Vinyl workshop ………………………..How to clean up second hand vinyl.

[gryphon]

Vinyl workshop ………………………..How to clean up second hand vinyl.

For the past 45 years or so have been an avid collector of vinyl . In that time I have managed to amass quite a collection of vinyl and have managed to rescue quite a lot for not too much money.
I have use top flight vinyl engines and cartridges and as yet my choice/cleaning result has not cost me a stylus or cartridge
It is worth noting that I am European based but my collection of vinyl has a good international feeling to t and so I know a bit about pressings from beyond Europe but not all.

So what can I tell you ?
First of all there is an old computing idea to look at here: Rubbish in rubbish out!
There are some pieces of vinyl you can clean and get something from and some you can’t do much with because they are too far gone or the data on them is not Hi-Fi.

· Build a knowledge .........................As far as you can look into vinyl and the vinyl you come across...........There are labels ad eras that will yield results and some that are not worth trying

Eg...........1950s/60 vinyl is often better quality than later eg mid 70’s ad will stand up to more abuse than others.................This has to e balanced out with equipment that it could have been used on.
In the 50’s/60s the standard playing equipment was not that sophisticated , it had very high racking weights and was uncorrected for angular bias......hence many are badly damaged and can’t be cleaned to a high standard..............

You can tell the condition in this respect by looking............................

Deep scratches .................................Forget it
Dull matt appearance .......................Forget it
Not round or warped........................Forget it

BUT if there is a good shiny surface (in places) which interacts with light but, has dust of fingerprints then this will clean.

1970’s was a low point in vinyl in Europe in particular 1973/4.............There was an oil crisis and hey used poor quality or recycled vinyl...........................Usually this is thin often in 1973 very thin. Tends to be fragile as regards wear. Pressing here too is a problem at times can be very shallow.

So, look well here ..............look for thick vinyl,,,,,,,,,,,,,,check it is black ( Not purple or blue as this might not be standard vinyl!) ................Look at grooves..............look for thick and deep.
1980/90s. Tends to be better, not quite as good as 50s 60s but is better than 70s. The pressing plants were better too.

Around the world and around labels.

Best countries for vinyl:

Japan..................
Germany
Many UK ones but not all..............


USA tended to use a different vinyl formulation at times especially for singles.............
Europe..................Many need inspection ..........communist countries used poor vinyl
Africa............Where the pressings were European and imported fine .

Labels......................

· Decca is good
· EMI tends to be good
· Atlantic...........
· Island
· CBS
· Charisma up to 1973
· Early Virgin is often poor
· Polygram /Philips group tends to be very good to excellent
· PYE is god in 60’s
· Reggae labels can be suspect ( Needs careful examination) Trojan can be fine Blue Beat average ( These are nearly always very heavily used).
· A&M can be good can be not

You need to develop a feel !



45 vs 33 45s tend to be more robust than 33.

Mono vs Stereo........60’s mono is remarkably strong..............Stereo can be more fragile.

So, we are going to attempt to clean..........................

NB mostly this works and works well but, nothing is perfect................I have cleaned one or two Beatles items of significant value and had success...............

Basic tools

· Water ( good clean ad with no deposit) both cold and around 40C
· Good quality washing up liquid.
· A horse hair tooth brush.
· Isopropryl alcohol.
· Plenty of space.
· A place to prop the record up vertically.
· A good stylus brush
· A good record cleaning brush.

NOTE WELL.........................Some 50’s 60’s record labels were made with water soluble ink, so keep the water off the label.

So ..............Lets start......................Now my water supply is OK out of the tap so I use a tap.

1. Take one side of the record and drop on a small drop of washing up liquid.
2. Now gently wet the record with warm water .( Not the label) Use around 30/35C no warmer.
3. Gently rub it around the record from outer edge towards the label and follow the groove.( Don’t get it on the label)
4. Now take the toothbrush and brush the groove from the outer edge right around to the inner edge by the label.
5. Repeat if you think you need to.
6. Now using only cold water , rinse the vinyl ( Not the label) use plenty of water to get all the soap out......
7. Do the other side.
8. Stack the record on its edge carefully and let it dry..............Be careful don’t let it fall and lock the cat outside !
9. When it is dry , carefully check it is not wet.
10. Play on turntable ....................Watch the stylus...........there will be shreds of dust etc that come out of the groove so you might need to clean the stylus during the playing.
Now the results depend on what you put in.....................this can’t cure damaged vinyl, but it can give a good result from dirty vinyl and make it sound a lot better and even as good as new.


There are ,one of two other points

· Sticky patches can be removed by use of isopropyl alcohol and a cotton wool bud.
· I know one or two people who mix a cocktail of a drop of vinegar and maybe some alcohol with the soap ...............I don’t.

One last point.

There are excellent records that jump at one point..........................I have had success here with

· Careful cleaning of just that part repeatedly.
· Use of isopropyl alcohol as above
· A microscope and a needle..................I have found something blocking the groove and with care levered it out ! Then it played !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is not always the case BUT !!!!!!!

[Jerome]

Here's a trick for you. If you have an old vinyl LP with scratches - pour some water onto the area where the stylus meets the vinyl WHILE it is playing. (with a syringe) Sure the excess water is going to be flung towards the outside of the disk but if you are recording it at the same time you should have a far better recording by the time you are done! Sound crazy??? No at all - I did this many years ago in the days of borrowed battered vinyl Deep Purple albums and was most impressed with the results. It works! Just make sure you don't use your one-off Linn TT.

[gryphon]

Wet playing of vinyl was used by some hi-fi manufacturers .............It was not a great idea from two sides

1. There was water/liquid erosion of good quality cartridge cantilevers which was irreversible and costly.
   
2. Records that have been wet played can after a period of time become dependent on wet playing...........eg the stylus aquaplanes through the groove and as it is now free to vibrate more freely can damage complex passages due to high speed collisions with the groove wall........result accelerated wear ...........
   

So I would suggest that this was a rather false economy

[Tiggi]

Any chance you could duplicate (copy & paste) the lead post into the Vinyl Junkies Group, Griff ??

Thought about doing the cut & paste myself, but it's your work...

[gryphon]

I have put a copy into the Vinyl Junkie's Group !!

[Tiggi]

Thank you, mate.

Much appreciated.

[evilB]

Thanks too! I appreciate you sharing your knowledge Gryphon!

[SteveO]

Now maybe some of my 25 cent garage sale albums will come back to life !

yes, thanks Gryph !

[Jerome]

Wet playing of vinyl was used by some hi-fi manufacturers .............It was not a great idea from two sides

1. There was water/liquid erosion of good quality cartridge cantilevers which was irreversible and costly.
   
2. Records that have been wet played can after a period of time become dependent on wet playing...........eg the stylus aquaplanes through the groove and as it is now free to vibrate more freely can damage complex passages due to high speed collisions with the groove wall........result accelerated wear ...........
   

So I would suggest that this was a rather false economy

You're recording it at the same time ! then you put the vinyl back in it's cover and never play it again. See? - simple!