Major props to Vinyl Storage Solutions. I live in Alaska and I get my orders from him quicker than any other retailer. I hope that the company continues putting out quality product now that Mike has retired.
Cool video. I learned a lot. I highly recommend getting an Ultrasonic cleaner. They are easy and clean better than anything else. I bought a $90 6L unit on eBay, a bottle of Tergikleen $30, and a record turning mechanism (a bracket with a spindle, motor and a set of plastic discs to protect your labels and serve as spacers between the records) for $180, so for a total of $300 U.S. I cleaned 4000 records and I haven't used the whole bottle of surfactant yet. You would be amazed if you saw the amount of paper dust that comes out of the grooves. These were records that looked clean but the particles are microscopic, generally from the paper sleeves that most records came in over the years. The difference in the sound is striking and it made me realize I had been dragging my stylus through so much crap for years. I replaced all my sleeves with poly lined so that the records wouldn't get cruddy again. It reduces the wear on your grooves and increases the value of the records. I won't play any record now until it has been Ultrasonically cleaned, even brand new albums. I demonstrated the difference before and after to a friend and he started bringing his records over to clean once he saw the gunk that came out of records he thought were clean. It's an eye (and ear) opener. Check it out.
For the "small center hole" problem, a considerably cheaper solution exist. Just get a box or even a single wooden yellow No. 2 lead pencil. (The kind you used in school if you are old enough). This pencil is perfect for fixing LPs with undersized center holes.
@@Cimone90 I figured that might be true, but I bought a box of 8 of these No. 2 pencils just recently, because some of my LPs have a tight center hole and this pencil works great.
i use the skinny side of a pair of scissors. slide the scissor into the hole and stop the second you meet resistance-do NOT apply any force. one or two rotations and it's good to go
a lot of these products seem neat in s "gee whiz!" kind of way, but I find that solutions are simpler than you might think. I have multiple sclerosis and so have a lot of alcohol swabs around, and they work great for cleaning records while they're spinning on a turntable (they get rid of static too). Give it a second to air dry before you play the record (and that really is all it takes -- a second or two) and you're off to the races. as far as enlarging the spindle hole goes, I've only had to do that once or twice, but I found that gently scraping the edges with a very sharp knife (I use a scalpel, but I know that not everyone has access to scalpels) solves the problem.
Can really vouch for the vinyl reamer, not much like it on the market and does the job perfectly. Tad pricey by time it's shipped out of Canada but you make your money back on it through those handful of times a year you need it. Plus people need to realise there's more than just English in the world and thats coming from an Englishman 😂
I've got an original DiscWasher Zerostat gun that I bought in the 70's, and it's still working like a champ. From what I understand, aside from the mechanism physically breaking, they'll last practically forever.
Mine quit working in less than 6 months, probably because I was using it a lot when cleaning batches of albums, and didn't use enough patience on the trigger releasing it slowly? I'm going to move on to the Furutech Destat III.
@@pnichols6500 its hard to tell. I have had three zerostats; the first two crapped out after a couple years; this last one has lasted since the mid 80's
@@davidwatts3048 Interesting, I had one (Red) in the late 70's/early 80's and as I recall it lasted a few years. If you go to Amazon and look these up, you get a lot of the Chinese made industrial units that require an air supply to move the ion stream, they are fairly inexpensive and I'm tempted to set one up where I have my record cleaning machine and cleaning supplies! Convincing the wife I'm not insane is an obstacle ....
Great vid - I use the zerostat and the groove washer kit too and can also say that they’re great. I don’t use a record weight, but instead use a clamp which of course locks onto the spindle rather than adding additional weight. To clean records initially I use a Pro-ject VC-S2 (which I know is expensive, but it does the job). But… will always dry clean before the wet clean!!
I still have my brush that I got when I was working at Radio Shack back in the 80's. It's still in awesome shape. Thanks for the look at all the nice toys.
frank you are man of knowledge love this video you just shot especially the anti static 3 milty gun . i was just mesmerised by its intake and what it does .in remove dust and particles from your vinyl records.
Love your channel! I bought the reamer based on your video. In 45 years of record collecting this is THE best anti-frustration record accessory in my vinyl toolkit. I have an old Thorens turntable and while it reproduces music beautifully, I often had to “bend” and wiggle (sometimes forcibly) NEW vinyl off the platter to remove or switch sides. No more!
The Vinyl Storage Solutions products are very nice. I'm in the midst of "conserving" a 45 year collection of discs, and I'm using their products (the tuck-in flap style). So far, it's working GREAT! Aside from the trip down memory lane, it's good to see these old discs finally getting the care they need! HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED!
Just ordered the Stable 33.33 record reamer. Thanks for that! Also, just got my second shipment of Vinyl Storage Solutions. It gets no better than VSS products for storage.
Good video Frank and good products. Juuust seems like the transfer spindle might, just might be a bit of snake oil! 😬 If I need to out my lp down I just set it on the inner sleeve, which I use MoFi for those, for the few seconds I need to. Just fyi, I’ve been buying lp’s since the early ‘70s. I stumbled on your channel about a year and half ago and thoroughly enjoy it. No bs, just enjoyable content.
I own a vintage Discwasher we bought at estate sale for $1.00 U.S. it still has the bottle for the cleaner (it was empty) and the mini brush for the needle. Box & all, it's the only brush I use.
When you play an album after cleaning it with the spin clean, if you hear a lot of surface noise, does the zerostat clean it up pretty well or do you still hear the noise? I had one of those guns many years ago and it was red. Unfortunately it wore out and I would squeeze it super slow but it would still click.
