Record Cleaning - Cartridge Damage

You will not damage the stylus suspension by using a cleaning solution on your records that has alcohol. The cleaning solution is vacuumed off, and any minute residual amounts of alcohol on the record surface will evaporate in moments. (I have been using a homebrew record cleaning solution for 30 years that has alcohol, and have never noted any damage to the cantilever suspension.)

The advice to avoid using alcohol to clean the stylus tip itself, however, is probably sound. Any fluid can migrate up the stylus cantilever to the suspension, and alcohol probably will degrade the suspension over time.

To clean the stylus on my cartridge (a Grado Reference), I use a battery-operated cleaning device that was made some years ago by Signet, and may still be available. The device looks like a thick pen, and has a small circular patch of stiff bristle at the end. When you turn the device on, the bristle pad vibrates at about 400 Hz. You place the stylus tip on the bristle pad, and slowly pull the pad across the stylus tip (from back to front). I have found this vibrating, dry cleaning method works very well, although you must obviously be careful not to damage the cantilever.

The way I heard it the stylus cleaning fluid could migrate up the cantilever to the suspension (capillary action?). Your record cleaning should have no effect on the cartridge. Fumes are a non-issue. BTW, you shouldn't have to clean the same record more than a once or twice. If done correctly the cleaning process has a long-term effect.

I use the Last fluids to clean and treat my cartridge. I clean it about every other side, though the Last folks actually say to clean every side. Never gave it a second thought...

I clean my records about every ten plays or so using a VPI HW-17F with Nitty Gritty RCM fluid, though I may change brands to the Last RCM fluid. I change the brush and suction tube about every 1,000 sides cleaned.

I wouldn't worry about damage to your cartridge. I think cleaner is better when it comes to vinyl and cartidges...

As far as cleaning the stylus...I was told to NEVER USE a cleaning pad that has those short, dense, thick fibers that look like velvet. One slip or inadvertent backward motion, and the cryin' starts, because you might have just done cantilever or suspension damage! Use an artist's camel hair brush (just cut off the wood handle). Happy Tunes!

Thought a while back I heard that folks at Linn sold a fine grit sandpaper to clean the stylus.To me this makes sense given that it is a diamond.I use most of the LAST products but like others am concenerd that any wet cleaner isn't getting the grime off (think of the heat and pressure at the tip) and worse may do the above damage.Any more thoughts fromanybody else?