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Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!tekchips!teklabs!jimp
From: jimp@teklabs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: On Kids and Needles
Message-ID: <2104@teklabs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Jun-83 17:04:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: teklabs.2104
Posted: Tue Jun 21 17:04:37 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 27-Jun-83 12:33:26 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 20


Today my two-year old son decided that he wanted  to  listen
to  some music, and turned on my automatic turntable.  Alas,
there was no record thereupon, so he toddled off to  concern
himself  with  more  audible  endeavors.  Some time later my
wife called me to say that  the  needle  of  my  $60  Audio-
Technica  AT-14sa  cartridge  had  been playing "that rubber
record" on the platter for an undetermined amount of time.

I have just recovered from shock, and my question  is  this:
How  can  I determine the extent of the damage without going
to an audio shop (who would probably tell me that even a new
needle  HAS  to  be replaced)?  I'm hoping that some sort of
visual inspection will suffice.  Also, how hard would it  be
to replace just the needle instead of the whole cartridge?

Thanks!

            --Jim Prouty (tektronix!teklabs!jimp)