Vinyl Records Repair - Grooves Reconstruction - Ultimate solution for scratched records
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ส.ค. 2013
- Contrary to popular belief, this explains how it is possible to repair damaged/scratched vinyl records, or at least greatly reduce the entity of the damage. I developed this method many years ago, it's quite intuitive indeed. To do this it's necessary to have a powerful magnification tool (this is a japanese 10x30 telescope with extra short focus. Google for "extra short focus" there's something very similar, otherwise can't say where to find one, but probably a jewelry magnifier works fine too), then a stick with a medium sized sewing needle firmly attached to it, two towels, a $3 USB gooseneck spotlight, lots of free time and firm hand.
This consists in removing obstructions from the grooves, caused by scratches or other matter stuck in it, and somehow re-carve the groove walls. Sometimes the result is near-to-miracle, other times may reduce a scratch from a skip to a pop, or a violent pop/crackle to a subtle glitch. But sometime may not work at all, it depends on how deep and tangential the scratch is, or how deeply debris particles were stuck.
Got a valuable record scratched? You can always buy a new copy... or this is your last chance: I ensure you it works, if done properly and carefully, you may save some bucks. I repeat: it may not be 100% effective, it requires lots of time, trial&error, patience and accuracy.
LPs are more difficult to repair than 12'' singles, because grooves are lots thinner thus more sensibles to scratches and debris. It takes lot more accuracy and time to repair, but it works the same.
WARNING: this is a destructive method. Yes, you ARE destroying the grooves, but the intervention is done only on a tiny section where the grooves ALREADY are destroyed, so hardly you can do worse. However, do this at your discretion, at last resort. Also this should be done after a proper cleaning/washing, makes easier to find the exact spots that are leading to skips or crackles.
NOTE: I'm not selling any service or whatever, this is an "how to", completely free knowledge. Be free to comment and share.
Music: Indian Ropeman's "Mission to the Moog Part 2", then "怀 (Huai)" by FM3. All rights to respective owners, used under "fair use" term.
Vinyl is "Pijatemi" by Akiro & Luca Effe on Tribal Italia TRIB 12 (1996) - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I’ve just ordered a microscope with a 7” lcd screen so I don’t have to look through a hole. I’m getting my tools ready. Thank you for giving me confidence to try this. I’ve only got one arm. Bang the gong, get it on.
Can you post a link to what you purchased and how did it work?
now that's what I call plastic surgery
Bammmm
Absolute perfection.
Lol
Awesome!! Fixed three albums last night using this method. However, I used a long shirt needle, the kind you find in dress shirt packaging, and a mixture of Dawn, distilled water and Tv screen cleaner. It's very painstaking but the rewards are immense. With very old albums, you can practically bring them back to their original beauty and sound. Also, playing the scratched part in reverse sometimes fixes it. :)
If a stylus carved the grooves due to excessive weight there's no recovering that. This technique is only for keeping the stylus on track and not skipping
to summarise the first three and half minutes - you're going to need a light, a magnifier, and a sharp pointy thing. Skp to 3:47 to see the actual repair start.
PutItAway101 I
PutItAway101 Thankyou. The whole thing was painful to watch.
I have tried with sewing needle and tooth pick, both with positive results. I have a lighted magnified glass on a bench I used to rebuild amps with next to my turntable. Works good find the location where the skip is in reference to the label and go from there. Never thought I would be able to mend these LP's. Thanks so much for the idea.
Thanks for your insight.As a vinyl lover I appreciate the way to help some of my hurt babies.Great vid!
0:02 And thus, techno was invented.
Amazing, exactly the same method I used many (too many) years ago to repair my vinyls (the only source of music back then). I had a toy microscope, an a needle tool from my chemistry set and developed the same method!!! I can tell you it works, turns skips and big pucks sounds into little ticks or nothing!!!
A lost art recovered!!! :)
Sir, what glue / polymer you used to cover / fill up the unwanted groove.
