The City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society (CLPGS)
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What stylus should be used? 
By Nipper

When playing cylinders, it is important that the styli be undamaged and clean. For two-minute cylinders, a sapphire is recommended. Glass replacements are available and work well, but are very vulnerable to chip and so damage your cylinders. Four-minute wax must be played with a sapphire. For Blue Amberols, a diamond is preferred.

When playing disc records, the choice is never-ending.

Steel needles or fibre needles - the argument will go on forever. You must remember that each time you play your favourite disc, you wear away the groove however you play it.

Disc records were originally designed to be played with steel needles - the materials used were so mixed to wear away the needle and not to be unduly worn by the needle. It is important that the needle be used once only; that they be of high quality, with highly polished points. So-called long-play needles should not be used for the number of plays stated on the old advertising.

If you choose to use fibre needles, either thorn or triangular bamboo, it is important that they be freshly sharpened or cut, and that the records you are playing are clean. The nature of fibre is that it will absorb minute dust or grit particles on the record, that will then grind away at the groove.

We must also consider hill-and-dale disc records. Pathe centre-start records are played with a ball-ended sapphire: Edison Diamond Discs with, as stated, a diamond point.

In the heyday of 78s, it was never expected by the manufacturers that we would still be playing them 100 years later. They hoped you would wear out your favourite record and then replace it. We all know now that it is difficult or impossible to replace that choice item, so look after them and play them only with the best equipment.

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