@paulmalbeuf9213 if static is the issue yeah it cleaned it up some times it need a second go around in spin clean just depends on the album . Over i have had good results
I think Discwasher make an anti static gun first in the 80's. It was red. In any event, I still have my Nagaoka Kilavolt from the 80's. Never had a need to use the Zerostat.
Discewasher was the US distributor. Made by Milty. Red was not the original color- even older ones were white. I do have my red Zerostat from the 80’s- continues to perform admirably. Probably bought it between 1985-1987.
As a fan of both the OG DiscWasher and the new Groove Washer, it's my understanding that the OG DiscWasher used a "biased" felt covering. The felt was made so that the fibers were angled in a specific direction, and this was the reason that the OG DiscWasher had an arrow on one end. Its purpose was to "dig into" the grooves to lift any particles out of the grooves of the LP. On the Groove Washer brush, no arrow is present. Under my digital microscope, it's not a problem to compare the two. Regarding the platter weight in the video, I use an Audio-Technica AT618a Disc Stabilizer. It works well with my turntable (a Fluance RT-85). It improves the stability of my LP, and it helps to maintain its rotational speed. My observations, entirely.
Never knew you weren't supposed to hear the ZAPs from the anti-static guns. Thanks, even though I haven't played a record since 2003, and I'm old enough to remember sections of authentic Discwasher accessories in B&M stores.
Hey Frank, still using my Discwasher record brush and stylus cleaner from the 80’s. A classic for sure. I have a record weight, the carbon fiber anti static brush and a spin clean that I use to clean records. All great stuff. In the process of clearing space in my basement to dedicate to record cleaning. So I can keep my bar clear for entertaining or hanging out while listening to records. The best for last, I love Vinyl Storage solutions inner sleeves and the dual pocket, resealable flap sleeves. Game changers for taking care of my collection. Great stuff.
My favorite accessory is one of my "solutions to a problem" tools. I found it originally in one of the dollar stores. Its called "Fuzzy Wuzzy" which was meant for cleaning blinds. But is just the right size to clean 45s. Its literally like a 3 pronged bbq picker upper tool. So you get 2 cleaning surfaces. Cleaned hundreds of 45s with my home brew with this tool. Definitely a tool for thinking outside the box. Its the perfect size for a 45, so dont expect it to work on anything bigger then seven inches. I got 3 old Dishwasher brushes, i think. Might've gave them away to friends. The one kept falling apart due to how wet it got. Nothing a hot glue gun wouldn't fix.
I have the reamer from 33.33 and it works great, I use it much more than I thought I would ever needed to...unfortunately, lol. I know some use a drill bit, pens, whatever, but I'm always concerned with expanding the spindle hole to an oblong shape rather than circle, this thing is quick, simple and a no brainer. I also have the record roller, I use it on the cork mat on my VPI 16.5 RCM to keep it clean of debris :)
That little platter is a great idea. I’ve been trying to find something like that but I want one that actually spins. For taking to record shows to spin a record on to check for warps. Sometimes a record looks nice and straight but once ya get it home and spin it lo and behold it has a warp I didn’t see. Be great to have a small platter that spins I could just keep in my pocket or backpack.
Thanks for the video, I went and splurged on a bunch of GrooveWashers gear based on your recommendation. Arrived today and I’m impressed with the quality of the product already! Cheers, and please do more videos like this!
The 'Origin Live Cartridge Enabler' is a great little package that helps to remove unwanted low-frequencies (think of it as vibration damping for the cartridge itself), giving the sound more space in the mix and better timing. I don't know about other currencies, but it's only around £25. Once it's fitted it can also help to straighten stylus azimuth.
Great video Frank! I have the original Discwasher, as well as a kit that I bought from ebay years ago. The kit came with the Zerostat, a Discwasher, a stylus brush as well as cleaning fluids. I use the Vinyl Storage Solutions sleeves thanks to you. They're awesome 👌 Keep on spinning Frank 👍
Frank, great video. I do have the blue gummy roller, and it works great. I have a few albums that are tight on the spindle, so I will have to check out that cutter. The antistatic gun is a great idea. Thanks for your channel and all your tips and advice. Much appreciated.
Hi Frank -really love your accessories shows and bought the moon gel damper pads after watching one. Really want the Milty Zerostat gun..but its really expensive.. so on my birthday shopping list !! Keep on spinnin !!
Great video. I use a small stylus brush before playing each album which is quite handy. One warning, I used a gel stylus cleaner for about 6 months and noticed a noticeable decrease in sound quality. It took my audio repair shop about an hour to clean all the build up off my stylus. Then everything was back to normal.
I bought a Thorens TD316 turntable in the 80's and also bought a Nagaoka record clamp that I'm still using almost 40 years later. i think it cost $10 back then. It's made of delrin with three spring steel arms that have silicone rubber pads at the ends of the arms. You place it on the record push down and tighten the collet by twisting. It weighs next to nothing and has worked flawlessly all these years - very good design
I was pleasantly surprised with the noticeable difference a record weight made with some of my records. I felt like an idiot buying one, but I'm happy I did.
frank, learned about VSS from you, i tried some of their products and really fell in love with them, Im slowly replacing my outer sleeves with the one you showed. Also been awhile since sherri as been around, hope to see her i always enjoy the banter back and forth. kudos from North Carolina, brian
record weights are passive and mostly serve to cause wear on the main bearing. a clamp is more functional and can be nearly weightless in comparison. they also can reduce the effect of mild warps. the SOTA Reflex Clamp is costly but quite effective physically. the Michell and Pangea Clamps are very affordable and easy to find. ...hifitommy
100% of VSS, by far the best outer covers, and now they do the 3mm rice paper inners which are better than the mofi’s. Amazing stuff. Very interesting video, will check out the other stuff.
