needle problem

Most obvious is possibility that track force is too high. Do you know how to check it?

If that's not set too high, always possible the suspension of the cartridge has failed. It would help if you provided more info.

I immediately suspected the suspension had failed, but it could be a tracking force issue...

Tracking force you can fix, suspension... well, you're in trouble...

Is it possible that the cantilever is bent? Did you drop the arm onto a record?

How does it sound when you play an LP?

O

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how would I be able to tell if it was a tracking force issue? (as opposed from a suspension one ..)

You'll need a tracking force gauge, some are inexpensive (like the shure) or digital ones are in the hundreds. Weight should be in most cases between 1.5 and 2 grams.
If the suspension is broken, Cart. could be rebuilt if it's MC. What is the cartridge and how old is it?

I am not sure from your description if either the front or back has dropped down, or whether both have, but another cause could be that the VTA (vertical tracking angle) has shifted. It could be that the VTA adjustment, if there is one, could have slipped, letting the back of the cartridge down. Also, regarding the tracking force, some tonearms have a graduated VTF (vertical tracking force) scale on the counterweight on the opposite end of your tonearm. If you can adjust it, you might try reducing the VTF slightly to see how it affects cartridge height and how LP's are tracked. Is the needle now skipping and has the sound changed since you noticed the changes in cartridge height?