Need new Stylus for Empire 880PE

[62vauxhall]

I think all your guesses are correct. The color of the little knobs on the back end of the 880 styli tells you which one it is, regardless of the color of the plastic "snout" on the cartridge body. The photos in that auction look as if the suspension has collapsed, but he has at least added a note to say it's an 880P stylus, not a PE.

Gary still has that 252-D7 for the same price.

I should point out an error in post #6-- I implied that an original/genuine Empire stylus would have the Pfanstiehl number 252, and that should be 231. I got it right in post #15 but neglected to correct my earlier booboo.

Thank you for the benefit of your insight wualta, I see what you mean about the suspension. It was I who had the single bid in and was also responsible for the seller amending the description. I just now requested the seller cancel my bid and explained why. Hopefully he/she comprehends that it is unusable in it's present state.

Although I have yet to try it out, there is a stylus on the cartridge that looks to be serviceable. I have not removed it from the cartridge body but it does not seem to have that same sag. I did look via USB microscope and the diamond appears to me to have minimal wear.

Since the existing stylus is only about 10 years younger than I am, I will likely look for an alternative. It's probably unlikely, but I'd like to at least find a .0006 so a .0007 may have to do.

 

[woodj]

My theory is the original owner replaced the unused green P stylus with a black PE stylus and put the removed stylus in the now empty box.

I used to switch styli on my 888's (one P, one E). One was orange, the other I think was green.

 

[62vauxhall]

In the past few days I've looked extensively for info on this 880 cartridge. From what I saw the three cartridge versions 880, 880P & 880PE have a different colour snout as it was so appropriately called. White, green and black respectfully.

The "plastic on shank" as I called it which is hidden from view when inside the cartridge would also seem to have the same colour codes. Although different in stylus shape, all three are interchangeable. So far all I've seen are green P styli which makes me think it was the most common. Also that new generics look to all be green even though stylus size (if one is given) are the same larger .0007 conical as is the white 880 no letter suffix) original.