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I have not convinced myself to spend $500+ for a Nitty Gritty machine for my 100 LPs (will grow eventually). For the time being, I'm toying with the idea of buying the inexpensive Groovmaster and using the Record Research Labs cleaning fluid to clean my LP's. My main concern is that since I'm allergic to mold and mildew, is this a good solution to get rid of this stuff? Should I get the Disc Doctor fluid instead? I've looked into the Spin Clean but don't like the idea of the fluid sitting in the container and reusing it to clean Lp until I change it. What do you guys think?
Follow Ups:
I have had a basic NG since the 80's. I have replaced the velvet pads numerous times, probably more than necesssary. I do notice it getting warm on the fourth or fifth album so I just turn it off for awhile. With used LP I purchase I do a basic clean in the sink first.
I'm happy with the results
Have for quite a few years now. The advantage is being able to "soak" the lp's in your own fluid, scrub, then able to rinse off thoroughly. I use a spray bottle of distilled water for final rinse. I like it, and it's better than not cleaning!! My kids even use it, and my wife uses it to protect the label on her laserdiscs while washing. She has received some really nasty "mint" condition discs!I just bought a NG 1.5fi, should be in tomorrow. But, I will probably continue to use Groovmaster to preclean new finds.
...which I use as part of a handwashing-in-the-sink regimen. I mix up my own cleaning solution which consists of dish soap, water and a little 99% isopropyl alcohol. The main advantage I see with this technique is that you can blast the surface of the vinyl with tap water: first to loosen the heavy soil often seen on yard sale/thrift shop records, then again to remove all dirt that has been liberated from the surface of the disc through cleaning. This would seem to be a less abrasive method than even vacuuming, where a velvet-covered vacuum attachment may (in theory) be brushing some abrasive material back into the surface of the record.After cleaning and a thorough rinsing, I towel dry the discs with clean cotton towels (nice older ones are less likely to shed any lint). This reduces the likelihood of any deposits or residues that may form if the beads of water were allowed to air dry, as in a dish rack.
On rare occasion I will find a yard sale record that appears to be in excellent physical condition but has obvious, visible mildew or mold growth. For these discs, I first clean with a dash of bleach diluted in water, rinse, then clean with the normal solution.
I've been very satisfied with how quiet my yard sale records are after this process. Perhaps not "audiophile approved," but pretty effective and very cheap.
Just rig a simple DIY RCM (TT and sm. wet/dry vac) , RRL and DD are both excellent solvents but the DD needs a lot of rinsing, but I think without vacuuming you're just screwing the pooch, the vacuuming is essential, without the vacuuming even the best solvents lifted and suspended films are going to be left behing without the vacuuming, you can however at least can the particles for the most part.
I wouldn't bother spending the $$ for good solvent if you're not going to vacuum just use warm water in the sink Use a mild lint brush and DIY solvent, rinse with the warm water then rinse with some distilled when you do rig or buy an RCM then get the good stuff and do them over, it makes a big difference.
I wouldn't worry too much about the mold/mildew issue. Although vinyl records can get mold if stored in humid conditions for long periods of time. It occasionally shows up on used records, but it is never in great quantities (at least on records you would ever want to buy) and once a record is cleaned mold is not likely to resurface unless you store your records in the same conditions, which you obviously won't.Of the items you mention, Spin-Clean and Nitty Gritty are the only two I've used. All I can say is they both work and: (1) Reusing the Spin-Clean fluid isn't a big deal unless it just really, really bothers you, and you can always change it out as often as use wish. (2) If you're serious about growing your vinyl collection, you might just skip the intermediate steps and buy the Nitty Gritty Model 1.0 (or the equivalent Record Doctor III from Audio Advisor), which can be had for much less than $500.
There is also the KAB which is essentially a NG or Record Doctor but you plug the nozzle of a vac into the machine, I think they are $130
IMHO you're better off without the POS vac motor, noisy, gets hot in short order, and is expensive and sometimes a wait to replace.
I was also thinking about buying the Kab unit in conjuntion with the Groovmaster. Spending a few hundred dollars for a RCM unit that just spits cleaning fluid out and having the brush rotate around the record and then uses the vacuum, just doesn't sound like it's worth it. For me, commons sense tells me that to throughly clean something is really give the record a good washing ie. using groovmaster with either DIY solvent or RRL fluid and then using something like Kab with my own vacuum to suction off any remaining stuff. The cost will probably be close to something like a NG 1.0 but for some reason these units doesn't sound like it's going to give me a thorough washing. Am I missing something here? Again my main concern is to throughly clean the records since my hands break out in ezcema when I handled older Lp (most likely the cause is mold and mildew). Also, what type of brush should I get? Any lint brush?
