LP's/Skip Jump

[SirFrankieCrisp]

I have an Autoslim, singles play very well even scratched ones, but LP's that appear to have no damage, jump on the first two tracks. I have a generic ceramic cartridge tracking at 5 grams (weighed on digital stylus pressure scale), the same records play OK on my other deck tracking at 3 grams, it's usually stereo LP's that are a problem. I have looked on the internet but cannot find anything that would be of help.

[Michael Maurice]

Are the records that skip and jump new pressings? By that I mean Brand New 180g records? If so, then it seems a common problem.

[SirFrankieCrisp]

No they are from my old collection, 60's, 70's, 80's, could it be that the tracking force is too high?.

[Michael Maurice]

Check the stylus, also the that the lateral movement of the arm is ok, I've had the grease in the bearings dry up which stops the arm moving as freely as it should across the record.

[Audio1950]

Originally Posted by Michael Maurice

I've had the grease in the bearings dry up which stops the arm moving as freely as it should across the record.

If this were the problem, surely the stylus would be repeating the grooves, not skipping and jumping them, as the OP has said?

[Marconi_MPT4]

Hi,
In the Autoslim manual under section Pick Up Arm Movement six possible faults are listed. Assuming correct stylus pressure, stylus is not worn or wrong size the last three Garrard suggest are pick up leads not free, groove guard on record and high friction in friction link.

For records with a groove guard i.e. a raised rim around the outside of the record is to adjust dropping position and ensure the stylus lands inside raised rim.

Is the turntable level?

With the arm friction link simply clean and re-grease.

Many original cartridge suspension and rubber stylus mounts will have hardened also leading to these symptoms.

Rich

[ben]

If the cartridge is one of those cheap Chuo Denshi clones, then that may well be the problem. Especially if the stylus has a plastic cantilever. Picture?

[Hartley118]

A couple of thoughts:

Is the turntable level? The tendency to skip forward suggests that it may be tilted in that direction.

How confident are you of the tracking weight? Personally, I find using a digital scale quite tricky, in that it can be difficult to set the stylus at the actual height that it is when playing a record. The actual tracking weight of many arms varies quite markedly with height, typically getting heavier as the arm is lifted. So if the tracking weight was set with the arm a little high, it may be too light when actually on the record.

Whatever the cause, I'd certainly recommend increasing the tracking weight until the skipping stops. That's much healthier for record and stylus than too light a weight.

Martin

[SirFrankieCrisp]

Thank you all for your replies and help/suggestions. Yes it is one of those generic Chinese cartridges, the shaft of the stylus is metal not plastic, I have tried several new styli but no difference, old mono LP's play ok, but 70's and 80's stereo Lp's suffer with skips. Increasing the tracking force is worse, the skips happen more. I was thinking of purchasing a phono stage pre-amp and trying a mm cartridge, what are thoughts on this?. The record player is an Ekco Rp411 that has 2 x ECL86 valves, it has treble and bass controls.

[Audio1950]

Opinions vary, but I've always understood that magnetic cartridges are not a good idea when the turntable is steel, due to the magnetic pull increasing the tracking weight. Personally, I'd go for a BSR SC11 or 12, which are ceramic. They are getting scarce, but they can be found, but make sure it comes with it's mounting bracket. They are somewhat costly, but a pre-amp and a new magnetic cartridge will probably be more so.

[SirFrankieCrisp]

I found an old Shure/Tandy R47XT mm cartridge tried it on the autoslim tracking at 3 grams, no skipping, so it is the Chinese cartridge. I will try and source a new stylus for the Shure/Tandy and order a phono pre-amp.