Can anyone give me the lowdown on jukebox needles? I bought some new
old stock Cole's coin machine needles with osmium tips. The package
says the needle lasts many plays and doesn't have to be rotated. I'm
also curious about the shape of the needle. A couple of millimeters up
from the point, the metal is flattened into a pointed oval like a cobra
head and then resumes being cylindrical. What is that for?
Osmium is nearly as hard as tungsten and I've seen some references to
people cutting their own needles from tungsten wire and forming the
point by rubbing the cut end in a record groove while rotating it (which
seems astonishing).
Is such hardness a good idea in a needle, or does it cause excessive
record wear?
If these jukebox needles are safe to use, how do I tell when it's time
to change one?
Best regards,
Chris
_______________________________________________
Phono-L mailing list
http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
