Stylus Evaluation

i know this isn't exactly what you wanted.. but...

I had the same issue to work through and just stopped by a local jewelry (diamond) store on an off hour. I asked them nicely (and offered the obvious no thanx as an acceptable response) if i could use their microscope to look at my stylus.

The not only were happy to let me do that, they were relatively curious and entertained by the whole exercise.

You may not be able to discern a slightly worn stylus, but you can certainly evaluate a heavily worn one, or one where the stylus has fallen off.

If you want a retip or a simple assesment, the Expert Stylus company in the UK are great. They have been refurbishing cartridges for 25 years. They will asses, including cantilever and suspension for £25( about $35) and retip, depending on cartridge, work needed etc, for up to £200. I have never heard anyone complain about their work. They are'nt on the internet as they have all the work they need without advertising. Send me a PM if you want contact details