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How old is your cartridge?

We read and hear about cartridges that are ancient that people are still using, and we read about others replacing their cartridge after a few years because the cartridge is spent. 
How old is your cartridge that you use regularly? 
I know one person still spinning a Shure V15 Type II Improved with a stylus that is probably about 30 years old. The cartridge itself was purchased by the guy new in the early 70’s. 
My cartridge, a Linn Arkiv B, is 18 or 19 years old and it’s definitely tired by now. 
Thanks all for responding! 
128x128zavato
zavato's avatar
zavato OP
1,409 posts
 
“Age is inconsequential.

Hours matter”

I disagree- 

the rubber in the suspension will deteriorate with age. That can affect trackability and could lead to mistracking 
mr_m
1,900 posts
 
+1 on suspension deterioration.
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Suspension may deteriorate faster, before stylus wears out completely- by that time i am sure though that the shape would be rounded -, when mistracking appears you know it.
G
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Got a Stanton 681EEE from 1976. Old enough to tell me the suspension getting hard argument is another one that sounds good but falls apart in the real world. Meanwhile the one I use every day is a Koetsu Black Goldline now going on 3 years. It will like the vast majority of cartridges be replaced with a better one long before it needs to by wear alone.
zavato's avatar
zavato OP
1,409 posts
 
Any decent engineer knows that rubber deteriorates with time either through chain hardening or chain scission. That is real world 
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