Questions for the Grado experts...

[vpkc]

Please identify this Grado cartridge and advise as to whether it's worth a stylus replacement. Body is brown/gold and stylus is brown with what appear to be yellow paint dots on the "nipples". Looks like a standard Prestige-series stylus might suffice....??

Additionally, kindly advise as to what the wiring designations mean? In my moronic haste to disassemble I didn't pay attention. All I can come up with is:

L = Left
R = Right
G = Ground
H = Hot ???

Thanks, all.

 

[dualhead]

All Grado prestige styli are interchangable. It just depends how much you want to spend. Only the Silver and Gold carts have any internal difference from the rest and they still can take a Black stylus. Additionally, if you are using on one of your Technics decks, I think that the combination of Grado/Technics is a fantastic match! It should sound great.

 

[beatcomber]

All Grado prestige styli are interchangable.

I have a tan-bodied Grado FC+ from the '70s, and none of the currently available styli fit it, so it's just collecting dust in my junk bin, but you are right that all of the modern Prestige Series carts have interchangeable styli.

I'm not sure what you've got there though.

 

[dualhead]

I have a tan-bodied Grado FC+ from the '70s, and none of the currently available styli fit it, so it's just collecting dust in my junk bin, but you are right that all of the modern Prestige Series carts have interchangeable styli.

I'm not sure what you've got there though.

Is it because the plastic has warped maybe? Or the Grado goop has hardened and blocked the fit? That is a real bummer!

 

[vpkc]

Hmmm, well it's definitely more brown than tan. Metal portion of body is gold in color and appears to be polished brass. Has a serial # of 1177 on the top, but that's the only marking on the thing. Added pics of the stylus to the OP. It was a bugger to get out and as you can see has a bit of corrosion. I think I see the Grado Goop, as it's called.

 

[Oerets]

The letters stand for:
G = ground
R = right
L = left
H = hot

The electrical connection schematic for my Grado Reference reads as follows:
Blue = left ground
Green = right ground
White = left hot
Red = right hot



I found this on a site somewhere else ...



I have put a silver into a green body before with no problems .


Barney

 

[12ax7]

As you look at the back of the cart, as in your second pic, the two upper pins are ground, L&R, and the two lower are signal (hot). If you look closely you can see the small offset dots next to the G and H corresponding to the pins. Kind of confusing markings for the uninitiated.

 

[dnpainting]

Here is a scan for Grado Cartridges: If you need to get the Grado Goop replaced, Grado will do this for free, just contact them at: www.gradolabs.com.

 

[vpkc]

Thanks, all. Grado has advised that it's a model from the "X"-series of some sort and that it will accept a current stylus from Black to Gold.

 

[beatcomber]

Is it because the plastic has warped maybe? Or the Grado goop has hardened and blocked the fit? That is a real bummer!

No, it the shape of the FC+ stylus assembly is different from the new Prestige styli. They are definitely not the same.