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Vinyl Cleaning Services???

DirtyCzech

DirtyCzech

I'd Buy THAT For A Dollar
Does anybody know if there is a vinyl cleaning service in the NYC area? I'd like to just pay someone to clean my vinyl with a big expensive vacuum cleaner type of thing, instead of doing it myself with a brush and some fluid, since a huge record cleaner is out of my price range.

Thanks
 
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Someone To Clean My Records

Depending on the number of records you have to be cleaned it might be a lot less expensive in the long run to purchase an entry level "preowned" rcm. Used manual Record Doctor and Nitty Gritty rcms are listed on Audiogon and generally priced for the budget minded. No idea what someone would charge to clean your records but a ballpark guess would be $50 an hour at the rate of 20 records an hour.
 
Yup. Plus, IME you can't thouroughly clean 20 LP's in an hour. More like 5-10.
 
5 or 10 an hour by the time you inspect them, swap sleeves, fill the tank and clean up etc is my output. Wear and tear on a $1K RCM, pads, fluids adds up. Add a Last treatment abd you can tack 50 cents on that. I'd say $3 all is would be a deal with labor
 
Yeah I saw one of these at a local stripmall, it was right between starbucks and the UPS store.

Roll up yer sleeve, and clean them records yerself... theres cost effective solutions, search the threads.
 
There is a record shop here in Salem Oregon that will clean an LP for you cost $1.00 each. No new inner sleeve nothing is done with the Jacket.

during the winter I don't work so some days I will basically stand at my record cleaning machine for 4-5 hours and clean LP's I think about 8-10min each is about right.

Now if I was doing your LP's using my supplies my machine etc. And putting them in your new sleeves. I think I would have to have about $2.50 each. And could manage about 50 a day.

HOW MANY YOU GOT? I'd like to make $125.00 a day. Now where near what I make driving Dump truck but then I wouldn't be in a hurry to pay taxes on the income.
 
Go to the Audio Adviser website and look at their brand (Record Doctor) RCMs. Thet are made by Nitty Gritty and any replacement parts from NG machines will work on the RD. A completely manual one can be had for $299, although they usually put them on sale around Christmas time for $249, I love mine!

Record Doctor III
 
Well, I don't have enough records to justify buying all the equipment nor do I have the budget. Shipping them to Mark W. is an option I'd consider, but shipping from NY > OR then back to NY could add up to be quite a bit, not to mention the risk of them getting damaged in the mail.

I have maybe 15-25 valuable records that could use a good cleaning.

Is there a way to subdue a static charge w/o having to buy an anti-static gun?

Thanks
 
The most cost-effective record cleaning machine is the KAB EV1 ($159) + "any old POS vacuum cleaner." It works just as well, if not better than the $500 and up alternatives.

Personally I prefer the convenience of the VPI HW 16.5, but man that thing is LOUD. You can find them used on e-bay or A-gon pretty easily and save a couple of hundred bucks. I paid about $375 for mine IIRC. In fact, just today I noticed a VPI 16.5 on the 'bay with a "buy it now" price of $375, which I'd buy in a heartbeat if I didn't already have one **Edited by Moderators- NO ebay links allowed outside Dollars & Sense Forum** (**If anybody buys one of these used: be sure the seller knows how to break one of these down for shipment or it can definitely break. You can buy original packing material from VPI. The unit listed above appears to come with original packing, which is a plus).

If you don't want your own machine, I know there used to be a guy on e-bay who you could mail your records to for cleaning--not sure if he's still around. It never looked cost-effective to me though.

I've never understood why more used record stores do not offer this service. It would be a real profit center in a low-margin business. There probably is somebody in NYC who does this--maybe try calling around.
 
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DirtyCzech said:
Is there a way to subdue a static charge w/o having to buy an anti-static gun?
Click to expand...

A decent carbon fiber brush seems to do the trick for me. You can even buy them with a ground wire attached, although I've never actually tried one of those. Acoustic Sounds has them I know.
 
DirtyCzech said:
Well, I don't have enough records to justify buying all the equipment nor do I have the budget. Shipping them to Mark W. is an option I'd consider, but shipping from NY > OR then back to NY could add up to be quite a bit, not to mention the risk of them getting damaged in the mail.

I have maybe 15-25 valuable records that could use a good cleaning.

Is there a way to subdue a static charge w/o having to buy an anti-static gun?

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you want to take a drive to NJ some evening you can use mine.
 
If any shop offers a cleaning service it would probably be for established/regular customers that purchase high priced items from them. Sort of like can I borrow/use your toothbrush. Maybe time to invest in your own rcm, check Barter Town they show up occasionally.
 
There is a record store here that used to do that. I think he charged like $2 a piece. But, he gave it up. When I asked why he said, "Cuz people expect miracles.".

I don't know exactly what he meant by that, but it didn't sound good.

Dave
 
For 15 or 20, you're welcome to come over to my place and I'll wash them for you. Or show you how on the first couple and let you take over from there. I'm on the ues. Just need a week or two as I just had a minor surgery.
 
jgordon said:
For 15 or 20, you're welcome to come over to my place and I'll wash them for you. Or show you how on the first couple and let you take over from there. I'm on the ues. Just need a week or two as I just had a minor surgery.
Click to expand...

The last post by the OP was 3.5 years ago FWIW. :razz:
 

I'll clean your dirty Czech records if I can keep them afterwards:D

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