Surprizingly just the application of a serious RC solvent, distributing it so it gets into the groove a little very mild abrasion like that provided by an AQ brush and a good vacuuming does a superb job on the vast majority or records, the exception being the ones with serious MRA or Mould and Mildew problems.
In your case as apparently you have some type of special sensitivity or allergic reaction might be to treat just about any older used VCinyl with Audio Intelligent Enzyme formula, or Buggtussel DIY etc. then the regular solvent as that should obviate
any mould or mildew, you should also pitch all the old inner sleeves and replace them with poly lined inner sleeves, jackets with traces of
mould etc. can be misted with 10% Bleach solution and wiped off that should kill just about any of the critters.
Really, if you have the groovmaster, there is no reason to buy the KAB or anything else. If you want to vacuum the record, just go get a shop vac, take the crevise attachment, cut lengthwise down the shaft twice to make a small opening, and hot glue some velvet on it. It will work great, cost $30, and you are already holding the record by the groovmaster anyway.
Thanks. Is there a plastic crevice tool that I can buy to use on my Miele vacuum cleaner instead of buying a shop vac?
Sure ! any hardware store sells vacuum attatchments and tools and usually adaptors as the diameters of the hoses and hand tools can vary pretty wildly, generally however the simple cheap $20 to $30
small plastic wet/dry vac. is your best bet as it already contains the crevice tool correct diameter hose etc. and there is no risk of
corrosion as the motor is desighned for wet.There is nothing the least bit metaphysical or high tech involved
with record cleaning the only real high tech aspect is the chemistry involved in developing and manufacturing an effective solvent RRL, DD, Audio Intelligent etc. the rest is simply
applying the solvent to the record surface (dribble, spray etc.) then distributing it uniformly so it gets down into the groove allowing it sufficient time for the surfactant to get under and lift the crud and films etc.(less than a minute is more than adequate for any of the quality solvents) and using the same device you used too distribute the fluid to get into the groove and gently assist the
surfactant with a little mild abrasion,(I've found the AQ brush the best tool for this job, particularly with the RRL SVW I prefer) then vacuuming the now crud polluted solvent up and away then you place the clean record in a plastic or wooden or coated wire rack to finish drying ( 5 to 30 minutes depending on ambient humidity) as you do not want to play or place a wet or damp LP into an inner sleeve. It's not very wise to place the now clean LP into the old steadily decomposing(shedding dust that feeds mould and mildew) abrasive inner sleeve but to place the newly cleaned record into a fresh Poly lined inner sleeve.
It's just that simple, the easiest and most effective way to accomplish this is to have some sort of a platter to put the record on (An old turntable is ideal) and a way to vacuum off the crud,
any vacuum will do, I personally much prefer the flexability and power offered by crevice tool on the end of a vac. hose to any fixed vacuum wand.Once you have properly wet cleaned some records, particularly the older used ones, you will wish you had set up to do it properly a long time ago, as a RCM either DIY or commercial is easily the biggest sonic tweak known and it will allow you (with clean sound styli) to enjoy your records indefinately as well as get dramatically longer life out of your styli.
Half assed, Mickey Mouse record cleaning is a Dollar chasing a dime as it's counterproductive or even destructive ineffective and time consuming, leave that to morons and folks stricken with serious neurosis or worse.
Regards FredJ
Great point about the cheaper KAB EV-1 alternative. KAB's a great outfit to deal with too--I ordered my NG from them. I got the Model 1.0 because I preferred the idea of a self-contained unit. And I am not worried about the longevity of the NG vac motor given reports I have read of people who have had their NG's for 10-20 years without problems.
My Dad had an NG for many years and never had a lick of trouble, he and I used it continuously as well as lent it out frequently to our friends to do their collections.
I personaly prefer my DIY RCM's and prefer the seperate vacuum, but
for many or perhaps even most the idea of seperate gear all over the room is off putting, particularly those with a Wife.
I'm also given to believe that my obsessive Vinyl aquisition phases have me cleaning a LOT of records.
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