DiscWasher also changed their brushes. I bought a DiscWasher brush when they were fairly new to the market, then, maybe 10 years later, when they came with theirD3 or D4 cleaning fluid, I bought another one. Each vintage of brush used a different kind of brush material. The DiscWasher brand is now sold under RCA. Any kind of a disc cleaning hand -held product which uses a brush will create static-electricity. You really need to use a ZeroStat gun.
Hey Frank, love the channel! I too have the Groovewasher brush and cleaner, best I've tried. I cut cross hatch grooves on each side of the wood handle. Better grip now....kinda slippery otherwise, and I have had it slip and fall onto the record. DM me if ya want pics!
I found another used for my Zerostat gun. When i turn on or off my turntable i would here a popping or crackling sound through my speakers so i cleaned the contacts on my on and off switch but that didn't work. So i took my Zerostat gun and put it over the center spindle of my turntable and press the trigger on my Zerostat gun and solved the problem no more popping or crackling.
I have an 1980 disk wash kit with yep a zero stat and I love it. So I have two separate stereo systems one in my living room one in my family room and both have turntables. Well I appreciate your input on accessories and will be making some purchases 😢 that always means spending cash 💵 play with the big boys pay like a big boy right 😅
I have the milty anti static gun and there’s a reason it works so well, it’s used by the trades and not some gimmick specifically designed for the records. I also have a roller that lifts lint, paper, and dust from the surface of records. They are about the only two solutions I use before spinning. One day I’ll buy an ultra sonic cleaner (when I have a top cartridge) but that day is many years away. Until now, I’m terms of cleaning my records, that’s all I do.
I just had a Milty crap out on me in less than a year, to be fair I have a RCM and was doing a lot of cleaning/anti static gun use. I think it was lack of discipline on the handle release part. That was the second one I have had ( first was decades ago). I sprang for the Destat III, and feel that it's superior to the Milty and hopefully this will last for some years.
Have some goods from vinyl solutions from the piece U did awhile ago. I bought the hard maple brush to remove dust, etc and the deal of the humidity little inner sleeve dots Out first in my original vinyl lps then my most expensive collector ones like the 9 LP Grateful Dead live 5/9/77 at the The Aud here in Buffalo 🦬; the day after Cornell Barton Hall considered the #1 show of all time amongst Deadhead's!!
Cool stuff as usual, Frank. Now you got me looking for record weights! Man. Can't afford to NOT listen to Landry after the whole Fosi PreAmp recommend. Hope your Sunday's a rocker, bud! 😁
My record weight is my dumbell spinlock collar with the Rubber removed and my 45 adapter fits right in the slot.200 gramms. To make it heavier I put on another collar with the smooth side with blu tack.
Nobody mentioned a carbon fiber brush. I use mine every time I play an LP. I have a Zerostat. Once you buy it, you're good for life-- mine still works 35 years later (it's by Discwasher).
74 year old speaking now. Back in the day (1960's) we used the Parostatik Disk Preener. Best product then, but virtually impossible to find a good one now. Lost mine during one of my may moves and really regret it!
The Discwasher° DiscKit (Discwasher handle, Zerostat, a tightly packed and mown camel hair brush for sytlus, eventually, with carbon fibre brush entering the market place), was my favorite,🤗 but the D4 fluid left residue on my MFSL LPs🤔
Explains alot wish vinylstoragesolutions would do a trifold outer sleeve seems like no one is doing one and now Mike is no longer the owner I doubt one will ever get made or produce
I used to use a click igniter from a dead cigarette lighter to remove the static from a vinyl record. It worked ok but it I invariably gave myself a little shock in the process.
For me it was the GrooveWasher. I’ve used other handheld cleaners before but IMO nothing works as well as the G2 fluid. I use it on every record I buy.
I find a gold covered polonium is the best for anti-static when the zero-stat gun doesn't do it but I use them for weighing small amounts of chemicals so I don't know about records. The guns usually go bad quickly because everyone thinks it's funny to zap people with them.
Using lots off supporting tools. Cant do without an RCA old style brush and a gun yes. That side table is new to me, interesting thing. I also found that using a turntable matt makes a difference e.g. cork or one from a Japanese tree. For me plays nicer than the old rubber matt. Also I use a digital scale to measure the weight of the stylus to the record regularly since the weight at the end of the tonearm may move ... O .. and just use a notebook to mark the play count. So, in time, you know when to replace your stylus. A microscope also helps there off course to inspect the stylus from up close. Another thing is to keep a few heavy glass plates ready to unwarp a record in the oven. Cheers, Ray
Good suggestions! What i really need is the level my turntable! Just recently moved and my entire setup has changed. Also picked up a Planar 3 and the feet are not adjustable. When I put the level on it...DAMN! Its WAY off. Furniture is on carpet. :-(
Good stuff.....although the Transit Platter is hilarious....a device to use while your getting ready to put a record on your turntable😂😂😂😂 Good for that company....if you can make money with that pricey device...go for it...but to me that just seems ridiculous....although you can put an album on it and go to the fridge and grab a beer and then head to the Turntable🤔
They’re actually way more useful than you’d think… made a comment how one could 3D print a transit platter from freely available files (thing-i-verse cough cough)but it seemingly was deleted… price is crazy but device has a place…
@@polypetalous I guess I don't get it...I take out an album...take the vinyl out of the sleeve...place on the turntable and then move the arm on my Rega over to the first track and voila....music. Maybe I need to Google the company site and get a better explanation.....
