How to fix a scratch or skip on a vinyl record album

Рет қаралды 43,180

2 жыл бұрын

I decided to redo this video with a microscope so you can see what I’m doing. Take your time and go slow. It can be done and it’s actually pretty easy with practice, but not everything can be fixed
#recordcleaning #recordcleaning #scratchedrecord #fixingrecords

Пікірлер: 69

@andrewhackney3718 Ай бұрын

Took a beat up copy of My Funny Valentine by Miles Davis and improved the playing by quite a bit with this technique. Had a spot on the second song that would get caught and create a repeat cycle. It took a while to smooth out but no longer gets caught and allows it to play through. Definitely a tedious process but it did work. You showing the angle on the needle set up was huge. Also, only used a 10x magnifier so hoping to get better results with something stronger. Thanks man!

@spatulacityrecords6263 Ай бұрын

You got it! Glad it helped. A stronger magnifier is a huge difference

@andrewhackney3718 Ай бұрын

I agree! Just used a 30x jewelry magnifier on a Three Sounds microgroove that got rid like 80% of the pops with a pretty decent sized vertical scratch that spanned one and a half songs. Took forever but I’m sure it’ll get efficient with more practice. Thanks again man!

@boofer875 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. Guess when I was a very young DJ. Yes! 1969-1975. Country and Rock. My manager gave me any record if we had duplicates. I have about $60,000 worth of work for you. Seriously man, good work. And Sam Cooke is great.

@parthamazumder5860 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant explanation. Thanks a ton. Atleast now I know the theory behind the skips

@AdnanANasir Жыл бұрын

Happy new year and season greetings. I have just watched your video. I will try to fix my vinyls. Thanks

@user-hw2ik5dj1z Жыл бұрын

I've found the best way is to just to use a Cartridge & Stylus that your not too bothered about. I use an old Audio Technica AT3600L that came on an old deck I had, Just set you old Cartridge & Stylus up on your deck then turn the Counterweight right up so there's loads of weight on the Stylus then just keep playing the record over & over again over the scratch and that will work if you scratch isn't too deep.

@ac34116 5 ай бұрын

omg thanks alot. at least i could get my vinyl from making a loud pop to making a soft click with this method. so effectively saved it :)

@26Jorgeb 2 жыл бұрын

Hey man, great and very helpful video.Thank you so much.

@ricefieldrecords 2 жыл бұрын

I shave down a toothpick to a needle point. Something about the touch of wood on the vinyl surface versus a metal needle gives my fingers a better feeling of control. The metal needle can bounce around and cause more problems. Wood is softer. That's been my experience. Hard enough to be working upside down and backwards when viewing through a low power handheld microscope.

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

Never had any control issues with a needle.

@ricefieldrecords 2 жыл бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 I feel more comfortable applying pressure with a wood point than I do with metal. Metal feels more slippery.

@R3TR0R4V3 15 күн бұрын

But he has the needle in the end of a wooden pencil. ;)

@ricefieldrecords 15 күн бұрын

@@R3TR0R4V3 Wood is much softer material and less prone to cause unnecessary damage of your hand slips.

@ministerofdarkness 2 жыл бұрын

I've been using a toothpick, with good results for years. But I'm gonna try the needle method. No more skips 2022! 📍

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

What type of toothpicks are you using? I could see where they would be beneficial but I’ve tried several from restaurants and they just buckle or are too wide to get in the groove. The needle is nice because if you have a really messed up groove you can sometimes groove a new one. Not for the faint of heart and it will usually tick but it will fix a skip.

@mrbard1 5 ай бұрын

hell yeah thank you for this. I accidently dropped a stapler on a Queens of the Stone age album and it scratched a small bit of it.

@R3TR0R4V3 15 күн бұрын

Nooooooooooooo! 😭😭😭 Hope you fixed it. 🤞 #QotSA 🤘

@chevalsauer 9 ай бұрын

Great video, I've got a Dire Straits album with a few skips that year really annoying, and a couple other records also, will be very careful at them thanks

@IS_CBR_2763 9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! This worked!

@VintageGearMan 4 ай бұрын

I had to to do this on an "original" Etta James At Last, Chess records LP. It was nerve racking but it now no longer skips and that record is super rare! My repair on this record was done over 12 or 15 years ago.

@peterrech2307 2 жыл бұрын

Happy new year, Hope the new one is better than the previous two.........Enjoy the music

@macfid Жыл бұрын

Nice one. Thanks.

@Ripper77pep Жыл бұрын

great explanation....Thanks :)

@GeirEgilThorstensen Жыл бұрын

Greetings and many thanx from Norway!

@Vingul Күн бұрын

Jaså gitt

@R3TR0R4V3 15 күн бұрын

Doh! That's exactly what I'm trying to fix too, a RL Led Zep II... There's a tiny scratch on the Whole Lotta Love intro, right where Plant sings "..back to schoolin", skipping there for 3 revolutions. It's the only skip on my copy, and is pretty minor tbh, but it bugs me, so I'm really hoping to fix it. We'll see.. 😬

@lordspucke8938 Жыл бұрын

supreme.thx

@fdynda 2 жыл бұрын

TY very much. Third time watching. Is it correct to assume that 45s will be easier to fix. Are they fixed in the same manner. Look forward to your response

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

They’re the same. I don’t know if they’re easier. I rarely deal in 45s but they are better made to take the beating given to them from jukeboxes.

@tripplebeards3427 2 ай бұрын

Thsnks

@javialan2503 2 жыл бұрын

Lol. I was just looking to see how to do this method to try a test run on my Herb Alpert Whipped Cream record when you mentioned don't try it on that one. LMAO. What are the friggen odds.

