im always blown away when people take the time to make a video to help others and so many people feel comfortable being rude to him and coming of so arrogant and wise. easily done sitting behind a computer. give the guy a break he is brave enough to step up to the challenge.
you cur i have sanded some vg condition records and had improvements on sound quality with those but sanding hasn't worked on deeper scuffs for me so it can work, it just depends on how deep the scuff is
Be blown all away as far as you want...and i've not been through the comments, but yours was first and i agree people should not be arrogant!, but this is about being wise and this is not it!
guys stop hating on him all he is doing is trying is trying to give a ruined record one last shot at life this is obviously not a tutorial on how to treat your record collection you should stop judging it that way
chabka34: Thank you for this. The video is old, has terrible audio, way too long and amateurish. It needs to be replaced, but I doubt it'll be me doing it. I'm delighted to see more people are beginning to understand it and maybe someone with videographer skills can make a better one. Physics predicts that decreasing the groove's depth will also begin degrading the sound. lower registers first... But, 1. My hearing doesn't go as low as vinyl is capable of going, and 2. That part of the groove has already been destroyed anyway, so that sound is already long gone. I've experimented with removing up to 50 % of the surface and noticed the more I removed, the more it sounded like an mp3. So in real life terms, there shouldn't be any observable difference in sound quality between resurfaced and non-resurfaced areas of the record.
One thing that wasn't mentioned is fixing a record that jumps grooves because of a deep scratch. If you obtain a high magnification loupe (photographic), at least 8-10x, you can see the offending scratch, and judge which way the scratch is angling across the grooves. Using a sewing needle at a roughly 45 degree angle, gently press into the groove and rotate the platter in the opposite direction of record rotation so the needle moves across the scratch. Several passes will be required. Test after each time to see if the stylus still jumps. I've fixed many charity shop gems this way. Then using the fine sandpaper as above to remove the tick should do it. Thanks for the vid.
Hi this is old I know but why do you use a needle? Wouldn’t that scratch in the groove? I’ve been thinking to try this but with a sharp end toothpick. Is a sewing needle better? Am I not fully understanding what the needle actually does?
Wow, watched the whole video spellbound (cringing at moments) but I have to admit that it sure resulted in one quiet record. Hats off to you for your courage in experimenting with this technique, because I doubt I would have had the guts to work this out myself.
It is the most incredible method I have ever seen to fix an LP. I was able to make my Iron Bitterfly album, which was literally a mess, look like new. And now it's like it came from the factory, I owe you my life brother
Wow I am so glad I found this post. I have my dad's record collection which hold incredible sentimental value. As a child I am sure I was responsible for causing some of those scratches 🙄 I look forward to trying out your methods to make them playable once more...cheers!
Thank you Danny... You're the first person to endorse this technique first hand. Most are too skeptical and nervous (who wouldn't be) to actually take something that's destructive and use it on a treasured record. Thank you for the courage to use it, and thank you again for posting your results.
So..aged 40 and this happens the first ever vinyl record I've bought. After watching this video last night and hearing Just A Gigolo for the first time I couldn't get that stunning first 30 seconds or so out of my head..so today I purchased myself a Dutch mono copy in outstanding condition on ebay. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can play it to death! Lost my old man last year and inherited a Technics SL 1800 Mk2 along with a gorgeous prog rock/soul record collection. Had the turntable restored and I think this will be the perfect record to christen it with. Think I may have got the bug..here goes any hope of future savings for retirement (though I'd take poverty any day as long as I have music like this!)
I was really surprised about the sandpaper, but then I realized what you were up to and it made sense. Regardless, everything really did seem to improve the condition until it sounded almost perfect. Truly remarkable, it's a shame that very few people stuck around after the sandpaper to see what actually happened.
It was a trashed record that Bruce took the time to show us a method he used to fix the issues. Bravo to you sir! I don’t understand why people feel the need to be rude or hate on a service you just provided that I find fascinating. You did what many are too afraid to do and I commend you for it. Thank you!
Well what can I say, you can't argue with the results, it sounded way better!!! Funny reading all the comments! People freaking out over your process. I must be honest though when you busted out the sand paper and Goo Gone I was like WTF!!! but I sat through the whole video because I just had to hear the results and it sounded great! What ever works for you! You worked out that scratch and the record sounded good!!! People can be so mean btw!! Take care bro!!
absolutely it has good result, can't deny it... why people freak out, i mean if its darkside of the moon first press, yes you could freak out first ~ LMFAO
The thing is instant results are all very well but there's MANY problems here and they ain't good. The results are clear if correct. But you should NEVER use stuff like sandpaper on a record, not so much for what it does to the sound, but the detritus it leaves behind. When a record plays, the needle heats the record up (because the size of the needle is tiny versus the pressure concerned). This means any detritus present either on the needle or in the groove gets stuck. Furthermore, the material used in sandpaper is a great way to wear your stylus out VERY quickly. Lastly using solvents on or detergents on vinyl is also an awful idea long term. Again, might not do instant damage but it will long term. You have residues you can't see and so on. So the problem here is not "oh hey it sounds great" but if you don't understand how things work, you don't know the damage you are doing.
Wow thanks a bunch! I found this "mono" version Jumpin Jonah Quartet 1st pressing 1958 via eBay! Ordered in great condition! So happy I stumbled across your video today. This album is incredible! I am a huge Count Basie fan,,, Pete Fountain,,,, and The Dukes of Dixieland to.
Whatever works for you I say, I remember washing dirty records in the kitchen sink with a little washing up liquid and warm water. They came out clean and ready for another party ! I still play those old records today and they sound great.
I wash every used record I buy with warm water and a little dawn detergent. Never ever have I had a problem. Vinyl records are a lot more forgiving and tougher than audiophiles think.
At one of my area record shops, they had a copy of Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks in the bargain bin for $3. This was a high-priority wantlist item. It was dirty, full of fingerprints, and a long scratch on side 2. After hemming and hawing, I decided, what the hell? $3. When I got it home, I washed it in the sink and dried it with a microfiber cloth. Once dried it was nice and shinney. The only visible flaw was that long scratch on side 2. When I played it, it played at NM. The scratch wasn't even audible. That said -- I'm going to try this method on a couple of records I've set aside to donate to the thrift store. I just ordered all the products from Amazon.
Bravo!!! 👏😀 You have inspired me to restore vinyl records. I purchased a National Panasonic SG-3060L, which I am repairing. The backlight for the radio tuner display is not lighting up, and the cassette deck is seized up. That's really minor; because the system is in absolute pristine condition. A brown tag on the system, indicates that it was kept in a stock room for the last twenty five years. What a find!! 😀👍 Your technique for restoring the sound quality, and fidelity, of vinyl records is so superior that I'm sharing it with a major RUclipsr; he goes by the name of Technomoan. Very Best Regards, Simon
I never thought about using a lint remover roller but will definitely try it on the next dirty record! Thanks for the hints and work you went through to educate people on saving our vinyls!
Surprising. I thought the polishing compound would ruin the record but the treatment sounds like it worked. Anything that saves a record from being thrown out is worth a shot.
The polishing compound (well, even the sand paper) just works the top surface. The applicator does not fit in the grooves, so it won't be polishing the grooves.
