[78-L] styluses

[David Lennick]

Could be too small a tip, could be too large a tip....I've had excellent 
results on difficult discs with a 2.0 mil truncated elliptical stylus, and 
recently I borrowed a 4.0 mil elliptical stylus to try on some problematic mid 
30s Deccas and was agog at the results.

Don't think I've seen "agog" used the entire time I've been on 78-L.

dl

Steven C. Barr wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Francesco Martinelli" <francesco.martinelli at gmail.com>
>> Following the experts' recommendation on this list I have purchased an
>> ellyptical stylus for a vintage shure (as recommended by DL): SC35C + 
>> SS78E.
>> It's now mounted in the Dual 1219 I got very cheap and spent a fortune
>> having restored, cleaned, oiled, provided of new power supply and
>> strengthened in the plynth. With 78's from the 40s - for example the plum
>> RCA Victor of the Turkish series I am collecting - the results are superb,
>> and people cannot actually believe that the sound is coming from a 78.
>> However, there are acoustic records on the local Orfeon/Odeon label that I
>> cannot get a sound of with that, or the Ortfon cartridge I have. I do not
>> know exactly the origin of the cutting machine the Blumenthal bros. were
>> using before 1920 in Istanbul, but since they were distributing german
>> labels I think it would be something german.
>> Any recommendation about the best way of extracting sound from these
>> thoughies?
>>
> Or, to be correct...STYLI!!
> 
> Generally, when a record produces NO sound...the stylus is MUCH too
> small for the groove width! I run across this a LOT on Grey Gull-pressed
> records. Steel needles would produce sound regardless of conflicts
> between stylus size and groove width...modern needles/styli (especially
> the LATTER!!) are not NEARLY as forgiving...! Grooves on 78rpm
> phonorecords are NOMINALLY 3 mil (.003") wide...but in the early
> days of 78 pressing, nobody measured this...!!
> 
> If the groove width is closer to .010" (possible!!), the needle/stylus can
> "sail" down the middle of the groove without following the lateral
> variations...net result is NO sound output...!!
> 
> ...stevenc