Are there companies that install new needles into discontinued cartridges?

[PioneerFreq]

I'd like to have this Pioneer 5MC fixed for my spare table

Thank you

 

[dmar]

WTH, Call Steve @vas.

 

[r_brumett61]

Looks like a Pickering.

 

[HamboneF18]

Pickering Pioneer 5MC?

 

[petehall347]

found one here its not what i call cheap though . https://www.thakker.eu/en/replaceme...-mc-stylus-for-pc-5-mc-genuine-stylus/a-5492/

 

[PioneerFreq]

If replacing the needle is too expensive, How can I find what other cartridges will fit this Pioneer headhsell?

Or if needed a whole new headshell

 

[ctjetta]

Is that a standard 1/2" headshell? if unsure, take a pic from the top for us. If it is, you have options.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Replacing the cantilever starts at around $250 and can double depending on the material used for the cantilever and shape of the diamond.

What turntable as a new cartridge can be had for as little as 20-40 bucks but good ones go for a hundred or three. Cartriges go as high as about $17,000.

Talking standard 1/2" spaced mounting which is 90+% of the market.

 

[PioneerFreq]

 

[RickB]

The Pioneer 4MC and 5MC were examples of a rare breed, a moving coil cartridge with a replaceable stylus assembly...Audio Technica also had a couple, too, like the AT-3100 and the AT-3200 of which I have one and a couple of spare styli...

 

[RickB]

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pc-5mc.shtml
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pc-4mc.shtml
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/audio-technica/at3200.shtml

 

[PioneerFreq]

I know they are expensive and hard to find that's why I'm looking for other options

 

[Blue Shadow]

I posted how much a new cartridge is so if you provide a budget there will be recommendations coming back to you.

Mention TT so folks can recommend a good match.
Let us know if you have the alignment stuff for the table.

We can get you to set things up correctly if you don't have those things, but we gotta get more info from you.

The table has a straight tonearm, uses a standard cartridge so a brand and model number and if you have alignment gear and a budget and we'll get you going an hour after the cartridge gets in your hands.

 

[gadget73]

The Pioneer 4MC and 5MC were examples of a rare breed, a moving coil cartridge with a replaceable stylus assembly...Audio Technica also had a couple, too, like the AT-3100 and the AT-3200 of which I have one and a couple of spare styli...

how does that work? The stylus couples to a coil assembly rather than having the coils hard-mounted to the cantilever at the back?

 

[benricci]

It appears as though you can just buy a replacement for this (rare for a MC cart, but not unheard of). Most MC's will need to be re-tipped, but this is a different type.

https://www.turntableneedles.com/PN-5MC-Type-for-PC-5MC-Pioneer-Cartridge-Stock-748-D7_p_1363.html

Looks like you have a standard mount head shell, no? You can put pretty much any cartridge on there you want, mate, if you don't want to pop a new stylus on this one.

 

[ETI_5000]

how does that work? The stylus couples to a coil assembly rather than having the coils hard-mounted to the cantilever at the back?

The replacement ‘stylus’ was actually the complete internals of the cartridge, complete with cantilever, stylus tip and coils, which just plugged in to the rear terminals and body of the cartridge. The Pioneer MC cartridges with replaceable styli were made for them by Audio-Technica, and were very similar to AT’s own models of that type.

 

[Pio1980]

The replacement ‘stylus’ was actually the complete internals of the cartridge, complete with cantilever, stylus tip and coils, which just plugged in to the rear terminals and body of the cartridge. The Pioneer MC cartridges with replaceable styli were made for them by Audio-Technica, and were very similar to AT’s own models of that type.

Right, the field magnet and field poles stayed in the fixed portion.

 

[Sgt Shultz]

I know they are expensive and hard to find that's why I'm looking for other options

$180 isn't bad considering you're basically getting a whole new moving coil cartridge, LOMC start at around 3 bills and the sky is the limit from there.

Moving magnet cartridges start at less than $20 (not on my tables they don't) so it just depends on how important sound quality is to you. You have to decide how much you feel comfortable spending and go from there

My personal feeling is anything below $60 really isn't worth considering. I've been listening to vinyl for more than 5decades, a $60 cartridge today equates to a $10 cartridge back then, I was buying $60 cartridges not $10 models.

 

[gadget73]

The replacement ‘stylus’ was actually the complete internals of the cartridge, complete with cantilever, stylus tip and coils, which just plugged in to the rear terminals and body of the cartridge. The Pioneer MC cartridges with replaceable styli were made for them by Audio-Technica, and were very similar to AT’s own models of that type.

Interesting. I was wondering how you'd change the stylus without disturbing the coils, but this makes sense.

 

[flavio81]

I'd like to have this Pioneer 5MC fixed for my spare table

Thank you
]

@cafe latte does professional retipping service. He can install an upgraded cantilever and stylus. Which should be better sounding than an original replacement stylus but with conventional (aluminium) cantilever.