Oh my God! This gives even sure! Just take the two scratches of a rare LP and now I will restore all the others that I have here. How was the first time I did, it was with a little crack, but the needle can not jump more! That happiness !!!! Thank you so much!!!
This feels like watching a surgery, but for vinyl.
THEY DID SURGERY ON A VINYL!?!
Thanks Stefan
It'd called microsurgery
3:26 WHAT A TRIPPY SCENE!!! Dario Argento will approove it
Excellent tutorial, and comments as well. Because through on of the comment section, I just now cleaned a deep scratch from one of my vinyls with a toothpick. And it works just fine, and I'm very satisfied with the results, there's no skipping issues anymore. Keep up the good work:).
Jake, thanks for taking the time to share your discovery with us. Some of the negative comments are beyond my comprehension. At no charge you try to help and get blasted for it. Amazing. Good luck.
+Dave Rigney Agreed. Some people live to be dicks.
And Rigney?? That's from Offalay County, Ireland, right?? My best bud here in Ky, USA, is a Rigney. Not many in the States.
I managed to fix a groove-hopping scratch this morning that I thought was a lost cause... it was too hard to pull off under microscope so I freehanded it with a naked eye. Serious cannot believe it worked out so well! Saved a signed OOP 2xLP limited edition of Prehistoricisms, my favorite Intronaut album. Cheers!!
congratulations on succeeding at something i tried desperately to accomplish in days gone by.
Useful comment from DJGAOGAO which got stuck in spam 1 month ago:
"Personally, I use a toothpick with a peak very sharp (many years ago) ... The Grooves are less damaged than if you use a sewing needle."
Yes, i did use toothpicks to, it works quite ok.
JaKeAFC09 Hi JakeAFC09.When you say it will take a lot of time and patience, how much time (generally speaking) would you say it takes?
eternalhalloween1 anywhere from 10 minutes to 99 years
JaKeAFC09 OK. :) On a side note, I think it's nice that records come in different colors now. (Transparent, white, green, blue, red, and purple to name a few.)
+eternalhalloween1 Yes, but black vinyl contains more petroleum and sounds much better
+JaKeAFC09 How should sharpen the needle?
Good video - I have done this MANY MANY MANY times ! This is the first time I have seen your video - my concept is similar. What I did was make my own loupe - not sure what power it is but it brings the grooves into focus even more so than your magnifier. I made the loupe from a mini set of binoculars from the 60s (quality) which I found at a thrift store. Took the big lenses out - you put them together and instant magnifier. It's beautiful. The groove repair part - simply takes patience, steady hands and dedication.
If you don't feel good about using a metal tool - you can try bamboo skewers with the sharp point on the end. Can work well in some cases.
Make sure you have clean area to work on. I have had 100% success rate. If you have skip scratches and tons of hairlines that cause small crackles - then you can go the fine grit sandpaper route to get those off the top of the groove surface and then buff.. Many options shared online these days.. Good stuff man.
Thanks. The bamboo thing is a good idea, the steel needle is very aggressive on the surface. I heard that trick of sandpaper, supposedly someone use it to make old beaten records shiny again, bot i would never try this, as it is only a matter of appearance.
Used a 10$ 60x jewelery microscope, a needle and this tutorial to fix the Lowdown track on my 1$ bin "unplayable" Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees copy...
It's back to life, it used to skip at every spin and now plays through flawlessly, hardly a pop on the scratch !
If it wasn't for this video, I would never have tried... Thanks !
You must be a cholo hearing that song
Your "telescope" is actually referred to as a monocular. Based on your description it was probably manufactured by a Japanese company using Antares optics. The "microscope" attachment is called a micro-stand. As you have demonstrated, they will turn your monocular into a low power microscope. I have seen a few but I like the Walters Brand best. They can also be quite pricey. I used to do the needle trick without using any added optics back in the day. But now that my eyesight is not a good as it used to be, your method is definitely the way to go. Thanks.
