I honestly wish more companies would just send me parts and let me fix my own stuff rather than demanding I package and ship a whole item back and forth
I've been working for the same company for over 26 years. About 7 years ago I put in for a supervisor position in our electronics department just so I could learn about Printed Circuit Boards (PCB's) and soldering. Now I've gotten pretty good at fixing my own stuff.
Mine just died yesterday after 8 or 9 months. They asked me to send a video showing it wasn't working, sounds like I'll be getting a new board as well. Thanks for the video, looks like a very easy fix.
I’m using the old standby Spin Clean but I sprung for the Limited Edition clear version with extra fluid, more wiping towels and an extra set of brushes. Every used record gets cleaned and every new record I buy gets scrubbed to wash off the vinyl dust and shavings and the fingerprints and smudges from the employees that apparently don’t care about carefully handling the product during packing and sleeving. But QC issues these days are a whole other can of worms. Anyway, glad you got your HumminGuru fixed. PCBs are easy to swap as long as there’s no soldering involved. Looks like they made it simple by putting connectors everywhere.
Thanks Frank, mine shut off last night after about only two months. I would be angry but I was prepared by your earlier videos (Thanx:) and I have cleaned over 500 LPs already: so it has already paid for itself! But I have grown very fond of it so I hope I can repair it like you did, It's the weekend so I haven't heard back from them yet but, like your exp., my exp. with the customer service has been amazing! So fingers crossed. Thanks again for the videos or I would be all in a shame spiral by now! :
This is a great ‘real world’ review. Having tech problems isn’t such a big deal, if customer service responds like they should. That could have been a nightmare situation. I might actually get one now. 👍
I am hopeful that the company will realize enough success in this field to develop more advanced and durable product along with an authorized service network, for professional repairs in and out of warrantee
To be honest I love this approach of sending out replacement parts to fix devices. Its like it was 20-30 years ago. Inot to mention it cuts down on e-waste. I wish more companies would do it
I appreciate you accepting their last solution, as it sounds scarier than it looks, which wouldn't deter me from buying a unit. Thanks for the full demo!
This is exactly the type of video I was hoping to find about this RCM. What kind of CS and product support you can expect to receive. You did a darn nice job illustrating the DIY repair and I think your approach to one wire at a time was a foolproof way to get the job done right. Hope the unit continues to work for you well into the future. My VPI HW 16.5 is going on 20 years old now and still works like new. Its drawback is the full manual hands-on requirement. I can only clean about 3 or 4 records in one sitting and I've had enough! Oh, and the vacuum is super loud.
Excellent....Frank the HumminGuru fixing Guru,glad it all worked out for you,what you went through you could not make a story up of that,and most importantly none of the wires were left out on the PCB they all got to go to the party,my RCM is a Project,but still require various brushes and applications,leaving the record wet for a period of time and then brushing before vacuuming, then distilled water and vacuuming again,a surfactant is needed to break the water tension,and a wise thing in the Guru even though they say it can invalidate the warranty,stay lucky and may your Guru keep on cleaning,it does make life easier.👍
I have also done a home repair on my Humminguru with instructions from the company. Same questions as in your first video but after some investigations the fault was found. Nothing but a poor solder joint. With a solder iron I resoldered a wire with success.
This method also eliminated the possibility of damage in shipping. I've dealt with other small companies that have had me make repairs and I don't mind. Usually only happens with things that are cumbersome to ship. I do think a customer willing to do the work should be rewarded tho.. like perhaps an extra 6-12 months of warranty coverage if you are willing to DIY. I guarantee there's other customers who are unwilling or unable and I bet they get exchanges.
Excellent idea replacing the wires one at a time. I’ve used a Spin Clean and Record Doctor, but now I’m getting lazy. I now use a spray bottle and a homemade solution from one of your early videos, which works fine for me.
Fair play to you Frank, especially for having the patience to fix the circuit board yourself. It is an expensive bit of kit so really glad its up and working again. I think I would have tossed it out of the window. I use a basic spin clean system which I find has very little by was of electrical components ha ha !! Keep on spinnin !!
you're a better man than i am frank...you have the patience of a saint....i would have just asked them to send me a new one or given up...i'm no d-i-y guy at all...and i currently don't have a record washer, but i don't think i would get a hummingguru if i got one....but they were at least helpful and kind enough to send the pcb to you....i guess that's cool....i just hope that you and the family are o.k....please stay well...stay safe....peace and clean records always...rocky
I'm (almost) always up for a challenge. Luckily, it wasn't too difficult and I got a couple of good videos out of it. I hope the recovery is going well, my friend. Fran
I’ve been using the Spin Clean system for a few years now but thinking of getting the HummingGuru for an extra step and see if there is any improvement. Figure for the price it might be worth a shot.
You know Frank when all is said and done you made out...imo....really good. There are always going to be some units that have issues...nothing is fool proof. As you said the customer service was good which unto itself in today's day and age is above average. A lot of companies out there today sell you something and have no time for their customers after the sale. The repair was a joke....lets be honest. It required you to unseat a PCB, unplug things and plug them back in and finally re-seat the board...then you were off to the races. A 10 year old could have done this. Other then the unit being defective I think HummiGeru did an excellent job looking after you. Cheers and all the best. Rod
My Okki Nokki has been a workhorse... cleaned over 1,000 albums and still going strong. I have had to use a toothpick and alcohol to wedge embedded particles out of the vinyl groove. Not often, but sometimes even scrubbing and vacuum clean will not remove stubborn particles. Ultrasonic cleaning might damage the vinyl before getting that particle removed.
