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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:20 am   #1
Martin Bush
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Default Stylus guard

Hello all

This should be a quick one.

I have just taken delivery of a nice turntable which has an AT-91 cartridge and stylus.

In anticipation of some avoidable calamity, I was wondering if there was such a thing as a universal (or specific) stylus guard. I've seen them on some but can't find one for mine.

Martin
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:23 am   #2
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Stylus guard

Hi Martin,

I think you'd need the specific guard which comes with the AT-91 cartridge (or any of its re-badged cousins used by countless manufacturers).

You might have to console yourself with the fact that if you did manage to wreck the stylus, a new one (or even a complete new cartridge and stylus) is "only" £15 or so, as opposed to hundreds for really esoteric ones, and takes seconds to fit.

N.

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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:42 am   #3
Edward Huggins
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Default Re: Stylus guard

The chance of ever damaging your stylus/cartridge once fitted into a headshell is minimal. You are liable to cause more disruption/unecessary movement/twisting by pulling it on and off each time you use it. I would only ever use one for deck transportation, but only then if the tone arm clamp was suspect.
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:52 am   #4
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Stylus guard

Yes, you only really need one if you are using multiple cartridges in removable headshells, and even then it's not essential.
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:53 am   #5
Martin Bush
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Default Re: Stylus guard

Thanks to you both. I was thinking of accidental dropping of the arm, and not necessarily by me...
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 12:00 pm   #6
Craig Sawyers
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Default Re: Stylus guard

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nickthedentist View Post
a new one (or even a complete new cartridge and stylus) is "only" £15 or so, as opposed to hundreds for really esoteric ones, and takes seconds to fit.
N.
Hundreds? For a top line moving coil cartridge from Lyra or Koetsu you can easily pay ten grand.

But the top SME turntable (model 30) with 12" arm is £35k......and that is cheap-skate stuff for the rich and famous.

Yes - I know, I know.
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 12:36 pm   #7
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Default Re: Stylus guard

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Bush View Post
I was thinking of accidental dropping of the arm, and not necessarily by me...
Kids are the real risk here. I can still remember my dad fitting a new Shure stylus to his Thorens TD150 when I was little, then my 2 year-old brother coming along to have a look and immediatley knocking the tip off the cantilever

£20 or so down the drain, when £20 was really rather a lot of cash.

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Old 4th Sep 2017, 1:12 pm   #8
Craig Sawyers
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Default Re: Stylus guard

When I was 16 or 17 I bought my first decent deck and cartridge. That was a Garrard AP76 and a Shure M75. There was a really stupid diagram in the Shure literature that showed how to slide the stylus out. Before I even screwed the thing in the arm, and fueled by my curiosity I tried to use the Shure diagram to take the stylus out - slipped and a finger snapped the cantilever off.

At that age, that was a significant additional outlay for a new stylus.
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 8:33 pm   #9
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Stylus guard

I feel your pain, Craig!

Martin, I've just nabbed an original AT-91 stylus guard from my parents' turntable. They'll never need it.

I'll put it to one side for you when I next see you.

Nick.
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 8:43 pm   #10
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Stylus guard

When I was at university, my landlady decapitated my Ortofon SL20E. She said she'd pay for it, but didn't when the price emerged. Served me right for getting digs with an obsessive duster and for being daft enough to take the flip-down guard off. We did things like that then
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Old 4th Sep 2017, 11:21 pm   #11
Martin Bush
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Default Re: Stylus guard

That is fabulous Nick! All that's needed now is to set up the deck with the new belt. Giant!
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