Just fixed an LP with the toothpick and feeling like McGyver
It's a great feeling isn't it? I just need a magnifying glass like this.
It does work!
@John Smith did you try?
@John Smith it does work on minor scratches, so I'll never knock it.
@John Smith it has worked for me in the past, so I can't knock it. Major scratches are a different matter and if it's not a super rare disc, who gives a crap.....throw it away and buy another. I love that people come on youtube to share their positive experiences, not shit in my cornflakes.
Man I like the technique, I used to rub the grooves with my thumb when I was a teenager, but now since i've found your technique, I wished I could have done this as well for a lot of my mom's records. By the way, thank you for the music. Love it!!!!!!!
Hi, good on you for trying this, the record deserves the precision you are giving it. Thanks for sharing.
I am amazed that this works! Really interesting video, hats off!
I did this back in the late 60's when good music was worth a lot. It was like using Audicity to erase blips but back then! I used a cheap stylus microscope with a flashlight blub clamped to the side to give best lighting with the reflection off the record. The microscope is still available or any kids micro or USB micro should work. Science supply. 30 to 50x magnification. I used a "T" wire shaped pin that happened to have the sharpest end more so than anything from mom's sewing machine drawers. A piece of tape over the "T" is all the grip you want. Thumb and finger. A handle will transmit too much force and jitter! Cover the record with thin cardboard with a hole for the operation to rest whatever micro you use on.
Well yes, i've just reinvented the wheel after all, just applied plain logic. Also an usb microscope may work fine, but i think you need a powerful PC, as there may be a lot of latency in video feedback.
JaKeAFC09
I bought a USB microscope from Amazon (Celestron 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope Pro) but sent it back because it wasn't powerful enough. I bought a Walters 10x30 monocular and the microscope stand like your rig, and it works! Thanks for the video!
Dane Henas - MINOX makes a cheaper $100 + - 8x25 tele /MACRO scope that is excellent .
Yes, i did that in the 80´s with my vinils and those of my friends.
Great method
I have done this with an exacto knife razor blade for most LPs have narrower grooves. The 12 inch he used has a good gap between grooves. Cool video thanks for sharing!
Just did this to 2 of my records, fixing any skips. Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial, I was able to reduce the effects of a scratch on "Let It Be" *thumbs up.
Impressive part is there is no major use of new technology necessary.
This method could've worked decades ago.
Thanks for sharing.
;0)
Could've worked? DID work. I did this to a scratched 45 of mine back in 1985 and removed the skip. Didn't have the tools he does here, but I was still able to manage it.
Vinyl is back, so this will definitely continue working for years to come.
I've fixed scratch/skip in 78s before by applying the damaged area with candle wax. Then I would smooth it out with a sheet of paper towel (dry). I would then do a run through on my Victrola and presto... fixed. I also repaired a broken 78 and carefully and miraculously glued it together and filed in the cracks using the wax method.
Wow! I have been wondering if this was possible to do. Kudos to you.
Cool upload! I'm loving the dubby groves.
i thought i was the only one doing this, takes a lot of patience. I used to repair printing plates using needles and magnifier that's where I got the idea to fix a scratch on my Man Parrish Hip Hop BeBop 12", works like a charm.
I watched your video, and read through ALL of the comments. I've have gathered enough info to find all of the supplies I will need to move forward to the repair stage. Thank you for posting. I did hope that at some point in your video demonstration, you would've given some vocal explanations as to what type of tools you were using how you made them etc, but with a little reading of comments, I feel I can do this. I'm at the point, with my Beatles: what do I have to lose? It skips horribly anyway, so.....! I will definitely try this first on a crappy record though, for practice. Thanx again.
I'm so very very very impressed by this video and your methods! And btw, thank you for making me discover "Pijatemi" by Akiro & Luca Effe (frickin' groovy!) as well as the Indian Ropeman tracks.. Thank you again!