Same here with my Okki Nokki, it is a well built, solid machine that just keeps doing a great job of cleaning my vinyl. Here's an interesting thing, it was cheaper for me to buy and ship my Okki Nokki from the UK than to purchase it in Australia.
Lord, glad you were able to fix it. I recently backed the VinylSonic Kickstarter, and am cautiously hopeful that their ultrasonic cleaner will be functional.
Quite the trilogy. As exciting and fascinating as LOTR ! Good for you to step up and for HumminGuru not to fold and go away. It would be nice to get another update in the spring. This is child now ours too and we want to keep up with the growing pains ! Happy New Year.
I just purchased one and am not as excited as I once was. Thanks so much for the splash of cold water. Im using an Okki Nokki I purchased used a couple of years ago. We do a nice job cleaning LPs, I’m hoping there is less me and more Humminguru doing a better job cleaning.
I’m gonna be getting one of these, I don’t have enough budget to get a degritter type machine, the humming guru is the best at its price point and hearing your experience solidifies it. Great video, very pleased you got it sorted
I just use the old spin clean, when I'm not using any manual brushes. Would love to have one of those very expensive machines, but not in my budget. Thanks for these hummingbird videos. Though I'm not impressed by then for the cost. I'm really glad you got yours working again. You have a lot more patience than I do. Not with the physical repair but with dealing with the issues
Hi Frank, nice video. Yep... I too am not good I technically repair but I think I would have followed your way of doing it humminguru seem to be very customer oriented. Great to see. Have a great week.
Great video Frank! I'm glad you were able to fix your Huminguru on your own. Good job figuring out how to reconnect the wires. I have a Spinclean but to be honest I have never used it. I always wanted a vacuum cleaner. So recently I bought a new Squeaky Clean Record Cleaner machine. I haven't used it yet either but I will in the near future as the weather gets worse.
Mine seems to have developed the same issue - stops after a few seconds in the wash cycle. Drying cycle works, so hopefully it is just the thermal switch as I am not at all handy with electrical repairs haha.
I have the (bottom of the) Harbor Freight ultrasonic tank and I bought the motor for $80 that slowly spins up to 4 records. Works like a champ! You can see the trash in the water. I have to dry myself with. Microfiber towel, but they come out warm so it's very fast to dry. I run mine for an hour each time. I highly recommend it. I made an Arduino setup to override the built in timer so I can set both the spin and the ultrasonic to one hour. I can't go longer because of the temp of the water, but that is long enough anyway.
Good work, Frank. I’ve got an OG Spin-Clean which I upgraded to an Okki Nokki. The Okki Nokki is great and the price point is exactly where I want to be.
Reminds me of my Uturn Orbit. After about 18 months, it started clicking when I played a record. Very annoying. I finally narrowed it down to the motor, Uturn sent me a new motor and I had to open up the cover and replace it. And my motor was mounted differently (with hot-glue) so I had to cut out the old motor, drill new screw holes and then screw the new motor in. It did fix the problem but what a pain in the tushy!
Excellent job. As you said in the original video, that it looked simple inside. I was pretty sure you were going to be able to replace the parts yourself.
i use an okki nokki one. Bought it second hand at a good price and have since cleaned about 250 records on it. Eventually you have to chance the pads on the vacuum wand but it cleans records very well and only takes about a minute per disc including dry time.
Hi Frank well done my friend. I would love to have an ultrasonic cleaner but for now I’m happy with my manual Knosti Disomatic with your record cleaning recipe you did on an older video. Works for me
Enjoying your content thanks for posting. I use the humming guru as its a pretty good one box solution. I've tried several, one home made ultrasonic, some vac types and and a proprietory and eye wateringly more expensive ultrasonic which I just could not justify purchasing. Whilst the expensive ultrasonic was arguably a little better, imho no way did it knock the guru out of the park hence the word "arguably" I'd say for new records it's the equal of but maybe some older gummed up records needed a further clean where some on the expensive one could pass. I improved the performance of my humming guru by adding a weak solution of ultra pure alcohol and a tiny amount of Ilfotol photographic wetting agent premixed to the pure distilled water and the into reservoir. I found this was transformational to the general performance and in particular very effective at getting really dirty records clean and removing the record pressing release agent from new records really well. So it's a pretty great little unit and we'll worth the money. I would add that if you use the mix I use, it does seem to require more drying because the Ilfotol is a very effective wetting agent and doesnt allow the records natural water repellant nature to throw off the solution. In conclusion, I do have skin in the game since my turntable is my principle source component being an analogue guy, its a highly resolving turntable updated and improved over time its in the $6-7k bracket, so I have a vested interest in playing only the cleanest vinyl not only for enjoyment but longevity of my expensive hard earned line contact moving coil cartridge. I can pretty easily know the difference in clean and properly clean.
