Wowwy Zowwy new needle....

pdm4606

Super Member
For many years (50) I have had some old Pickering cartridges and stylus named U38/AT and a Stanton/ Pickering 380 Stereo Fluxvalve in my junk drawer. I gave it a lot of thought and wanted to always try fitting my 2 stylus into my 681EEE. They fit the hole fine but it's that darn Rooster head that needs work. So I spent around 2 hours with mini diamond wheels grinding the head down to fit. Today I finished the gold head rooster head. On line says the gold is just a plain ordinary .0007 conical.
The first try was not exciting. I needed more time to get things aligned correctly and grind a little more off the bottom.
2nd try sounds great. The highs are sounding sweeeeeet!. Smooth and clean. Way better than the 681EEE stylus I removed. Even better than I wonder if anyone has ever tried doing this.
Photo coming.
 
Further looking says the gold stylus may be a Shibata or line contact. Gold was the only color that came with the Gold 380 Stanton/Pickering.
I am amazed at the sound. I am tracking at 2.5 grams and the stylus is running low. Any lighter and it may skip.
So far it works fine.
 
380 didn't have a Shibata. Pickering and Stanton never made a Shibata, and then the company had not introduced their first elliptical and did not do so until 1964 and their V15/500 lineup.
 
So the mystery continues. What on earth does this stylus have that makes it sound so sweet with the highs?
I have a very good microscope that will let me see exactly what it is. For now I am listening and enjoying.
These cartridges are from the late 50's or early 60's. I have had them since I bought them new. They were the first really stereo cartridges I had since then.
 
..... What on earth does this stylus have that makes it sound so sweet with the highs?.....

A good quality tone-arm, and one that can deal effortlessly with the stylus suspension will bring out the best in any cartridge.
 
No problem with the tonearm. It is DIY from an aluminum "U" channel. It is also 18 1/2" long from pivot to diamond center. See a photo on my avatar.
It pivots with .003 fish line and centered with a delrin lower guide. Sounds great. All setup dimensions from VE and set to "Lofgren A" settings.
The 2X4 frame hangs the arm with the fishline. The arm and frame weighs around 15 lbs. alone. TT is an old ROK from 1955.
 

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Further listening has noticed an increase of raspyness(is that a word?) from some horns. Not a bad thing, just more detail. Also more detail on snares and cymbals. I have played some jazz and now I am digging into some classical.
 
I never correct people's spelling on AK. I don't feel the need to be smarter-than-thou.

But this is too important.

It is not "Wowwy Zowwy" — it's "Wowie Zowie". I'm not relying on Websters or Oxford, but a much higher authority — Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention.

Wowie Zowie
Your love's a treat
Wowie Zowie
You can't be beat
Wowie Zowie, baby
You're so neat
I don't even care
If you shave your legs

Wowie
Wowie Zowie
Wowie
Wowie Zowie
Wowie
Wowie Zowie

Even if the Supreme Court issues a ruling including the words Wowwy Zowwy and it becomes "the law of the land", it would be wrong. Even if The Pope writes Wowwy Zowwy in one of his encyclicals, and it thus becomes "infallible", it would wrong.

Zappa was definitive in all such matters.
 
It is not "Wowwy Zowwy" — it's "Wowie Zowie". I'm not relying on Websters or Oxford, but a much higher authority — Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention.


Zappa was definitive in all such matters.

Unfortunately the only company I can keep in the listening room while playing Zappa is my oldest son. He can also quote every line from "search for the holy grail" and "life of brian" ................ I was able to raise one of 'em right :beerchug:
 
I never got into Zappa and only going from my own experience, it works. Sounds the same either way.
At least I got enough "w" 's in there. Are you sure the "w" 's are correct??? Got the post noticed.
Hey, some of us have to be at the bottom of the class.
 
It's impossible to "mis-spell" a nonexistent bullshit made-up word(s). So go to the head of the class — unless you don't want to, I sat in back by choice.
 
This thing is driving me nuts. I can't stop listening to it. I have played some of my LP's over 5 times and can't stop.
This sound is what I have been dreaming about for 60 years. Very clear, balanced, and little popping. Music sounds wide open.
The stylus was riding very low so today I ground some more off of the lower plastic. If you can't raise the bridge, lower the river.
Stylus is much better now. Probably extending out around .030 to .040.
Now if there was a way to attach a Pickering/Stanton brush to clean the dust off I would be happy. I am working on that now.
Ideas forthcoming.
 
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