DJ meets CSI meets Surgeon... Great vid, will give it a go soon, thx.
Thanks for reminding me why I got rid of all my vinyl with that 20-second intro!
Thank You! I bought a re issue of of Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones and I played my favorite track on the album Rocks Off for the first time and my record player decided to scratch all through the song (apparently the record player I also bought that day wasn't fitted with a weight) I just tried this with a safety pin and a magnifying glass I got from a joke shop, but miraculously it now plays!! Thanks again!
This is amazing! I have an LP I need this done to. I could never do it myself though. It is very rare in any condition. Mine was defective a small speck of dust must have landed on the plate during pressing, causing it to skip over to the next groove. This happens right during track one. The original owner never played it again and thus the disc is absolutely MINT, besides that one misformed groove. To find another in this condition would cost me at least $2000 given current market values.
Nice set up. I have done this with nothing but a pin before but you can't remove heavy scuff marks or scratches that go deeper into the groove. If the scratch doesn't go to the bottom of the groove you only need to remove the burr. I have also used a heavy weighted stylus to remove burr. It can be done with a bit of patience but can also be made worse.
You, sir, are a badass.
Wooden toothpick. Works beautifully, and a *little* less risk of unintended damage.
***** Awesome!!
+Tim Birchard Thanks alot, i used a plastic toothpick on my Dizzy Mizz Lizzy vinyl that has a big nasty scratch in it and it worked!
Congrats!!
Yes sir!!!
De todos modos daña la aguja.
I use a round toothpick laid flat to rub out the scratches, following the grooves and making an arcing motion. Really reduces the clicks from most scratches I've taken records that are pretty scuffed up and rubbed the toothpick over the entire record with great results.
I did this with my McCartney album and vanilla fudge album, but with a toothpick. Now they are fixed and perfect. Thankyou!
+Corey Caldwell sure toothpicks works great for particles stuck in the grooves that even washing did not remove, much faster and hassle free than pins and microscopes. It may be able to fix scratches if their entity is limited and the possibility to do worse is possibly null.
a great trick i used when i use to mix is put a heavy coin on top of the head shell and play the record backward through the damage. it worked every time for me
I've done that. I used a jeweller’s magnifier and a sewing needle. The scratch was so deep that it left a brief drop out in the audio, but at least it stopped popping and skipping.
Good job man! Question. Can I use this same method to try and reduce the cue burns/static on a 45/7" record? I have some 45's that have static noises and when I see on the groove of the 45, I see a bunch of white lines on the surface of the record. I tried cleaning it with various record cleaning fluids but it doesn't go away.
Thanks!
No, cue burn is an incurable disease, I guess.
What an awesome video! I enjoyed every bit of it and will be adding a mini microscope to my vinyl maintenance kit! Thank you very much for posting this video - I've subbed your channel. Cheers - Luther
If anyone has a pair of cheap binoculars, the eye pieces can be taken off, usually with a screw, and you can get two high power magnification lens from that, but I guess we would also need the
"telescope" tube that you show.
great upload and brilliant result.
I have always managed to sort these small scratches that make the record jump by just running my nail along the scratch anti-clockwise until it's completely softened. For me this method worked about 95% of the time .
This is amazing! Im guna give it a shot on a record that has a scratch in it
What chemical or polymer can be used to cover /fill up the groove of record /disc to remove unwanted cracking sound ; please inform.
Dude this is freaking genius,I've always wondered if there was a way to fix scratches on my vinyl records and i think you have done it well done sir i tip my hat to you,now where the hell do i get one of those telescope lenses with a gap in for this groove reconstruction ? also what size needle should i use do you reckon will give the best results? oh i see some details now in the description my bad cheers for sharing this amazing technique peace.
I like the 70's vibe music, wise choice.
I’ve tried this...not easy and you need a very steady hand!
