Bearded stylus - Help needed

[Rabshakeh]

A bit of a Steve Hoffman type question here, for which I apologise.

I recently upgraded my hi fi, with a fancy new Plenar 3 with Exact cartridge. It's great. No regrets, save for one pretty major issue. The stylus picks up dust as it plays, like all styluses. This one has a little cross bar thing though, and, once it picks up the dust, it sometimes can't be dislodged. I've tried various approaches - blowing on it, using a horsehair brush gently, and the horrible DIY blu tac approach, but often it is just not possible to get the dust off it. It's a full tangle. Like a beard. This happens daily at the moment.

This is not an issue I encountered with my previous set up, which was a bit more robust and where the dust just dislodged with a blow. 

Is there any solution to this issue? I read somewhere about ultrasonic devices that can clean a stylus, and wondered whether that was the answer.

Anyway, any help much appreciated.

EDIT: Obviously, I also need to stop being so lazy and get the deionised water and the mop out, but that's a different story.

Edited October 31, 2021 by Rabshakeh

[sidewinder]

I occasionally use a dab of that Audio Technica stylus cleaner fluid when buildup of crud starts to become an issue. You have to be careful though to avoid the liquid creeping up into the cantilever and causing damage so use should be very, very sparing. Never used the ultrasonic devices. I find the brush supplied by Dynavector to be the best bet, together with the Linn ‘green abrasive paper’ for daily use.

Edited October 31, 2021 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

Another Audio Technica stylus fluid user here

 

[sidewinder]

8 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

Another Audio Technica stylus fluid user here

 

It is very effective. If that fails, it usually indicates to me that the record needs a spin in the RCM. Use of an RCM should result in much less ‘fluff generation’.

[mjazzg]

Or a clean in my zen-like manual cleaning regime   Vive L'Art du Son!

[sidewinder]

I use L’Art du Son solution in a VPI cleaning machine. Very noisy but effective !

[Rabshakeh]

What do you do? Just squirt it on?

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I just don't see a different between the Exact 3 and any other cartridge when it comes to playback. Why would this cart pick up more fuzz than any other cart?

Are you sure it's tracking properly? Is the VTF set to 1.75g?

On truly gummed up stylus tips, in the past, I would've used a cotton swap with isopropyl alcohol. I never soaked the stylus as they say that can weaken the glue keeping the stylus in place, but a gentle push with a cotton swab soaked in a little alcohol always did the trick.

[sidewinder]

3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

What do you do? Just squirt it on?

Dilute solution squirted onto record surface, brushed in and then suction cleaned.

[Rabshakeh]

2 hours ago, bresna said:

I just don't see a different between the Exact 3 and any other cartridge when it comes to playback. Why would this cart pick up more fuzz than any other cart?

 

Are you sure it's tracking properly? Is the VTF set to 1.75g?

On truly gummed up stylus tips, in the past, I would've used a cotton swap with isopropyl alcohol. I never soaked the stylus as they say that can weaken the glue keeping the stylus in place, but a gentle push with a cotton swab soaked in a little alcohol always did the trick.

Maybe that's the answer. I think it perhaps has something sticky on it and then the dust and hair has got tangled.

[Rabshakeh]

Has anyone had any experience of using this product?

Flux Hifi Stylus Cleaner https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00YPS6TF8/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_VGXEMETMFVJSEJ92N7XT

Recommended to me by someone.

[Teasing the Korean]

I use the Discwasher stylus brush with Dishwasher fluid.  Works fine.  

[Rabshakeh]

Spincare stylus brush and Onzow Zerodust between them sorted me out.  Thank you to everyone who replied.

Now to up my cleaning regime.

[Rabshakeh]

Apparently the issue with the record player was that one of the coloured wires at the back of the stylus that was bent down, preventing the needle making contact. Nothing to do with my stylus, bearded, toupeed or otherwise, it turns out.