The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi All,

I just purchased a bunch of fiber needles and a needle cutter from eBay. When I sharpen the needle, insert it in to the soundbox, and start playing a song, it sounds great. About ⅔ way through the record, the needle starts wearing down to the point where the sound quality drops significantly. I wonder if I have a bad batch of needles? Is there anything I can do to strengthen the needle so I can play an entire 10" record without distortion?

Regards,
Kevin

It really depends on what you're playing with them. I use fiber needles all the time and have great luck with them. I've found that worn records will wear a fiber needle out faster, as will a dirty record. Also, a reproducer that isn't rebuilt or adjusted properly will cause the needle to wear faster, same with a tonearm that isn't free enough. I've heard of treating them somehow, but I've never tried nor had any major problems though.

Sean

Kevin:

Are these new needles? By that I mean newly made. Also I assume these are bamboo. The old needles used "old growth" bamboo being several years old, that way the grain was tighter and the needle stiffer. I also believe the vintage needles were treated with some type of resin to stiffen them even further before they were sold. It sounds like the needles you got are too soft.

George

Seal the needles up in a container with silica gel, this will absorb moisture and harden them.

I have fine results with cactus needles, though they take more time to sharpen.

After playing a few more records, I noticed that if I insert the needle into the soundbox so it is perpendicular to the record, the needle wears rather quickly. I can actually see pieces of wood shredding off onto the record. If I insert the needle and make sure it is not inserted exactly perpendicular, I get almost no wear the record sounds good until the end... Thoughts/Comments?

Thanks for your suggestion estott. Where would I go about purchasing such an item?

novkev24 wrote:

Thanks for your suggestion estott. Where would I go about purchasing such an item?

In the UK they used to make special containers but you don't find them around where I live. I just use a very small screw top glass jar with silica gel crystals in it under the needles. You can buy the crystals online but I just save the little packs you get when you buy just about anything these days. The stuff is safe to touch and it doesn't hurt the needles to com in contact with it.

OrthoSean,

I'm playing mostly unworn records. You are correct. Worn records eat right through the needle. My machine is a VV XIV. The reproducer has been rebuilt and the tonearm moves nicely. I also read about treating bamboo needles, but also don't remember what I read.

OrthoSean wrote:It really depends on what you're playing with them. I use fiber needles all the time and have great luck with them. I've found that worn records will wear a fiber needle out faster, as will a dirty record. Also, a reproducer that isn't rebuilt or adjusted properly will cause the needle to wear faster, same with a tonearm that isn't free enough. I've heard of treating them somehow, but I've never tried nor had any major problems though.

Sean

Hi George,

I purchased a Victor Need Cutter from eBay that came with a number of needles. I'm not sure how old the needles are. I wonder if it would be possible to soak my needles in a solution of some type to make them stronger? I guess my next question would be to find out what type of resin was used.

-Kevin

penman wrote:Kevin:

Are these new needles? By that I mean newly made. Also I assume these are bamboo. The old needles used "old growth" bamboo being several years old, that way the grain was tighter and the needle stiffer. I also believe the vintage needles were treated with some type of resin to stiffen them even further before they were sold. It sounds like the needles you got are too soft.

George

I believe they were actually treated with some sort of wax. I have some records that just won't play no matter what with fiber needles, but most times I can get three sides from one before repointing. Original literature suggests "training" a record by playing it two or three times with a newly sharpened point before it will play all the way through if it won't to begin with, I've never gone that far to see if it's true, but it's certainly possible!

As I recall, Steve posted something at some point about how to keep fiber needles in "condition", it may have been back on the old board. Steve, you out there?

Good luck!

Sean

Here's a page with a lot of information:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/wardworks/ ... index.html