Static Removal on LP's

Best advice, if it's doable and within your means. Put down the gadgets, skip the cleaning ceremonies and get to the source of the problem. Plus you'll feel better.

A carbon mat certainly helps as well, and has the added advantage of not requiring the user to do anything. It's just there.

 

Buy yourself a DeStat. Problem solved.

 

I am so glad I found your post! I was moments away from dropping $400 on a Furutech De-Stat, when I decided to do one last search for alternatives. Now I am the owner of a Simco Aerostat Cadet, another brand of benchtop ionizer, which I scored on ebay for well under $100. If you are patient you can get a benchtop ionizer/blower for even less (under $50), but I wasn't in a patient mood, and I still saved over $300. After using this, I'd have a hard time believing a battery-powered unit like the De-Stat could compete with this baby -- AC powered with variable speed fan (and a heater, if I want to use it), a ring with 8 or 10 emitter points, and a built-in point cleaner. I played with it for quite a while -- charged up a balloon by rubbing it on the carpet, stuck a packing peanut on it, then held it in front of the unit and watched the peanut drop off in a second or two. It works great!

Then I used it on some albums. I had just bought a shipment that included the first three new RCA Living Stereo reissues, and they arrived massively charged with static -- so bad the "anti-static sleeve" was glued to the discs. The albums were noisy as heck, and I was hoping the ionizer/blower would fix them. It did kill the static right away, but sadly the albums are just noisy. Vacuum cleaning and additional anti-static blasts did nothing. Weird that they are all defective in the same way, after everyone raved about how perfect these pressings are. Maybe they were damaged somehow in shipping, though several other albums came in the same shipment and are fine. Oh well, I'll return them. But at least my static problems are solved. Thanks again! I can't imagine a more effective or cheaper solution to zapping away static in a few seconds.

 

I would like to advise/forewarn anyone attempting to use this Static Guard spray as a solution, solely based on my own experience which may or may not have the same effect on your equipment. 5 years ago I bought a can of this to experiment with as static was a big problem for me at that time. I thought it was worth a try and thought what harm could come? I was getting a shock every time I touched my equipment rack so I sprayed a "path" around the base of my equipment rack directly on the broadloom which was wall to wall in my basement. At that time, I had all my equipment on a black tubular steel powder coated rack, the kind with the black veneered wood shelf inserts. Think Plateau, Target, etc. Anyway, I crop dusted about a 2 foot path around the base of the rack to see what would happen. I used no more than the can directions suggest for clothing, etc. Within less than 30 seconds, I heard what sounded like someone opening a can of apple juice and then I noticed liquid dripping out of the bottom of my amp! Long story short; one of my amp's large power supply electrolytic caps just took a dump.

I ended up having the amp entirely recapped, something I wanted to do anyway (It's a vintage Accuphase) but I'm pretty sure I forced the issue by using Static Guard. Your results may vary. Just thought I'd share.

 

I literally just joined this site (after months of stalking, so it's about time) to share this. I recently got a record that had a huge static build up. I'm a broke college student so I can't afford the zerostat or even a SpinClean. But... I found a post on another site where someone tried a dryer sheet. Since that was something I actually had, I figured I'd give it a shot. All I did was wave it over the record and the static is GONE. You definitely don't want to touch the record with it. I feel like I probably shouldn't have even been holding it with my bare hands. Those sheets are funky lol. Anyways, I'm just dumbstruck right now. I really wasn't expecting it to work, but I'm so glad it did!

 

I've been eliminating static with used fabric softener dryer sheets for about a month. It's a thoroughly effective static remover and it's free! I just turn on the table and let the cloth make light contact with the record for a few revolutions. The air here in L.A. Is very dry this time of year (and most other times too), so static is a constant problem. I picked up this tip from a forum post and thought I'd give it a try. Very glad I did, it saved me some money for sure. Only use sheets that have been through the clothes drying process, the chemicals in the sheet and odor get used up that way and the high heat leaves you with a very soft cloth.

 

Mapleshade makes an anti-stat tool, and a grounded brush which worked well for me.