Good job fixing it yourself! I still clean my records with a spray bottle filled with distilled water and 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. I learned this from one of your previous videos. I have a vinyl brush to gently clean the surface and protect the label. I dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
You Received Great Customer Service!! ....I Use A Vevor 6 Liter 40 Htz 180 Watt Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner, So Far I'm Very Pleased With It's Performance. Can Clean 4 Lp Albums At A Time Or 45s. ...Process: Vac Off Any Lint/Loose Dirt/Dust, Then In The Ultrasonic Unit: Fluid: Distilled Water, 5 % 91% Alcohol, & 5 Drops Kodak Photo Flo 200. Then SPIN Clean In Distilled Rinse Water In My Spin Clean Unit, Use Spin Clean Lint Free Cloths To Dry. It Takes Some Time! BUT! The Effort Is Well Worth The Time!!
At least you got Customer Service! How many dealing with other companies haven’t? Sounds like, while they wanted you to DIY, they were willing to give pointers and directions as to how to make the repairs.
Oh, how do I clean my records. I have my own machine I made that allows me to use soap and water and a sponge to thoroughly clean my records and then use distilled water to rinse it off and I allow it to dry. Does an amazing job!
So the question is how good does it really work? I have a spin clean which is okay for cleaning dust and finger prints but I question how good it is when it comes to cleaning the grooves.
Works well... Spin Clean is great too. I have been using the HumminGuru more often that my SC... but mostly because the functions are automated and I have become lazy :)
i use the cheap vevor machine i got of ebay ,killer machine ive cleaned all of my vinyl it does 6 at a time but for really dirty ones 1 at a time ,cant fault it ,my secret ingredient is a mild shampoo just a couple of drops etc,not only the clicks and pops are gone it really makes the sound fresh and even a new record etc,highly recommend it ,the rack you get with it actually works great too ,a bonus to it cleans everything you put in it to,and no it doesn't harm your vinyl i swear on that...
Good job Frank. I have no issues with them sending the parts to you to be honest. Have you thought of having a Tech go thru the old PCB to see if there is bad Cap, etc…? If it’s an easy fix you’ll have an extra….! 🤓
Well done! Easy peasy job there.. Plug & play. Thank goodness you didn't have to solder anything. 😬 If you ever do though, there are literally hundreds of channels and thousands of tutorials when it comes to that sort of thing. Anyway, good to see it up and running again.. Hopefully it lasts this time around! 🤞
Soldering would have stressed me out a bit, haha. I did some soldering when I installed new guitar pickups, but that is the extent of my soldering experience since shops class in jr. high. Thanks for watching. Frank
My cleaning method is very basic. Cover the labels with lucite protectors, using a soft pad clean the record in warmish water and dish soap. Rinse it off, and a final cleaning in the Spin Clean with distilled water. Works every time.
Well great video great job I use the deep groove buy vinyl style it's a great machine it's manual and it doesn't excellent job I make up my own solution with distilled water rubbing alcohol and some dishwasher rinse and it does a great job I can't complain so again great job on that machine and another great video and keep on spinning 🤘😛
Your headline scared me a little. It said "Saga ends" and I was afraid the veteran Canadian rockers had retired! Maybe 75% of my records sound good enough that a cleaning with carbon fiber brush every play is all they need. I tried wet cleaning a couple of times with "meh" results (MoFi one step). I did a 2-step (or was it a waltz?) with AudioIntelligent, which took over my dining room table, kitchen counter (application pads + large lint-free drying rags) & VinylStyle spin-cleaner (rinse) for an afternoon but it worked wonders on several noisy records!
Mine is on the way. I have a trusty old vpi but I have physical limitations so I am hoping the HG will do all the work for me now. When you say it doesn’t compete with a $3-4k machine, do you mean specifically in its cleaning ability? Is it not as deep cleaning?
I’d like something like this, but all I have is a brush, microfibre cloth, and some cleaning solution. And for the really dirty ones, I use distilled water and some gentle dish detergent. I have one, though, that I have no idea how it got as filthy as it is. It’s almost like it sat on a flat surface in the attic for years and a fine dust has well settled in on it-Not how I ever stored them. So occasionally clean it when I’m cleaning records and maybe one day I’ll get around to playing it when I feel I’ve gotten it clean enough. It’s Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” LP.
I wonder if the new PCB is actually a revised one? Meaning one that may have some fixes. Some printed circuit boards have revision numbers printed on them. Are the board numbers different? Just curious.
Curious to know how it's held up since this video was posted. I'm looking at possibly getting one of these but those are some red flags. Maybe they've made some updates on newer models?
Hey Frank, im new to the vinyl community - 1 month in so far. I was just wondering if there was a cleaning fluid you would recommend? Ive been looking around alot and everyone has their own opinion. Been watching your channel religiously this last month and its super insightful and entertaining, vinyl dens is probably my new favorite series haha. Thanks for any help And if amyone else has any thoughts, please share!
Thanks! Groovewasher makes my favourite record cleaning fluid and brush. You can also make your own fluid using distilled water and a bit of isopropyl alcohol (though some will disagree).
Look at it from this side, with regards to sustainability this is the right way of doing it and we may need to adjust our views and get more used to do things this way in the future. Better than looking at the return facilities of Amazon where tons of stuff get simply trashed because its cheaper than running it through the internal organization and fix it or re-sell it. Crazy how we waste our resources.
I was going to ask. What happened with the bypassed cable? You said was still bypassing the thermal switch. Did you restore it? If so, any further issue? I'm looking into this device but still a little pricey for me right now.