Great video Frank, slowly switching out all my record inner / outer sleeves with products from vinyl storage solutions, there products are amazing. Also received the stable 33.3 reamer as a gift and it works great, a product most people don’t know about. As for the groove washer cleaning kit, is there any point in picking one up if you already have a spin clean?
I've had a Rega turntable for a while now Best turntable I've ever had when I got rid my old one I kept the rubber plater it's been on my rega now I have found its much better than the felt ones Love to know anyone's views on this good or bad is welcomed
Whatever happened to moving coil phono cartridge demagnetizers? If you had such a cartridge with a removable headshell, you would remove the cartridge/headshell and plug the headshell pins into a device for several seconds and press a button.. It would demagnetize the cartridge. Huge gains in sense of space and openness and sweetness of the sound. Don't know if they worked with moving magnet cartridges. They weren't that expensive. Upgrading a phono cartridge to get that amount of improvement would have cost more than the device, in all probability. I forgot how often you had to do that. Not often, I remember. I used the Zerostat for other uses than just de-staticing records; but some don't recommend doing what I would always do. I never ran into a problem ever. The best footers under turntables or any component seems to be footers made of Mpingo wood. Wood sounds better than metal (cones), and Mpingo footers can be over a pound each in weight.The lighter ones are not nearly as effective. Mpingo wood comes from Africa and is nearing endangered status. It has the best resonance properties of any wood. How do you enlarge record holes with a #2 pencil? Some of these people must think you can read their minds; then there are the abbreviators who must run in the same family, as those that don't explain themselves
Weights will wear out the center bearing more rapidly so Rega has a valid point. Their glass platters ring like a bell so you'll need more than felt to damp it out. The Funk Firm Achromat works remarkably well.
Thanks for the video. Would be interested if you could test the RPM with the free app (imaginatively called “RPM”) with and without the record weight to see if it affects the speed.
Hi Frank. Another great video. I have the original Discwasher kit (with the Zerostat, record brush and stylus brush) I managed to find at a yard sale. Everything was in very nice shape. I have a concern with the gel roller cleaner. It reminds me of the Onzo Zerodust stylus cleaner. I used this for a couple years, then saw the video suggesting it could be bad for styluses (or styli) so I went back to the Discwasher stylus brush. So I have to wonder if it could gunk up my records and get onto the stylus. What do you think?
Hey Frank, what does a typical Record Weight weigh? I've been using a small "tire balancer" weight. Btw, I won the center hole reamer from Channel 33RPM over a year ago, and it's been a game changer.
I think I could lose everything but my Hudson Hi-Fi weight and the record brush. I was gifted the brush in a set, but every time I see the extra little bristles in the Groove washer brush I wonder if I shouldn't just tuck my other, non-descript brush away.
What was the total game changer for? My entire collection was my ultrasonic cleaner! I have a whole video on my channel explaining my entire set up as well as the solution! It makes old records, new and new records better! In my system, you can do seven at a time.
Hi there I haven’t had a chance to rewatch the video but can you tell me I think you did recommend a tool to get rid of static on records? Do you have a link to it the one that you recommended?
Major props to Vinyl Storage Solutions. I live in Alaska and I get my orders from him quicker than any other retailer. I hope that the company continues putting out quality product now that Mike has retired.
Cool video. I learned a lot. I highly recommend getting an Ultrasonic cleaner. They are easy and clean better than anything else. I bought a $90 6L unit on eBay, a bottle of Tergikleen $30, and a record turning mechanism (a bracket with a spindle, motor and a set of plastic discs to protect your labels and serve as spacers between the records) for $180, so for a total of $300 U.S. I cleaned 4000 records and I haven't used the whole bottle of surfactant yet. You would be amazed if you saw the amount of paper dust that comes out of the grooves. These were records that looked clean but the particles are microscopic, generally from the paper sleeves that most records came in over the years. The difference in the sound is striking and it made me realize I had been dragging my stylus through so much crap for years. I replaced all my sleeves with poly lined so that the records wouldn't get cruddy again. It reduces the wear on your grooves and increases the value of the records. I won't play any record now until it has been Ultrasonically cleaned, even brand new albums. I demonstrated the difference before and after to a friend and he started bringing his records over to clean once he saw the gunk that came out of records he thought were clean. It's an eye (and ear) opener. Check it out.
For the "small center hole" problem, a considerably cheaper solution exist. Just get a box or even a single wooden yellow No. 2 lead pencil. (The kind you used in school if you are old enough). This pencil is perfect for fixing LPs with undersized center holes.
Do they not use pencils in school anymore? Lol
@@Cimone90
I figured that might be true, but I bought a box of 8 of these No. 2 pencils just recently, because some of my LPs have a tight center hole and this pencil works great.
i use the skinny side of a pair of scissors. slide the scissor into the hole and stop the second you meet resistance-do NOT apply any force. one or two rotations and it's good to go
a lot of these products seem neat in s "gee whiz!" kind of way, but I find that solutions are simpler than you might think. I have multiple sclerosis and so have a lot of alcohol swabs around, and they work great for cleaning records while they're spinning on a turntable (they get rid of static too). Give it a second to air dry before you play the record (and that really is all it takes -- a second or two) and you're off to the races. as far as enlarging the spindle hole goes, I've only had to do that once or twice, but I found that gently scraping the edges with a very sharp knife (I use a scalpel, but I know that not everyone has access to scalpels) solves the problem.
