Vinyl Junkies …

@Airhead - sweet setup!! I was listening to a David Rodigan interview recently and he said when he moved into his house he had RSJs fitted to support his record collection!!

What is the forum-approved mat to use to help with static issues?
Cork? Rubber? Leather?
None of the above?
Read that a humidifier helps, and consider getting one as the dryness during the heating period pisses me off anyway.

I've got the felt one on my Rega Planar, seems to keep the static down ok

Caravela announced their first LP. Looking forward to this in the new year

https://caravelaband.bandcamp.com/album/orla

Washing the record with de-ionised water (or in fact any water) works to reduce static. I use 3mm cork + 3mm rubber on one deck but having washed records reduces static to nearly nothing anyway. The water should be demineralised as well of course. I get mine from the window cleaner but pet shops sell it for fish tanks.

When I'm moving shelves around and I have to take the records off the shelf I remember how bulky and heavy they are.

Washing records is a ballsy thing to do, a brilliant DJ I know washes his set before playing out, used to go round they were in a plate rack on the draining board. Bonkers.

Didn't know you also knew DJ Cillit Bang.

You met his mic man..... MC Brillo?

I have a machine that makes it pretty easy. I really don't know how to describe it, washing or cleaning? Basically the science is the water stops the static so I suppose dipping them in a bucket would work.

The bonkers people are the ones still playing their filthy records!

I got one of those anti-static (carbon fibre) brushes as that's what my long-time record collector mate uses, also saw these in all the record shops so thought this must be good.
It's indeed good to carefully brush loose dust away right before playing the record I find.
Now I realize newly bought, never played records can have shit on them from the manufacturing process, and read a lot of people think you should clean / wash new records before you play them.
I have been trying the distilled water plus alcohol plus a drop of rinsing agent and microfiber cloth approach, and while a bit tedious it does work. Records play nicely, and I put them in their poly-lined sleeves afterwards with a content expression on my face.

The static (and thus the dust) does return though.
I think it comes from the record player itself, the dry air, invisible cats, I don't know.
Maybe a better mat could improve things I tought.
Read up on the subject and now I'm super confused, frankly, there doesn't seem to be a one-fits-all solution to this.

Last night I tried my first record clean with the Knosti Disco Cleaner. I cleaned a George Benson disc which wasn't kept in a liner, but in the pages of the booklet that came with the record for 30 years.

It's been heavily played but still sounds really good despite being quite dusty and scratchy. It's hard to tell exactly, but cleaning it seemed to help quite a bit with the pops and clicks, and also resulted in blacker background. I'm looking forward to cleaning some used purchases now, maybe some newer records also to see if that's worth it.

I got the clamp modified by this guy: http://highqual.co.uk/

blacker background

wat

Anyone recommend a decent inner sleeve?

As usual I can spend a lot or a little and I don't know why.

I get almost all my stuff from covers33. They do a Japanese style liner or a lined paper in black or white. Depends how many you have to do. Top ones are MoFi, I bought a bunch once but don't really see the advantage over the basic Japanese style.

Cleaning new records is about as good as it gets in terms of results. Cleaning used records is a bit of a crap shoot. Sometimes it yields good results, sometimes it's just time consuming and you don't get beyond the fact that someone has enjoyed playing the record a lot while they've been drinking :)

If you buy a simple loupe, like the type used for coins, you can look right into the grooves and see what the issues are. Takes a little practice and usually doesn't help to fix the problems, just helps to know when to give up.

The dust does come back but I usually wash with distilled water every few plays. The first wash is quite important for a lot of records though.

Bear in mind that paper dust can come from the labels and centre hole as well as all the other places. All my sleeves are covered, either sealed poly sleeves or open PVC depending on how much the record gets played. I still get dust on records though.

We all own carbon fibre brushes! good technique allegedly is to hover over the record and then move towards the label and touch the spindle. I use mine to clean the mat these days.

One thing I do use often is stylus cleaner, stylus scale and a home printed alignment disk. Also aim to get a test record to help set the arm/stylus up.

Seconding Airhead on covers33 - they've been my go to for a long time. I keep a stack of black and white inners for anything that comes without them / some of my old records that are getting a bit tattered. I also use their outer sleaves and have been happy with them too.

Spamming the thread tonight but I've just received my December delivery so here's one to look out for. Ragged piece of vinyl but if you like Jungle - IR001EP - Yardrock - Straight From The Yard - Ibiza Records.

4 x very fun jungle tracks.

Thanks @Airhead and @tb55 will try the covers33 liners.

Talking of dust and static, I got an Milty zerostat, but I get the impression it's not much of an issue in our wet climate.

They do seem more useful in Texas.

Apparently there's an old system to stop static where a little piece of radioactive material (polonium 210 usually) is stuck on the opening edge of the sleeve. They made brushes employing the same technique. Apparently dosage was pretty low.

https://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/consumer%20products/staticeliminator.htm

good technique allegedly is to hover over the record and then move towards the label and touch the spindle

..with the brush, or with your hand?

very fun jungle

Brill! Liking that Bitty Mclean sample, the rest are cool too.

Got to say dude your music setup looks really amazing.

Here's a cool record I recently bought.

https://blackflower1.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-radio

Just love the band.