stylus question

There may be gunk you could not easily clean off on the stylus. if it is mistracking too, then I would say clean it better. If it sounds like it is floating around and the sound comes and goes some. then i say it is 'stuck on' dirt.

If the sound is scratchy and consistent but really terrible, then you may have a broken diamond.

the diamond shank can pick up crap which is like concrete... really. Cleaning it off can be hard to do sometimes. Use the Mr Clean Magic eraser.

Clean the stylus good with Magic Eraser as Elizabeth suggests. If that does not help, check all setup and alignment guides again, make sure your VTF, VTA are correct, etc. If the problem persists, then it is possible that your stylus and/or suspension is shot and the cartridge may need to be re-built.

I second Jmcgrogan's suggestion. I've rehabbed over a dozen "broken" or "worn out" cartridges just by cleaning the stylus properly. The Magic Eraser is the best method for 90% of such cases I've found since I first wrote about it on this forum. In rare cases, stuck-on gunk needs more vigorous cleaning. A sliver of ultra-fine sandpaper will remove most anything that the ME won't.

By all means check your setup, but clean the stylus thoroughly first. Shine a light through the stylus and look at it with a magnifier. If the diamond is anything but brilliantly clear, it needs cleaning.