I am amazed how many people missed the point of this vid. The album was already rooted so really there was nothing to lose. I am going to try this out on some clunkers from the charity shop.
I thought I was the only person in the world to have that little anvil. I put it in my lunch box one day when I went to work and complained to the guys that my lunch box felt like it had an anvil in it. I then took it out and the guys laughed at it.
I find this really remarkable! I had no idea that scratches could be fixed. Sandpaper! Goo-Gone! Diamond paste! More than anything, though, skill and a refined touch!
Hi bobskie. The anvil is there for weight. It reduces the effects of warping, which records are prone to and adds a bit of mass to the turntable. Most weights are as you described, round, with no identifying features. I went the other way and used the anvil, which belonged to my dad. The block portion is a turned block of wood, with felt on the bottom. Weights don't have to be all that heavy, but heavier weights will help keep the turntable rotating at a constant speed. Mine's there to help keep the record flat.
Bruce Kinsey I've never put weights on my decks. Most of my albums are still as flat as when I bought them 45 years ago. Its all down to record/storage care.
Certainly some unorthodox techniques, but you can’t argue with the wonderful results. Next time I find a coveted title that is rough like yours, I’m going to use some of your techniques. Thanks for the video.
Great Question: It removes grime. It contains things that are not too good for natural materials, but vinyl isn't natural, and isn't affected. It takes a while to evaporate, but that gives it time to loosen the impacted stuff at the bottom of the grooves and is far quicker and cheaper than wood glue. I use a micro cleaning cloth to spread and wipe the Goo Gone, wait for it to dry and apply cleaning solution normally to flush out any residual Goo Gone. Use it only once. After that you're set.
Excellent results. I likes the blocking the vinyl with the compound stick. Many will be timid and afraid to try this, only because some ignorant records salesman says it's silly. If blocking is safe for delicate paint on a $300,000 automobile, I think a much cheaper hard piece of vinyl can deal with it. The sanding is good idea also, however, wrapping it around a rubber block may help in not putting excessive wear in unwanted area, even though that's hard to do with 1500 grit. may I suggest 2000 grit. Grats on your excellent and novel approach to resurfacing. For anyone information, I have 15 years experience in resurfacing surfaces for $25,000 glass windows to high end automobile, I consider myself a god dam expert in this field.
Needless to say, but my butt was drawn up so tight you could not drive a nail in it, while watching you work on that record. But, I was truly impressed with the results. Although I will never be brave enough to do what you did in the video, my knowledge has been vastly expanded on record repair.
You've made one error here. This album was one I picked up from the local junk shop. It was already ruined. Cleaning albums is a personal choice of what works. What I've done here is not about cleaning, but scratch removing. Scratches are what ruin LPs. Until now, once an album was scratched, the only option was to find a new one. I've given people who don't want to, or can't find new recordings, another option, so they don't have to listen to the ticks of those "ruined" records.
I need this bad so I'm definitely appreciative of the effort. Most of my music is pretty limited release to begin with. Then you throw in how dj's treat their vinyl. Record bag sitting in the desert for 3 days, add 20 years, a bunch of plays, maybe a couple owners and you get some really messed up records you can't readily replace. I've tried treating my records well but there's no getting around what the desert does to a record. I've had moths get stuck under my tone arm while playing before. Imagine that dust in the groove of a record. Tiny little microscopic hairs from a moth. It's murder. I'll take any hair brained idea to restore a record and give it a go. If it works I'll keep it. If not than it's back to good will for another test case. Just for perspective I belong to a reddit group for old music. I wanted to post these 7 limited release records I have last night so other people knew they existed. 5 of the seven were not online at all. 3 of those 5 had no Discogs entry. So if I can save those records than I'll be happy dude. Because I sure as hell won't be likely to be able to replace them. On a side note do you find that the wax helps the stylus to glide over imperfections? Is that the idea there? Same basic idea as car paint I'd imagine. Fill in the tiny little scratches with wax.
RE: BluTac Sometimes there will be a bit of residue, which is easily seen. But touching the larger mass to the bit on the record cleans it up. I've never had an issue with it being left in the groove.
I love that you don't give up on a record with a bad scratch, You made that album great again, too many people would have turfed that poor album, glad to see that you are not one of those
Dear Bruce, thanks for sharing this. What a great idea to use sandpaper 1500. Al my records are stored (sorry about that) but there is one there with a very nasty scratch that I tried to fix some ~25 years ago, poking and stroking with a sharp needle trying to straighten the grooves again. Made it only worse of course. I'm going to find some of that fine sandpaper and try again. Fantastic video! Thanks again ;-)
Thank you Frank. Sorry the video is so long. Eventually, I'll be making another video (shorter... Much shorter) containing only the necessary bits. I'd also like to experiment with 2000/3000 grit sandpapers to bring the record's gloss back. If you've dug deeply into the track with your needle, you may be disappointed. Sandpaper only cleans up the interface between the groove's sides and lands that have been destroyed with the phonograph's needle. If your needle didn't destroy the information in the groove and only plowed vinyl above and into the groove's upper part (which is where most damage usually occurs), it should be repairable with sandpaper. Good luck.
Well done, and well presented; I enjoyed it very much. I've done a lot of spraying and then detailing of auto finishes and am pleased as punch to find that I'm already holding a lot of knowledge for this job thanks to you.
I quite enjoyed this Bruce. A few years back when I was converting my records to digital, I would flood the record with distilled water and let it play wet for the recording process. I only did this for the really bad records, but, it sure did a nice job.
+mrshelfsong I did the same thing, but further back in time... But what's distilled water? J I don't know what made it work, but it may have something to do with the water lubricating it all. Any dust or static noise would disappear and (small) scratches would be muted. I don't know what it was doing to the frequency response of the tapes I was making, but with the speakers I could afford back then, it didn't matter.
Came across your videos while looking at cleaning method and repairs to vinyl. Great work. I love that you incorporated some instructables as well. GJ!
Awesome work! Making the most from the least is what it’s all about sometimes. Rant: You could provide laboratory test results showing no damage physically or chemically over a 200 yrs period and “verbal experts” would still say its worse than leaving it scratched and jumping. That’s how important it is for them to feel good with another’s success. Likely they don’t possess the tenacity or abilities to do what you’ve demonstrated so criticism preserves their self esteem. I’m impressed by your efforts. Adds to the knowledge base.
Thank you all for comments good and bad. FYI: I've started calling the technique "resurfacing", as it isn't so scary sounding. I keep threatening to make another, shorter, more professional video... But don't hold your breath.
Ive been doing this same thing for many years. It's the only way to save a ruined record. I'm going to try the goo gone as you did. I've heard of its use for vinyl often, just never tried it. I dont have the pressure washer you use. Interested in that
One trick I figured out over 30 years ago was to clean the record and then spray some Armor-All on it and wipe off the excess. I figured since it's vinyl, maybe it can benefit from some vinyl protectant. It actually made a big improvement in how they sounded. Maybe it also helped cut down on needle friction, I'm not sure, but the improvement in the sound was very noticeable.
