Cartridge stylus

[robert.copley1]

two types of stylus for TC86 one red one green/yellow which is for 78 and for 45 rpm thanks Bob

[Techman]

There's no such thing as a TC86 as far as I know, but green is always the standard for 78rpm.

[Techman]

Just for a bit of additional clarity, I think you must mean BSR TC8, so red will mean mono vinyl - ie, 33/45rpm

[robert.copley1]

thanks for the reply also what is the stylus yellow code ?

[Edward Huggins]

The Yellow mark is often to be found on a Green 78rpm stylus. Don't forget that these are MONO styli only.

[Audio1950]

Are you sure it's not a stereo cartridge? If it is, it will be white, and have three pins on the back. It will be marked TC8S

Barry

[robert.copley1]

thanks guys !

[astro63]

yellow dot is a stereo stylus

[robert.copley1]

thanks Astro !

[Techman]

Originally Posted by astro63

yellow dot is a stereo stylus

Yes, but this is a yellow dot combined with a green dot, which we already know as green indicating 78rpm, so how can we have a 'stereo' 78rpm stylus?

However, I think you may well be correct in what you say!

I've seen this combination before with yellow and green and I've just been looking though my old stock of stylus and cartridges and unfortunately the only 'new-in-box' TC8 stylus that I have is yet another colour code combination of blue and white, shown below, and is the diamond stereo tipped version for the LP vinyl side of the TC8S cartridge.

Looking through some old cartridges, I've found a TC8H mono cartridge that has a yellow green combination fitted in its LP vinyl position, but we'd have to be sure that it wasn't incorrectly fitted by someone in the wrong position sometime in the past - the one on the 78 side is un-coded with no colour dots, as is the one shown fitted to the TC8S in the LP vinyl position.

I may have some other examples fitted in tone arms on record decks, but not convenient to view at the moment. I think what we need are some definitive answers with proof and links to written manufacturer data (if it exists) and also TC8 stylus pictures of examples still sealed in their original packaging, showing colour coding and stylus type.

Note - when the green 78 flag is as seen facing upwards, the stylus that we can see in the pictures is the LP vinyl stylus, the 78 stylus facing downwards and out of sight.

[astro63]

Found these on the web

[Techman]

Thanks for the two pictures.

The second one proves conclusively that the yellow/green coding is a 78 stylus and is as I originally thought, but I was starting to have some doubts.

I've also had a look on-line and found both of the pictures you posted. The first picture you show had a couple of others with it, one showing the stylus out of the box and the back side of it has a yellow flash of paint showing. I think this proves that yellow is not an indication of stereo, but the material that the stylus tip is made from, sapphire in this instance. White coding indicates a stereo tip and blue indicates it's a diamond tip. Red is probably an early indicator of just LP 33/45 before all the different types became available.

What it does show is that the orange TC8H cartridge I pictured has the 78rpm stylus fitted in the wrong position. I've no idea where that cartridge came from, other than I would have pulled it out of some record player as a dud (as they pretty much all are) at some time in the distant past.

So we can now confirm (as originally thought) that any GREEN paint indication means it's for 78rpm records only. Let's hope the OP sees this latest information and hasn't started using it for playing vinyl. We must, however, remember that none of these cartridges should be used for playing stereo pressings - use for playing old 60s mono vinyl only!

These are all my thoughts and findings on the various colour paint blobs from the evidence to hand, so if anyone has any further thoughts or information, then please let us all know.

[Edward Huggins]

In my experience, the BSR TC8S stereo stylus has no paint markings at all on the shank.

[robert.copley1]

thanks guys !