Stylus cleaning: tools, fluids, techniques?

Record Research stylus cleaner will make an immediate audible improvement the first time you use it. You may benefit from cleaning as often as every one or two sides of LP play, this obviously dependant on the condition of the records.

The best way to clean a really dirty stylus is either a battery powered vibrating tool ( Audioquest made the one I own ), or the dense pile stylus brush made by the Last Company. Saturate the pile with the RR fluid and clean thoroughly. You may leave the vibrating tool in place and simply cue the stylus down onto the surface for a few seconds. To use the Last brush, go ONLY from rear to front with gentle strokes, or you will break the cantilever.

After the initial cleaning the brush provided in the Record Research bottle should be sufficient, unless you go too many plays before touch up.

Linn was, at one point in its history, all out for plastic backed microfinishing film (the green one made by 3M). I don't know the grit, but such pieces were being handed to participants at an 'oficial' Linn seminar. Mi piece did not have the grity number printed. How effective this is? Don't know...

They came all the way down from Scotland to the Caribbean just to teach a seminar--He he...beach time!!!

albert: thanks for the tip on record research stylus cleaner. i use their record cleaning solution in my vpi hp-17 and think it's the best i've ever tried. the ortofon eltro stylus cleaner i use is also a vibrating model, probably resembling your audioquest. i've had mine for probably 15 years, or more. must have used it on 4 or 5 cartridges during that time. -kelly

my local linn dealer gave me some of the green 3M paper or my first turntable purchase, as well - a rega tt. i've since purchased a linn, and he still says to only use the green paper to clean the stylus and nothing else, every two sides played or so. i live with cats and cat fur loves to gather on the stylus. (always that one strand that wraps around it) and the green stuff does a reat job.

I've never had any experience with cleaning fluids, but the vibrators definitely work. Just a few seconds seems to do the job. I use it in addition to the Benz supplied cleaning brush. If you get one, be sure to switch your preamp to another source component before turning the vibrator on.

Albert, thanks for the heads up on Record Research. I'll search out their products.