What size cutting stylus is needed for 45 cutting and what size is needed for 78 cutting?
I’ve only found the Apollo/Transco web site that sells stylus. Are there other web sites that sell them?
It doesn't matter what brand. I'm looking to play and experiment.
Thank you,
Jeff Lake
Cutting Stylus Sizes
Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn
Hi,
You should be able to use the standard cutting stylus for microgroove and 78's. The difference is the groove depth (and therefore width) used with 78's. The playback stylus tips differ (1 mil vs. 3mil), but the cut groove geometry is basically the same (about 90 degrees). Back in the day, they probably used cutting styli with larger tips (less fragile and easier to make), but I don't think this is an issue as the playback stylus does not ride in bottom of the groove. One plus using a smaller cutter tip is that you would be able to playback a 78 using a standard microgroove pickup (it would just ride lower in the groove).
If you want to experiment without the pain of breaking a $90 stylus look for NOS steel or stellite. I think Gib as West-Tech has some. You can also do what I did. Try your hand at grinding your own. But that's a whole other story.
Mark
You should be able to use the standard cutting stylus for microgroove and 78's. The difference is the groove depth (and therefore width) used with 78's. The playback stylus tips differ (1 mil vs. 3mil), but the cut groove geometry is basically the same (about 90 degrees). Back in the day, they probably used cutting styli with larger tips (less fragile and easier to make), but I don't think this is an issue as the playback stylus does not ride in bottom of the groove. One plus using a smaller cutter tip is that you would be able to playback a 78 using a standard microgroove pickup (it would just ride lower in the groove).
If you want to experiment without the pain of breaking a $90 stylus look for NOS steel or stellite. I think Gib as West-Tech has some. You can also do what I did. Try your hand at grinding your own. But that's a whole other story.
Mark
There's also the wee 0.7 mil pickup stylus tip that is common in microgroove repro.
For 78 rpm, most tone arms would apply a heavier tracking force (~5 g), which would have worked fine with shellac discs and Decelith blanks. The lacquer blanks used for instantaneous recordings these days may last a lot longer with less than half that force. But if you've made a coarse groove cut, for your 78 pickup stylus, you may well need the additional downforce.
Please report your results.
Chuck Spindle
For 78 rpm, most tone arms would apply a heavier tracking force (~5 g), which would have worked fine with shellac discs and Decelith blanks. The lacquer blanks used for instantaneous recordings these days may last a lot longer with less than half that force. But if you've made a coarse groove cut, for your 78 pickup stylus, you may well need the additional downforce.
Please report your results.
Chuck Spindle