So, now that you have had it awhile (and fixed it twice), how would you say it compares to other cleaning methods? Have you ever tried a wet cleaning vacuum system like the Record Doctor V or VI (or the cheap $29 DIY Vinyl Vac)? The Record Doctors are under $300 now on sale. Does the HumminGuru do a comparable or even better job? Thanks. Oh, as an aside, do these things make your cat or dogs go crazy when they operate in the hearing range above ours?
This is a good question - I don't have a great answer. That's because I haven't done any meaningful comparisons, and there are so many variables (how dirty a record is, the fluid used, how long the record is cleaned for, etc.). That said, I have a Spin Clean, a Vinyl Vac and this. They are do a good job. I give a slight edge to the HumminGuru, but mostly because much of the cleaning is automated (and I have become a lazy record collector). But is that worth the extra $$$???
@@Channel33RPM good to know. I'd hate to have a howling dog or hissing cat everytime I used it....LOL...Thanks. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. And yes, sometimes the "lazy" way can be best. Automated cleaning would make you more likely to use it and get to play more records.
I use Merrill's G.E.M. Dandy record cleaning process....with some modifications. I would pit this process against any RCM at any cost EXCEPT for the expensive USC's. What I may do, is buy the HumminGuru and use it AFTER I use the Merrill process. If the HumminGuru has any fault, it is that it won't get really dirty records cleaned the first time by microscopic examination of the grooves(vids on this). So logically, using both may take me right up to the threshold of the $4,000+ USC's.
I got my HG back in December of 2021 and have used it on a probably 300+ records and I think mine just bit the dust today. To mechanism that rotates the spinning wheel (Wheel #2) has stopped spinning and I'm hearing a whining sound coming from the top area of the cleaner. I sent HG an email to their support site, but I'm not holding my breath. I was hoping this would last for more than a couple of years, but for a cheap cleaner I guess that's to be expected. Has anyone else run into this issue?
The only problem is static damage to the electronic components during assembly, if the assembler does not take esd protection, thousands of volts can be introduced to the pcb and it will either be permanently damage or weaken some of the components that will fail in time, im sure everyone has experienced static shock imagine what that will do to electronic components, so its probably weakened the components and may fail again sometime in the future.
Oh, they didn't ship the PCB in a antistatic bag but instead wrapped it in plastic... That is probably a sign of how they treat their electronics in the factory. Electrostatic discharges can damage sensitive electronic components and cause weird problems in the long run. They should also have advised you to wear an ESD bracelet when manipulating the board. Hope it works out for you though.
What could/would be helpful is to continue to post updates. The machine hasn't been tested over a long period of time. And hey, even Degritters have had their occasional issues. But whether this is a good, longer term purchase remains to be seen.
I honestly wish more companies would just send me parts and let me fix my own stuff rather than demanding I package and ship a whole item back and forth
If the fix is straightforward. Agreed. 👍
There might be liability issues with that. But I'm with you. If it's an easy fix, just send me the parts. Our world is too wasteful.
I've been working for the same company for over 26 years. About 7 years ago I put in for a supervisor position in our electronics department just so I could learn about Printed Circuit Boards (PCB's) and soldering. Now I've gotten pretty good at fixing my own stuff.
Mine just died yesterday after 8 or 9 months. They asked me to send a video showing it wasn't working, sounds like I'll be getting a new board as well. Thanks for the video, looks like a very easy fix.
I’m using the old standby Spin Clean but I sprung for the Limited Edition clear version with extra fluid, more wiping towels and an extra set of brushes. Every used record gets cleaned and every new record I buy gets scrubbed to wash off the vinyl dust and shavings and the fingerprints and smudges from the employees that apparently don’t care about carefully handling the product during packing and sleeving. But QC issues these days are a whole other can of worms. Anyway, glad you got your HumminGuru fixed. PCBs are easy to swap as long as there’s no soldering involved. Looks like they made it simple by putting connectors everywhere.
Sounds like you've become a HummingGuru Guru! Well done.
Haha... yes, unintentionally.
Thanks Frank, mine shut off last night after about only two months. I would be angry but I was prepared by your earlier videos (Thanx:) and I have cleaned over 500 LPs already: so it has already paid for itself! But I have grown very fond of it so I hope I can repair it like you did, It's the weekend so I haven't heard back from them yet but, like your exp., my exp. with the customer service has been amazing! So fingers crossed. Thanks again for the videos or I would be all in a shame spiral by now! :
Did you fix it?
@@shoullin1761 Yes sir, many moons ago and no problems since
This is a great ‘real world’ review. Having tech problems isn’t such a big deal, if customer service responds like they should. That could have been a nightmare situation. I might actually get one now. 👍
I am hopeful that the company will realize enough success in this field to develop more advanced and durable product along with an authorized service network, for professional repairs in and out of warrantee
To be honest I love this approach of sending out replacement parts to fix devices. Its like it was 20-30 years ago. Inot to mention it cuts down on e-waste. I wish more companies would do it
I appreciate you accepting their last solution, as it sounds scarier than it looks, which wouldn't deter me from buying a unit. Thanks for the full demo!
I saved and saved and finally bought a degritter about 8 months ago. I’ve cleaners about 800 no problems at all expensive but worth it. Great video.
