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Zerostat: Old is Gold?

I was recently in the market for a Zerostat gun.  I looked online and saw that they had moved their production from England to China.  Of course, without any reduction in price.  As I try to avoid Chinese manufacture as much as I can,  I thought I would buy a used one on ebay.  I bid on a few auctions but was surprised to see them selling for around $50 for one in decent (but hardly new) condition.  The new blue Zerostats from China are $80 and up. 

Are the old Zerostats in some way superior to the newer Chinese made that would justify the (IMO) relatively high prices being realized for the original guns?
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uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
A quick perusal of eBay revealed this gem!

Anybody seen a white one before?

Of course no mention from seller if it is working.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Original-Zerostat-Gun/302572054063?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&am...
lewm
13,093 posts
 
Am I correct in surmising that most of us are using the "hold the trigger in then release slowly as you move the gun away from the LP" method?  Seems like ghosthouse does.  Yesterday, I searched Youtube for videos like the one cited above.  There you can find several different would-be gurus touting several different ways to use the Zerostat.  I did like the demonstration that a Zerostat treatment can cause a charged up balloon to fall off the surface of an oppositely charged LP.  I would accept that demo as "data".

My neighbor up the street owns a system in which he has invested well north of $100,000, maybe north of $150,000.  I observed that he haphazardly squeezes his Zerostat rapidly and repeatedly over the LP, without any regard for avoiding the clicking sound and without the "hold down" final step.  When I advised him that his technique is not optimal, he gave me a quizzical look and basically showed no interest.  This is a guy who uses cable lifters, ICs and PCs that each cost in the 5-figure range, those crazy things that are supposed to change the room air to promote sound propagation, $100 fuses, etc, etc.  Each of us is crazy in a different way, which makes this a great hobby.
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,312 posts
 
@lewm 
...well,  only on the final application above the spindle do I hold the trigger, move the gun away from the TT and then release it while aimed at the carpet or whatever.  I do it quickly too...no reason for concern about quick discharge at that point.  The other 3 preceding cycles of pulling and releasing the trigger I do slowly and while aimed at the vinyl (e.g., 12, 4 and 8 o'clock).  

To Al's point about using 3 pull/release cycles (vs just 1) at each of 3 locations above the disk - that You Tube video with the static charged balloon DOES seem to show more treatment needed to neutralize charge when the LP is on the turntable as opposed to the LP held in the air.  Personally, I'm much better off doing more Zerostat treatment cycles with the LP resting safely on the turntable platter.  

"Each of us is crazy in a different way...." - I liked that. 
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,601 posts
 
I owned a Zerostat years ago. All of the issues you all are referring to are valid. Shew!!!!! I own a Mapleshade anti-static gun (no longer offered- works much better than the Milty).

Get a DIY US cleaner (look at the Rushton thread) and the latest Audioquest brush (if needed).

Life will be more enjoyable.
lewm
13,093 posts
 
Ghosthouse, You wrote, "Only on the final application above the spindle do I hold the trigger, move the gun away from the TT and then release it while aimed at the carpet or whatever.  I do it quickly too...no reason for concern about quick discharge at that point.  The other 3 preceding cycles of pulling and releasing the trigger I do slowly and while aimed at the vinyl (e.g., 12, 4 and 8 o'clock)."

Yep.  That's what I do too.  With my 45 year old Zerostat.  With the LP always ON the turntable, mainly because I refuse to yield to the ritual to any further extent.
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