Yeah i just went back to the original and you worked magic on that record. Ive got a whole crate of 50 cent records from garage sales that this method might actually make them playable again. Cheers
I found this video really interesting. Obviously, I would never use that on my main collection or in VG+ records, but I was surprised how well it turned out. I inherited records but some of them are so rough shape, I wouldn't even put them on my second TT. I am looking to "repair them" as I hate to throw a record. Thanks for the video.
And thank you for showing the mechanics. I already knew that you could wet sand a paint job on a car to remove minor imperfections in the paint and then buff to a mirror shine. I never thought to use it on a vinyl record. But after seeing your demonstration, it made perfect sense. I also bought some blue hard tack and goo gone to help with cleaning of my other records and it works beautifully. Again, thanks for putting your ideas on video for us all.
Bruce, this is highly unorthodox, but highly effective for a record that in it's original abused form would have ruined a perfectly good stylus. It is certainly one way to salvage an otherwise unusable album. Thanks.
I would use all of these methods except for the polishing compound, unless you have a really scratched up record. It will remove scratches but probably does remove some detail in the sound as well, especially highs.
The only thing that I would have been concerned about is the Goo Gone compromising the glue for the stylus tip. Other than that, this is very impressive. Great video!!! Thank you for sharing.
the way this guy banges that thing in and out of his "power washer", just wow. first he removes scratches and then the bangs the thing agaist everything he can find.
Here is something to ponder. The Capitol record plated that pressed out a lot of music from the 50's 60's and 70's was located in Scranton Pennsylvania. The mark from the plant was pressed into the run out at the end of the record. It was a small anvil, with the letters I A M stamped into the mark. It stood for North American Music. Put that on your turntable and spin it.
Great video! I can't wait to try this stuff out! I love the trolls that have nothing better to do than argue a point of view without ever trying out the method. Thanks for taking the time to document and post.
I totally started laughing when you flashed the "I'm gonna hear about this one" before the Goo Gone. I haven't perused the comments but... everyone's gonna have an opinion on what's best, right? I ran out of the solution that came with my brush a long time ago and have found that rubbing alcohol works just as well... (and, I may hear about that one). Good tips here, though! I'm interested to try the sand & buff method you have here. - And to those that might poo-poo that, or the Goo Gone, etc. because it will 'ruin the vinyl'... don't forget... we're doing this because it's ruined already. I think of it like one might think about major surgery leaving a big scar... perhaps but, at least that organ will work again!
+ohgoodgodno Thank you Ohgoodgodno! Dichloromethane (paint stripper), methylethylketone and toluene (vinyl pipe adhesive) and Acetone are the only chemicals I know of that have the ability to convert vinyl into a puddle. People don't realize that vinyl is the one of the most used materials found in manufactured products and we clean it every day with everything from soap to gasoline. Thanks for pointing that out.
Absolutely love this video , my balls crept up a bit in the beginning but I'm fine now ... Also love the steamcleaner ideas from others, works very well .... In your case good rinsing is key , technically it should work ... the paste doesn't move IN the grooves when rubbing it , it's pushed down or sideways , when pushed it also probably won't 'polish' the groove itself ... the pressure is on top , where it's needed most , only tension forces of the paste itself are working in the grooves . Been thinking long and hard about this , and it's freaking awesome brother ..... Thx for showing us new ways ....
Thank you very much for the great comment.. "My balls crept up a bit"... LMAO. I've been thinking about the paste as well. It's expensive, works only in small areas and it's messy. I'm betting that 2000 or 3000 grit paper would do as well or better. Problem is, 1) I don't have that grade paper & 2) I don't have any albums with scratches at the moment. So I won't be able to try it for a while to see how it works.
Hey! I bet you didn't know this - Jo Jones invented Goo Gone. Well not the actual product, but he was the first to notice that oil from the orange peel was an excellent solvent of sticky residues, back in the 40s. And yes, Jo Jones (the drummer) and Jonah Jones (the trumpeter) are different people, but I still say it's an amazing coincidence, even if not true.
I just use common liquid dish soap and I drizzle a few streams on both sides of the lp....with lukewarm water and a very soft cloth or in some cases I will swirl the palm of my hand in a circular motion and gently work the soap into the grooves...trying to not get the paper label too soaked...then rinse and shake gently to remove all the soap....if the grooves are in great shape the water will pour from the lp...if that will then be as good as new...this has worked for me
It's the acid in the vinegar it will remove organics ie dirt. I use the same acid full strength on the waterline of my boat and it is the only way I know to clean it. Having said this it leaves me with raw gel coat that immediately gets two coats of wax. Have you been doing this long without long term negative effects and do you use anything after the vinegar.
It may work but calling it “best” is beyond a stretch. I doubt you have tried all of the processes and solutions produced by experts and used in places like The Library of Congress. I know of no one who does record restoration professionally who uses vinegar!
@@cclip46 Interesting. I have used rubbing alcohol for years the same way. Play the record with the surface flooded and go over it with a record cleaning brush. Works great.
Thank you for all the comments. I truly would like the process of refinishing the surface of record albums to catch on. It has allowed me to save many GoodWill records from the junk pile. To answer someoneelse101's question about what I was using to clean my needle, I placed a wad of "blue tack", the stuff parents use to hang their kids' artwork on the refrigerator. Unlike a brush, where the force on the needle and arm is shear, the blue tack pulls vertically, taking any dust along with it.
Love this vid, cause it's empirical... Usually a lot of guys talk talk talk....and there's no music reference and about before/after. Good work Bruce ;)
That's a block of hard rubber. About the same density as tires. It's important that it's not very flexible so it doesn't get inside the grooves, but soft enough to not scratch the vinyl.
This is one of the most entertaining videos and associated comments I have seen! Stuck with the video...... my jaw dropped lower and lower as I watched .... and the comments are amazing..... what a range of views.......I’m still not sure whether the video was serious or a complete wind up! But well done for putting it ‘out there’ and generating so much commentary! 😂💿
Thank you for your perspective. Every year or two, this gets picked up by one well viewed source or another and views increase exponentially as well as comments. More people have been trying this with most reporting positive results. Those who think I’m destroying records are most likely collectors who either don’t have scratched records or don’t want to risk their collection value. I’d rather hear the pure music, but understand others’ priorities can be different. GoodWill records aren’t as cheap as they used to be, so the difference in price between a trashed bargain and a good EBay deal may not be as great. I still come across not so pristine garage sale finds that can’t be dismissed tho.
+Lcaceres74 Thank you for the kind words. When I first published this, it seemed all I was getting were criticisms that what I was doing was ruining records and it didn't get rid of the dirt or crackles. Came to find out, these were from audiophiles who've never had to deal with scratches and most likely thought I was promoting a new cleaning method. It's comments like yours that make me regret not looking at RUclips comments. I'll have to do it more often. Thank you
I can't believe this !!! By the time you have bought all the products used, it would be cheaper to buy a replacement copy of the record. I did notice that the cartridge fitted to the deck appears to be a ceramic similar to that on a CROSLEY . It would be interesting to hear the results when the record was played on a high end turntable with a MC CARTRIDGE. I have been collecting records for nearly all of my life, my parents getting me started before I was 5 years old and would NEVER use anything like this to clean my records. 😂😂😂
Just me...I “wash” first in my SpinClean using a 50/50 mix of distilled water and Simple Green, spray rinse, and wipe with microfiber. Then a deep cycle on the HumminGuru Nova. (works great on the really dirty vintage). A new purchase gets the Nova clean only. “It sounds like bacon smells”, Bonnie Raitt described her vintage 1965 Stratocaster. 
