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The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 1:54 pm
by pellicano1
I am running low on steel needles. The past 2 eBay sellers I bought from I was not overly impressed with the quality of their needles. Even had some where they sounded great at first but wore out before one side! Others sounded horrible. Anyone have a source they can share or even an eBay seller that sells good quality needles?

I will be using them on a Victor Orthophonic Credenza and several Victor acoustic phonos.

Thanks everyone!

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:24 pm
by epigramophone
Many of us use the needles supplied by forum member "soundgen" with complete satisfaction.

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:40 pm
by pellicano1
epigramophone wrote:Many of us use the needles supplied by forum member "soundgen" with complete satisfaction.
Thanks! I will check them out!

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:44 pm
by Henry
I'm working my way through a huge supply of Bry-O-Phonic steel needles that I ordered years ago from Martin Bryan, 37 Caledonia St., St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802-748-9264). These have given complete satisfaction in every way, and I recommend them. Also, they are reasonably priced in quantity. I have no idea whether the contact info above is current.

I have found that the soft-tone needles are the choice for 99% of my records. Rarely, I will use medium-tone on certain early acoustics. Loud-tone needles drive me out of the house, and I find them totally dispensable on my set-up (Exhibition on XI-G).

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:57 pm
by pellicano1
Henry wrote:I'm working my way through a huge supply of Bry-O-Phonic steel needles that I ordered years ago from Martin Bryan, 37 Caledonia St., St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802-748-9264). These have given complete satisfaction in every way, and I recommend them. Also, they are reasonably priced in quantity. I have no idea whether the contact info above is current.

I have found that the soft-tone needles are the choice for 99% of my records. Rarely, I will use medium-tone on certain early acoustics. Loud-tone needles drive me out of the house, and I find them totally dispensable on my set-up (Exhibition on XI-G).
Thanks for the info!

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:00 pm
by travisgreyfox
This discussion has come up a few times. I buy needles a lot of walt sommers (cyber_tigger on ebay). The last big discussion I believe he came in to defend his needles and had borderline microscopic pics of needle points before and after playing and he mentioned his is better quality then all of the rest on the market.

At the end of day, I do not know, but Walt's sound good to me.

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:13 pm
by pellicano1
travisgreyfox wrote:This discussion has come up a few times. I buy needles a lot of walt sommers (cyber_tigger on ebay). The last big discussion I believe he came in to defend his needles and had borderline microscopic pics of needle points before and after playing and he mentioned his is better quality then all of the rest on the market.

At the end of day, I do not know, but Walt's sound good to me.
Thanks Travis! I am sure his are fine but I found my go to guy for which I kinda lost for a bit on eBay lol. He sells Bry-O-Phonic which I loved when I bought them last year.

Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-PHONOG ... 2749.l2649

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:14 pm
by pellicano1
pellicano1 wrote:
Henry wrote:I'm working my way through a huge supply of Bry-O-Phonic steel needles that I ordered years ago from Martin Bryan, 37 Caledonia St., St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802-748-9264). These have given complete satisfaction in every way, and I recommend them. Also, they are reasonably priced in quantity. I have no idea whether the contact info above is current.

I have found that the soft-tone needles are the choice for 99% of my records. Rarely, I will use medium-tone on certain early acoustics. Loud-tone needles drive me out of the house, and I find them totally dispensable on my set-up (Exhibition on XI-G).
Thanks for the info!
If you need more in the near future: https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-PHONOG ... 2749.l2649

I prefer these as well. I just lost site of my seller until tonight lol.

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:14 pm
by ODIE3
I bought some from Amazon, dislike them. The seller was "Golden State Phonographs" - they seem to make puffs of black stuff (which I know is NOT good). None of my needles I have had (which are Columbia needles) do that. I am just trying to save the needles my dad and his grandmother (my great) had stocked piled. So I have ordered Bry-O-Phonic and also Soundgen's Gramophone needles.

Both of these from ebay and I just ordered earlier today.

https://www.ebay.com/str/soundgen/Other ... storecat=1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-PHONOG ... ctupt=true

PS: travisgreyfox I love your avatar photo!

Re: The Best Quality Steel Needles

Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:41 pm
by pellicano1
ODIE3 wrote:I bought some from Amazon, dislike them. The seller was "Golden State Phonographs" - they seem to make puffs of black stuff (which I know is NOT good). None of my needles I have had (which are Columbia needles) do that. I am just trying to save the needles my dad and his grandmother (my great) had stocked piled. So I have ordered Bry-O-Phonic and also Soundgen's Gramophone needles.

Both of these from ebay and I just ordered earlier today.

https://www.ebay.com/str/soundgen/Other ... storecat=1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100-NEW-PHONOG ... ctupt=true

PS: travisgreyfox I love your avatar photo!
Yep, you'll be happy with the Bry-O-Phonics!