record skips

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Often when I have LPs that skip, the skips can be corrected by holding the needle down and forcing it to run over groove where it skipped, and then when played again, the record does not skip. My question is, does this damage the needle?

― Daniel DiMAGGIO (Daniel DiMAGGIO), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 07:27 (twenty-two years ago)

quite likely. it's probably better to add a little bit of weight to the stylus (either by loosening the counterweight or putting a coin on the cartridge) rather than physically pressing down on it..

― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 07:29 (twenty-two years ago)

no, but it releases deadly, toxic fumes that destroy the ozone layer and can result in an equally deadly fascination with Pearl Jam

― that's MR. sanchez to you (mokey), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 07:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I think if you do it carefully it's OK. One time, I sat and did it through a whole album side that skipped every few seconds. It played with few skips after that but sounded horrible.

― Tim Ellison, Wednesday, 7 April 2004 08:07 (twenty-two years ago)

the old penny on the tone arm trick worked well with me dansette. they were only tod rindgren records after all

*sob*

― mullygrubber (gaz), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

it only works if you use the left top eye tooth from the corpse of a murderer who was hanged at a crossroads at midnight and spattered with the blood of a black goat. i fixed my jega 12" with it, honest.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 09:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I used to do that a lot, actually and it never seemed to damage the needle. But I didn't press DOWN on the needle, I would apply pressure from the SIDE of it.

I think what's worse is when you realize a record sounds a bit funny and then find there's been a clump of dust stuck to the needle the whole time it's been playing. That happened to me with a Morrissey b-side once and even after removing the dust the sound quality of the vinyl itself was damaged.

― bimble (bimble), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

no that was just the morrissey on it

*ducks*

― zebedee (zebedee), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

i often run the record backwards over the pop and it can take out the gunk

― JaXoN (JasonD), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

My copy of Sly & the Fam's There's a Riot Goin' On skips on the beat and often if I'm smoking the sweet cheeba while listening to it I don't notice until the drum break has gone on for like 5 minutes.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"...I've seen the needle and the damage done..."

Funny you should mention "...Riot...", Nick: For years, I thought that my old used vinyl copy had a nasty gouge near the end of "Spaced Cowboy." Then I heard a friend's CD version & was surprised to hear the same glitch. Obviously not a scratch at all, just a recording/mastering fuckup.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 17:48 (twenty-two years ago)

heh, that used to happen to me with Kreen Akore.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Wednesday, 7 April 2004 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

Hey I just got a 33 rpm 7" and only one side seems to slow the whole record player down on the same spot in every rotation, and only when the needle is down. Anyone have any advice to fix it? The other side of the record plays fine.

― Evan, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 01:11 (sixteen years ago)

Never mind, I had to put a playing card under the opposite side of where the record slows down to balance out the unevenness near the hole in middle.

― Evan, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 01:25 (sixteen years ago)

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