This is exactly the type of video I was hoping to find about this RCM. What kind of CS and product support you can expect to receive. You did a darn nice job illustrating the DIY repair and I think your approach to one wire at a time was a foolproof way to get the job done right. Hope the unit continues to work for you well into the future. My VPI HW 16.5 is going on 20 years old now and still works like new. Its drawback is the full manual hands-on requirement. I can only clean about 3 or 4 records in one sitting and I've had enough! Oh, and the vacuum is super loud.
Excellent....Frank the HumminGuru fixing Guru,glad it all worked out for you,what you went through you could not make a story up of that,and most importantly none of the wires were left out on the PCB they all got to go to the party,my RCM is a Project,but still require various brushes and applications,leaving the record wet for a period of time and then brushing before vacuuming, then distilled water and vacuuming again,a surfactant is needed to break the water tension,and a wise thing in the Guru even though they say it can invalidate the warranty,stay lucky and may your Guru keep on cleaning,it does make life easier.👍
I have also done a home repair on my Humminguru with instructions from the company. Same questions as in your first video but after some investigations the fault was found. Nothing but a poor solder joint. With a solder iron I resoldered a wire with success.
Glad you were able to get it rockin' again!
This method also eliminated the possibility of damage in shipping. I've dealt with other small companies that have had me make repairs and I don't mind. Usually only happens with things that are cumbersome to ship. I do think a customer willing to do the work should be rewarded tho.. like perhaps an extra 6-12 months of warranty coverage if you are willing to DIY. I guarantee there's other customers who are unwilling or unable and I bet they get exchanges.
Excellent idea replacing the wires one at a time. I’ve used a Spin Clean and Record Doctor, but now I’m getting lazy. I now use a spray bottle and a homemade solution from one of your early videos, which works fine for me.
Fair play to you Frank, especially for having the patience to fix the circuit board yourself. It is an expensive bit of kit so really glad its up and working again. I think I would have tossed it out of the window. I use a basic spin clean system which I find has very little by was of electrical components ha ha !! Keep on spinnin !!
Thanks 👍
you're a better man than i am frank...you have the patience of a saint....i would have just asked them to send me a new one or given up...i'm no d-i-y guy at all...and i currently don't have a record washer, but i don't think i would get a hummingguru if i got one....but they were at least helpful and kind enough to send the pcb to you....i guess that's cool....i just hope that you and the family are o.k....please stay well...stay safe....peace and clean records always...rocky
I'm (almost) always up for a challenge. Luckily, it wasn't too difficult and I got a couple of good videos out of it. I hope the recovery is going well, my friend.
Fran
My spin clean hasnt failed 10+ years
I do love mine as well, though I'm sometimes too lazy to go through the process, lol
Therapeutic routine for me. Love my Knosti machine.
I’ve been using the Spin Clean system for a few years now but thinking of getting the HummingGuru for an extra step and see if there is any improvement. Figure for the price it might be worth a shot.
You know Frank when all is said and done you made out...imo....really good. There are always going to be some units that have issues...nothing is fool proof. As you said the customer service was good which unto itself in today's day and age is above average. A lot of companies out there today sell you something and have no time for their customers after the sale. The repair was a joke....lets be honest. It required you to unseat a PCB, unplug things and plug them back in and finally re-seat the board...then you were off to the races. A 10 year old could have done this. Other then the unit being defective I think HummiGeru did an excellent job looking after you.
Cheers and all the best.
Rod
Absolutely - I have nothing to complaint about. Plus - it was kinda fun, to be honest.
My Okki Nokki has been a workhorse... cleaned over 1,000 albums and still going strong. I have had to use a toothpick and alcohol to wedge embedded particles out of the vinyl groove. Not often, but sometimes even scrubbing and vacuum clean will not remove stubborn particles. Ultrasonic cleaning might damage the vinyl before getting that particle removed.
Same here with my Okki Nokki, it is a well built, solid machine that just keeps doing a great job of cleaning my vinyl.
Here's an interesting thing, it was cheaper for me to buy and ship my Okki Nokki from the UK than to purchase it in Australia.
Lord, glad you were able to fix it. I recently backed the VinylSonic Kickstarter, and am cautiously hopeful that their ultrasonic cleaner will be functional.
Quite the trilogy. As exciting and fascinating as LOTR !
Good for you to step up and for HumminGuru not to fold and go away.
It would be nice to get another update in the spring. This is child now ours too and we want to keep up with the growing pains !
Happy New Year.
I just purchased one and am not as excited as I once was. Thanks so much for the splash of cold water. Im using an Okki Nokki I purchased used a couple of years ago. We do a nice job cleaning LPs, I’m hoping there is less me and more Humminguru doing a better job cleaning.
I’m gonna be getting one of these, I don’t have enough budget to get a degritter type machine, the humming guru is the best at its price point and hearing your experience solidifies it. Great video, very pleased you got it sorted
Super, Frank. Good service from the makers.
I just use the old spin clean, when I'm not using any manual brushes. Would love to have one of those very expensive machines, but not in my budget. Thanks for these hummingbird videos. Though I'm not impressed by then for the cost. I'm really glad you got yours working again. You have a lot more patience than I do. Not with the physical repair but with dealing with the issues
Excellent. I'm now absolutely confident that I could follow your example here, if need be.