 

It makes no sense whatsoever to treat records for static electricity. It's a symptom of an environment caused by humidity that's too low. That's the core issue that needs to be treated.

A co-factor is carpets. You can work around that with cotton socks in winter- not wool or synthetic. Same with shoe soles...leather only. Standing on an inexpensive cotton dhurrie-type rug in front of the the turntable works a treat. You can further decharge yourself when handling records by using fabric dryer sheets when handling records.

 

Most of my static problems (which isn't too bad actually) is with new records. Especially with paper sleeves. Always tons of junk on it.

I use a Spin Clean for used and new records (if applicable). Most of the issues are gone. I also use a carbon fiber brush before and after play.

 

a simple humidifier does the trick for me

 

you mean tossing my records into the dryer with a dryer sheet has been wrong all this time?? curses!

I have old Zerostat from early 80s that still works good. "Tester" is nothing more than a simple neon bulb. I don't think they even make neon bulbs anymore! Hard to believe something that came in a $24 kit (record brush, stylus brush, fluids, zerostat, etc. in wood base with dust cover) is worth so much now!

 

That's great advice for prevention. I know I need to be more conscious with my shoe/sock choice. But... for those pesky times when you order some rare album online and it arrives charged up from shipping, it's handy to have some way to to treat it

 

This is a great tool.

 

They don't seem to sell the antistat gun any longer though...

 

Thanks. I wasn't clear enough, it was the brush that I was endorsing. I use it with the ground cable and find that it works very well.

 

The problem can be "old dust" it can be very stubbern and sticky, think about it - find a dusty corner in your home then give it a few sweeps with a carbon fibre brush any dust left? you bet. The solution is the good old Record Cleaning Arm, I swear by them, perform a regular clean with a felt pad, cleaning fluid and carbon fibre brush to get rid of the "loose" dust then set your turntable to 45 and do each side at least five times with a cleaning arm (not while playing the lp there's no point untill it's cleaner), you'll see the arm collect a whole bunch of dust each time, now play the lp notice any difference? I had this problem with a copy of George Harrison's Dark Horse lp I bought second hand it looked clean except it also looked slightly grey, the amount of dust I removed with the cleaning arm made it play almost as new.
Make sure your arm is adjusted propely (and grounded) so that the fibres are pointing down on the record groove and not flat out, and get a jewelrs eye peice to see the amount if dust your removing.

 

...not to mention that you are spraying lard all over whatever you aim the can at. Probably not the kind of thing you want on your records. Or in your nostrils.

 

I was digging through some old boxes on a visit to the old homestead and found an old record cleaning kit i bought in the 70's. It contains a brush ,different cleaning solutions and various odds and end tools. their is one other item which i think is an antistatic gizmo built like a gun with a trigger it's red and still produces a small electrical charge when you pull the trigger. I don't recall how this particular contraption actually works. anybody know what i'm talking about and how do you use it properly?

 

Google "Milty Zerostat".

In short: Point it towards the record, sloooowly pull the trigger and sloooowly release it.

 

... and if you hear a 'click', you're doing it wrong - SLOW DOWN! I've probably run into more folks who don't know how to use the Zerostat than do.. and of course, they're the first to complain that the guns don't work.

 

I'm sure I read that zerostat themselves have said it doesn't matter if there's a click or not. I think it was in the manual. I'll have to dig it out (I think I still have it)

Ive tried it slowly without clicking and with clicking. Either way works.

I just stick with the slow method for kicks

EDIT: Meant to say, it should be slow, but not to worry if there are clicks.

Eddie

 

If you want to test whether or not it's working, take a packing peanut and rub it on something until it sticks to the wall or other vertical surface, then zap it. It should fall right off, or at least after a gentle nudge.

 

I love my Thunderon brush from Sleeve City. Works like a charm.

 

Or, if you are peanutless, pull some pants out of the dryer that cling to your leg and put them on. Use the gun and you can actually feel the material releasing from your leg.

 

In my small room. I can turn On the air con and in 30 minutes I have static hell as far as trying to play a record quietly goes. Eye opener.