Can really vouch for the vinyl reamer, not much like it on the market and does the job perfectly. Tad pricey by time it's shipped out of Canada but you make your money back on it through those handful of times a year you need it. Plus people need to realise there's more than just English in the world and thats coming from an Englishman 😂
I agree.
I've got an original DiscWasher Zerostat gun that I bought in the 70's, and it's still working like a champ. From what I understand, aside from the mechanism physically breaking, they'll last practically forever.
Mine quit working in less than 6 months, probably because I was using it a lot when cleaning batches of albums, and didn't use enough patience on the trigger releasing it slowly?
I'm going to move on to the Furutech Destat III.
@@pnichols6500 its hard to tell. I have had three zerostats; the first two crapped out after a couple years; this last one has lasted since the mid 80's
@@davidwatts3048 Interesting, I had one (Red) in the late 70's/early 80's and as I recall it lasted a few years.
If you go to Amazon and look these up, you get a lot of the Chinese made industrial units that require an air supply to move the ion stream, they are fairly inexpensive and I'm tempted to set one up where I have my record cleaning machine and cleaning supplies! Convincing the wife I'm not insane is an obstacle ....
Great vid - I use the zerostat and the groove washer kit too and can also say that they’re great. I don’t use a record weight, but instead use a clamp which of course locks onto the spindle rather than adding additional weight. To clean records initially I use a Pro-ject VC-S2 (which I know is expensive, but it does the job). But… will always dry clean before the wet clean!!
Thank you for supporting small businesses! Respect
I still have my brush that I got when I was working at Radio Shack back in the 80's. It's still in awesome shape. Thanks for the look at all the nice toys.
frank you are man of knowledge love this video you just shot especially the anti static 3 milty gun . i was just mesmerised by its intake and what it does .in remove dust and particles from your vinyl records.
Love your channel! I bought the reamer based on your video. In 45 years of record collecting this is THE best anti-frustration record accessory in my vinyl toolkit. I have an old Thorens turntable and while it reproduces music beautifully, I often had to “bend” and wiggle (sometimes forcibly) NEW vinyl off the platter to remove or switch sides. No more!
Thanks Earl. Glad you found value in the video.
Frank
The Vinyl Storage Solutions products are very nice. I'm in the midst of "conserving" a 45 year collection of discs, and I'm using their products (the tuck-in flap style). So far, it's working GREAT! Aside from the trip down memory lane, it's good to see these old discs finally getting the care they need! HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED!
Just ordered the Stable 33.33 record reamer. Thanks for that! Also, just got my second shipment of Vinyl Storage Solutions. It gets no better than VSS products for storage.
Good video Frank and good products. Juuust seems like the transfer spindle might, just might be a bit of snake oil! 😬 If I need to out my lp down I just set it on the inner sleeve, which I use MoFi for those, for the few seconds I need to.
Just fyi, I’ve been buying lp’s since the early ‘70s. I stumbled on your channel about a year and half ago and thoroughly enjoy it. No bs, just enjoyable content.
I own a vintage Discwasher we bought at estate sale for $1.00 U.S. it still has the bottle for the cleaner (it was empty) and the mini brush for the needle. Box & all, it's the only brush I use.
Hi Frank, for me, the spin clean and the zero stat gun were huge improvements to the dry brush i started with . Thanks for sharing
When you play an album after cleaning it with the spin clean, if you hear a lot of surface noise, does the zerostat clean it up pretty well or do you still hear the noise? I had one of those guns many years ago and it was red. Unfortunately it wore out and I would squeeze it super slow but it would still click.
@paulmalbeuf9213 if static is the issue yeah it cleaned it up some times it need a second go around in spin clean just depends on the album . Over i have had good results
I think Discwasher make an anti static gun first in the 80's. It was red. In any event, I still have my Nagaoka Kilavolt from the 80's. Never had a need to use the Zerostat.
Discewasher was the US distributor. Made by Milty. Red was not the original color- even older ones were white. I do have my red Zerostat from the 80’s- continues to perform admirably. Probably bought it between 1985-1987.
As a fan of both the OG DiscWasher and the new Groove Washer, it's my understanding that the OG DiscWasher used a "biased" felt covering. The felt was made so that the fibers were angled in a specific direction, and this was the reason that the OG DiscWasher had an arrow on one end. Its purpose was to "dig into" the grooves to lift any particles out of the grooves of the LP. On the Groove Washer brush, no arrow is present. Under my digital microscope, it's not a problem to compare the two.
Regarding the platter weight in the video, I use an Audio-Technica AT618a Disc Stabilizer. It works well with my turntable (a Fluance RT-85). It improves the stability of my LP, and it helps to maintain its rotational speed.
My observations, entirely.
Never knew you weren't supposed to hear the ZAPs from the anti-static guns. Thanks, even though I haven't played a record since 2003, and I'm old enough to remember sections of authentic Discwasher accessories in B&M stores.
Hey Frank, still using my Discwasher record brush and stylus cleaner from the 80’s. A classic for sure. I have a record weight, the carbon fiber anti static brush and a spin clean that I use to clean records. All great stuff. In the process of clearing space in my basement to dedicate to record cleaning. So I can keep my bar clear for entertaining or hanging out while listening to records. The best for last, I love Vinyl Storage solutions inner sleeves and the dual pocket, resealable flap sleeves. Game changers for taking care of my collection. Great stuff.
