Any cure for a vinyl groove keeps repeating?

Wondering if there is any cure for a vinyl groove that keeps repeating?

I just found a nice used copy of the Mothership Connection LP by Parliment at my record store that looked brand new so I took it home. I put it on and one song gets stuck in the same place and repeats over and over. Actually, it took me while to figure out it was a repeat because it sounded like it fit in with the song until about 5 minutes of the same thing. I've had no luck in making it go away.... tried a gentle wash with water and can't see any debris that may be causing the repeat. I guess it could be a manufacturing defect... Any ideas?

 

Look again, maybe there IS something there. Try increasing the tracking weight if all else fails.

 

You could zero out the anti-skate and see if that will allow the stylus to track it through. Once it does, it may sort of give the groove its groove back after several more pass throughs.

Lightly give the headshell a little downward force during the skip, if the above doesn't do it.

I've had success doing the anti-skate thing. The arm wants to naturally fall towards the center of the record.

 

Thanks guys... I'll try these out!

 

You could try micro-surgery. Carefully locate the area then look at it with a magnifying glass. With the right magnification you'll be able to see the actual groove damage. You can gently trace the groove with a variety of items of your choice: bamboo skewer, toothpick, plastic toothpick, exacto knife, razor blade, etc. This technique actually works pretty well! Try to apply very little (practically none) pressure to the groove as you possibly can.

 

I have a copy of the beatles abbey road that started skipping. I will have to see if I can fix it.

 

Funny, I have a beautiful, mint, original mothership connection with just this problem. I wonder if it was a pressing problem. It is on the last track of side one.

 

I have heard of people finding the spot and gently running a pin over the area to clear it up.

 

I hate skips! Usually, I just buy another copy. Thanks for the advice. This thread is great!

 

Yeah, that is strange, mine gets stuck in the same place. Could it be intentional... being a great party record and all?

 

No, my otherwise in worse shape original copy did not skip there. As far as skips go, it is pretty cool. It is subtle so you don't necessarily notice it right away and is only a fairly funky bar or two.

 

While listening to something from years past, how many of you still have skips in records lodged in your mind? Like if you're listening to something and you expect the song to skip?

When CD's came out, I always got caught having that happen. Or 8-tracks during a track change.

 

Discussion of that here, with my method of getting rid of skips:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=72683

 

I lstened to the same pressing of Led Zeppelin II for years, and ther is a scratch in it that creates popping in Whole Lotta Love, and it is forever stuck in my head that way. Getting an RL LZ II helped as that is the version I listen to now, but it will take years to get those pops out of head!

Frank R.

 

i haven't examined a record yet that skips because of a groove - always a technical problem with the tt.

 

Oh I've got a few...always scratches that run in the same direction as the groove rather than across it. Rubbing the scratch down sometimes does the trick.

 

Fix a skip.

Most often I have found used records with skips is often caused by bits of something stuck in the surface of the vinyl. Perhaps bits of food? Anyway, I usually can gently "Scrape" the residue off, while sometimes I need a little Formula 409 or something to loosen it. I tried the pin trick on a scratch a long time ago, and that worked also.