Help identify cartridge

[jinx78]

I need help identifying this cartridge that is currently installed on a old pioneer PL-518 that a customer gifted me. I cleaned it with a stylus brush, for some reason getting some distortion on playback. The preamp is rulled out as I've tested it with another table. Could be the table needs to be set up properly, which I haven't fully learned to do yet. But I'm very curious what this stylus is and if it's something I should replace or try to recondition. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated! Not sure if I inherited a killer vintage cartridge or a vintage piece of crap lol!

 

[Montycat]

The cartridge might be fine but a stylus on a "gifted" turntable is automatically suspect and most likely should be replaced.

I'm not sure which Pickering that is, perhaps an early V-15. Decent but nothing really special. The stylus could be an original but it's hard to tell and the pictures don't help with respect to condition. Your ears are likely telling you all we need to know in that regard anyway.

 

[schon8624]

Pickering V-15 micro IV or phase IV. Same cartridge just different name. Also there's sibling Stanton 600.

 

[jinx78]

The cartridge might be fine but a stylus on a "gifted" turntable is automatically suspect and most likely should be replaced.

I'm not sure which Pickering that is, perhaps an early V-15. Decent but nothing really special. The stylus could be an original but it's hard to tell and the pictures don't help with respect to condition. Your ears are likely telling you all we need to know in that regard anyway.

Thanks for the info, yeah makes sense because something's definitely off. Sound is not clear, distortion, etc. You can tell this TT has been sitting for a long time, probably just needs a new cartridge and a good cleaning.