Kingstexx Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 So my record player was working just perfectly for several weeks, and now whenever i put a record in, the needle just skips to the end of the record, comes back and docks itself on the needle-holder, just as if it had finished playing one side of a record. The problem is, it hasn't played a second's worth of music! It just skips to the end every single time. i've tried using different records with the same result. i'm out of ideas. Any help??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 It sounds like the auto return is out of adjustment. The mechanism is tripped way too soon, causing the return. Does the stylus ever come in contact with the record? What type of turntable are you using? More details would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingstexx Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 It's a Thomas Pacconi Classic Oak. Its a record player/tape player/3-disc CD player i inherited from my grandmother. The stylus just scraps along the record for about 2 seconds until it reaches the end, then comes back and docks itself. I'm not sure what kind of turntable it is. I'm new to the whole record player thing. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauln Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 The geometry of the arm (the way it is offset and crooks to align to the groves) causes a resultant force that tends to push the stylus to the center of the record. This is called the "skating force". Turntables have mechanisms (engineered in a few different ways) to counteract this with a force that pushes the arm outward from the record center called "anti-skating". There is almost always an adjustment to balance out the two forces so the stylus will track properly in balance. On some tables the correction (anti-skating adjustment) is acheived with a little weight on a wire, others have a dial to turn, others like mine have it built into the spindle of the arm mount. Look around the area where the arm mounts to the table on yours and see if there is an adjustment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Bet you the diamond fell off the end of the stylus. What's left (the tube) just skates to the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomathjobs Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 It sound to me like the "anti-skating" control is out of adjustment (if memory servers, "skating" is the phenomenon you describe). If you have the owner's manual, see if it has such an adjustment; if not you might google the make/model to find one. I would NOT increase the stylus tracking force to "fix" the problem, that will only wear out the records and stylus more quickly. My old Pioneer PL7 had a similar problem. I hope this helps, doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capo72 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I'm with DJK on this one. I had this happen once. The diamond fell out of the stylus. It would just skate right over the record. That makes the most sense to me. If the anti-skate mechanisim was fine before, there is no reason to believe it is still not fine, unless something has broken. If it has a removeable headshell, then pull it off and get a magnifying glass to look at the stylus. If it has a hole in it, then the needle is gone. Good luck! Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Roland Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Have you checked your stylus's tracking pressure? If the tracking pressure is too light it could cause this behavior. Also, with some cartridges, there is a little stylus protector that is hinged to come down over the stylus and protect it. If this is misplaced down over the stylus, it could cause this behavior. These may be obvious things, but just check them out if you have not done so already. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I also think DJK is right, as the most likely cause for such a radical change. Key question: when the arm scoots across the record, does it sound like it's ripping across individual grooves as though you'd knocked it sideways while it's in the groove? Or is it a quiet whoosh? If the latter, I doubt that you have a stylus now. Cause? DUSTING around the cartridge when a record isn't playing!! Both I and another forum member found our styli disappeared after our respective housekeepers had "cleaned" around the record player and unwittingly pulled the needle assemblies right out. Mine was an expensive MC, to boot. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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