Shure M75ED type 2 extra initials underneath

[Luxman1050]

Just a quick question I've got this cartridge but have no idea why there is initials underneath NJ. Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks Chris

[Doghouse Riley]

I use the same cartridge, there are no initials on mine.

Did you buy it second-hand?

[Luxman1050]

I bought it last week had to install an earth lead as the amp I'm using did not like it not having one. So on re moving the head I noticed those initials. They look well done just curious if anybody had come across this before. Could be the owner but not sure why they would go to that effort.

[Luxman1050]

I might have misinterpreted your question. I did not buy the cartridge second hand I got the record player last week with the stylus.

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by Luxman1050

I might have misinterpreted your question. I did not buy the cartridge second hand I got the record player last week with the stylus.

Mine was second hand, I bought it on eBay for not a lot of money, to replace an M75EJ which had lost a channel. It works well with my turntable and Goodmans speakers, I've had for fifty years. The tuner amp was second-hand sixteen years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJaV58i-X40

You've a good cartridge there!

[vidjoman]

I’ve certainly seen letters like those on Shure cartridges. No idea what they mean. It might be a code used in manufacturing or to identify when supplied in bulk to a player manufacturer.

[Luxman1050]

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

Mine was second hand, I bought it on eBay for not a lot of money, to replace an M75EJ which had lost a channel. It works well with my turntable and Goodmans speakers, I've had for fifty years. The tuner amp was second-hand sixteen years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJaV58i-X40

You've a good cartridge there!

Thanks no problems with the cartridge it's in vgc which was a surprise.
Nice setup you've got there.

[Luxman1050]

Originally Posted by vidjoman

I’ve certainly seen letters like those on Shure cartridges. No idea what they mean. It might be a code used in manufacturing or to identify when supplied in bulk to a player manufacturer.

Ah thats a good point but it looks like they have been painted on. Would they go to those lengths of hand painting initials on each cartridge? Just a thought!

[Radio Wrangler]

Done with a rubber stamp dipped in paint it appears.

Possibilities are:

Date/batch code
Assembler identity
Quality assurance inspector identity

David

[Luxman1050]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

Done with a rubber stamp dipped in paint it appears.

Possibilities are:

Date/batch code
Assembler identity
Quality assurance inspector identity

David

That makes sense David. Never seen one marked with initials before.
Thanks for input guys.

[Chiltern]

Not that unusual, 3 picked at random from my 'stock'. Very popular cartridge of it's time.

Alan

[Luxman1050]

Cheers Alan. Seems like it was common practice on these cartridges.

[ms660]

As well as NJ:

In Orange/Red print....KC, MB, MC, MI, NL, OB, OD, OE, OJ, OL, PA, amongst others no doubt.

Lawrence.

[ben]

Could they be American states or cities ? New Jersey, KentuCky, OrEgon, etc?

[Luxman1050]

It's funny you should say that Ben as that was exactly what I was thinking.

[duncanlowe]

Originally Posted by ben

Could they be American states or cities ? New Jersey, KentuCky, OrEgon, etc?

I wondered, but it doesn't quite fit. There's no OE for example, Oregon is OR. NL is Newfoundland and Labrador but that's Canada of course. Likewise MB is Manitoba (Canada) but there's no MC in either country.

I'd say more likely a simple two letter date code, that started at AA, AB. Funny that all the examples start with letters in the same 'area' of the alphabet: K, M, N, O, P