Thanks for watching Joe.
My favorite accessory is one of my "solutions to a problem" tools. I found it originally in one of the dollar stores. Its called "Fuzzy Wuzzy" which was meant for cleaning blinds. But is just the right size to clean 45s. Its literally like a 3 pronged bbq picker upper tool. So you get 2 cleaning surfaces. Cleaned hundreds of 45s with my home brew with this tool. Definitely a tool for thinking outside the box. Its the perfect size for a 45, so dont expect it to work on anything bigger then seven inches.
I got 3 old Dishwasher brushes, i think. Might've gave them away to friends. The one kept falling apart due to how wet it got. Nothing a hot glue gun wouldn't fix.
I have the reamer from 33.33 and it works great, I use it much more than I thought I would ever needed to...unfortunately, lol. I know some use a drill bit, pens, whatever, but I'm always concerned with expanding the spindle hole to an oblong shape rather than circle, this thing is quick, simple and a no brainer. I also have the record roller, I use it on the cork mat on my VPI 16.5 RCM to keep it clean of debris :)
Great video, I could use all of those accessories.
love your videos thanks so much for the upload!!!
Glad you like them!
That little platter is a great idea. I’ve been trying to find something like that but I want one that actually spins. For taking to record shows to spin a record on to check for warps. Sometimes a record looks nice and straight but once ya get it home and spin it lo and behold it has a warp I didn’t see. Be great to have a small platter that spins I could just keep in my pocket or backpack.
Great info. I purchased that anti static gun. $$! Yes it worked but not for long.
Luv these gear episodes Frank. All the best man. Be safe.
Thanks for the video, I went and splurged on a bunch of GrooveWashers gear based on your recommendation. Arrived today and I’m impressed with the quality of the product already!
Cheers, and please do more videos like this!
Glad I could help!
Thanks for the shout-out Frank!
Just wanted to note that the Record Roller 4-IN-1 kit comes with an anti-static brush as well.
The 'Origin Live Cartridge Enabler' is a great little package that helps to remove unwanted low-frequencies (think of it as vibration damping for the cartridge itself), giving the sound more space in the mix and better timing. I don't know about other currencies, but it's only around £25. Once it's fitted it can also help to straighten stylus azimuth.
Great video Frank!
I have the original Discwasher, as well as a kit that I bought from ebay years ago. The kit came with the Zerostat, a Discwasher, a stylus brush as well as cleaning fluids. I use the Vinyl Storage Solutions sleeves thanks to you. They're awesome 👌
Keep on spinning Frank 👍
Frank, great video. I do have the blue gummy roller, and it works great. I have a few albums that are tight on the spindle, so I will have to check out that cutter. The antistatic gun is a great idea. Thanks for your channel and all your tips and advice. Much appreciated.
Still have my DiscWasher record cleaner from the '70's. Only now I use distilled water and nothing else with it.
Cheers Frank, here's one for you.... It's the "Hudson HiFi ultrasonic stylus cleaner" in my opinion the best stylus cleaner out
Hi Frank -really love your accessories shows and bought the moon gel damper pads after watching one. Really want the Milty Zerostat gun..but its really expensive.. so on my birthday shopping list !! Keep on spinnin !!
Vinyl storage solutions are my only choice now since I tried them from your recommendation.
Fun vid my friend! Good stuff. I honestly have never heard of a Transit Platter LOL. Learn something new every day!!
Great video. I use a small stylus brush before playing each album which is quite handy. One warning, I used a gel stylus cleaner for about 6 months and noticed a noticeable decrease in sound quality. It took my audio repair shop about an hour to clean all the build up off my stylus. Then everything was back to normal.
I love the Vinyl storage Solutions outer sleeves for gatefold albums.
I bought a Thorens TD316 turntable in the 80's and also bought a Nagaoka record clamp that I'm still using almost 40 years later. i think it cost $10 back then.
It's made of delrin with three spring steel arms that have silicone rubber pads at the ends of the arms. You place it on the record push down and tighten the collet by twisting. It weighs next to nothing and has worked flawlessly all these years - very good design
I was pleasantly surprised with the noticeable difference a record weight made with some of my records. I felt like an idiot buying one, but I'm happy I did.
frank, learned about VSS from you, i tried some of their products and really fell in love with them, Im slowly replacing my outer sleeves with the one you showed. Also been awhile since sherri as been around, hope to see her i always enjoy the banter back and forth. kudos from North Carolina, brian
Thanks! Sheri will be back soon!
record weights are passive and mostly serve to cause wear on the main bearing. a clamp is more functional and can be nearly weightless in comparison. they also can reduce the effect of mild warps. the SOTA Reflex Clamp is costly but quite effective physically. the Michell and Pangea Clamps are very affordable and easy to find.
...hifitommy
100% of VSS, by far the best outer covers, and now they do the 3mm rice paper inners which are better than the mofi’s. Amazing stuff. Very interesting video, will check out the other stuff.
for center hole borring i use the knife of a flat waiter corkscrew and it always works out
Still have my original Dishwasher brush. Great shape. Have the Reamer. Great product. And the Zerostat. Also great
DiscWasher also changed their brushes. I bought a DiscWasher brush when they were fairly new to the market, then, maybe 10 years later, when they came with theirD3 or D4 cleaning fluid, I bought another one. Each vintage of brush used a different kind of brush material. The DiscWasher brand is now sold under RCA.
