Talk About Static Cling...

Seriously guys, I'm telling you that some of my LP's are made out of voodoo vinyl.

Happy listening,
Patrick

I don't think you can measure a static charge with a scope. It will just drain away through the probe. The straps used to prevent static build up in manufacturing enviroments and by test technicians are just wire with a large value of resistance in series.

Could be wrong. Let us know what you find out Bob.

There are several devices that drain away the charge as you play the record. They look like a tonearm with a brush of some sort instead of a sylus that drains away the charge through an attached wire that is grounded. Picks up dust too. I believe Audio Technica made one as well as some others. George Merril had some for sale recently at Underground Sound.

Not sure abut voodoo Lugnut, but I know that my double re-release of Miles Workin' and Steamin'will pick up more static than any other I've ever noticed. POPS within the first two inches of play (AFTER Gruv-Glide and without coming within 15 feet of the TT), I "tripped" my preamp off twice before a side could be played through and am not using it at all until I get this issue solved. Relegated to listening to "Surry with the Fringe on Top" on CD - :-(

Ya know, the anti-static treatment that RCA touted in their vinyl formula back during the 50's & 60's really does seem to work. Is there something missing from newer vinyl formulations that should be reconsidered? It does seem to me that my most susceptible records tend to be the more recent editions.

P.S. - BTW, Bob B, I have always considered raising the dustcover during playback to be the most problematic position for this necessary evil. If you play your music loudly, it can really be set in motion up there, and it's wobbling mass transmits straight to the plinth. Better to remove it and all it's attendent resonances altogether during play, but if you have a dust problem like I do, you may want to try my solution of damping the closed cover by resting the bottom edge in front on a couple of sorbothane-type 1/4" washers, and then damping the top surface, which I accomplish using a spare soft rubber platter mat laid on top. A closed cover does also have the theoretical virture of somewhat attenuating the music's SPL within the confines of the stylus's working environment.

OK I did some testing last night. Zaik's theory that static builds up simply via platter rotation turns out to be correct in my case - after a 20 minute spin without the stylus engaged I still get that static cling. I then neutralized with Zerostat & per my wife's suggestion I applied Endust for Electronics (an antistatic cleaner/spray) to the platter top & sides with a lint-free paper towel. After another 20 minute spin, the static was back again although the charge was not as strong as before, so at least that helps.
Measuring the spindle-to-ground resistance I get an infinite reading, so I'm going to run a separate ground wire from the bearing-carrier back to the phono stage ground. This may help despite the use of insulating mat; the spindle contacts the record's center hole tightly enough that this could theoretically do some good. Then again this grounding didn't help Mot's problem, but I'll try it anyway & cross my fingers.
Herman's suggestion regarding the static drain-brush is certainly worth trying as well; nice idea.
Zaik I must agree the cover-issue is certainly problematic; this VPI is a suspended table with the cover hinges fastened to the base which is spring-isolated from the deck, so may or may not be an issue. I'll have to experiment with sonic comparisons of cover-open, cover-removed, & cover-damped per your suggestion.
Thanks to everyone for chiming-in here with their theories & suggestions; much appreciated.