JICO Styli: Black Dot...?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by ROFLnaked, Dec 11, 2017.

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  1. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    JICO is a mysterious company. They seem to have no advertising, no USA dealers (outside of their über expensive SAS series), and if I remember correctly, they charge @$25 for shipping. I'm in the market now for a new Shure N55e replacement, and I found a guy in Canada selling a purported JICO N55e on the popular auction site for $23 USD, which is $10 below what JICO sells them for on their website. This guy sells carts & styli with perfect feedback, so it appears that he is honest. What makes me wary is that it isn't in the original packaging, and when I messaged him for an explanation, he gave me this story about how JICO manufactures for many companies who slap their own name on there, and on this particular stylus, he "unbranded it for resale." He said not to worry, that the fact that it has a black dot on the cantilever identifies it as a JICO beyond any doubt. Can't anyone take a Sharpie and make a black dot at the base of the cantilever...?

    May I know your thoughts?
     
  2. tommytune

    tommytune Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    Jico may make different stylus, they do have a parent company. Jico is a brand of stylus. I have purchased stylus from dealers who say Jico made the stylus, and have purchased the same Jico stylus ( Elliptical for V15 III in Jico packaging ). The Jico is very different construction and the sound is worth the extra money. The black dot signifies elliptical and the blue dot hyper elliptical.
     
    oregonalex likes this.
  3. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
  4. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Thanks Harby:

    It's all confusing. I don't understand why there are no retailers in the US selling JICO, so as to avoid paying $25 shipping from Japan on a $30 stylus.

    In fairness, the one you link to is brown, but the one in question ("It's a genuine JICO product meant for rebranding") is yellow...

    Brand new: SHURE N55E Phonograph Needle (Jico turntable stylus) | eBay
     
  5. ROFLnaked

    ROFLnaked Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    California
    Harby:

    Also note that the $14.99 stylus you linked to states a .4 x .7 mil tip; the other is .3 x .7 mil.
     
  6. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Things are changing right now. JICO is no longer supplying EVG with styli. EVG will be sourcing from the same Swiss manufacturer that Pfanstiehl uses. 95% of Tonar magnetic styli are produced by JICO and Nagaoka. It could not last forever...getting an EVG stylus produced by JICO for $15. I never stated that what JICO sold with their own name is/was identical to what EVG was selling. But, Tonar is a good source now for Japanese styli. The Euro is strong compared to USD so they will cost a bit more than the former JICO/EVG models. Supplies of hyperellipticals, line contact, Shibata, and SAS are either very low or nonexistent at many distributors and retailers. Even some very popular mild ellipticals are hard to get right now.
     
  7. cjc

    cjc Senior Member

  8. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Hey ROFLnaked, I'll comment here as that is my ad from on eBay
    (jelloalien on eBay )

    I deal with a Canadian distributor for Tonar / Nagaoka and have confirmed that the large majority of styli are sourced originally from Jico and Nagaoka.

    I've read online that people believe Jico makes a better quality stylus and sells it direct on their website, while selling the “lesser quality” to other suppliers to re-brand and I'm not 100% on that one, although it seems odd to me from a manufacturing stance that they would do that. But unfortunately as Jico likes to keep things vague, i can't really confirm or dispel that.

    I've read reviews online claiming they got a Tonar or EVG and a Jico direct stylus, and compared the two, and they were identical. And I’ve read reviews online claiming they compared the two and the “real Jico” was better sounding.

    The only difference I’m really sure on is that I believe a few styli had a tie-wire construction, and that was recreated by Jico, but those with the tire-wire are only sold direct from Jico.

    As you mention, they seem to keep things mysterious......

    I don't retain the Tonar branding in my eBay listings to avoid issues with other retailers. And I sell A few bucks cheaper outside of eBay (in fact I’ve posted a ad here on this forum in the buy/sell).

    Also to Harby, I have no interest in BS'ing anyone or making a quick buck at someones expense.
    Rather keep customers, not have them pissed off at me :)


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2018
  9. Doctorwu

    Doctorwu Senior Member

    A few months ago I sent Jico a couple of e-mails about an Elliptical Stylus for Shure 91 that i purchased from them directly that i think is faulty, never heard back from them, they're probably swamped.

