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Record Cleaning Backlash

I bought myself a Nitty Gritty RCM about a year and a half ago. I started out using NG Pure2, applying it to the velvet lips and cleaning as per NG's instructions. It seemed ok, but as all things in this hobby, we wonder about the next step. So I bought some Disc Doctor and some AI pure water and started a multi-step process. Applying the DD with the DD brushes, taking it off with tissue, using pure water, off with tissue, another pure water rinse and vacuum it all off. I also tried L'Art Du Son and kept the mixed portion in my fridge. Also, the same multi-step procedure as Disc Doctor. I never went as far as Walker.

Well, I think I just got sick of spending so much time cleaning and went back to a very simple procedure. Nitty Gritty Pure 2 one-step fluid, applied with a DD brush, and then vacuum off with the NG. I will tell you - it works great and it's fast, easy and clean. I play the record after cleaning and there's nothing on the stylus tip.

Caveat - I'm talking about new or almost new vinyl here. I'm not trying to get 20 year old Pepsi out of the grooves. For that, the procedure would be more involved. So I ask you to free yourself of the tyranny of record cleaning and get sensible again. Or not! Whatever makes you happy. I'm just reminding myself and you that you can effectively clean both sides of a record in three minutes with great results and not having to clean 6 brushes when you're done. Enjoy.
chayro
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
I have tried (with my VPI 16.5)the Walker system, and MoFi and disc doctor, and never really noticed a huge difference between them. The steam treatment method does do a great job on really dirty records.

But I am now having another problem. Lots of pops and clicks on what look like clean records. No amount of cleaning seems to make a difference. It sounds like static, but I can't get rid of it. Almost all of my new records go down this road now and still sound good, with the exception of the few annoying pops and clicks.

All records are cleaned, a static reducing brush - contantly cleaned- used before I play the records, but they just start getting noisy, then don't seem to be clean-able back to quiet????

What's the deal??
residualdissonance
19 posts
 
static has no "sound". Whoever invented that notion was either ignorant...or high. The only thing static does is attract dust. Period. What you may be experiencing is the typical dirt impregnated record. My THE WALL LP has this illness. sigh...
chashas1
596 posts
 
Chayro, I think you should always do a rinse. I didn't for years, just used whatever fluid with the brush and then sucked it off...Now, I use whatever fluid, I like the AI #15 best of all, and then rinse with their (AI) water..doesn't seem any more labor intensive. I agree, I wouldn't clean if it was more of a process. As the fountain of sound information Gene Rubin always says, anything that keeps you from playing a record will.
chayro OP
3,000 posts
 
Whether static has a "sound" is really not the issue. I have had highly-charged vinyl on dry days and playing the record caused huge static-discharge "pops". If I touched the arm base while the record was playing I would get a shock. I treated the record with Gruv-Glide and the symptoms were gone. Conceptually, I would rather not put any additional substances on the record, but I found it necessary in some cases. The records were unplayable without it. Besides, GG is easily removed by a subsequent cleaning.
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