The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi Everyone,
I realize this topic has been discussed before, so forgive me for bringing it back up again.
I got my first phonograph (a 1915 VV VI) a month ago, and have finally gotten it playing again. I had the Exhibition reproducer rebuilt, replaced the missing ball bearings in the tone arm base and oiled the tone arm, so it moves freely. However, after playing a disc, there is a small amount of gray or very dark dust left on the needle. Is this normal? If not, what else can be done to prevent it? I’ve also tested it on a red Vocalion record, and it does not produce a red dust. Any advice?
I’ve also wondered about playing records with “needle drops” on them. Will this be harmful to the record or the reproducer?
Thanks for putting up with my questions,
Nathan

First make sure your records are clean - a needle will pull quite a bit of dirt out of a groove.,

estott wrote:First make sure your records are clean - a needle will pull quite a bit of dirt out of a groove.,

I'm sure that is part of the problem, but the dust appears even after five or six plays of the same record, with a new needle each time. Could there just be that much dirt in the grooves?

Try some different records and a different needle (you are changing the needle with each play, right?) What you're experiencing should not be considered normal. There shouldn't be that much "dust" to dredge up after 5-6 plays.

Needle drops / digs won't harm the reproducer. There's a possibility that a steel needle and heavy reproducer could enlarge the dig a little more each time with each play, as the needle sort of catches in there, but that's just how it goes.

Wolfe wrote:Try some different records and a different needle (you are changing the needle with each play, right?) What you're experiencing should not be considered normal. There shouldn't be that much "dust" to dredge up after 5-6 plays.

Yes, I change the needle after each play. My test record for that photo was a 1920's Batwing Victor. That was the first play, and the attached is after four additional plays. There is less dust, but it is still present.
Thank you for the information on needle drops. They are relatively common discs, so I'm not too worried about them.

I think it looks like dust even my clean vinyl will accumulate dust on the needle that's why we have stylus brushes. Just think how old how they have been stored and it takes a lot to get all the crud from the bottom of the groove you need a good record washing brush along with a good soft non shedding cloth to dry them. I find the better the condition and cleaner the record the less stuff after each play
dwight

It's amazing how much crap can build up in record grooves, especially ones that have not been stored in a sleeve for 80 years. Whenever I get new records, I always clean them first with room temperature water (nothing else!) and an unused soft toothbrush. This will get the bulk of the grime out of the grooves. Then, I dry them with a soft, lint-free cloth and let them sit overnight to air dry. Finally, I sleeve them and store them upright in their sleeves. If you always store your clean records in sleeves, you won't have to worry about dust and dirt getting back into the grooves.

And, as always, use a fresh needle for every play, which it sounds like you are doing.