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Best cheap record cleaning system?

I challenge all goners (I'm so proud of myself) I am using a spin wash (59.00) which actually bathes your records and runs them through brushes and then an audio advisor nitty gritty special (299.00) You have to spin it but it sucks all the moisture off the record. I am new to vinyl and am buying some of the nastiest used records you can imagine. They have all come out great after the treatment (except scratches of course). All the schmutz falls to the bottom and is isolated. I tested 750 dollar units locally and nothing comes close to actually immersing your records in this stuff and vacuuming it off. Spritsing something on doesn't work. Independently, neither really worked right. That's 359.00 total. Any other ideas?
sm2727
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
I would NEVER use a regular vacuum machine for sucking cleaner. I wash the record with the Groovmaster label protector in place and then rinse it. The vacuum machine is for extracting clean water. Try Audio Intelligent cleaning solutions and you'll never regret it. The enzymatic cleaner is very powerful and the 'soap' is a monomolecular agent.
sm2727 OP
112 posts
 
OK, OK so I spent too much....I'll try the hooker next time...
Thanks guys
dekay's avatar
dekay
2,959 posts
 
The spin wash makes sense as you want to flush away hard foreign particles before using a brush (which simply grinds the LP with any such particles present).

The "hooker" comment is a retake on a Henny Youngman joke (the original punchline was "Paint my house").

The Groovmaster, if they are still available, is a good addition to your method as you would not have to worry about wetting the labels (you could initially run a strong flow of warm tap water over them).
bondmanp
1,465 posts
 
Although I don't have the Spin Wash, I do have a cheaper alternative to the Nitty Gritty machine that works as well, but you need your own canaster vacuum. The KAB EV-1 is all manual, but works on the same principals as the Nitty Gritty: http://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/

It's a steal at $159. Been using it for several years to clean filthy, used LPs I get at shows and thrift stores with excellent results.

Would adding the Spin Wash produce even better results? Probably, but I am too cheap and lazy to bother.
seditious3
183 posts
 
Took a motor from a shop vacuum, an old turntable, and a nightstand. Took the arm assembly off of the turntable, screwed the turntable to the top of the nightstand, mounted the motor underneath, and have the hose coming through where the arm assembly used to be. Sold my Nitty Gritty.
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