fresh

I'm just wondering, does it matter what cartridge and stylus you use if you
wanna scratch?.. are some better than others?..
The reason why I'm asking.. is because mine skips a lot.. (unless I be
really gentle).. and it's not making sense.. cause every time I see people
do it on tv or in videos they're always doing all this hardcore amazing
stuff.. so is it me?.. or can I blame the equipment?

--fresh

Jackson West

There are a couple of things you can do to reduce skips before you
spend money. The other thing to remember is that just as Madonna and
Brittney will lip-sync until their blue in the face, a lot of DJs on
TV aren't really doing a damn thing - just aping for the cameras. Ah,
the magic of DAT tapes and creative video editing...if only reality
were so easy.

The most important thing is your tonearm. Do you know how to balance
it and adjust the weight correctly? There are a number of articles on
how to do this to be found on the internet, usually for users of
Technics 1200's, but the same principles apply to all turntables. The
cartridges you are currently using should specify (in their printed
specs - if lost, check the manufacturer's website) what weight range
to use - usually from two to five grams.

Basically what you want to do is set up your cartridge and stylus
normally. Then adjust the back weight on the tonearm until the
cartridge 'floats', like you would with a slide-scale (the kind they
use at the doctor's office). This is your zero point - where the
downward pressure of the stylus is approximately zero grams. Now your
backweight should have a little adjustable plastic ring with numbers
on it. Being careful not to adjust the position of the weight itself,
turn this ring until the 0 lines up with the line at the top of the
tonearm. Now turn the weight and ring clockwise - from 0 to 1, from 1
to 2, etc. You are now adding downward pressure to the stylus. The
numbers represent grams of pressure. 3.5 grams is usually called for
in the specs, but may be too light for your touch. 5 grams is what
most DJs use. Remember, the more weight on the stylus, the more wear
on your record and the stylus (you'll burn the grooves and release the
spring tension from the stylus sooner). If things are really bad,
especially when the crowd is shaking the table, etc., people have been
known to balance or tape a penny on top of the tone-arm. I have a
stylus pressure gauge from the fifties that a friend found which
allows me to set the pressure very quickly without having to do the
balancing act, but I've never seen a new one for sale - my friend
found the one I have when he was cleaning out an old lady's house.
Check E-bay - mine was made by Garrard in England.

Other things that might affect skips are the tonearm height and the
anti-skate setting. Most DJ's recommend that you always leave the
anti-skate setting at 0 for scratching. For hi-fidelity applications
(i.e. no scratching) it's usually set to match the stylus pressure -
i.e. 3 grams of stylus pressure means to set the anti-skate to 3. The
reason DJ's set it to zero is because they feel that anti-skate makes
the stylus more likely to skip to the outside groove, or back, and
would rather it skipped inside or forward (where you can just
back-scratch to recue).

The tonearm height is less objective. I've heard Q-Bert always sets
the height as high as possible, making the angle to the record of the
stylus more downward. You definitely want the tonearm to be at least
level with the record - and when you have a plastic slipmat under your
felt and heavyweight records, you will have to add height to the
tonearm so that it is parallel with the level of the record. I
generally max mine up.

Finally, there is how you set up the cartridge. The headshell is the
plastic piece with the connectors that screws into the tonearm. The
cartridge is the bit connected to the headshell via wires and screws
(ortofons and other brands integrate the headshell and cartridge into
one piece, but these are not usally designed for scratching). The
stylus is the actual 'needle' inserted in the cartridge. First, most
cartridges come with an extra weight that can be inserted between the
cartridge and headshell, with holes for the screws. Remember to
re-adjust the tonearm balance for your optimal stylus pressure - the
weight is meant to 'deaden' up-and-down movement, not to add stylus
pressure. I use one, as do most scratch DJs.

The other thing you can do is 'toe-out' the cartridge. Normally you
want to have the front of the cartridge flush with the front of the
headshell and ninety-degrees perpendicular to the grove (straight).
Some DJs instead angle the cartridge anywhere from 12 to 20 degrees to
the right (towards the edge of the platter). Some say this helps
imitate the performance of straight tonearms (which are considered
more skip-resistant) on curved tonearm designs. Also, they feel it
makes it more likely that skips move to the inside groove, which they
may prefer. I have never had much success with this technique.

Another thing to consider is whether or not the platter is level. If
the platter is tilted, the needle will skip. A lot. And ruin your
records. You can get a small level from any hardware store - I have a
little round plastic one the size of a quarter that I always bring
when I'm setting up for a show. Technics have adjustable,
spring-loaded feet that you can turn to adjust in case the surface
isn't level, but you can't really correct very far and it's a slow and
painful way to get a level platter. Much better to try to affect the
change on the surface itself. Get the surface as close as possible to
level, and then make minor adjustments to the turntable.

The records themselves can also contribute. You should be meticulous
in keeping your records clean, dust free and away from heat. Always
store records upright (vertically) in their covers away from light or
heat. This helps keep them from warping - you cannot scratch warped
records, and often can't even listen to them! You should also have
two brushes - a sponge-type velvet brush for applying cleaning fluid
and a dry carbon-fiber brush for clean but dusty records. Use the wet
brush (D4 and Radio Shack make fine, cheap cleaning kits) to clean a
dirty record that may have sugar or grease on it (from spilled bear or
fingerprints most likely). Don't play the record until the cleaning
solution has evaporated. To quickly remove dust, use the dry brush.
I have one from Pickering that costs about ten dollars that will last
a lifetime.

