Nitty Gritty Record Cleaning Machines going away.....

Great news guys, thanks for posting this update.

 

I hope for Nitty Gritty it will be "business as usual." I've seen so many businesses fail because they did not do that. They corrupted the "brand" just to put their own "stamp" on it. Leave well enough alone. Many of us are well aware of NG and their products and services and the way they treated us.

 

AMEN!!!

 

Any more news on this?…as in potential date when business will be back up and running?

 

You mean like what happened to Discwasher?

 

No, that did not even cross my mind. I was thinking in general > successful businesses that I know that were very prominent for a very long time that were taken over by another party who destroyed it - went from business as usual to something that didn't fly with the customers/public and are now gone.

 

Theil would be a great example, Advent, AR, Pilot, etc.

 

Any more updates on a potential re-opening? I haven’t heard anything since early January that Kevin Berg from Audiophile Import Specialists was being trained to take over the reigns.

 

My last contact with Kevin was 2 weeks ago with a promise to keep in touch. My questions were specifically with regards to CDN sales, service, etc but in a broader sense it would apply to all. Below is a copy of our last conversation:

Good morning! I apologize for my long delay in answering your email. I have been really busy transitioning the Nitty Gritty Business and somehow missed your email.


Yes I will be assuming product sales, distribution and parts for the Nitty Gritty brand. Additionally I will be partnering with the Audiophile Company known as Elusive Disc to distribute Nitty Gritty in the near future once I am up and running normally again. Additionally I have already started to reconnect the distribution ties in Canada for Nitty Gritty but it will probably take a couple of months to be completely done.


Meanwhile if you need anything you could purchase whatever Nitty Gritty products you need from Elusive Disc:


Elusive Disc - Hardware, Accessories, SACDs, Vinyl LPs, DVD-As and MORE! Call us (800)-782-3472


They should have some of our products already in stock etc.


If you have any other questions please let me know? I am sorry again for the delay in getting back to you.


Best,


Kevin,

Nitty Gritty

 

Thank you for sharing this!! Excellent news!!!

 

Anyone know how often to replace the brush and velvet lips for the vacuum slot? I own a 1.0 machine. Or is there some way to clean them?

 

It varies, but basically they look worn out - flat and less bushy. YMMV, but I would guess it would be after 300 LP cleanings or so. You should be cleaning away any debris with that little brush (its actually a small test tube brush). I usually use the brush after a couple LPs or so, unless I can see something. But in general, you replace the lips when they are worn, not dirty. And if you suffer often from dirty velvet lips, I'd suggest that you might want to wash real dirty LPs by hand first, to wash off the rough dirt, then use the NG for deeper groove cleaning.

 

I got some some replacement velvet lips (for automatic fluid dispenser- 2.5 Fi). I don’t have to replace them yet but is there a trick to doing this? Is it as simple as peeling the old ones off and sticking the new ones off?

 

Glad you asked; I never really knew how to do this properly either. The directions that came with mine were quite poor. And then they were out of business so I couldn’t get help.

 

Hard to explain, but yeah. Take a picture (mind or phone) of how the original ones are installed, especially the spacings near the opening. Make sure you get off all the sticky stuff, but do not scratch the plastic. Then use the cardboard tool that comes with the lips. Practice before you take off the protective backing. Put the lips on the shorter part of the cardboard, slide it past. Then stick that part through the slot in the NG. Slide it down into place, so that the spacings are even and no slack. Sorry, I'm not very descriptive today, hope that helps. After you've done one, you'll have the hang of it. It's not real hard to do, at all, but hard to describe - like tying your shoes!

 

Yeah the instructions are poor for sure. Just so you know they are back up and running. They were training new owners (Kevin Berg from Audiophile Import Specialists) over the past year and have been back at it since October (ish) I believe. I have already purchased and received some accessories from them for my machine.

 

Haha! Thanks. I will try my best. Maybe I can find a video on YouTube....everything else seems to be on there lol

 

By brush, are you referring to the 5" by 1" black thing with a velvet edge? Or something else?

 

Looks like this, one should (or at least used to) come with a set of replacement lips. But it doesn't have to be this exact thing.

 

It looks like a mini pipe/test tube cleaning brush (white bristles). Mine came with the unit and also came with the replacement pads. If I was home I would take a picture.

Edit: Looks like Buckeye beat me to it....but yes that’s it.

 

Do you also insert this directly into slot/opening of the velvet lip? Apparently it’s best to do this with vacuum on and when lips are dry?

 

Thanks, I bought mine used and don't think I got that. I will order something like that for test tube cleaning..

 

I don't know how much they charge for something like this, but the retired band director in me says to go to a store that sells band instruments and supplies and ask for a brass mouthpiece brush. It is more tapered, and the very end of the tip might not have bristles, but from what I see it would probably work. I imagine it would be cheaper, but don't know for sure. Just another source.....

 

I don’t know if they even sell these as replacement parts on their own as it comes with the replacement pads but what you are suggesting would work! Anything that’s soft and fine enough to clean the pads and get into the vacuum slot would work. Like the thing that my girlfriend uses on her eye lashes lol

 

A new clean toothbrush could also be used to clean the pads. A child's size toothbrush would probably be perfect.