Any kind of a disc cleaning hand -held product which uses a brush will create static-electricity. You really need to use a ZeroStat gun.
Hey Frank, love the channel!
I too have the Groovewasher brush and cleaner, best I've tried. I cut cross hatch grooves on each side of the wood handle. Better grip now....kinda slippery otherwise, and I have had it slip and fall onto the record. DM me if ya want pics!
I found another used for my Zerostat gun. When i turn on or off my turntable i would here a popping or crackling sound through my speakers so i cleaned the contacts on my on and off switch but that didn't work. So i took my Zerostat gun and put it over the center spindle of my turntable and press the trigger on my Zerostat gun and solved the problem no more popping or crackling.
One thing I would add… Turntable Stylus Gel Cleaner. I picked one up a year ago. Use it every once in awhile.
I use the vinyl storage solution products they are my go to!
I'm late to this video I must not have seen it pop up in my feed..✌️🎸
I have an 1980 disk wash kit with yep a zero stat and I love it.
So I have two separate stereo systems one in my living room one in my family room and both have turntables.
Well I appreciate your input on accessories and will be making some purchases 😢 that always means spending cash 💵 play with the big boys pay like a big boy right 😅
Well done, Frank, nice informative video / love my accessories.
Good stuff, thanks. Aloha
I just can't do without my Spin Clean and my Zerostat gun.
Must haves, for sure.
I have the milty anti static gun and there’s a reason it works so well, it’s used by the trades and not some gimmick specifically designed for the records.
I also have a roller that lifts lint, paper, and dust from the surface of records. They are about the only two solutions I use before spinning. One day I’ll buy an ultra sonic cleaner (when I have a top cartridge) but that day is many years away. Until now, I’m terms of cleaning my records, that’s all I do.
I just had a Milty crap out on me in less than a year, to be fair I have a RCM and was doing a lot of cleaning/anti static gun use.
I think it was lack of discipline on the handle release part.
That was the second one I have had ( first was decades ago).
I sprang for the Destat III, and feel that it's superior to the Milty and hopefully this will last for some years.
Have some goods from vinyl solutions from the piece U did awhile ago. I bought the hard maple brush to remove dust, etc and the deal of the humidity little inner sleeve dots Out first in my original vinyl lps then my most expensive collector ones like the 9 LP Grateful Dead live 5/9/77 at the The Aud here in Buffalo 🦬; the day after Cornell Barton Hall considered the #1 show of all time amongst Deadhead's!!
U do amazing work Frank, just want to let U know!! I like U're style kid🌹😎
Cool stuff as usual, Frank. Now you got me looking for record weights! Man. Can't afford to NOT listen to Landry after the whole Fosi PreAmp recommend. Hope your Sunday's a rocker, bud! 😁
Great video, I also love vss hopefully they keep up there prices and customer service!
My record weight is my dumbell spinlock collar with the Rubber removed and my 45 adapter fits right in the slot.200 gramms. To make it heavier I put on another collar with the smooth side with blu tack.
Nobody mentioned a carbon fiber brush. I use mine every time I play an LP. I have a Zerostat. Once you buy it, you're good for life-- mine still works 35 years later (it's by Discwasher).
74 year old speaking now. Back in the day (1960's) we used the Parostatik Disk Preener. Best product then, but virtually impossible to find a good one now. Lost mine during one of my may moves and really regret it!
The Discwasher° DiscKit (Discwasher handle, Zerostat, a tightly packed and mown camel hair brush for sytlus, eventually, with carbon fibre brush entering the market place), was my favorite,🤗 but the D4 fluid left residue on my MFSL LPs🤔
Explains alot wish vinylstoragesolutions would do a trifold outer sleeve seems like no one is doing one and now Mike is no longer the owner I doubt one will ever get made or produce
I used to use a click igniter from a dead cigarette lighter to remove the static from a vinyl record. It worked ok but it I invariably gave myself a little shock in the process.
For me it was the GrooveWasher. I’ve used other handheld cleaners before but IMO nothing works as well as the G2 fluid. I use it on every record I buy.
Love the video frank! Mines has to be the channel 33rpm cork mat 😊
I find a gold covered polonium is the best for anti-static when the zero-stat gun doesn't do it but I use them for weighing small amounts of chemicals so I don't know about records. The guns usually go bad quickly because everyone thinks it's funny to zap people with them.
Gotta have my Spin Clean and Hudson Music gel needle cleaner.
Using lots off supporting tools. Cant do without an RCA old style brush and a gun yes. That side table is new to me, interesting thing. I also found that using a turntable matt makes a difference e.g. cork or one from a Japanese tree. For me plays nicer than the old rubber matt. Also I use a digital scale to measure the weight of the stylus to the record regularly since the weight at the end of the tonearm may move ... O .. and just use a notebook to mark the play count. So, in time, you know when to replace your stylus. A microscope also helps there off course to inspect the stylus from up close. Another thing is to keep a few heavy glass plates ready to unwarp a record in the oven. Cheers, Ray
Good suggestions! What i really need is the level my turntable! Just recently moved and my entire setup has changed. Also picked up a Planar 3 and the feet are not adjustable. When I put the level on it...DAMN! Its WAY off. Furniture is on carpet. :-(
Good stuff.....although the Transit Platter is hilarious....a device to use while your getting ready to put a record on your turntable😂😂😂😂 Good for that company....if you can make money with that pricey device...go for it...but to me that just seems ridiculous....although you can put an album on it and go to the fridge and grab a beer and then head to the Turntable🤔
They’re actually way more useful than you’d think… made a comment how one could 3D print a transit platter from freely available files (thing-i-verse cough cough)but it seemingly was deleted… price is crazy but device has a place…
@@polypetalous I guess I don't get it...I take out an album...take the vinyl out of the sleeve...place on the turntable and then move the arm on my Rega over to the first track and voila....music. Maybe I need to Google the company site and get a better explanation.....
