I goofed up !!

73.19.16.116

Posted on October 15, 2020 at 17:42:11

Tom B.
Audiophile

Posts: 4355
Joined: October 5, 1999

I was attaching a cartridge to a Rega PR3 tonearm and broke off the metal contact on the white wire. How can I get my TT back again !! The white wire doesn't have any open wire exposed. I have some contact wire that could connect to the broken wire if I had some very tiny wire strippers.

If it's too involved, who can I send it to that does stuff like this??? It's my TT that usually has my Stereo cartridge attached to it.....no stereo....uggghh

Thanks, Tom B.

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RE: Thanks Gentlemen for...........

Tom B.

08:50:36 10/16/20

3

I stick the cartridge tag onto the end of a wooden toothpick.

Quadzilla

14:08:32 10/20/20

Soldering

M3 lover

09:02:57 10/16/20

...

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RE: Thanks Gentlemen for...........

Tom B.

08:50:36 10/16/20

3

I stick the cartridge tag onto the end of a wooden toothpick.

Quadzilla

14:08:32 10/20/20

Soldering

M3 lover

09:02:57 10/16/20

RE: Soldering

John-from Seattle

17:48:12 10/16/20

As to where you might send it for repair . . .

Opus 33 1/3

05:00:53 10/16/20

3

RE: As to where you might send it for repair . . .

M3Man

09:45:59 10/17/20

+++...

EdAInWestOC

05:50:18 10/16/20

+1

wawa2020

05:42:02 10/16/20

RE: I goofed up !!

SgreenP@MSN.com

20:39:15 10/15/20

RE: I goofed up !!

rivervalley817

20:46:47 10/15/20

An ounce of prevention......

viridian

19:30:45 10/15/20

RE: I goofed up !!

Bill Way

18:40:23 10/15/20

Was gonna suggest this.

ghost of olddude55

06:37:38 10/16/20

RE: Thanks Gentlemen for..........., posted on October 16, 2020 at 08:50:36
Tom B. Audiophile Posts: 4355 Joined: October 5, 1999	....for all your input. I'm grabbing my soldering iron today. With a bit of luck all will be well. I was thinking about an Icognito rewire at this juncture, but I'm broke for a little while.....spent too much money on Riverside and Prestige Jazz records over the past month! It can get a little out of control. Tom B.

I stick the cartridge tag onto the end of a wooden toothpick., posted on October 20, 2020 at 14:08:32
Quadzilla Audiophile Posts: 4163 Location: Southwestern Ontario Joined: July 31, 2003	It makes it very easy to hold onto, and it won't conduct heat into your fingers or away from the cartridge clip. Make sure to hold it for 20 or 30 seconds so that the solder joint hardens properly. Just be careful when you pull the tag off the toothpick because you don't want to break it again. I am not allowed to have a signature line.

Soldering, posted on October 16, 2020 at 09:02:57
M3 lover Audiophile Posts: 6601 Location: SW Mich Joined: May 29, 2005 Contributor Since: July 4, 2007	Tom, I'll suggest you use a low watt pencil iron, maybe 25-30 watts. Too much heat will likely burn back more insulation than you intend. Don't ask how I know! Tin both the clip and the wire first with a touch of solder, then heat the two together. Take your time and good luck. "The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

RE: Soldering, posted on October 16, 2020 at 17:48:12
John-from Seattle Audiophile Posts: 1154 Location: Tacoma Joined: November 13, 1999	If he has a variable iron, he can dial it down and it should be OK.

As to where you might send it for repair . . . , posted on October 16, 2020 at 05:00:53

Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014

Might be the ideal time for an incognito rewire of the arm. I had a RB300 rewired years ago for less than $150.

FYI, although named Brit Audio, it is a small family run business just outside Raleigh, NC. My rewired RB300 was returned in about 2 weeks.

Opus 33 1/3

Brit Audio rewire service

RE: As to where you might send it for repair . . . , posted on October 17, 2020 at 09:45:59
M3Man Audiophile Posts: 356 Joined: May 30, 2004	I can also recommend Brit Audio. They rewired my Rega arm after it developed an internal short. The work quality was excellent and they got it back to very quickly.

+++..., posted on October 16, 2020 at 05:50:18
EdAInWestOC Audiophile Posts: 6828 Location: Glen Burnie, MD USA Joined: December 18, 2003	The Incognito rewire is well worth the cost. Ed Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof

+1, posted on October 16, 2020 at 05:42:02
wawa2020 Audiophile Posts: 399 Location: NC Joined: October 25, 2002	The Incognito loom is a substantial improvement over the stock Rega cable.

RE: I goofed up !!, posted on October 15, 2020 at 20:39:15

SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3537
Joined: April 23, 2007

The way I install a cartridge is to push the pins on to the cartridge with my fingers....then install the cartridge in the arm. Since I've been doing this, I never broke one.

Remove the cartridge from the arm. Use a knife to get some wire exposed, and solder a clip on. Apply heat to the clip...add a touch of solder. Don't heat the wire. Never try to solder directly on to the cartridge.

RE: I goofed up !!, posted on October 15, 2020 at 20:46:47
rivervalley817	'Don't heat the wire' tip: use an appropriate size paper clip on the wire as a heat sink you'll get a better solder joint be well,

An ounce of prevention......, posted on October 15, 2020 at 19:30:45
viridian	...I put a dab of Elmers glue at the junction of each cartridge clip and headshell wire, applied with a toothpick. This won't happen again, and Elmers is easy to remove, in the event you want to sell the tonearm. To strip headshell leads, I use a nail clipper, a steady hand, and a shot of single malt or a snort of meth. YMMV.

RE: I goofed up !!, posted on October 15, 2020 at 18:40:23

Bill Way
Audiophile

Posts: 1884
Location: Toms River NJ
Joined: May 28, 2012
Contributor
Since: December 14, 2012

If you can solder, you can do it.

You don't need to strip the wire; the soldering pencil heat will do that for you. Try it - touch the hot soldering pencil to the end of the wire. Or you can take a single-edged razor blade and scrape it against the insulation for the last 1/8th of an inch or so. (It's really hard to try to slice around the insulation as you would for bigger wire.) Remove the cartridge clip from the back of the cartridge and put it in a pair of hemostats or something to hold it. Tin it and remove any strands of wire hanging on. Then bring the wire to the clip and apply heat to melt the solder, holding the pencil tip at the joint of wire and clip.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.

Was gonna suggest this., posted on October 16, 2020 at 06:37:38
ghost of olddude55 Audiophile Posts: 32545 Joined: July 14, 2017	Real fine wires, you can burn off the insulation. Another thing--Cardas cartridge clips are EZ to solder. Really easy. They're not expensive either. The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.

Vinyl Asylum

I goofed up !!

73.19.16.116