Not sure I'd do all the steps but well done for being innovative. I 'save' loads of records. PVA glue is my weapon of choice but I always do the minimum to bring a record back to life. I've still got a few with bad pops and clicks so may try being more adventurous. Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience.
As I was cleaning out my basement, my son saw that I had many boxes of LP's from the 60's and 70's. Almost all were in mint conditions but one or two classics had minor scratches. We are selling them on Discogs and I'll try your technique on some that I consider classics but with minor scratches. My son says the value goes up dramatically without a visible scratch
You can dull the sandpaper first by sanding it against itself and washing. Then it will have a less of a 'bite' on the record and will leave less cloudy surface. It may be a good idea to mask the good parts with some fine sticky tape, so you only sand at the scratch-groove.
Goo Gone is good for peeling price tag stickers from album covers. Soak the sticker and wait a bit then peel. Or if you peel of the sticker without the Goo Gone, you can still use it to rub off any sticky residue left behind.
This was wild! I have an original Etta James At Last record that could use some help. It is in fairly rough shape but could use some tweaking. This record is rare as hens teeth. Probably practice on a junk record first in bad shape. By the way love that album you spruced up! Now I gotta find it. Thanks.
FYI people i do not advise you to hate on this video until you actually watch it no matter how disgusted you are by the act because from experience it does work. I have a Dion Ruby Baby Lp that had a nasty click on one song due to a large scratch. I was almost ready to buy another copy online until i saw this video. Frankly it took awhile, but the scratch is almost non existant now, and the click has greatly lessoned. The Lp is actually enjoyable to listen to now. If any of you attended shop class in school you were probably taught that the higher number grit of sandpaper the finer it is, and the smaller number of grit of sandpaper is rougher it is. 1500 grit is super fine, and is not going to trash the grooves of the record. The paper is mostly used for finish work such as in auto body which should tell you all something. I would advise not to use anything less than 1500 grit.
Hello Bruce, Thanks for posting the very cool video! I'm inspired to try your techniques, what a great approach to salvaging scratched records. Could you please share what material you are using for the polishing pad? Again, thanks!
To me sanding is a little severe, but thinking about it you're just knocking off the top damage, and it sounds like it worked. Once a record is so damaged that normal means won't help this sounds like something to try. The use of goo gone also was a good idea, maybe a prewash before using Dawn soap to final clean. Interesting video and another nice trick to fixing damaged records.
Thanks for the tip. I was able to "repair" a part of one of my records, where the track skipped because of a deep scratch. You can still hear that there is a scratch and the record part is not as shiny as it was before, but at least the track plays through from the beginning to the end. At first I was afraid to use this method, because I love my vinyl records and I knew that this is a method that also will damage the record at least a bit. But since I had nothing to lose (like I said, the whole track was not playing, it just skipped the track), I thought I'll give it a try. Now I can finally listen to the whole record again :)
I used sandpaper on one that was scratched pretty badly (it was hard to find a spot not scratched) and got pretty decent results for what it was. Aside from the dullness, it seemed to reduce a lot of the major scratches so a clear improvement. I had not tried waxing it, but that could maybe reduce some of the surface noise that's still there. I'm intrigued to try this method with toothpaste.
hey bruce, i am very impressed with your method. i will like to try it! can you please give me the names of the tools used in the video?- the roller, sand paper, and the thing you used to apply the rubbing compound, crbon fiber brush. Thank you sir.
Wow - would have never thought any of this was possible! Congrats on coming up with several new ideas, where angels would fear to tread, and then actually DOING IT!
Awww... You flatter me. Thank you. It's always an adventure doing things you're common sense tells you won't work. Once in a while, you get the chance to surprise yourself.
Bruce Kinsey Thinking about it some more, the scratches must create tiny overhangs that impact the needle - removing a layer gets rid of that overhang, leaving enough of the original groove in place to have the sound. Pretty darn cool. And I love the water washer - looked but did not see a video for that. If you have made up a list of parts for that one I will be all ears (and eyes).
Mike Russell Sorry Mike... Missed your comment. No excuse. I do have an instructable on that washer, plus another simpler, but messier way as well. Enjoy. www.instructables.com/id/Power-Wash-Your-Records-Automatically-Almost/
Important to remember that some surface noise can come from very old record players with heavy arms and worn needles that have permanently changed the surface of the grooves.
Are you sure that using sand paper helps removing the scratches and it fixes the sound? Because i bought a used record and it has a scratch on it and whenever the stylus goes over the scratch it makes a popping sound.
im always blown away when people take the time to make a video to help others and so many people feel comfortable being rude to him and coming of so arrogant and wise. easily done sitting behind a computer. give the guy a break he is brave enough to step up to the challenge.
RecordPlayerz.com "Help others" fk up their records.
RecordPlayerz.com
you cur i have sanded some vg condition records and had improvements on sound quality with those but sanding hasn't worked on deeper scuffs for me so it can work, it just depends on how deep the scuff is
Sounds very good..
L.E.
Be blown all away as far as you want...and i've not been through the comments, but yours was first and i agree people should not be arrogant!, but this is about being wise and this is not it!
guys stop hating on him all he is doing is trying is trying to give a ruined record one last shot at life this is obviously not a tutorial on how to treat your record collection you should stop judging it that way
the way I see it he sacrificed some quality for a playable record
I don't even hear any quality loss.
chabka34: Thank you for this. The video is old, has terrible audio, way too long and amateurish. It needs to be replaced, but I doubt it'll be me doing it. I'm delighted to see more people are beginning to understand it and maybe someone with videographer skills can make a better one.
Physics predicts that decreasing the groove's depth will also begin degrading the sound. lower registers first... But, 1. My hearing doesn't go as low as vinyl is capable of going, and 2. That part of the groove has already been destroyed anyway, so that sound is already long gone.
I've experimented with removing up to 50 % of the surface and noticed the more I removed, the more it sounded like an mp3.
So in real life terms, there shouldn't be any observable difference in sound quality between resurfaced and non-resurfaced areas of the record.
It worked! That’s all that matters.
Good job, Bruce!
One thing that wasn't mentioned is fixing a record that jumps grooves because of a deep scratch. If you obtain a high magnification loupe (photographic), at least 8-10x, you can see the offending scratch, and judge which way the scratch is angling across the grooves.
Using a sewing needle at a roughly 45 degree angle, gently press into the groove and rotate the platter in the opposite direction of record rotation so the needle moves across the scratch. Several passes will be required. Test after each time to see if the stylus still jumps. I've fixed many charity shop gems this way. Then using the fine sandpaper as above to remove the tick should do it.
Thanks for the vid.
Hi this is old I know but why do you use a needle? Wouldn’t that scratch in the groove? I’ve been thinking to try this but with a sharp end toothpick. Is a sewing needle better? Am I not fully understanding what the needle actually does?