Hi Frank, nice video. Yep... I too am not good I technically repair but I think I would have followed your way of doing it humminguru seem to be very customer oriented. Great to see. Have a great week.
Excellent U got it fixed, congrats !!
Sending all my broken Tech to Canada from now on .
I can't make any promises... but it would make for entertaining video...
@@Channel33RPM Just don't get stabbed beforehand
The way the company handled this makes me much more likely to get one now.
Top work fella! Nice to see an easy fix and a supportive company for a change!
Thanks Matt. Yeah, it wasn't too bad at all and HumminGuru is very responsive to customer emails.
Great video Frank!
I'm glad you were able to fix your Huminguru on your own. Good job figuring out how to reconnect the wires.
I have a Spinclean but to be honest I have never used it. I always wanted a vacuum cleaner. So recently I bought a new Squeaky Clean Record Cleaner machine. I haven't used it yet either but I will in the near future as the weather gets worse.
Mine seems to have developed the same issue - stops after a few seconds in the wash cycle. Drying cycle works, so hopefully it is just the thermal switch as I am not at all handy with electrical repairs haha.
I have the (bottom of the) Harbor Freight ultrasonic tank and I bought the motor for $80 that slowly spins up to 4 records. Works like a champ! You can see the trash in the water. I have to dry myself with. Microfiber towel, but they come out warm so it's very fast to dry. I run mine for an hour each time.
I highly recommend it.
I made an Arduino setup to override the built in timer so I can set both the spin and the ultrasonic to one hour. I can't go longer because of the temp of the water, but that is long enough anyway.
Good work, Frank. I’ve got an OG Spin-Clean which I upgraded to an Okki Nokki. The Okki Nokki is great and the price point is exactly where I want to be.
Good job with the repair, Frank.
Well well well now you are the official technic support for HumminGuru in Canada ,not bad man and new level unlocked Well done bro 🙌🙌🥳🥳🥇🏆👏🏁
Haha, thanks!
Reminds me of my Uturn Orbit. After about 18 months, it started clicking when I played a record. Very annoying. I finally narrowed it down to the motor, Uturn sent me a new motor and I had to open up the cover and replace it. And my motor was mounted differently (with hot-glue) so I had to cut out the old motor, drill new screw holes and then screw the new motor in. It did fix the problem but what a pain in the tushy!
I bought a spin clean a couple months ago. It takes some effort but it seems to work flawlessly.
The Spin Clean is great! I've had one for probably a decade - and I agree it does work flawlessly.
I have pro-ject vc-s mk2 for more than 2 years and it never broke. It"s built like a tank.
I have a Record Doctor Vacuum system works great. Glad you got it repaired Frank, I know that had to be frustrating.
Thanks man. At last it made for good videos...
Excellent job. As you said in the original video, that it looked simple inside. I was pretty sure you were going to be able to replace the parts yourself.
Nice job Frank! My spinclean just keeps on spin'n! 😉
As they tend to do... Mine has been going strong for 10 years now.
i use an okki nokki one. Bought it second hand at a good price and have since cleaned about 250 records on it. Eventually you have to chance the pads on the vacuum wand but it cleans records very well and only takes about a minute per disc including dry time.
Hi Frank well done my friend. I would love to have an ultrasonic cleaner but for now I’m happy with my manual Knosti Disomatic with your record cleaning recipe you did on an older video. Works for me
Yup...Spin Clean, it's never broken down. 👍🏼😎
Enjoying your content thanks for posting. I use the humming guru as its a pretty good one box solution. I've tried several, one home made ultrasonic, some vac types and and a proprietory and eye wateringly more expensive ultrasonic which I just could not justify purchasing. Whilst the expensive ultrasonic was arguably a little better, imho no way did it knock the guru out of the park hence the word "arguably" I'd say for new records it's the equal of but maybe some older gummed up records needed a further clean where some on the expensive one could pass. I improved the performance of my humming guru by adding a weak solution of ultra pure alcohol and a tiny amount of Ilfotol photographic wetting agent premixed to the pure distilled water and the into reservoir. I found this was transformational to the general performance and in particular very effective at getting really dirty records clean and removing the record pressing release agent from new records really well. So it's a pretty great little unit and we'll worth the money. I would add that if you use the mix I use, it does seem to require more drying because the Ilfotol is a very effective wetting agent and doesnt allow the records natural water repellant nature to throw off the solution. In conclusion, I do have skin in the game since my turntable is my principle source component being an analogue guy, its a highly resolving turntable updated and improved over time its in the $6-7k bracket, so I have a vested interest in playing only the cleanest vinyl not only for enjoyment but longevity of my expensive hard earned line contact moving coil cartridge. I can pretty easily know the difference in clean and properly clean.
Okki Dokki! You can’t go wrong.
Good job fixing it yourself! I still clean my records with a spray bottle filled with distilled water and 99 percent isopropyl alcohol. I learned this from one of your previous videos. I have a vinyl brush to gently clean the surface and protect the label. I dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
Tried and true! That definitely works well.
You Received Great Customer Service!! ....I Use A Vevor 6 Liter 40 Htz 180 Watt Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner, So Far I'm Very Pleased With It's Performance. Can Clean 4 Lp Albums At A Time Or 45s. ...Process: Vac Off Any Lint/Loose Dirt/Dust, Then In The Ultrasonic Unit: Fluid: Distilled Water, 5 % 91% Alcohol, & 5 Drops Kodak Photo Flo 200. Then SPIN Clean In Distilled Rinse Water In My Spin Clean Unit, Use Spin Clean Lint Free Cloths To Dry. It Takes Some Time! BUT! The Effort Is Well Worth The Time!!
