New gramophone needles - thinking out loud.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Until 10 years ago it was still relatively easy to find needle tins full of new needles. However, recently I've seen all sort of things on that-famous-auction-site: frome sales of vintage needle tins refilled with freshly made, generic needles, to tins full of rusty old needles that have absolutely nothing to do with the shape and size of needles that the tin should contain (a resounding example here).

I then think it's time for me to try some newly made needles, rather than being cheated "on the bay".

I prefer far and away those needles (like HMV's needles) that have a tapered shape, and tend to dislike those that look like a rod with a cone on top, or a "sharpened pencil" as someone describes them. My main question is: is there any producer of "tapered" shape needles out there? It seems I couldn't find any.

Generally speaking, here is a very short list of needles dealers that I am considering to deal with:

Soundgen (=Mike Child) (UK)
PROS:
- I've dealt with Mike in the past and he's a true gentleman;
- seemingly he's the only one to offer a "half tone" needle type;
CONS:
- His needles look pretty much of the "pencil" type.
COMMENTS:
Oddly enough (but as it often happens on forums) Soundgen's needles have been both criticized (here) as well as praised (here) for not being / being polished and finished. Which claim is correct, in the end?
It also seems that he sells his needles with a "rescale" on HMV's tone scale. I seem to understand that his equivalents are:
extra soft = HMV soft tone
soft = HMV half tone
medium = HMV loud tone
loud = HMV extra loud tone
Is that correct?

zwarteschijf_holland
PROS
- his needles are generally praised as being well polished and finished;
CONS
- they are only available in three tones (soft, medium and loud), with the half tone (?) possibly missing;
- His needles look pretty much of the "pencil" type.
COMMENTS:
Zwarteschijf states in his ads that his needles come from UK. It is a mistery if they are the same needles made by Mike (Soundgen). I know no other people producing needles in UK today; but if they were Mike's, then it would make no sense that there's no half tone type in Zwarteschijf's assortment.

Chamberlain (USA)
PROS
- He's the only one to offer the very interesting Siren speartip needle type;
CONS
- All other needle types except the Siren are of the "sharpened pencil", uninspiring type;
- No "half tone" type of needle is offered;
- I haven't seen macro pictures or read comments about the level of polish and finish;

Any comment is welcome. I would especially like to read comments about who amongst Soungen and Zwarteschijf (or others I may eventually not know about) gets closer to the good classic "tapered" needle shape.

[estott]

I've bought Mike Child's needled & they are the proper tapered sort- a visual comparison with some old stock shows they are like the Victor or Brilliantone half tone needles. I would take any opinions from the HMV Colonel with a copious amount of salt- he has a personal ax to grind with Mr. Child.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Thanks a lot for your positive comment. One problem with Mike Child's needles is that the pictures inclosed in his sales are not really good and you can barely look at what you're buying.

Would you agree that Child's "soft" needle type matches the HMV "half tone" type?

More in general - now that we talk about it - I've always considered the HMV "half tone" a step below what most makes classify as a "normal", "full" or "medium" tone. But HMV didn't have a "full" tone needle in its assortment AFAIK, the next types being named "loud" (= "full"?) and "extra loud". Is it correct to assume that "half tone" is halfway between "soft" and "full" tone types, or not?

[FloridaClay]

I am curious. Why do you prefer a tapered needle?

Clay

[Marco Gilardetti]

Aside from the fact that most of the regarded brands of the past made them that way, they require more accurate machinery and craftmanship. The cylinder+cone type ("sharpened pencil") I could do basically by myself at home with simple tools.

So, overall, I tend to believe that whoever can produce them with the tapered shape, has the machinery/ability to produce a more accurate product. I may be proven wrong, but I have this feeling. Secondarily, I'd also hate to refill an empty HMV tin with needles that don't look at all as HMV needles.

[Phono48]

As far as I'm aware, HMVs' "half-tone" needles were their name for "medium" tone.

[Marco Gilardetti]

Did you read it in literature? Because, on the other hand, I've always had the impression that their "loud" type was their "full tone" product.

[gramophone78]

Did you read it in literature? Because, on the other hand, I've always had the impression that their "loud" type was their "full tone" product.

Marco, there are several threads regarding this matter you may want to search. Here is just one of them.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 27s+needle

Hope this helps.. .

[estott]

Thanks a lot for your positive comment. One problem with Mike Child's needles is that the pictures inclosed in his sales are not really good and you can barely look at what you're buying.

Would you agree that Child's "soft" needle type matches the HMV "half tone" type?

More in general - now that we talk about it - I've always considered the HMV "half tone" a step below what most makes classify as a "normal", "full" or "medium" tone. But HMV didn't have a "full" tone needle in its assortment AFAIK, the next types being named "loud" (= "full"?) and "extra loud". Is it correct to assume that "half tone" is halfway between "soft" and "full" tone types, or not?

I do not know- I have only bought his half tone needles

[Marco Gilardetti]

Marco, there are several threads regarding this matter you may want to search. Here is just one of them.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 27s+needle

Hope this helps.. .

Thanks for posting, but that is the same thread that I have linked to in the first post of this topic.