Been
Wow, watched the whole video spellbound (cringing at moments) but I have to admit that it sure resulted in one quiet record. Hats off to you for your courage in experimenting with this technique, because I doubt I would have had the guts to work this out myself.
It is the most incredible method I have ever seen to fix an LP. I was able to make my Iron Bitterfly album, which was literally a mess, look like new. And now it's like it came from the factory, I owe you my life brother
Wow I am so glad I found this post. I have my dad's record collection which hold incredible sentimental value. As a child I am sure I was responsible for causing some of those scratches 🙄 I look forward to trying out your methods to make them playable once more...cheers!
Thank you Danny... You're the first person to endorse this technique first hand. Most are too skeptical and nervous (who wouldn't be) to actually take something that's destructive and use it on a treasured record. Thank you for the courage to use it, and thank you again for posting your results.
So..aged 40 and this happens the first ever vinyl record I've bought. After watching this video last night and hearing Just A Gigolo for the first time I couldn't get that stunning first 30 seconds or so out of my head..so today I purchased myself a Dutch mono copy in outstanding condition on ebay. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can play it to death! Lost my old man last year and inherited a Technics SL 1800 Mk2 along with a gorgeous prog rock/soul record collection. Had the turntable restored and I think this will be the perfect record to christen it with.
Think I may have got the bug..here goes any hope of future savings for retirement (though I'd take poverty any day as long as I have music like this!)
I was really surprised about the sandpaper, but then I realized what you were up to and it made sense. Regardless, everything really did seem to improve the condition until it sounded almost perfect. Truly remarkable, it's a shame that very few people stuck around after the sandpaper to see what actually happened.
What part of 1500 grit did people not understand?
It was a trashed record that Bruce took the time to show us a method he used to fix the issues. Bravo to you sir! I don’t understand why people feel the need to be rude or hate on a service you just provided that I find fascinating. You did what many are too afraid to do and I commend you for it. Thank you!
Can’t Believe you sanded and car polished the record
Well what can I say, you can't argue with the results, it sounded way better!!! Funny reading all the comments! People freaking out over your process. I must be honest though when you busted out the sand paper and Goo Gone I was like WTF!!! but I sat through the whole video because I just had to hear the results and it sounded great! What ever works for you! You worked out that scratch and the record sounded good!!! People can be so mean btw!! Take care bro!!
absolutely it has good result, can't deny it... why people freak out, i mean if its darkside of the moon first press, yes you could freak out first ~ LMFAO
The thing is instant results are all very well but there's MANY problems here and they ain't good. The results are clear if correct. But you should NEVER use stuff like sandpaper on a record, not so much for what it does to the sound, but the detritus it leaves behind. When a record plays, the needle heats the record up (because the size of the needle is tiny versus the pressure concerned). This means any detritus present either on the needle or in the groove gets stuck. Furthermore, the material used in sandpaper is a great way to wear your stylus out VERY quickly.
Lastly using solvents on or detergents on vinyl is also an awful idea long term. Again, might not do instant damage but it will long term. You have residues you can't see and so on.
So the problem here is not "oh hey it sounds great" but if you don't understand how things work, you don't know the damage you are doing.
@@crunchyfrog555 cleaning the grooves after the sand paper step removes the detritus
Wow thanks a bunch! I found this "mono" version Jumpin Jonah Quartet 1st pressing 1958 via eBay! Ordered in great condition! So happy I stumbled across your video today. This album is incredible! I am a huge Count Basie fan,,, Pete Fountain,,,, and The Dukes of Dixieland to.
Whatever works for you I say, I remember washing dirty records in the kitchen sink with a little washing up liquid and warm water. They came out clean and ready for another party ! I still play those old records today and they sound great.
that does work,truelly just make sure the record is completely dry.
I wash every used record I buy with warm water and a little dawn detergent. Never ever have I had a problem. Vinyl records are a lot more forgiving and tougher than audiophiles think.
At one of my area record shops, they had a copy of Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks in the bargain bin for $3. This was a high-priority wantlist item. It was dirty, full of fingerprints, and a long scratch on side 2. After hemming and hawing, I decided, what the hell? $3.
When I got it home, I washed it in the sink and dried it with a microfiber cloth. Once dried it was nice and shinney. The only visible flaw was that long scratch on side 2.
When I played it, it played at NM. The scratch wasn't even audible.
That said -- I'm going to try this method on a couple of records I've set aside to donate to the thrift store. I just ordered all the products from Amazon.
I love this. The proof is in the results no matter what these audiophiles cry about. Excellent work.
Bravo!!! 👏😀
You have inspired me to restore vinyl records.
I purchased a National Panasonic SG-3060L, which I am repairing.
The backlight for the radio tuner display is not lighting up, and the cassette deck is seized up.
That's really minor; because the system is in absolute pristine condition.
A brown tag on the system, indicates that it was kept in a stock room for the last twenty five years. What a find!! 😀👍
Your technique for restoring the sound quality, and fidelity, of vinyl records is so superior that I'm sharing it with a major RUclipsr; he goes by the name of Technomoan.
Very Best Regards,
Simon
6,000 views and you're the ONLY one to pick this up... You are truly awesome. Thanks, Chadergeist.
Definitely sounds better than before. Great tip!
I never thought about using a lint remover roller but will definitely try it on the next dirty record! Thanks for the hints and work you went through to educate people on saving our vinyls!
Surprising.
I thought the polishing compound would ruin the record but the treatment sounds like it worked.
Anything that saves a record from being thrown out is worth a shot.
The polishing compound (well, even the sand paper) just works the top surface. The applicator does not fit in the grooves, so it won't be polishing the grooves.
I am amazed how many people missed the point of this vid. The album was already rooted so really there was nothing to lose. I am going to try this out on some clunkers from the charity shop.
I agree... its fun to watch. I liked the record washer.
Richard Grenfell
Can you tell me all the products that you use to restore the record
Richard,you gotta be an Aussie
I thought I was the only person in the world to have that little anvil. I put it in my lunch box one day when I went to work and complained to the guys that my lunch box felt like it had an anvil in it. I then took it out and the guys laughed at it.
I find this really remarkable! I had no idea that scratches could be fixed. Sandpaper! Goo-Gone! Diamond paste! More than anything, though, skill and a refined touch!
Hi bobskie. The anvil is there for weight. It reduces the effects of warping, which records are prone to and adds a bit of mass to the turntable. Most weights are as you described, round, with no identifying features. I went the other way and used the anvil, which belonged to my dad. The block portion is a turned block of wood, with felt on the bottom. Weights don't have to be all that heavy, but heavier weights will help keep the turntable rotating at a constant speed. Mine's there to help keep the record flat.
Bruce Kinsey I've never put weights on my decks. Most of my albums are still as flat as when I bought them 45 years ago. Its all down to record/storage care.
Certainly some unorthodox techniques, but you can’t argue with the wonderful results. Next time I find a coveted title that is rough like yours, I’m going to use some of your techniques. Thanks for the video.
Probably sounds better than when first released.Nice job.