I have done this successfully as well using a cheap digital microscope bought off of Amazon and a needle, will try the toothpick Method
Thanks for posting I will have to try this next time I come across a lp that skips
Well done. Just wondering if "regular' sewing needles are the best choice. Might not one with a squared, or even triangulated tip be better than the usual rounded profile?
In theory maybe yes, a V shaped tool may be good, such a cutter blade. But i've never found a tool like that, and a cutter was too big to snug below the lens. Also very sharp edges may actually cut in deeper so would need much more precision, even 'round' needles aren't perfect so i usually roll them over until i find the side which fits best, i also used to sharp or smooth them using a whetstone.
I would not advise this if you intend selling unless its your personal collection. will this not effect the lifespan of the disc's play ability ?
Very good video!
You can use a kids USB powered microscope too:)
edit- Found this one ( link below) at a thrift store about 3 years ago without the base, just had the blue part with the camera. I found a driver online for my computer at the time running Windows XP. Not sure if you could use an older one of these with Windows 7 or Apple, but worth checking into first. I was amazed a what I could see with it. High detail of even one strand of fiber on my sofa, or a grain of sand. I'm sure you could build a jig to hold it for record inspection. Just place an automotive hose worm gear clamp around it with cable ties through the clamp, then cable tie it to a straight rod so the scope can slide laterally, then span between this rod between the center hole of the record and the outside of the record. Then you can rotate the record to the spot and slide the scope inward or outward until you locate it. You can change the magnification to further back to help center it, then increase magnification. I know this is all obvious stuff, but might help someone. This video is excellent by the way!
It's a mid-range telescope, probably on any optics\photography shop have one (like binucolar cut in half). The extremely cool thing with this tool is that it has an additional magnification lens that can be fit underneath. Plus this lens is transparent to allow illumination, and has two openings that allows to put the needle to operate. It's incredible, it seems it's made exactly for this purpose. Try Google for more info!
Great video. BTW it's a microscope you're using, not a telescope lol
What is the magnification power of the long lens you're using? This seems like a solid method, but the crucial component would be the ability to see the grooves that closely.
Well done, very thought through. Thanks for sharing
Great video, thanks for sharing.
How many times do you need a minimum increase in the optical device?
Que liquido es adecuado para limpiarlos donde consigo ese microscopio gracias
Thanks! Where can I buy that magnifier?
Very very interesting. Thank you for sharing.
Good work, good job, excellent !.
Thanks a lot. Best video about groove reconstruction I've seen so far! By the way, could you tell what music is playing in the background?
I call it the mute button
unreal! i used to mix electronic music and when my records skipped all i did was load a cheap needle cartridge - it was harder than my concords, right after it skipped i would hold the record, carefully but firmly push down on the needle and turn the record back while pressing the needle down. Then you let it go - let the record play pass the skipping spot, "rinse and repeat" a few times and it worked every fucking time. No need for fancy tools
TheSupatrader I hear ya, but you've got to admit this method is *much* sexier
Thanks you helped me fix a very expensive record that was scratched!
TheSupatrader I did the same using a Stanton 500, I think only dj cartridges can do this
Yeah that works too for cheap records but not for the expensive rare ones
Excellent idea mate .. nice one!
This microscope is extremely difficult to search for in store and internet (to get the right focus at a scratch as you have )... 8 x 20 Short Focus Monocular from Specwell - Price: £99.99 is affordable but would this Monocular with a microstand be suitable?
I found the best thing to do was to go to a charity shop and buy a couple of really cheap LP's to practice on - and when I say cheap, I mean REALLY cheap. Some stuff that the charity shop simply want to get rid of - they may even give them to you for a small donation. You only want two or three records to practice on. Heck .. you can even put your own scratches on if you want.
Regarding your method - I've been doing something similar for years now. Started back in the '70's when one of my LPs started jumping on one particular track. I used a microscope intended for examining the grain in a photograph - this was perfect for the job!