Like you, I didn't think it would be useful, but as soon as I got it, I found I was using it regularly.
so much snake oil , so little time. ish.
The best cheapest upgrade i got was a slab of granite and sorbothane discs to put my my turntable on.
i use a chain saw file for centre hole tightness
Was sad to hear VSS sold. Hopefully it doesn't go downhill going forward.
Great video Frank, slowly switching out all my record inner / outer sleeves with products from vinyl storage solutions, there products are amazing. Also received the stable 33.3 reamer as a gift and it works great, a product most people don’t know about.
As for the groove washer cleaning kit, is there any point in picking one up if you already have a spin clean?
I've had a Rega turntable for a while now
Best turntable I've ever had when I got rid my old one I kept the rubber plater it's been on my rega now I have found its much better than the felt ones
Love to know anyone's views on this good or bad is welcomed
Whatever happened to moving coil phono cartridge demagnetizers? If you had such a cartridge with a removable headshell, you would remove the cartridge/headshell and plug the headshell pins into a device for several seconds and press a button.. It would demagnetize the cartridge. Huge gains in sense of space and openness and sweetness of the sound. Don't know if they worked with moving magnet cartridges. They weren't that expensive. Upgrading a phono cartridge to get that amount of improvement would have cost more than the device, in all probability. I forgot how often you had to do that. Not often, I remember. I used the Zerostat for other uses than just de-staticing records; but some don't recommend doing what I would always do. I never ran into a problem ever. The best footers under turntables or any component seems to be footers made of Mpingo wood. Wood sounds better than metal (cones), and Mpingo footers can be over a pound each in weight.The lighter ones are not nearly as effective. Mpingo wood comes from Africa and is nearing endangered status. It has the best resonance properties of any wood. How do you enlarge record holes with a #2 pencil? Some of these people must think you can read their minds; then there are the abbreviators who must run in the same family, as those that don't explain themselves
Get a T handle reamer at your local hardware store for $10 for the tight spindle hole. Or, a guitar peg hole reamer...
very cool products Frank,was wondering if you collect music dvds ive got 100 or more love watching live shows documentaries and promo videos
Thanks! I do collect blurays (big movie fan).
Rega recommends not using a weight. Was going to make myself one but don't want to risk any damage
Weights will wear out the center bearing more rapidly so Rega has a valid point. Their glass platters ring like a bell so you'll need more than felt to damp it out. The Funk Firm Achromat works remarkably well.
Get a blank vinyl record for anti-skating and vinyl stroboscope to test rpm.
Won’t be accurate- antiskate is determined by the friction of the stylus in the groove. Blank disc no groove so you’ll get a false result
How do you use a pencil to enlarge your record hole? lol
Thanks for the video. Would be interested if you could test the RPM with the free app (imaginatively called “RPM”) with and without the record weight to see if it affects the speed.
Don't forget about the accessory on your shirt. I keep losing them.
Hi Frank. Another great video. I have the original Discwasher kit (with the Zerostat, record brush and stylus brush) I managed to find at a yard sale. Everything was in very nice shape.
I have a concern with the gel roller cleaner. It reminds me of the Onzo Zerodust stylus cleaner. I used this for a couple years, then saw the video suggesting it could be bad for styluses (or styli) so I went back to the Discwasher stylus brush. So I have to wonder if it could gunk up my records and get onto the stylus.
What do you think?
I use an old broken down turntable.
Groovewasher and Vinyl Storage Solutions get my money.
Yeah I tired of fiddling and bought the reemer. It will last the rest of my life
Hey Frank, what does a typical Record Weight weigh? I've been using a small "tire balancer" weight. Btw, I won the center hole reamer from Channel 33RPM over a year ago, and it's been a game changer.
I think I could lose everything but my Hudson Hi-Fi weight and the record brush. I was gifted the brush in a set, but every time I see the extra little bristles in the Groove washer brush I wonder if I shouldn't just tuck my other, non-descript brush away.
What was the total game changer for? My entire collection was my ultrasonic cleaner! I have a whole video on my channel explaining my entire set up as well as the solution! It makes old records, new and new records better! In my system, you can do seven at a time.
Good stuff man… do we know anything about the people Mike sold VSS to ? I just placed my first order with them
From what I know, they are a locally-owned family business.
Hi there I haven’t had a chance to rewatch the video but can you tell me I think you did recommend a tool to get rid of static on records? Do you have a link to it the one that you recommended?
I use the Milty Zerostat
Frank, what type of flap do you recommend on the dual pocket record sleeves? There’s a lot to choose from. TIA
Hey frank where can you find the cd shelves that are in the background. They were from ikea originally but ikeano longer catches then.
Got to have a stylus cleaner and some kind of vacuum cleaner or ultra sonic cleaner if you can afford it
Zerostat is brilliant
Hi Frank, do they have a sleeve for Yes Yesshows? It’s a triple LP and I haven’t been able to find anything. Thamks