anyone else running vintage Empire carts?

Voyla!
Although I'd amend my earlier post by saying "snouter" would apply more to the 1967-70 models and "moue" would better describe the 1970 to 1973/4 (ie, slash-X) models. "Bloated insect queen" might be a good description of the 1967 style, but it's too long.

'67 style like the 880? I gave one of those away to a friend years ago, the spike on that thing was way too big for any of my grooves!
 
Correction: '65 was the debut of the Bloated Insect Queen 888s and moving-iron. I've edited my earlier post.
1965 Capture.JPG
The moving-magnet 880P dates back to 1962!
Audio, Jun 1962 ad, 880P V Capture.jpg
 
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The late sixties Empires, the ones I first coveted, were kind of snooty or mouey. I was 9 in 1962 until October when I turned 10. I felt kind of privileged as I had three different machines in the family on which to play records, none of what you would call HiFi. I didn't get an Empire until March of 1976 when I got my first 2000 E/III from Heathkit.

Doug
 
Wondering if anyone else noticed the Walco W-526PTD from 92hdcma on fleabay as a replacement for S1000ZE-ERD? The packaging states "Parabolic Tip [Shibata Design]"? Seems mighty cheap if one believes in truth in packaging?
Walco parabolic should have a red dot on the cantilever. The photo is black, so it is a fake. https://www.ebay.com/itm/EMPIRE-S1000ZE-ERD-PHONO-NEEDLE-IN-WALCO-PKG-W-526PD-NEW-/223181529347?hash=item33f6a7e103:g:iywAAOSwBBpbpYyc&nma=true&si=atLkQTE5vYv%2FEJGLAMvEYg%2B1VUw%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
92hdcma was already noticed in this.
Correct needle Walco W-526PD -
 

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Bought my first Empire "4000D II" in 1974, in Nuremberg, Germany. ( little did I know at the time, that it would be one of the best they ever made )
 

It's also missing the stylus guard so probably not new. The box may contain the stylus that the Walco replaced.
 
Another oddment unearthed at Organ Grinder Parts is this:

empire%203000%20c105-35.jpg


A 3000ZE sporting 2000T or, given the silver body and black clip, 2000S livery.

Here's the odd part. The 3000ZE is supposed to be a 2000X clone, complete with gold body and red lettering.

empire3000ze.jpg


So, needless to say, I bought it. I'll be curious to learn what it is. If it turns out to be an S clone and not a Z clone, this would confirm (for the first time in my experience) that Empire reused precisely identical model numbers for different cartridges.

It's here!

Definitely a 2000S clone designed for the silver-with-blue-lettering S2000S (which I happen to have). It measures 775mH and 1,224 ohms left and 747mH and 1,224 ohms right.

So we now have a verified case of Empire reusing a model number. This is something that people claim from time to time but I know of no other time when we could see the examples with our own eyes. I wonder how many other times they did that.
 
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In my experience, Ed Crockett is reputable. The only issue I have with him is that the foam pad inside the NMR styli I've bought from him is typically rotted onto dust, some of which ends up plastered all over the cantilever and stylus.
 
t came yesterday. I think it has a blue dot on the cantilever. Some of the foam was stuck to the plastic but not dust yet.

Mine came today, but sadly it was flopping around with the stylus face down, so it's all bent out of shape. Mine also has no stylus guard and a black dot on the cantilever. If the stylus aren't even the same, I think they are used ones placed in the replacements packaging. This one's going back to the seller for sure.
 
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It actually makes me feel better to see that yours came with a flipper Grainger, that worried me. There was never a shibata stylus available as OEM for this series anyway, so it had to be aftermarket. The cantilever looks nice and thin and the stylus doesn't look like a boulder on it so there's hope for a good result at least.
 
I'm a bit disappointed as all the reports I've read on the Walcos are very positive. I believe their "parabolic" or Shibata cuts are nude mounted, and they also include tie wires on models that used them. I passed up the opportunity to grab one for a Shure V15 before I knew this. I hope one of us gets lucky and gets the genuine article.
 
I see rivertone_1 has the replacement conical for the 4000D I-II, listed again. For 13 bucks, I was thinking about it for a spare for my 440D.
I sure wish someone would make a line contact for under $50.00.

Audio-Technica-Styli.png
 
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