it won't hurt paint finishes either.

Andrew S.

 

[whirlcool]

Cartridges and styli for these type of units are not very expensive. Look and see if your tonearm has a 1/2" two screw mount. If it does you have a whole world of cartridges to choose from. Just take out the original cartridge and look and see what make/model it is. Almost anything you replace it with will be better than the original. I have seen LOTS of cartridges for these record players for under $10.00!

 

[classiccaprice]

It is a voice of music turntable. Forgive my lack of knowledge in the terminology, however the portion that is hard as a brick is the "U" that holds the tip of the stylus needle. It's current cartridge is an EV148 and I'm looking into a replacement for the Philco K1721. My only issue is that the needle is brand new, but can't be returned, so I was hoping to get a cartridge that used the same needle. I also was hoping that their was some way to salvage the original so I wouldn't have to spend the cash. I've attached a link to an identical model turntable on ebay (the only difference is mine is black) .

Also, anyone know anything about he cylindrical 45 adaptors? I can't figure out why it won't drop a 45. It looks like everything is there on the inside and the "wings" move freely, they just won't drop like a 33 will.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[qsd-dan]

Also, anyone know anything about he cylindrical 45 adaptors?

I haven't used one of those since 1986 ( I was into and running audio equipment at age 3). I faintly remember that mine was finicky about what position it was in for it to work. Try fully removing and installing the adapter in different positions.

 

[classiccaprice]

$53.95?

Anyone know a cheaper place to get one of these?

ELECTRO VOICE 148 Ceramic Phonograph Pickup Cartridge

www.turntableneedles.com

 

[qsd-dan]

Needle/stylus replacement.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[whirlcool]

I would ask the seller if the rubber on the cantilever is still flexible, but for $4.90 you can't go wrong! That replacement stylus certainly looks NOS.

 

[panthera]

VM

Used a few 45 adapter designs, but the most common at that time was a whomping big, heavy cylinder. The first inch or so rotates with the turntable to prevent wear and drag on the record.

If this is what you have, you will find an arrow on it at the very top. For some reason, that arrow must point to the back of the turntable, not to the control arms or to the front or to the speed selector switch or anything you'd expect.

You can't twist it to fit on "right" once it's on, it has to be put on correctly.

The balance arm also has to be on top of the stack of 45's, as you may have noticed, by this point, these VM turntables had a setting on the balance arm which permitted a "play to end of record, park tonearm in rest, do not turn off". This setting is with the balance arm all the way to the right, as far as it will go.

Hope this helps. There are other adaptors they used, including one which looks alot like the one BSR (was there ever a bigger piece of trash? I mean, the Brits at this time were making Collaro and Gerrard and a million other outstanding turntales, then this junk - it kept VM alive for at least another 10 years) used about that time - sort of like a flat, cheap piece of dark plastic with a keyed hole at the bottom. In all cases, the adaptor has to be put on just right and just right is not clearly defined.

 

[classiccaprice]

Thanks Kevin, I'll play around with the 45 adaptor after work.

Thanks for the needle Dan, but I guess I need a full cartridge. I purchased a new needle a few months back, before I knew the cartridge was shot. Oh well.

 

[sudsmaster]

Tale of two cartridges

The cartridge that came with my Magnavox console (Micromatic) had a broken support (rubber) and it had little bass response. So I searched the internet a couple of years ago and found the closest replacement cartridge and needle. Now, this cartridge has too MUCH bass. I have to turn the bass way down and the treble way up.

I figure that hardened rubber components would result in less bass and more treble... is that a correct assumption?

Or would it be the other way round?

 

[davek]

Sudsmaster, you're right. As something becomes stiffer, its resonance frequency goes up and its compliance goes down. This would result in decreased bass. The resistance to movement (reduced compliance) causes more wear on records, too. Vinyl is soft and isn't resistant enough to that kind of wear.

Two other compelling reasons to replace needles are sound and wear. A worn needle is jagged instead of smooth and causes more wear. They also are apt to cause that "clipped" sound both by wearing the records faster and tracking the wrong spot in the groove. Old consoles have high tracking force, so be sure you're using as good a needle as possible.

If you want your records to last, the best thing is to use a turntable with a Shure cartridge. They'll sound better, and tracking at 1 gram preserves the vinyl.