Btw, a record jumping can be caused by a scratch, but in some cases it can be caused by a tiny bit of dirt embedding itself in the groove. These bits of dirt have to be carefully dug out of the vinyl. Loads of patience and a steady hand are required!
Oh .. and gloriouspopeman tom is right. That 10 seconds was all that was needed. Vinyl enthusiasts are reasonably intelligent (or should I say remarkably intelligent) and don't need to be bottle-fed through every step of the way.
That microscope is amazing!
I think its called a jewellers microscope ??
I'm duly impressed! :)
I can make the neddle pen myself but yes I would also like to k ow where I could buy the same scope u were using. I repeated the video to see if I could make out the brand but I couldn't. Also did u make that plastic spacer??? Plz respond!
Browse past comments, there also links some others found.
Nice job! Is it possible to fix a scrapping like sound along the groove of a record? It's at the start of the track and likely caused by cueing up a track using a turntable with damaged stylus. (track does not skip by the way).
that's looks like "cue-burn". The only cure for that would be to get a fresh copy. This method works for very small sections, like skips or loud pops.
I have had some luck pushing the tip of a tooth pick through some major skips without using magnification, HOWEVER, I did order a USB magnifier and going to try this.
I tried searching for a mini telescope microscope but with no luck or results similar to what you have. What's the brand/who makes yours?
i HAVE DONE THIS A FEW TIMES WORKS VERY WELL
ITS A GOOD IDEA TO BEND THE TIP OF THE PIN OR NEEDLE
SO YOU CAN GET THE TIP INTO THE GROOVE BETTER THOU
what glue or wax you used to fill up the unwanted groove please mention?
fabulous job !
Brand reads "anthares". But there if you you can use google you can find immediately something: try with "telescope microscope" and switch to image search results.
That takes more than time and patience. It takes a steady hand as well.
can u fix a big gouge or is it better to just toss the vynal
Cool tune in the background. It sounds like a sample from "Miles Beyond" by Mahavishnu Orchestra.
How do i find that magnying glass setup? Ive looked and looked but couldnt find anything similar
@JaKeAFC09 - Looks like I'm discovering your video 8 years later. If you read this, can you please tell me if a "japanese 10x30 telescope with extra short focus" is the same as a "monocular"? I'm having trouble finding the product you are using. Seems as if it's discontinued.
Wonderfull!!! And if you could tell me the name of this microscope would be great. any mark, name, prints or stamped in logo?
As i already said several times, no useful info on it. It's a japanese 10x30 telescope with extra short focus. Google for "extra short focus" you can find something very similar.
that is some dedication!
Very Good video, I have another curiosity: what´s the name of the "funky song" you play in the first 25 seconds ? and the name of the LP? ...Great Music !!
Well, that was pretty interesting. I could imagine doing the carving with a stylus. Record on the turntable...stylus only for use for this kind of op., and turning the record back and forth by hand..and I guess putting a specific amount of weight on the end of the turntable arm.
Which method is better the toothpick one or the sewing addle as I also have a couple a scratches on my record on both sides, and it does crackle bit and the needle on the record player it does skip on the two sides, please advise thank you.
The toothpick is the lighter approach, hardly it can dig into the vinyl. Use a bamboo one, the're much more stiff and sharp. If that does not work, steel is the way.
Hello, Thank you so much for your help I appreciate that, but wouldn't bamboo wreck the record or steel?
Bamboo is softer than steel.
I did similar with a cherished lp yrs ago using a magnifier and a small hobbyist screwdriver that worked I washed the record it was good as new
Jake, I gotta ask: What is that background music? I personally think its great!!! Would love to get a copy..? Who does it and what's it called? Great video! Will search ebay like crazy now for that microscope and a LED on goose-neck..[been meaning to get one for ages!]
Groovy, man!
Hi my friend!
Tube how many times zoom?
Thanks jake.afc for this video really interesting and suggestive but I'm afraid I'll have to skip this procedure...it takes calm and coolness