When I bought my IX, it had several fibre needles with it. While I don't have a fibre needle cutter, I did look at them under a magnifying glass, and it doesn't appear they were ever used (sharp angle cuts, no indentations in the sides, and they're all the same length).
So here's my dumb question... in which orientation should the needle be pointed? (Unlike a steel needle which is identical all the way around -- and cheap -- I don't want to "waste" the point by having it mounted the incorrect way.)
Thank you for tolerating my, um, ignorance in this matter. And yes, you can go ahead and call this a dumb blonde question.
Dumb girl fibre needle question
- Tinkerbell
- Victor III
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:01 pm
- Location: Somewhere over Never, Neverland
- OrthoSean
- Victor V
- Posts: 2912
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:33 pm
- Location: Near NY's Capital
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
You want the longest part of the needle (the point) to be facing the back of the machine with the reproducer in the rest position (assuming you're using your VV-IX). When it's down on the record, the smooth angled part of the needle will be facing you. This isn't that easy to describe, I'm finding, but I hope you can figure out what I mean!
Sean
Sean
- Tinkerbell
- Victor III
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:01 pm
- Location: Somewhere over Never, Neverland
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
So the point facing forward while it's playing then?OrthoSean wrote:You want the longest part of the needle (the point) to be facing the back of the machine with the reproducer in the rest position (assuming you're using your VV-IX). When it's down on the record, the smooth angled part of the needle will be facing you. This isn't that easy to describe, I'm finding, but I hope you can figure out what I mean!
Sean
-
- Victor V
- Posts: 2184
- Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:12 pm
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Like this:Tinkerbell wrote:So the point facing forward while it's playing then?
-
- Victor IV
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:43 pm
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Here's the instruction sheet from a package of early fibres. Victor bought this company around 1910 or so, which means that this package was early. I like the concept of training your records to play with fibres. You get the impression that you should just sit the package in the machine for a week before they meet like introducing a kitten to the dog.
Jim
Jim
- Couch Potato
- Victor I
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:36 pm
- Location: Fort Worth
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Great package and instructions from original fiber needles. Are they significantly less harsh on the records? Perhaps all we collectors should only use such needles? Perhaps they don't work that well? Occasionally when I buy an old machine I find many of these down inside the cabinet soaking up old grease so have never ventured to try them firsthand.
-
- Victor Monarch
- Posts: 4172
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:23 pm
- Personal Text: I have good days...this might not be one of them
- Location: Albany NY
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Fibre needles work fine, their only problem is a tendency to break down more quickly on some records than others- some records you can't get all the way through. Does absolutely no harm to use them.
- Tinkerbell
- Victor III
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:01 pm
- Location: Somewhere over Never, Neverland
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Oh now that is hilarious!! Thank you for the mind picture.Lenoirstreetguy wrote:I like the concept of training your records to play with fibres. You get the impression that you should just sit the package in the machine for a week before they meet like introducing a kitten to the dog.
Jim
- Tinkerbell
- Victor III
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:01 pm
- Location: Somewhere over Never, Neverland
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
Thank you, that is what I was attempting to convey but you know being blonde and all...Ortho_Fan wrote:Like this:Tinkerbell wrote:So the point facing forward while it's playing then?
-
- Victor V
- Posts: 2184
- Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2016 7:12 pm
Re: Dumb girl fibre needle question
One blond to another. (Okay, one gray to a blonde, but I used to be blond. Well, at least it's still there--most of it, anyway....)Tinkerbell wrote:Thank you, that is what I was attempting to convey but you know being blonde and all...
BTW, if you're ever in a "baking" mood, here's a recipe for making your own fiber (bamboo) needles:
http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/talkingmac ... eedle.html