I am using a VPI 17 for many years and it never scratched any record.
However if the velvet pads of the suction arm become contaminated with something hard they will scratch your record - I frequently check and clean them, specially before cleaning valuable or irreplaceable LPs.
However if the velvet pads of the suction arm become contaminated with something hard they will scratch your record - I frequently check and clean them, specially before cleaning valuable or irreplaceable LPs.