Sapphire stylus with vertical and hill-and-dale discs

[pathe]

Carlo hello what do you use to make your own cactus needles and how do you do it

[estott]

When I was a teenaged collector, I installed a pointed sapphire stylus in my Victrola and discovered it would chew up lateral 78 records very fast! I recommend using only steel, bamboo or thorn needles.

I do not know the long-term effects of playing a Pathé vertical record (with rounded grooves) with a pointed needle, even if it is bamboo or a thorn. The profiles of groove and needle don't match. I think it is best to play records with their original equipment, in this case, a ball sapphire stylus.

I've tried playing Pathé discs with a Kacti needle- No wear that I could see, but indifferent results as far as sound. The Pathé grooves don't grind the needle point to conform the way a lateral disc does & it seemed to pick up noise from adjoining grooves. I didn't use bamboo because I couldn't align the needle properly.