At least you got Customer Service! How many dealing with other companies haven’t? Sounds like, while they wanted you to DIY, they were willing to give pointers and directions as to how to make the repairs.
Customer service was great.
Oh, how do I clean my records. I have my own machine I made that allows me to use soap and water and a sponge to thoroughly clean my records and then use distilled water to rinse it off and I allow it to dry. Does an amazing job!
So the question is how good does it really work? I have a spin clean which is okay for cleaning dust and finger prints but I question how good it is when it comes to cleaning the grooves.
Works well... Spin Clean is great too. I have been using the HumminGuru more often that my SC... but mostly because the functions are automated and I have become lazy :)
I’m waiting for guru. Looking forward to start cleaning records
i use the cheap vevor machine i got of ebay ,killer machine ive cleaned all of my vinyl it does 6 at a time but for really dirty ones 1 at a time ,cant fault it ,my secret ingredient is a mild shampoo just a couple of drops etc,not only the clicks and pops are gone it really makes the sound fresh and even a new record etc,highly recommend it ,the rack you get with it actually works great too ,a bonus to it cleans everything you put in it to,and no it doesn't harm your vinyl i swear on that...
Good job Frank. I have no issues with them sending the parts to you to be honest. Have you thought of having a Tech go thru the old PCB to see if there is bad Cap, etc…? If it’s an easy fix you’ll have an extra….! 🤓
Well done! Easy peasy job there.. Plug & play. Thank goodness you didn't have to solder anything. 😬 If you ever do though, there are literally hundreds of channels and thousands of tutorials when it comes to that sort of thing. Anyway, good to see it up and running again.. Hopefully it lasts this time around! 🤞
Soldering would have stressed me out a bit, haha. I did some soldering when I installed new guitar pickups, but that is the extent of my soldering experience since shops class in jr. high. Thanks for watching.
Frank
My cleaning method is very basic. Cover the labels with lucite protectors, using a soft pad clean the record in warmish water and dish soap. Rinse it off, and a final cleaning in the Spin Clean with distilled water. Works every time.
Glad you got fixed up. 🙌 Keep on spinnin.....
Thanks Jamie
I've had zero trouble with mine. I do long manual clean followed by long automatic cycle. Always room temperature distilled water only.
hey frank!! i just watched all three of your guru videos. i just picked one up and curious to know your thoughts on it a couple years later…..🙏🏼🤘🏼
Well great video great job I use the deep groove buy vinyl style it's a great machine it's manual and it doesn't excellent job I make up my own solution with distilled water rubbing alcohol and some dishwasher rinse and it does a great job I can't complain so again great job on that machine and another great video and keep on spinning 🤘😛
Your headline scared me a little. It said "Saga ends" and I was afraid the veteran Canadian rockers had retired! Maybe 75% of my records sound good enough that a cleaning with carbon fiber brush every play is all they need. I tried wet cleaning a couple of times with "meh" results (MoFi one step). I did a 2-step (or was it a waltz?) with AudioIntelligent, which took over my dining room table, kitchen counter (application pads + large lint-free drying rags) & VinylStyle spin-cleaner (rinse) for an afternoon but it worked wonders on several noisy records!
Their website says 4.0, so have to hope most of the kinks have been worked out by now? I’m going to find out soon!
Fail, mine crapped out too!
Mine is on the way. I have a trusty old vpi but I have physical limitations so I am hoping the HG will do all the work for me now. When you say it doesn’t compete with a $3-4k machine, do you mean specifically in its cleaning ability? Is it not as deep cleaning?
I’d like something like this, but all I have is a brush, microfibre cloth, and some cleaning solution. And for the really dirty ones, I use distilled water and some gentle dish detergent. I have one, though, that I have no idea how it got as filthy as it is. It’s almost like it sat on a flat surface in the attic for years and a fine dust has well settled in on it-Not how I ever stored them. So occasionally clean it when I’m cleaning records and maybe one day I’ll get around to playing it when I feel I’ve gotten it clean enough. It’s Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” LP.
Still using the spin clean record washer system
Congratulations! So you have two cleaners now?
Just one HumminGuru, plus my Spin Clean.
Nice work Frankie👍🔥
Thanks 🔥
What size screwdriver do I use to remove the screws from the feet?
Add that to your resume Frank: “Humminguru Repair Tech”. 🤣🤣🤣
Hmmm... Are those two black wires remain twisted, bypassing the thermo sensor?
I would have to go back and look. but I believe so.
Should I get one Frank, does it blow the project vacuum machine away? Our they about the same
I have not tried a ProJect vacuum machine, so I don't have a good answer for you, unfortunately.
I looked at that unit but decided on the KIRMUSS ultrasonic restorer/cleaner.
I wonder if the new PCB is actually a revised one? Meaning one that may have some fixes. Some printed circuit boards have revision numbers printed on them. Are the board numbers different? Just curious.
Huh... that's a good question. I wish I had compared the two before I switched them. If I open it up again, I will look.
