How to Care for New or Soundsmith Rebuilt Cartridges

How do I clean the stylus?? Do I use a wet cleaner each time, or often? NO!!!

DO I use that clear GEL stuff?? NO NO NO. That will destroy some cartridges !!!
 
A DRY soft brush is somewhere between good and “OK”, but it is a good way to destroy your cartridge. The BEST dry method is to use some DAP Bluestik* – this is the blue clay-like stuff you get in the stationery department made by DAP. It is used for temporary sticking things on walls and such. Use it just before or after every play. Option one is to craft a “pedestal" on the turntable base and place a small FLATTENED ball of DAP Bluestik* on the pedestal so that you can use the cueing mechanism to allow the stylus to drop onto the blu-stik. CAUTION: Be sure that the top of the DAP Bluestik* is lower than the stylus before you move it under the stylus. You don't want the stylus to hit the side of the DAP Bluestik*; it WILL damage your cartridge.

The other good option is to squash a small ball (half the size of a dime) FLAT (the thickness of a record or less) FULLY ACROSS a heavy coin – such as a quarter. Then place THAT coin on the platter.  Then cue DOWN and up on the DAP Bluestik* several times. Be VERY careful not to DRAG the coin or turn the platter when the stylus is down on the DAP Bluestik* or you risk damaging the stylus or cartridge. 

Do this several times, each time moving the DAP Bluestik* to a new spot when the stylus is raised, so that when it comes down it hits a new spot.
 
If you need to do this on a B&O table, make the pedestal JUST the right height (layered quarters with a little Bluestik between them)  so the stack with Bluestik* on top can be slid JUST under the stylus position when you slide it under the cartridge. MAKE SURE the stylus does NOT hit the Bluestik as you slide it under. THEN gently push the cartridge down a tiny bit so the stylus hits the Blustik  - this will allow the stylus to dig into the DAP Bluestik*. Do this several times. 
 
Using this method every record should eliminate the need to wet clean ever, BUT if this doesn’t cure a distortion problem due to debris build up, then either use the brush described below and some RUBBING alcohol (NO COLORING OR FRAGRANCE) and gently stroke the stylus back to front only. Only wet clean when the dry clean doesn’t work.

CAUTION - if you are cleaning one of our SMMC20 SERIES BLACK BODY cartridges, the PLASTIC black body is NOT compatible with alcohol and it will cause the body to crack apart. APPLY ALCOHOL ONLY to the stylus - at the very END of the cantilever.

DO NOT WET CLEAN OFTEN - TO DO SO WILL POTENTIALLY CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE STYLUS MOUNTING AND CAUSE THE DIAMOND TO COME OFF. USE THE ABOVE DAP Bluestik* METHOD.

If you don’t have a good small VERY SOFT brush, purchase a WATERCOLOR brush with non-synthetic fibers (if you can), one that has a brush bristle group that is about 1/8” in cross section. CUT the bristles straight across with a small scissors, making them about 1/8” long beyond the metal bezel that holds them. Break or cut off the wood handle just beyond the bezel, so the brush is VERY SHORT, and has very little wood handle. This will minimize accidents and reduce jitter when handling and using.

Wet the bristles with RUBBING ALCOHOL and shake off the excess ONCE. Then carefully (one or two pairs of reading glasses here for most of us) drag the BRISTLES only gently from BACK TO FRONT ONLY on the stylus tip - NOT on the cantilever.   

ALTERNATE SAFE METHOD FOR WET CLEANING!!!

FOR B&O tables - make a stack of quarters with blu-tak in between them  - make it high enough so when you slide it under the stylus it does NOT HIT THE STYLUS. Provide some clearance - enough for a thickness of a piece of paper towel on top of the stack and then some additional space. Just make sure that when you slide it under the stylus, the stylus does NOT hit it.  Cut a small round piece of paper towel and place it on top p of the stack. Wet the paper towel with rubbing alcohol. Slide it under the stylus and VERY VERY GENTLY press the cartridge down a bit so that ONLY the stylus hits the wet paper towel. Go up and down about 6-8 times. You are done. !!

For ALL OTHER turntables - You can make a pedestal, and use that  - OR get a record you don't love (Montovani might be a good choice) and cut a 1" square of paper towel. Wet it with rubbing alcohol.  Cue the tone arm and stylus DOWN onto the wet paper towel and leave it for 60 seconds. Then cue up and down a few times. You are done. Apologize to Montovani and continue to play other music.

Do this cleaning process anywhere at least 6 – 10 times in succession to see if there has been an improvement. Please note that our OCL stylus (used in SMMC20CL+, The Voice, Sussurro, Strain Gauge SG-6) CAN build up debris more easily on the flat backside which can cause mistracking. While    the BlueStik method is very good, sometimes will NOT remove caked on debris from the flat BACKSIDE of that stylus design.

*DAP Bluestik aka Fun Tak, Blu Tack, etc CLICK HERE