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Grado cartridge W/ brass shim between stylus and coils?

Old Guy8

Old Guy8

Cliff & Cleo
Subscriber
I've had an unknown model Grado Prestige cartridge off a Linn I bought. Carts faceplate is missing. Cartridge worked but stylus was canted to side. Could not remove stylus no matter force applied. So as last resort, sprayed a little WD40 around stylus and let it sit overnight. With much effort it came out.

There was a round brass shim between stylus and cartridge coils. (See pic) Another Grado I have doesn't have this shim. Anyone else ever run into a like shim in thier Grado?
What could they have been trying to do?
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It's not a 78 cart. Came on a 1983 Valhalla LP12 Linn. I think the plastic front plate is gone, leaving green metal. Cart marked A88 above pins
I think the black goop is factory dampening material. Brass shim was loose. Cart should still be useable.
Owner modification. Think your right.
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Looks to me like owner mods. The brass plate because they thought the stylus housing wasn't tight enough and the green plate affixed to the front because they thought it looked cool.
A88 date code would make it either an X or Z series. I'd get rid of the green plate myself.
 
The stylus goes in and out without much trouble. One of the four metal circular (contacts?) of the stylus, is higher than other three. And I can see windings of one coil.
I may investigate materials to fill in where black damping material is missing.
 
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The green plate on front , I don't think was added. It is what is exposed when the plastic front plate either fell off or was removed. Part of the metal case. Green anodized aluminium.
 
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Old Guy8 said:
The green plate on front , I don't think was added. It is what is exposed when the plastic front plate either fell off or was removed. Part of the metal case. Green anodized aluminium.
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There is no metal plate in the front of a Grado behind plastic. Here's some photos of an XT+ (E87) for reference. Someone glued that green plate on. Probably painted it green themselves. That's my best guess anyway.

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Best picture definition I can do.
With close inspection, I has wrong about it being aluminum case. It's very thin and flexible to light touch. The edge has some reflectivity. I think its green plastic film sandwiched over a plastic or aluminum foil. It isn't owner applied. Looks original to me. Edges exactly match rest of case. I think it was punched out with punch and die tooling.
I'm not going to mess with in and ruin cart.
From career working in manufacturing. If not broke, don't fix it.
Right now it's an extra body without a good stylus. Have an extra worn stylus I could try in it. But I think it's still working. Was when I last used it.
Have three other Grados.

Thanks for all the help. The 1/4" dia. brass shim mystery is solved. If not the green face.
 
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Signature would have JG inside a circle printed on the belly of the metal case. That is an oddball for sure. If it's factory I wonder why they chose the green color? Very strange.
 
OP, is there anything hand etched in the exposed part of the plastic stylus housing? Also, have you measured the resistance of the coils? That would give somes clues as to which model. I can't tell from the photos if the plastic is dark brown or black.
 
Redd House said:
OP, is there anything hand etched in the exposed part of the plastic stylus housing? Also, have you measured the resistance of the coils? That would give somes clues as to which model. I can't tell from the photos if the plastic is dark brown or black.
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No etching on it. Metal is silver tone. Plastic is dark brown. Coils are 450 mil ohms.
 
Old Guy8 said:
No etching on it. Metal is silver tone. Plastic is dark brown. Coils are 450 mil ohms.
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450 ohm (475 per Grado) coils and dark brown plastic in the X series would make it an X, X1+ or X2+. Models below that had tan plastic like the XT+ I posted. The silver case stumps me though because I would expect to see a gold case. I have upper tier Grados from the F, G, M and Z series and they all have a dark brown/gold body. The lower models had a silver case. I don't have any of the top tier X series carts so I can't confirm the gold/silver. My three Signature series carts all have black plastic and silver case. Your A88 date code puts it at late X series or early Z series. My money is on X series, or a one-off test model that they covered up the model designation in front with the green sheet. Could it be a second? Is there a 2 stamped on it anywhere?
Years of introduction:
F series - 1974
G series - 1978
M series - 1982
X series - 1985
Z series - 1988
 
Redd House said:
450 ohm (475 per Grado) coils and dark brown plastic in the X series would make it an X, X1+ or X2+. Models below that had tan plastic like the XT+ I posted. The silver case stumps me though because I would expect to see a gold case. I have upper tier Grados from the F, G, M and Z series and they all have a dark brown/gold body. The lower models had a silver case. I don't have any of the top tier X series carts so I can't confirm the gold/silver. My three Signature series carts all have black plastic and silver case. Your A88 date code puts it at late X series or early Z series. My money is on X series, or a one-off test model that they covered up the model designation in front with the green sheet. Could it be a second? Is there a 2 stamped on it anywhere?
Years of introduction:
F series - 1974
G series - 1978
M series - 1982
X series - 1985
Z series - 1988
Click to expand...
No other marks.
So X or Z.
Thanks for info.
I have a good backup body.
 
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