LAST Record Preservative. Do you believe?

I do not use it as a regimen. I have used it and I have records to which it has been applied by others. Of those to which it has been applied, some have received the application as many as 30 years ago and have been played MANY, MANY times. If it were going to do any damage, it would have done so by now. I do not think there is any question as to whether it is safe to use. It is. Whether it "preserves" the vinyl such that it will sound BETTER after repeated plays, say, 20 years down the road, I don't know for sure. I have LP's that have been treated with LAST that sound perfect after more than a hundred plays. I have records that have NOT been treated that sound great after more than a hundred plays. I have never tried putting it on one and not the other of the same LP and then playing them both for ten years to compare the difference. If anyone has THAT type of testing information, please share.

I do not use STYLAST but, instead, I use Record Research Labs #9. I've examined styli under the microscope before and after using this stuff and it works GREAT. OTOH, you have to be careful with respect to liquid stylus cleaners. Check with your cart manufacturer to be sure you are not dealing with a cantilever that might serve as a wick to suck up the liquid into the cartridge innards. Too, one has to be careful with "dry" cleaners and the ones where you lower the stylus down and lift up to, "VIOLA", remove gunk. Ask a few cartridge distributors and they will tell you that using such cleaners is the leading cause for cartridges to return for cantilever repair (next to cleaning women accidents, that is). :-)

4yanx experience mirrors my own.

I used to use LAST record cleaner and preservative back in the '80s for most of my records. (I probably used it for 5 or 6 years, and put it on at least a hundred records or so.) In the '90s I switched over to CDs (like most of us I imagine), and did not get back to my vinyl collection until 3 or 4 years ago when I bought a new TT and phono preamp. When I have played those records with the LAST preservative, I have found that they still sound great.

I now use a RCM, (Nitty Gritty 1.0) so I have not found the need to utilize the LAST products. However, based upon my past experience with them, I can recommend them if you don't have a RCM. (Personally, I think a RCM (even a cheap one) is the best alternative to cleaning your records. But if money is a concern, the LAST products are pretty good. If you do get a RCM, the RRL Super Vinyl Wash is very good, and I highly recommend it.)

As far as Stylast, I tried it, but did not really feel it did much. So I too now use RRL #9 as a stylus cleaner, and feel it does a good job. (I actually put the liquid on the brush, rather than on the stylus, in order to minimize the amount of liquid that goes onto the cantilever.)

My two cents worth.

One caveat to my earlier post. I am NOT saying that anyone who has concerns and does not want to place LAST on their vinyl is wrong. In fact, if one is not comfortable with WHATEVER product is out there and they have doubts as to whether they want to risk it on their vinyl, I say err on the side of caution. Lord knows there are umpteen products out there that are lauded as great which have had little or no testing - save what profits might be realized through their sale.

It is my OPINION, however, that the LAST product is perfectly safe.

I have been using LAST on my LP's for more than 30 years, and have been very satisfied with its performance. Some of my LP's have been played many times over the years, and there is no detectable deterioration of either the vinyl surfaces or the quality of sound reproduction. I admit that I also clean my LP's frequently on a Nitty Gritty machine (using my own homebrew cleaning fluid), which contributes to the LP's remaining in top condition, but I am convinced that LAST does what it promises (and the Library of Congress apparently also agrees, as it uses LAST for archival preservation of its sound recordings).

Some of the A-gon members (4yanx, Joe Trelli, etc) that have bought LP's from my collection can attest to the fact that my LAST-treated LP's have remained in virtually mint condition.

Ultimately, it's a judgement call if you want to use LAST. Opinions range from it being un-advisable, to being an OK option, to being an excellent way to protect your LP's. I can only attest to my own experience: LAST has worked well for me.

On the subject of stylus cleaners: back in the 1980's, I stopped using liquid cleaners on the stylus/cantilever assembly, and only recently resumed its use. I am presently using LP #9, and it seems to work well (although I can't tell for sure if it's the liquid, or the additional use of a stylus cleaning brush).

What no one will argue with is the necessity, and effectiveness, of keeping your LP's really clean with a good record cleaning machine (even the inexpensive models do a fine job if you use them properly).

I will not use a record without it. Have used it steadily for close to 30 years. I used to use it on everything except my "fine" recordings such as direct to discs, telarcs, mo fi's, uhqrs, etc. In the interval the mo-fi's have some occasional ticks. The "normal" vinyl that is last treated has held up better. I now use LAST on every record I purchase.

I love Stylast also and use it and LAST stylus cleaner. Every play. Never an issue with build up, etc.

Last products are great.

Happy Listening.