Curious to know how it's held up since this video was posted. I'm looking at possibly getting one of these but those are some red flags. Maybe they've made some updates on newer models?
I have not had any issues since.
Saw a coupe of 33 RPM shirts in the crowd at the Dirty Honey concert last Monday at The Park.
That's cool to hear. Wish I had been there.
@@Channel33RPM Your shirts were there... very cool.
The big question is..where csm we pick one up?
4:42 smart move!
Thanks Eric. I'm all about making things as simple as possible.
Hey Frank, im new to the vinyl community - 1 month in so far. I was just wondering if there was a cleaning fluid you would recommend? Ive been looking around alot and everyone has their own opinion. Been watching your channel religiously this last month and its super insightful and entertaining, vinyl dens is probably my new favorite series haha.
Thanks for any help
And if amyone else has any thoughts, please share!
Thanks! Groovewasher makes my favourite record cleaning fluid and brush. You can also make your own fluid using distilled water and a bit of isopropyl alcohol (though some will disagree).
@@Channel33RPM right on, thanks for the info. Ill check them out!
Look at it from this side, with regards to sustainability this is the right way of doing it and we may need to adjust our views and get more used to do things this way in the future. Better than looking at the return facilities of Amazon where tons of stuff get simply trashed because its cheaper than running it through the internal organization and fix it or re-sell it. Crazy how we waste our resources.
I was going to ask. What happened with the bypassed cable? You said was still bypassing the thermal switch. Did you restore it? If so, any further issue? I'm looking into this device but still a little pricey for me right now.
So, now that you have had it awhile (and fixed it twice), how would you say it compares to other cleaning methods? Have you ever tried a wet cleaning vacuum system like the Record Doctor V or VI (or the cheap $29 DIY Vinyl Vac)? The Record Doctors are under $300 now on sale. Does the HumminGuru do a comparable or even better job? Thanks.
Oh, as an aside, do these things make your cat or dogs go crazy when they operate in the hearing range above ours?
This is a good question - I don't have a great answer. That's because I haven't done any meaningful comparisons, and there are so many variables (how dirty a record is, the fluid used, how long the record is cleaned for, etc.). That said, I have a Spin Clean, a Vinyl Vac and this. They are do a good job. I give a slight edge to the HumminGuru, but mostly because much of the cleaning is automated (and I have become a lazy record collector). But is that worth the extra $$$???
I missed the last part of your question: my dog and cat don't seem bothered by the sound.
@@Channel33RPM good to know. I'd hate to have a howling dog or hissing cat everytime I used it....LOL...Thanks. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. And yes, sometimes the "lazy" way can be best. Automated cleaning would make you more likely to use it and get to play more records.
Thank God! I was so worried.
Say Frank, I have a small Coca Cola refrigerator that's not getting cold. Any tips?...just kidding brother. Sweet video today...keep rocking brother 🤘
I'll swing by with a new circuit board :)
Does anybody know how to check the transducers are working as I suspect mine isn't althoughevetything else is working
I use Merrill's G.E.M. Dandy record cleaning process....with some modifications. I would pit this process against any RCM at any cost EXCEPT for the expensive USC's. What I may do, is buy the HumminGuru and use it AFTER I use the Merrill process. If the HumminGuru has any fault, it is that it won't get really dirty records cleaned the first time by microscopic examination of the grooves(vids on this). So logically, using both may take me right up to the threshold of the $4,000+ USC's.
Great hearing that catchy intro music again
Thanks!
I wonder if it'll fail after a few months of use? It would be nice if someone could diagnose the pcb and components to find out what happened.
Sure hope it doesn't fail... I'll let ya know.
I got my HG back in December of 2021 and have used it on a probably 300+ records and I think mine just bit the dust today. To mechanism that rotates the spinning wheel (Wheel #2) has stopped spinning and I'm hearing a whining sound coming from the top area of the cleaner. I sent HG an email to their support site, but I'm not holding my breath. I was hoping this would last for more than a couple of years, but for a cheap cleaner I guess that's to be expected. Has anyone else run into this issue?
Did you ever get a response from Humminguru? I think I have this same issue with mine.
The only problem is static damage to the electronic components during assembly, if the assembler does not take esd protection, thousands of volts can be introduced to the pcb and it will either be permanently damage or weaken some of the components that will fail in time, im sure everyone has experienced static shock imagine what that will do to electronic components, so its probably weakened the components and may fail again sometime in the future.
One question… are you still using surfactant or just the distilled water?
I tried w/o surfactant, but it just wasn't as good... so I am back to using it.
Just a tiny bit, though.
Oh, they didn't ship the PCB in a antistatic bag but instead wrapped it in plastic... That is probably a sign of how they treat their electronics in the factory. Electrostatic discharges can damage sensitive electronic components and cause weird problems in the long run. They should also have advised you to wear an ESD bracelet when manipulating the board. Hope it works out for you though.
What could/would be helpful is to continue to post updates. The machine hasn't been tested over a long period of time. And hey, even Degritters have had their occasional issues. But whether this is a good, longer term purchase remains to be seen.
Good idea.
Order two, one just for parts if you dare wanting a humminguru.
I have this same problem with my Humminguru.
me too
@@diegohowe3081 my part PCB is on the way from Hong Kong.
Now let's build a music friendly PC \m/
degritter shuts off if water temp reaches 35 degree.