Question for vinyl junkies (gmku and the rest...)
 

Okay, i just got my first vinyl ever today. I bought a record player last week at a goodwill for $2. My qustion is how should i go about cleaning the record player and playing the record without scratching it,and getting the best play out of it? should I clean out the player some way? thanks alot guys...

Make sure the needle is good, and replace it if you're not sure.
I personally clean my records every time I play them with a standard D4 record-cleaning brush. If you want to use a fluid, just use a few drops of distilled water; I have found that stuff like D4 record cleaning fluids can cause buildup and have stopped using it.
This might sound stupid, but do not ever touch the playing surface. It's totally possible to own a record for your whole lifetime without ever touching the playing surface with your fingers. I hate seeing people grab the edge between their thumb and forefinger. Just slide it out onto your hand, with your fingers on the label and your thumb on the edge. Easy as pie. I know this is elementary, so forgive me if this sounds condescending to say.

Also, I recommend not storing the LPs in the inner sleeve with the opening facing out the jacket opening. Not only does this increase the risk of accidentally having the record roll out and hit the floor, but storing the inner sleeve with the opening facing up makes for a good seal against dust coming into the jacket. I also put my LPs in outer polybags, but I am anal like that.

Congrats! I have a method of "deep cleaning" and "regular cleaning" I can tell you about.

Here's a link that describes the process. Good for those used records you pick up from flea markets etc where the owner might or might not have cleaned them well. Also for records you haven't played in years. http://rateyourmusic.com/list/gmku/g...se_old_records

For regular cleaning, I use a microfiber cloth like you can pick up at optometrist offices, and a 50/50 mix of distilled water and denatured alcohol. Most often, if I think a record is generally pretty clean, I just wipe the surface gently with the cloth without using the solution.

You should also invest in a small camel-hair or other soft hair artist's brush (very tiny one) and use this, with a little dip in denatured alcohol, to clean the tip of the stylus after every few plays.

But the best thing you can do is buy only vinyl that's in good shape to begin with. Find a used record store you can trust.

I concur with SC's rec to use poly outer sleeves. Protects not only the jackets but the record inside from dust, moisture, etc.

the vinyl is not old, its brand new and still packaged, and i dont plan on buying any old vinyl anyways, but thanks for your tip about cleaning the stylus, i should probably clean it before a play.

i never really clean anything...sometimes ill wipe off the stylus, sometimes i'll blow the little motes of dust off the vinyl.. i never really clean 'em proper, they all work fine. i hope i didnt offende any vinyl nuts.

(heres a fun fact!!: i bought my first vinyl, VU&Nico, months before even owning a player!)

That's cool. Great one (VU & Nico) to have in the LP format. Gatefold? (I have 4 LP copies, by the way. And one CD.)

Most new and well-maintained used vinyl won't need the deep-cleaning I outlined. That's just for those really dirty ones.

Many audiophiles claim that the stylus "cleans up" dust and such as it plays the record, and that therefore the only real cleaning you need to do is cleaning the stylus after every record or so. (this is providing you start out with a clean record, of course)

As a case in point for the deep-clean method though: Against my own better judgment, last summer I bought a copy of Axis:Bold as Love at an antique shop. I know better. These places usually don't sell real clean copies. But I couldn't resist. It was an 1st pressing on the tri-colored Reprise label, considered kind of rare, and the cover was in good shape. Sure enough, it sounded like a bowl of rice krispies when I first played it at home. So I used the deep-clean method. About 50 percent of the noise was gone! So I went back to the sink with the record again and cleaned it again. This time even more noise was gone. I cleaned and played another two times, and with each cleaning the sound improved dramatically. There are still a few pops here and there, but it is now what I think most collectors would call a VG+, maybe even EX, copy. Not bad for what I paid for it. And very playable.

Oddly enough, that's the same way I started my collection. My first LP was an original Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Are You Experienced". It's still in good shape.

gmku- yep, gatefold. also, very awesome one the Axis Bold As Love, man. thats super-sweet! i haven't bought any used vinyl in my lifetime. yet.

I buy used vinyl all the damn time! I clean it with a record cleaning kit that I got for christmas from my exwife's dad. cool present.

I clean things reguilarly, especially old jazz and classical music.

a good microfiber brush is handy though.

stylus should be clean. clean it!!!!

Vinyl takes much more care than digital. I think of it as an art of sorts, the care and preservation of LPs.

its not like you have to clean them all the time, i never clean mine unless i pick up some old one and i just clean it once. i do find the stylus picks up dust and may have to be blown of if it builds up.

My first vinyl purchase took place in 1983. Def leppard Pyromania.

I was 10 years old. It wa smy favorite record. then I got metal health by quiet riot.

prurient - black vase

My first vinyl purchase was Sgt Pepper's in 1969.

i just looked at my stylus and it is dirty as hell...

i probably need to clean the actual turntable too...

Beatles - Revolver.

$5 at some used store. I was ecstatic "WOW! This must be RARE! For $5!? Shit!"

I was wrong.