It’s a tale as old as time. I picked up a new (used/vintage) record player last weekend, but haven’t been able to listen to a single record yet. A new record that I purchased won’t play at all. The second I drop the needle, I get stuck in a loop skip. I also purchased an older “test” record from the thrift store to experiment with. I got halfway through, and then the “loop slip” returns. The only way to stop it is to lift style and move it further along in the record.
Here’s what I’ve done so far to resolve it:
Installed a brand new AT-VM95C cart and stylus. I aligned it with a protractor that I printed (following the instructions for “actual size.”) I also balanced the tonearm multiple times and made sure that I got it just right. The cartridge calls for a weight of 1.8 to 2.2g. I went with a conservative 2.1g.
I tried experimenting with the anti skate. I tried applying no anti skate at all, which worked for a few seconds before the issue came back (so I don’t think the anti skate is the issue).
I fully cleaned both records before playing them and made sure the new stylus is clean.
I checked the tonearm for mobility, and tried to see if there’s anything stopping it from moving freely. I couldn’t feel anything.
At this point, I feel like it may be time to open up the turntable and see what’s going on internally. Maybe there’s old oil and grease that’s impacting the mobility of the tonearm? If you have a recommendation for which oil and grease to try, I’ll be brave and open it up later.
Here’s a video of my test country western record skipping like crazy.