Saturday, August 6, 2016

Locating Replacement Record Player Needles

By Carol Williams


Many people enjoy listening to, and collecting vinyl records, and will use a turntable to play their music on. Compact disc, digital media players and streaming are now popular and buying replacement parts for a turntable is sometimes difficult. When trying to source replacement record player needles, there are a few places to locate a supplier, where you can buy a stylus.

A needle is an important part of your deck as it translates the music from the small grooves in the disc into the sound that is heard. Old and damaged needles will never produce quality audio and they will also cause serious damage to your collection of records. There are many types of needle and cartridge and it useful to find an established supplier before you make a purchase.

A good starting point when searching for your replacement needle is to go along to one of the professional audio dealers that are trading. These retailers will have knowledgeable staff that will assist you in finding styluses for new decks and older models. If they do not stock your type of needle, they will often be able to order for one from the factory.

Internet retailers are another great place to look at and there are a large number of web based suppliers to choose from. Before placing an online order, you should make a note of the serial number or manufacturer of your needle which makes it easier to search their stock. Buying online may also be more cost effective as a web retailer will usually have lower prices than store based retailers.

Internet auction sites are also worth checking out and many needles are often listed and open to the highest bids or offer. The web pages will have good quality photographs so that you can compare styluses and they will have a full description. Before placing any online bids, it is advisable to message the seller to ensure that the item you are looking at is going to be suitable.

If your record deck is a particularly old model, you may have no luck in finding a suitable needle and there are options. You can visit some nearly new stores to see if they have any old record players which you can strip for parts. It may also be worth speaking to a repair engineer to see if they can modify your turntable to accept a modern needle or cartridge.

Audio equipment manufacturers may also be in a position to supply you with a needle if they have one in stock. Most factories will have a stock of new, old and obsolete parts which are for sale. If they do not have your item in stock, they may be able to find one elsewhere or advise you on where to find one.

Styluses are extremely fragile and it is essential to protect them in the correct way. When you purchase a new stylus it should be kept in the box until you fit it to your record deck. Always keep your purchase receipts which will enable you to exchange or return a stylus if necessary.




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