+St Pauli
Thank you
Great Question: It removes grime. It contains things that are not too good for natural materials, but vinyl isn't natural, and isn't affected. It takes a while to evaporate, but that gives it time to loosen the impacted stuff at the bottom of the grooves and is far quicker and cheaper than wood glue. I use a micro cleaning cloth to spread and wipe the Goo Gone, wait for it to dry and apply cleaning solution normally to flush out any residual Goo Gone. Use it only once. After that you're set.
Excellent results.
I likes the blocking the vinyl with the compound stick.
Many will be timid and afraid to try this, only because some ignorant records salesman says it's silly.
If blocking is safe for delicate paint on a $300,000 automobile, I think a much cheaper hard piece of vinyl can deal with it.
The sanding is good idea also, however, wrapping it around a rubber block may help in not putting excessive wear in unwanted area, even though that's hard to do with 1500 grit. may I suggest 2000 grit.
Grats on your excellent and novel approach to resurfacing.
For anyone information, I have 15 years experience in resurfacing surfaces for $25,000 glass windows to high end automobile, I consider myself a god dam expert in this field.
Needless to say, but my butt was drawn up so tight you could not drive a nail in it, while watching you work on that record. But, I was truly impressed with the results. Although I will never be brave enough to do what you did in the video, my knowledge has been vastly expanded on record repair.
You've made one error here. This album was one I picked up from the local junk shop. It was already ruined. Cleaning albums is a personal choice of what works. What I've done here is not about cleaning, but scratch removing. Scratches are what ruin LPs. Until now, once an album was scratched, the only option was to find a new one. I've given people who don't want to, or can't find new recordings, another option, so they don't have to listen to the ticks of those "ruined" records.
I need this bad so I'm definitely appreciative of the effort. Most of my music is pretty limited release to begin with. Then you throw in how dj's treat their vinyl. Record bag sitting in the desert for 3 days, add 20 years, a bunch of plays, maybe a couple owners and you get some really messed up records you can't readily replace. I've tried treating my records well but there's no getting around what the desert does to a record. I've had moths get stuck under my tone arm while playing before. Imagine that dust in the groove of a record. Tiny little microscopic hairs from a moth. It's murder. I'll take any hair brained idea to restore a record and give it a go. If it works I'll keep it. If not than it's back to good will for another test case.
Just for perspective I belong to a reddit group for old music. I wanted to post these 7 limited release records I have last night so other people knew they existed. 5 of the seven were not online at all. 3 of those 5 had no Discogs entry. So if I can save those records than I'll be happy dude. Because I sure as hell won't be likely to be able to replace them.
On a side note do you find that the wax helps the stylus to glide over imperfections? Is that the idea there? Same basic idea as car paint I'd imagine. Fill in the tiny little scratches with wax.
@@djluminol what reddit group is it? I'm interested.
@@loicbruyneel9754 r/ClassicTrance
RE: BluTac Sometimes there will be a bit of residue, which is easily seen. But touching the larger mass to the bit on the record cleans it up. I've never had an issue with it being left in the groove.
I love that you don't give up on a record with a bad scratch, You made that album great again,
too many people would have turfed that poor album, glad to see that you are not one of those
Thank you
Dear Bruce, thanks for sharing this. What a great idea to use sandpaper 1500. Al my records are stored (sorry about that) but there is one there with a very nasty scratch that I tried to fix some ~25 years ago, poking and stroking with a sharp needle trying to straighten the grooves again. Made it only worse of course. I'm going to find some of that fine sandpaper and try again. Fantastic video! Thanks again ;-)
Thank you Frank. Sorry the video is so long. Eventually, I'll be making another video (shorter... Much shorter) containing only the necessary bits. I'd also like to experiment with 2000/3000 grit sandpapers to bring the record's gloss back. If you've dug deeply into the track with your needle, you may be disappointed. Sandpaper only cleans up the interface between the groove's sides and lands that have been destroyed with the phonograph's needle. If your needle didn't destroy the information in the groove and only plowed vinyl above and into the groove's upper part (which is where most damage usually occurs), it should be repairable with sandpaper. Good luck.
For 50 years now I've been washing them with Luke warm water dish soap and a soft tooth brush. Never figured out how to fix scratches.
Amazing Job!!! I saw your turntable Instructables last year and now I am greatfull to see this video too! Thanks
+Yuri Bevilacqua
Sorry for the length.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to make this video ;)
Well done, and well presented; I enjoyed it very much. I've done a lot of spraying and then detailing of auto finishes and am pleased as punch to find that I'm already holding a lot of knowledge for this job thanks to you.
I quite enjoyed this Bruce. A few years back when I was converting my records to digital, I would flood the record with distilled water and let it play wet for the recording process. I only did this for the really bad records, but, it sure did a nice job.
+mrshelfsong
I did the same thing, but further back in time... But what's distilled water? J
I don't know what made it work, but it may have something to do with the water lubricating it all. Any dust or static noise would disappear and (small) scratches would be muted. I don't know what it was doing to the frequency response of the tapes I was making, but with the speakers I could afford back then, it didn't matter.
Came across your videos while looking at cleaning method and repairs to vinyl. Great work. I love that you incorporated some instructables as well. GJ!
Awesome work! Making the most from the least is what it’s all about sometimes. Rant: You could provide laboratory test results showing no damage physically or chemically over a 200 yrs period and “verbal experts” would still say its worse than leaving it scratched and jumping. That’s how important it is for them to feel good with another’s success. Likely they don’t possess the tenacity or abilities to do what you’ve demonstrated so criticism preserves their self esteem. I’m impressed by your efforts. Adds to the knowledge base.
Thank you all for comments good and bad. FYI: I've started calling the technique "resurfacing", as it isn't so scary sounding. I keep threatening to make another, shorter, more professional video... But don't hold your breath.
Ive been doing this same thing for many years. It's the only way to save a ruined record. I'm going to try the goo gone as you did. I've heard of its use for vinyl often, just never tried it. I dont have the pressure washer you use. Interested in that
Btw.. thanks for posting this.. it's a very good tutorial. 5 🌟
I once use a liquer named "clean your vinyl" in the middle of the 70´s, it totally destroyed those vinyl, can i repear those, you think ?
I wish I had seen this earlier. I held my breath and now I'm dead.
This was fantastic to watch. Thanks for taking the time and effort!
One trick I figured out over 30 years ago was to clean the record and then spray some Armor-All on it and wipe off the excess. I figured since it's vinyl, maybe it can benefit from some vinyl protectant. It actually made a big improvement in how they sounded. Maybe it also helped cut down on needle friction, I'm not sure, but the improvement in the sound was very noticeable.
Yeah i just went back to the original and you worked magic on that record. Ive got a whole crate of 50 cent records from garage sales that this method might actually make them playable again. Cheers
I found this video really interesting. Obviously, I would never use that on my main collection or in VG+ records, but I was surprised how well it turned out. I inherited records but some of them are so rough shape, I wouldn't even put them on my second TT. I am looking to "repair them" as I hate to throw a record. Thanks for the video.
Wow that is amazing , you got a new follower sir . I will look on instructibles for your items. Thanks
And thank you for showing the mechanics. I already knew that you could wet sand a paint job on a car to remove minor imperfections in the paint and then buff to a mirror shine. I never thought to use it on a vinyl record. But after seeing your demonstration, it made perfect sense. I also bought some blue hard tack and goo gone to help with cleaning of my other records and it works beautifully. Again, thanks for putting your ideas on video for us all.
