New Tungs Tone type needles - anyone tried them?

[marcapra]

Years ago, I tried some original Victor Tungstone needles and the sound was good. I stopped using them because some experts on old phonographs told me they wear records faster than one use steel needles. And when you think about it, even Victor stopped selling them in the early 30's, probably for good reason, excessive record wear. But they do have their place, such as when playing records on automatic changers. Just don't play your most valuable records with them.

[Menophanes]

I tried one of these new needles in an H.M.V. 109 table machine with a 5B sound-box. I found that the volume level was rather low and that some higher instrumental tones had acquired an edge which is not present, or at least not noticeable, with my usual Songster Pick-up needles. As in addition many of my records are rough old things which might well batter the delicate tungsten tip to pieces in short order, I have not felt disposed to continue with them. However, I have no doubt that this test was far too short for a definitive judgement, and I would not wish to discourage anyone from supporting what seems to be a wholly admirable project. I have never heard an original Tungstyle (this being the name applied by H.M.V. to their version in the 1920s).

Oliver Mundy.