    I have a Tonar M91 stylus (with the same packaging in the picture you uploaded) and it sounds and looks different then the stylus i purchased from Jico directly, it has slightly different output and darker / softer sound, it also tracks better and less sibilant, My Jico was too sibilant which is why i contacted them in the first place.
     
    Jelloalien likes this.
  10. terry toww

    terry toww Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Samoa
    Hi - I bought a replacement Stanton 681 Jico stylus from you. It is an excellent stylus!
     
    HiFi Guy and Jelloalien like this.
  11. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Awesome to hear!!

    I've never had a 681eee (although I hear it is a rediculously good cartridge). :)
     
    HiFi Guy likes this.
  12. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    So I was talking to my supplier and mentioned if he thought Jico made “lesser quality” styli and sell them to other brands and he said he doesn't understand why they would do that from a manufacturing stance, with the exception of their higher end line (shibata, sas, etc.). More or less he didn,t believe this to be true, but also didn't know for sure.

    Just thought I’d update.

    We also talked abound EVG and how they have been (or are being) cut off by Jico and will be sourcing their styli from pfanstiehl (this was mentioned above).

    Anywho. Thought I’d mention.....
     
  13. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    The biggest problem I have with the non-branded Jico styli is that some of the folks that sell them can't seem to provide accurate specs for them. If you buy direct from Jico, you can get accurate specs. Just went through this recently. I ended up buying from Jico instead of a domestic seller.

    As for the lower quality non-branded issue, no one seems to have settled this to date, other than noting that some of the non-branded styli do not include a tension wire whereas the Jico branded styli do where appropriate.
     
  14. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    That’s a fair point. The Tonar packaging for example has no specs info on it.
    To some that’s likely important (yourself, for example). To others not so much.

    In general I find Jico likes to keep things mysterious, like some kinda stylus ninja perhaps? :p
     
  15. tables_turning

    tables_turning In The Groove

    Location:
    Mid Atlantic, USA
    My Tonars have that dot:[​IMG]
     
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  16. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    He sells Tonar.
     
  17. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    EVG does not source from Pfanstiehl. If they did, they would not be trying to obtain a more varied model selection. Pfanstiehl is an American company that sources from a Swiss manufacturer. I deal with Pfanstiehl directly. EVG will be sourcing from the same Swiss a bunch of retailers and ss manufacturer. There is so much 'secrecy' in the stylus business that it is ridiculous. I think it is a matter of a few manufacturers and many distributors and retailers wanted to claim a 'unique' product.
     
  18. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    The bottom line is that 'bargain' JICO made styli sold under other brand names will become harder to find. And more expensive. Tonars are the only JICO sourced brand that I know of. But, there are also retailers that sell JICO sourced such as LPTunes/LPGear.
     
    Jelloalien likes this.
  19. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Thanks for clarifying John, it is a mystery and I, like you, probably get bits and pieces of it here and there....
    :)
     
    PhxJohn likes this.
  20. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Looks like the eBay dealer I randomly linked to a while ago took advantage and increased their $15 stylus to over $100.

    Fortunately the EVG/Jico I needed was already purchased. I was going to say that fortunately I now use AT92ECD that's still being made (but with a price bump from $20 to $35 recently) but it looks like it's not now listed on the AT official site, and while Amazon still has it, it is less available elsewhere.

    It's probably good that Jico recognizes the value of their own name and Japanese made product, and at least clarifies the market by removing rebranded stylii that others have discovered to be made by them. However, weird things are afoot, like the 50% price reduction everybody jumped on, then Jico stops selling all produts for a while, the reintroduction of certain cantilevers, lack of dealers, etc.
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2018
  21. Jelloalien

    Jelloalien Stylus Genie

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Technically, there are still “rebranded Jico styli” being sold.....
     
  22. PhxJohn

    PhxJohn Forum Resident

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    That price 'jump' is ebay seller 'andydeals'. I have no idea why $100 is added to his listings but if you look at the 'sold' prices, they are $100 less. BTW, Tonar are rebranded JICO's and JICO is not going to cut off Tonar. Tonar makes a lot of money for JICO.
     
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