The strangest way of cleaning the scratches, but it works!... I have to try it, I will make a video about this. Thanks for sharing.
Bruce, this is highly unorthodox, but highly effective for a record that in it's original abused form would have ruined a perfectly good stylus. It is certainly one way to salvage an otherwise unusable album. Thanks.
Thank you. Note that I use a beater cartridge when doing this. Afterwards the good stuff is used :)
I would use all of these methods except for the polishing compound, unless you have a really scratched up record.
It will remove scratches but probably does remove some detail in the sound as well, especially highs.
The only thing that I would have been concerned about is the Goo Gone compromising the glue for the stylus tip. Other than that, this is very impressive. Great video!!! Thank you for sharing.
thank you for taking the time to do this. a 1500 grit sand paper is a polishing sand paper for those of you haters.
Just one mention, I always clean a vinyl *before* putting it on a turntable. Aside of that, hats off!
the way this guy banges that thing in and out of his "power washer", just wow. first he removes scratches and then the bangs the thing agaist everything he can find.
My way of letting people know white gloves aren’t required.
Here is something to ponder. The Capitol record plated that pressed out a lot of music from the 50's 60's and 70's was located in Scranton Pennsylvania. The mark from the plant was pressed into the run out at the end of the record. It was a small anvil, with the letters I A M stamped into the mark. It stood for North American Music. Put that on your turntable and spin it.
Great video! I can't wait to try this stuff out! I love the trolls that have nothing better to do than argue a point of view without ever trying out the method. Thanks for taking the time to document and post.
I totally started laughing when you flashed the "I'm gonna hear about this one" before the Goo Gone. I haven't perused the comments but... everyone's gonna have an opinion on what's best, right? I ran out of the solution that came with my brush a long time ago and have found that rubbing alcohol works just as well... (and, I may hear about that one). Good tips here, though! I'm interested to try the sand & buff method you have here. - And to those that might poo-poo that, or the Goo Gone, etc. because it will 'ruin the vinyl'... don't forget... we're doing this because it's ruined already. I think of it like one might think about major surgery leaving a big scar... perhaps but, at least that organ will work again!
+ohgoodgodno
Thank you Ohgoodgodno! Dichloromethane (paint stripper), methylethylketone and toluene (vinyl pipe adhesive) and Acetone are the only chemicals I know of that have the ability to convert vinyl into a puddle. People don't realize that vinyl is the one of the most used materials found in manufactured products and we clean it every day with everything from soap to gasoline. Thanks for pointing that out.
Absolutely love this video , my balls crept up a bit in the beginning but I'm fine now ...
Also love the steamcleaner ideas from others, works very well .... In your case good rinsing is key , technically it should work ... the paste doesn't move IN the grooves when rubbing it , it's pushed down or sideways , when pushed it also probably won't 'polish' the groove itself ... the pressure is on top , where it's needed most , only tension forces of the paste itself are working in the grooves . Been thinking long and hard about this , and it's freaking awesome brother .....
Thx for showing us new ways ....
Thank you very much for the great comment.. "My balls crept up a bit"... LMAO. I've been thinking about the paste as well. It's expensive, works only in small areas and it's messy. I'm betting that 2000 or 3000 grit paper would do as well or better. Problem is, 1) I don't have that grade paper & 2) I don't have any albums with scratches at the moment. So I won't be able to try it for a while to see how it works.
@@BruceKinsey look for paper used to smooth fountain pen nibs. you can get them up to 12000 grit.
Yeas buddy 🤘🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽 I’d like to thank the original owner of this album for giving Bruce some online content for all of us to enjoy
Hey! I bet you didn't know this - Jo Jones invented Goo Gone. Well not the actual product, but he was the first to notice that oil from the orange peel was an excellent solvent of sticky residues, back in the 40s.
And yes, Jo Jones (the drummer) and Jonah Jones (the trumpeter) are different people, but I still say it's an amazing coincidence, even if not true.
+pebey
I like this... Thanks
I just use common liquid dish soap and I drizzle a few streams on both sides of the lp....with lukewarm water and a very soft cloth or in some cases I will swirl the palm of my hand in a circular motion and gently work the soap into the grooves...trying to not get the paper label too soaked...then rinse and shake gently to remove all the soap....if the grooves are in great shape the water will pour from the lp...if that will then be as good as new...this has worked for me
Best way to clean a record, use vinegar. Best sounds, cleans up static, sounds good. It really works. Or it did for me. Take your own chances.
It's the acid in the vinegar it will remove organics ie dirt. I use the same acid full strength on the waterline of my boat and it is the only way I know to clean it. Having said this it leaves me with raw gel coat that immediately gets two coats of wax. Have you been doing this long without long term negative effects and do you use anything after the vinegar.
It may work but calling it “best” is beyond a stretch. I doubt you have tried all of the processes and solutions produced by experts and used in places like The Library of Congress. I know of no one who does record restoration professionally who uses vinegar!
@@Stew666able I play my vinyl flooded with white vinegar and they play better wet than dry!
@ what kind of oil?
@@cclip46 Interesting. I have used rubbing alcohol for years the same way. Play the record with the surface flooded and go over it with a record cleaning brush. Works great.
Thank you for all the comments. I truly would like the process of refinishing the surface of record albums to catch on. It has allowed me to save many GoodWill records from the junk pile. To answer someoneelse101's question about what I was using to clean my needle, I placed a wad of "blue tack", the stuff parents use to hang their kids' artwork on the refrigerator. Unlike a brush, where the force on the needle and arm is shear, the blue tack pulls vertically, taking any dust along with it.
Love this vid, cause it's empirical... Usually a lot of guys talk talk talk....and there's no music reference and about before/after. Good work Bruce ;)
based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.
+Ellis Flava
Aw, geez. Thanks guys
That's a block of hard rubber. About the same density as tires. It's important that it's not very flexible so it doesn't get inside the grooves, but soft enough to not scratch the vinyl.
This is one of the most entertaining videos and associated comments I have seen! Stuck with the video...... my jaw dropped lower and lower as I watched .... and the comments are amazing..... what a range of views.......I’m still not sure whether the video was serious or a complete wind up! But well done for putting it ‘out there’ and generating so much commentary! 😂💿
Thank you for your perspective. Every year or two, this gets picked up by one well viewed source or another and views increase exponentially as well as comments. More people have been trying this with most reporting positive results. Those who think I’m destroying records are most likely collectors who either don’t have scratched records or don’t want to risk their collection value. I’d rather hear the pure music, but understand others’ priorities can be different. GoodWill records aren’t as cheap as they used to be, so the difference in price between a trashed bargain and a good EBay deal may not be as great. I still come across not so pristine garage sale finds that can’t be dismissed tho.
There is something satisfying about these sort of methods and the results.
Great jaunty tune you were playing 👍👍👍
Well done. I learned a few new tricks to try. Thanks.
The tab water and the sand paper was an eye opener, but I must admit the recorded sounded way better than it did before.