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

Seriously. Don’t mess with Herb.

@brucevair-turnbull8082 Жыл бұрын

Fascinating method you have there to fix irritating skips. Here's a dilemma: I bought a rare (first pressing) of an album (worth approx. £150) and found mice had eaten part of the rear sleeve. The disc itself is spotless minus a tiny point (a mouses's tooth mark?) which causes a single skip in the first two seconds of side 2. Should I attempt your remedy or simply live with it?

@Akondom 5 ай бұрын

I'm a record dealer, it's all I do for a living. In my opinion I'd try and fix it. A skip is a death sentence for value

@grayhalf1854 2 ай бұрын

I've got quite a rare album that was mastered poorly and has two grooves that literally touch; as such it skips at that point. I've been wondering if it's fixable. It's difficult because effectively what I need to do is introduce a new 'wall' between the grooves. Perhaps heating it up to soften the pvc then using a toothpick or needle to make the correct groove the 'path of least resistance'??

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 ай бұрын

Do NOT heat up the record. You will ruin it.

@jurnagin Жыл бұрын

Murphy's oil soap works wonders, but when it dry the skips come back, I guess the soap keeps the needle from sliding out the track

@spatulacityrecords6263 Жыл бұрын

So, it doesn’t work very well at all? Also, all that soap is going to build up on your stylus or needle as you play the record, distorting the sound.

@jurnagin Жыл бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 growing up in the 80's our favorite album was scratched up and I remember our mother trying Murphy's oil soap and the Album played clear as new, it was amazing and yes after a few songs the magic was over lol

@AshGoldn Ай бұрын

The adjustable desk stand that you used - what is it called? I can't seem to find them on amazon and I must be typing in the wrong names for it. And thank you for the video.

@spatulacityrecords6263 Ай бұрын

Not sure what you’re asking? Adjustable magnifier?

@AshGoldn Ай бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 you have your hand on it at 8:32.

@user-rj4mr2cp7e 11 ай бұрын

So what you are saying I shouldn’t try and fix revolver 1st

@JimothyO 2 жыл бұрын

What is the name of that little magnifying glass?

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

It doesn’t have a name. It’s a 60x - 100x magnifier. They’re made for iPhones

@mestredigital2 7 ай бұрын

I use a insulin needle. Is very thin.

@justinsapigao3489 8 ай бұрын

Hey hows it going do you still live in la quinta CA?

@spatulacityrecords6263 8 ай бұрын

No. We moved to AZ a little over 2 years ago. We only sell thru our website now Spatulacityrecords.com

@patsvinylcorner 2 жыл бұрын

I did try the eraser trick on my hot mix Led Zeppelin II hot mix. Got it for 10 dollars so I didn't feel like buying another one for much more money in even worse shape and it worked but I agree, don't try shit like this on something you paid alot of money for and it's rare. It's not worth it

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

It’s absolutely worth it, if you know what you’re doing. My point was don’t try this for the first time on a valuable record. I have people send me records from all over the world to fix.

@patsvinylcorner 2 жыл бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 my bad. I was agreeing with you on that part. As a first time I wouldn't do it. I would send it to someone like you or try an alternative method

@MrPompanoman Жыл бұрын

Turn up your volume please

@spatulacityrecords6263 Жыл бұрын

I think that happens on your end.

@MrPompanoman Жыл бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 you may be right my phone is a pos

@royrice6060 2 жыл бұрын

May not be rocket science but almost like brain surgery!! Only for the steady of hand and nerves of still. 👍👍👍

@mickmutante 2 жыл бұрын

I tried with a tooth pick.. but the best result i have archieved is with ice...

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 жыл бұрын

Wait, what? How does that work? Are you rubbing the ice so threat it pushes the vinyl grooves back in place?

@mickmutante 2 жыл бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 Yes... first i clean it... with soap, cloth (microfiber), etc.. Then i take a cube of ice and star to rubbing following the grooves nearby the skip or scratch, that way the ice "copy" the grooves.. you will fell it... the keep rubbing on the skip... over and over... with some dee skratches doesn not work.. (son that why i was watching your video. hahahahah) Anyway.. the leyend says.. that technique was used with "dry ice" or very very low ice temperature... I heard that when i was a kid (almost 38 years ago) but i am not shure about that.

@Martorell_ Жыл бұрын

@@mickmutante Imma try it in like half an hour with a record I messed up yesterday.

@cassidybeach4831 Жыл бұрын

@@Martorell_ how did it end up?

@cassidybeach4831 Жыл бұрын

@@Martorell_ how did it end up?

@GothicKittyMadness 2 ай бұрын

DO NOT DO THIS! unless your goal is to permanently damage your vinyl.

@spatulacityrecords6263 2 ай бұрын

Read the comments, you’re the only detractor. I have people from all over the world send me records to fix. I’ve owned a record store for over 10 years and have listened to records longer than you’ve been on the planet. What are your credentials?

@GothicKittyMadness 2 ай бұрын

@@spatulacityrecords6263 that's hard to believe.

@almc-wi5vo 11 ай бұрын

The best way to fix this is to buy a NEW LP. The toothpick technic is rediculous. If you don't think so, try it.

@spatulacityrecords6263 11 ай бұрын

Guy, do you think I put this up without trying it? It’s not hard, AT ALL. It’s ridiculously (correct spelling included) easy. Troll someone else.

@MrRepeters Ай бұрын

Dear Spatula, your video is very informative. However, videos recorded in the vertical format are VERY distracting and unprofessional. I love your content but can't get past the vertical format. The recording in the horizontal format is so much better for viewing on either a web page or a phone.