Have you ever broken the needle?

Herman, it could be worse, especially when it's deliberate damage.

Have you ever seen a cat sitting in the middle of the platter of a Versa Dynamics turntable, chewing away the "fine as hair" tone arm wires and pressure hose?

My son remarked. "Gee, I didn't know kitty could fly."

(Well, the turntable part IS true.)

bozo: you used pliers on a phono cartridge? guess your screen name is appropriate. -cfb

Hey Cornfedboy, that's just plane uncalled for! He already punished himself. Some of you guys are meaner than I am.

I gotta say I have mounted hundreds of cartridges(truth!) and never broke a single one! And I shake like an old junkie. I was the TT set up guy at several High end stores, I always recomended that the customer not watch, it made them very uncomfortable to say the least. I thought it was fun to see them sweat! Bet that make's ya feel better bozo.

By the way Cornfedboy what to you sugest he use, a monkey wrench? I didn't say a word about your screen name.

Much like Albert, one of our cats had taken up mountain climbing, and was perched high on an adjoining precipice (shelf). Apparently, he suddenly realized mountain-climbing is not yet an olympic sport and decided to switch to the vault. Or he became mesmerized by the spinning label (perhaps it translates to "Paul is dead" in cat-speak) and decided to go in for a closer look. In any event, one leap, and he stuck the landing perfectly on top of the platter/album ... perhaps a 9.7 for artistic impression (amazingly did not damage the album), but he lost points for technical merit, as the force of his landing broke the cantilever.

On the bright side, add a high-torque motor and a little super glue on the paws and you have the "Kitty-clamp" organic, all-natural record clamp ... anyone interested in one?

Well, I really used a jack hammer then hit it good with a crow bar!!! Sticks and stones..........Childs play!!!!
Thanks to almost everyone. I have to laugh at myself, what a goof.