Thanks so much for this video! i'm currently cleaning my record collection and i have so many scratches. Thanks again for the video!
+Lcaceres74
Thank you for the kind words. When I first published this, it seemed all I was getting were criticisms that what I was doing was ruining records and it didn't get rid of the dirt or crackles. Came to find out, these were from audiophiles who've never had to deal with scratches and most likely thought I was promoting a new cleaning method.
It's comments like yours that make me regret not looking at RUclips comments. I'll have to do it more often. Thank you
I can't believe this !!! By the time you have bought all the products used, it would be cheaper to buy a replacement copy of the record. I did notice that the cartridge fitted to the deck appears to be a ceramic similar to that on a CROSLEY . It would be interesting to hear the results when the record was played on a high end turntable with a MC CARTRIDGE. I have been collecting records for nearly all of my life, my parents getting me started before I was 5 years old and would NEVER use anything like this to clean my records. 😂😂😂
Just me...I “wash” first in my SpinClean using a 50/50 mix of distilled water and Simple Green, spray rinse, and wipe with microfiber. Then a deep cycle on the HumminGuru Nova. (works great on the really dirty vintage).
A new purchase gets the Nova clean only.
“It sounds like bacon smells”, Bonnie Raitt described her vintage 1965 Stratocaster. 
So much better than the beginning. I wonder if the sandpaper step is needed.
Not only enjoyed but have to say bravo!!! That was amazing . I have a lot of questions lol.
Not sure I'd do all the steps but well done for being innovative. I 'save' loads of records. PVA glue is my weapon of choice but I always do the minimum to bring a record back to life. I've still got a few with bad pops and clicks so may try being more adventurous. Thanks for sharing your ideas and experience.
I was laughing at first. I'm not laughing now. Nice job.
As I was cleaning out my basement, my son saw that I had many boxes of LP's from the 60's and 70's. Almost all were in mint conditions but one or two classics had minor scratches. We are selling them on Discogs and I'll try your technique on some that I consider classics but with minor scratches. My son says the value goes up dramatically without a visible scratch
Starts off as a G- ends at VG.... Great video!!!
Do you have plans or a build guide for the high pressure washer? I love that thing!
Thank you for the video. Good work on giving that old record some more life...
You can dull the sandpaper first by sanding it against itself and washing. Then it will have a less of a 'bite' on the record and will leave less cloudy surface.
It may be a good idea to mask the good parts with some fine sticky tape, so you only sand at the scratch-groove.
+John Stuffer
Great points. Thanks. Sorry it's taken so long for me to reply to comments... This is from 2012 and I've gone on to other things.
I must admit I thought you were crazy! But you got a great result.
Goo Gone is good for peeling price tag stickers from album covers. Soak the sticker and wait a bit then peel. Or if you peel of the sticker without the Goo Gone, you can still use it to rub off any sticky residue left behind.
+Saint Martins
It's awesome, isn't it?
Excellent work my friend.
This was wild! I have an original Etta James At Last record that could use some help. It is in fairly rough shape but could use some tweaking. This record is rare as hens teeth. Probably practice on a junk record first in bad shape. By the way love that album you spruced up! Now I gotta find it. Thanks.
Excellent video. Will try one day, Thanks
you did a really good job on that record mate, thanks so much for sharing your wisdom
FYI people i do not advise you to hate on this video until you actually watch it no matter how disgusted you are by the act because from experience it does work. I have a Dion Ruby Baby Lp that had a nasty click on one song due to a large scratch. I was almost ready to buy another copy online until i saw this video. Frankly it took awhile, but the scratch is almost non existant now, and the click has greatly lessoned. The Lp is actually enjoyable to listen to now. If any of you attended shop class in school you were probably taught that the higher number grit of sandpaper the finer it is, and the smaller number of grit of sandpaper is rougher it is. 1500 grit is super fine, and is not going to trash the grooves of the record. The paper is mostly used for finish work such as in auto body which should tell you all something. I would advise not to use anything less than 1500 grit.
Hello Bruce,
Thanks for posting the very cool video! I'm inspired to try your techniques, what a great approach to salvaging scratched records. Could you please share what material you are using for the polishing pad? Again, thanks!
To me sanding is a little severe, but thinking about it you're just knocking off the top damage, and it sounds like it worked. Once a record is so damaged that normal means won't help this sounds like something to try. The use of goo gone also was a good idea, maybe a prewash before using Dawn soap to final clean. Interesting video and another nice trick to fixing damaged records.
You took risk and you achieved a very nice result ! Thanks !
+Eric D.
Thank you Eric
After many experiments. I found the best way to remove scratches is with toothpaste it's not abrasive like sandpaper and it leaves the vinyl shiny
Thanks for the tip. I was able to "repair" a part of one of my records, where the track skipped because of a deep scratch. You can still hear that there is a scratch and the record part is not as shiny as it was before, but at least the track plays through from the beginning to the end. At first I was afraid to use this method, because I love my vinyl records and I knew that this is a method that also will damage the record at least a bit. But since I had nothing to lose (like I said, the whole track was not playing, it just skipped the track), I thought I'll give it a try. Now I can finally listen to the whole record again :)
Hi Jonny chingas. I too tried the toothpaste trick on CD and dvd and it worked like a charm, well, maybe not every time.
What type of toothpaste?
I used sandpaper on one that was scratched pretty badly (it was hard to find a spot not scratched) and got pretty decent results for what it was. Aside from the dullness, it seemed to reduce a lot of the major scratches so a clear improvement. I had not tried waxing it, but that could maybe reduce some of the surface noise that's still there.
I'm intrigued to try this method with toothpaste.
hey bruce, i am very impressed with your method. i will like to try it! can you please give me the names of the tools used in the video?- the roller, sand paper, and the thing you used to apply the rubbing compound, crbon fiber brush. Thank you sir.
Pretty cool to see how the tests work out, even though Ill probably never sand my records ;^)
Wow - would have never thought any of this was possible! Congrats on coming up with several new ideas, where angels would fear to tread, and then actually DOING IT!
Awww... You flatter me. Thank you. It's always an adventure doing things you're common sense tells you won't work. Once in a while, you get the chance to surprise yourself.
Bruce Kinsey Thinking about it some more, the scratches must create tiny overhangs that impact the needle - removing a layer gets rid of that overhang, leaving enough of the original groove in place to have the sound. Pretty darn cool. And I love the water washer - looked but did not see a video for that. If you have made up a list of parts for that one I will be all ears (and eyes).
Mike Russell Sorry Mike... Missed your comment. No excuse. I do have an instructable on that washer, plus another simpler, but messier way as well.
Enjoy.
www.instructables.com/id/Power-Wash-Your-Records-Automatically-Almost/
I wonder if Mr Clean Magic Eraser would have the right combination of abrasive to polish out the scratches. Thank you for the info.
good question....
I'd either put up with the scratch or get it on CD.
Important to remember that some surface noise can come from very old record players with heavy arms and worn needles that have permanently changed the surface of the grooves.
Are you sure that using sand paper helps removing the scratches and it fixes the sound?
Because i bought a used record and it has a scratch on it and whenever the stylus goes over the scratch it makes a popping sound.