The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Was getting ready to place an order for some Victrola needles and have seen the listings for the "spear" type needles and was curious what if any differences that style makes. Is this just a gimmick?

I've tried them, and could hear no difference at all. The main thing, I believe is to get good needles - the right steel, the right tip, no burrs... I get mine now from Holland, and have been very satisfied. Look at: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAMOPHONE-NE ... 27e21c8d82

Spear needles were made so you only need one needle to get different tones rotating the spear from the thin profile to the thick profile allows a range of volume to be reproduced

Ordinary steel needles can be bought from me


http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw= ... &_from=R40


http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/Steel-gramop ... 908/g.html

I have used spear needles, and has been mentioned the advantage is a kind of all-in-one in terms of loudness. If the thin part is parallel to the grove, they flex more and you get a softer tone. Turning them so that the thin part is perpendicular to the grove makes them stiffer, giving a louder tone.

Clay

Nat wrote:I've tried them, and could hear no difference at all. The main thing, I believe is to get good needles - the right steel, the right tip, no burrs... I get mine now from Holland, and have been very satisfied. Look at: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAMOPHONE-NE ... 27e21c8d82

Would you say the American made ones are poor quality, or that these Holland ones stand out as being particularly good?

Lots of discussion regarding steel needles in this previous thread.
As well as this thread.

(use the search function to find even more discussions of needles.

ImperialGuardsman wrote:

Nat wrote:I've tried them, and could hear no difference at all. The main thing, I believe is to get good needles - the right steel, the right tip, no burrs... I get mine now from Holland, and have been very satisfied. Look at: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAMOPHONE-NE ... 27e21c8d82

Would you say the American made ones are poor quality, or that these Holland ones stand out as being particularly good?

I've had some American ones that when use, sounded bad. I immediately take them out and put in a new one - and the sound is normal. I have had no such problems with the UK needles. They're easy and economic to buy in bulk, and subjectively,I like the sound.

Nat wrote: I have had no such problems with the UK needles.

I bought the ones from the US supplier and have had no problems, and I also bought the ones from Ko then discovered a blunt needle in the bunch, so it goes both ways.

I have bought needles from zwarteschijf before and been totally satisfied with them. He states that they are made in the UK, although I have no idea by whom.
I can categorically state that these are amongst the best new-made needles I have bought in many years.
Alistair.