I recently purchased a Nakamichi BX-2 cassette deck that was advertised as broken/for parts. The unit powered on, but when a cassette was played, it would only play for a couple of seconds and then stop.
I assumed the unit needed a new belt and while I was installing the belt, I should go ahead and replace the idler tire as well. In these Nakamichi decks, there is not a belt for fast forward or rewind like there is in some lower end Sony decks. Nakamichi uses an idler tire which wears out over time and needs to be replaced.
I placed an order with Vintage Electronics for the belt and idler tire as I’ve had great success installing their belts on other decks. I prefer to not buy belts on eBay or Amazon as it is likely the size will be wrong which will impact playback.
I will include a short step by step summary of how to replace both the belt and the idler tire and the follow up with photos to help better explain.
During the pandemic, I became interested in collecting 78 RPM records. I blame this on my second reading of the wonderful book, Do Not Sell At Any Price by Amanda Petrusich.
When I first read Amanda’s book, I kept telling myself that it was dangerous to be reading about another format in music collecting. I already collect vinyl records, cassettes, CDs and more. Adding shellac 78s to the collection might get out of hand quickly.
The second reading of the book led me to purchasing 78s at antique stores and online auctions with the hopes of finding something interesting to begin a collection with. There was just one problem…I didn’t know how to actually play 78s on my stereo system at home.
Last week I was visiting a friend who called and said he had some records to sell me. He had a box of LPs that he wanted to get rid of and sold to me for a great price.
While chatting, I told him I was always on the lookout for odd 45s and he said he had some I could go through. I flipped through a small batch and brought a handful home.
Whenever I’m flipping through 45s, I always look for plain labels featuring artists I’ve never heard of. I quickly snatched up this 45 with that plain green label and simple black font by a band called the Dave Scott Trio.
I couldn’t find any information online about the Dave Scott Trio nor could I find any other releases by Cay-Scott on Discogs. My guess is that this was self released since Scott is included in both the label and artist name.
Side 1 finds the band covering Cole Porter’s Begin the Beguine. Nothing special jumped out to me about the performance but you can stream it below to judge for yourself.
Side 2 was more enjoyable with a track called Dave’s Boogie. This finds the band loosening up a bit with more electric guitar, some organ and a boogie woogie style piano throughout. Listen to a recording from the 45 below…
Judging by the amount of piano featured on each recording, I’m going to guess that Dave Scott is on piano. But I’d also love to know who is playing guitar on Dave’s Boogie!
An added bonus on this 45 is that Dave autographed the label on Side 2 with an inscription that seems to read “Red, Best Wishes, Dave Scott”.
What a fun discovery last Friday and I’m excited to post about it here on Forever Analog!
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People commonly mistake the parts on a turntable, calling them by the wrong name. As they learn more about their turntable, they understand the role of each part and know when and how to replace those parts for ultimate performance.
Friends often tell me they are having problems with their turntable’s cartridge when they really mean a stylus.
What is the difference between the cartridge and the stylus?
The turntable’s stylus is actually part of the cartridge. The cartridge is the housing part screwed to the headshell while the stylus is the tiny “needle” at the end of the cartridge’s cantilever that actually makes contact with the record.
If you look at the photo at the beginning of this article, you can see the cartridge is the gold box labeled Philips 422. If you look closely, you can see the cantilever protruding down from the cartridge.
At the end of that cantilever is the stylus which will make contact with the record, moving back and forth and up down in the grooves. This modulation moves up the cantilever into the cartridge where it is converted into an electrical signal.
In the video below, you can see how the stylus is being replaced on an Audio Technica turntable. I think this helps show beginners that the stylus can be easily removed from the cartridge and replaced with the same model.
Note he is simply removing the green plastic piece that holds the cantilever and the stylus while the cartridge remains mounted to the headshell:
This next video will show you how an entire cartridge is replaced by removing the old one and installing a new cartridge to the headshell:
Do I need to replace the cartridge or the stylus?
This is another popular question I receive from friends who are new to vinyl. When the sound on their turntable is poor, they are often confused as to if they need to replace the entire cartridge, or just the stylus.
If the audio sounds poor on your turntable, you do not need to replace the entire cartridge, only the stylus. The stylus tip will wear down over time, causing poor sound performance. Simply buy a new stylus for the cartridge on your turntable and follow the instructions on how to install. It’s often as simple as pulling the old stylus off the cartridge and carefully pushing the new stylus in its place.
When should I replace my turntable cartridge?
Most cartridges on turntables do not need to be replaced, only their stylus. The cartridge rarely “breaks”. Instead the stylus wears down or is bent and needs to be replaced. I advise people to only replace the cartridge when they want to upgrade to a higher quality sound on their turntable.
Phono cartridges are made in all shapes and sizes and will sound different on your turntable. I enjoy buying different cartridges and installing them on my turntable to listen how the playback changes.
Some cartridges provide better bass, some provide more clarity. More expensive cartridges will provide a more life like sound stage, making you feel as if you are in the room where the music was recorded.
Cartridges vary in price and can cost more than $10,000. My budget allows for moving magnet cartridges in the under $500 range but I hope to experiment with more expensive models as my budget allows.
Everything you need to know about the stylus on your turntable…
If you are interested in learning more about the stylus, including the different shapes, how long they last and when you need to replace, please refer to my article Everything To Know About The Stylus On Your Turntable for more information!
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Also, please visit my Discogs store where I sell used records, 45s, cassettes and CDs.
Last week I had my first DJ gig, post pandemic, at a local brewery here in Nashville, TN. There were several DJs on the bill and we each got a 30 minute set.
Because of the short set, I decided to use all 45s and pull from a lot of the great records I’ve found during the pandemic.
The result is a short but sweet soul 45 set featuring songs by Aretha Franklin, J.J. Jackson, Betty Wright, Etta James, The Detroit Emeralds and more.
Last weekend, my wife and I drove outside of Nashville and visited a flea market in Woodbury, TN, about 45 minutes from our house. It was a beautiful sunny day and I wasn’t sure we would find anything at the flea market, but Woodbury is packed full of antique stores so there was always a chance I would find some records to look through.
After finding a few items at the flea market, we left for lunch on the square while waiting for the antique stores to open. The first store we visited was packed full of vendors and most of the records for sale were overpriced.
While sifting through a pile of records, I found an interesting looking 45 wedged in between two LPs. It had a black label with a gold 70s type font and looked interesting enough for me to research further. I found a few copies had recently sold on eBay between $35 and $50 while the lowest copy for sale on Discogs was $75. I saw the $1 price tag on the beaten up 45 sleeve and smiled.