Sometimes the problem is that the hole in the record is too big for
the spindle - if it's not a snug fit, then every time you touch the
record you will cause a skip. You'll notice that as you scratch the
record will move side-to-side slightly on the platter, instead of
strictly around the spindle. There's all sorts of solutions. Most
people will put little bits of stickers or tape through the hole to
make it small enough and keep the fit snug. You can also take a bit
plastic, like the kind used as record inner-sleeves, put it over the
spindle and then press the record over the spindle and plastic. The
plastic will stretch and form to fit the hole.

Finally you'll want to work on your touch. Some DJs have a heavy
touch, and compensate by using more stylus pressure. Some DJs have a
light touch and don't need all the weight and special tricks. One way
to lighten your touch is to work with less than the weight your
normally used to when practicing - kind of like how athletes will wear
ankle weights during training and then take them off for the game to
over-develop their muscles. Then, during a performance, you set it to
the normal weight and only add more weight if skips become a problem.
There's nothing I hate more than sharing decks with some a__hole who
just immediately jacks the weight to max - I've had many of my
expensive styli ruined this way (note: proper DJ etiquette states
that if you're using someone else's turntables you still bring your
own headshells with cartridge and stylus to use - would you let
someone else DJ with your records, or show up to a gig without your
own headphones? I didn't think so).

There are a few manufacturers that have designed styli for scratching
and turntablism. Vestax comes to mind. Pickering styluses are good
if you're on a budget. Stanton has just added some new products
designed for turntablists, but they have traditionally catered to the
beatmixing crowd. The gold standard is the M-44 from Shure. The
cartridges cost (with included stylus) something like $100 to $130 a
pair, but are well worth it. You can get replacement styli anywhere
from $25 to $45 dollars (it pays to shop around). Plus Shure are
American-made and really stand behind their product (when I got my
first pair of M-44's, the included stylus on one simply snapped the
first time I used it - they replaced it for free).

I hope all this info helps. Check out the Shure website for tonearm
balancing and cartridge setup instructions that apply to any
manufacturer's product. They also sponsored the Turntablism 101
video, which shows a Shure tech setting up a cartridge for use at the
end. And remember, shit happens! Grandmaster Flash, Mixmaster Mike
and every other DJ in history has had his s__t jump in front of
thousands. Shrug your shoulders, flip off the heckler, and keep on
spinnin'!

Kraft

Jackson West

There are a couple of things you can do to reduce skips before you
spend money. The other thing to remember is that just as Madonna and
Brittney will lip-sync until their blue in the face, a lot of DJs on
TV aren't really doing a damn thing - just aping for the cameras. Ah,
the magic of DAT tapes and creative video editing...if only reality
were so easy.

The most important thing is your tonearm. Do you know how to balance
it and adjust the weight correctly? There are a number of articles on
how to do this to be found on the internet, usually for users of
Technics 1200's, but the same principles apply to all turntables. The
cartridges you are currently using should specify (in their printed
specs - if lost, check the manufacturer's website) what weight range
to use - usually from two to five grams.

Basically what you want to do is set up your cartridge and stylus
normally. Then adjust the back weight on the tonearm until the
cartridge 'floats', like you would with a slide-scale (the kind they
use at the doctor's office). This is your zero point - where the
downward pressure of the stylus is approximately zero grams. Now your
backweight should have a little adjustable plastic ring with numbers
on it. Being careful not to adjust the position of the weight itself,
turn this ring until the 0 lines up with the line at the top of the
tonearm. Now turn the weight and ring clockwise - from 0 to 1, from 1
to 2, etc. You are now adding downward pressure to the stylus. The
numbers represent grams of pressure. 3.5 grams is usually called for
in the specs, but may be too light for your touch. 5 grams is what
most DJs use. Remember, the more weight on the stylus, the more wear
on your record and the stylus (you'll burn the grooves and release the
spring tension from the stylus sooner). If things are really bad,
especially when the crowd is shaking the table, etc., people have been
known to balance or tape a penny on top of the tone-arm. I have a
stylus pressure gauge from the fifties that a friend found which
allows me to set the pressure very quickly without having to do the
balancing act, but I've never seen a new one for sale - my friend
found the one I have when he was cleaning out an old lady's house.
Check E-bay - mine was made by Garrard in England.

Other things that might affect skips are the tonearm height and the
anti-skate setting. Most DJ's recommend that you always leave the
anti-skate setting at 0 for scratching. For hi-fidelity applications
(i.e. no scratching) it's usually set to match the stylus pressure -
i.e. 3 grams of stylus pressure means to set the anti-skate to 3. The
reason DJ's set it to zero is because they feel that anti-skate makes
the stylus more likely to skip to the outside groove, or back, and
would rather it skipped inside or forward (where you can just
back-scratch to recue).

The tonearm height is less objective. I've heard Q-Bert always sets
the height as high as possible, making the angle to the record of the
stylus more downward. You definitely want the tonearm to be at least
level with the record - and when you have a plastic slipmat under your
felt and heavyweight records, you will have to add height to the
tonearm so that it is parallel with the level of the record. I
generally max mine up.

Finally, there is how you set up the cartridge. The headshell is the
plastic piece with the connectors that screws into the tonearm. The
cartridge is the bit connected to the headshell via wires and screws
(ortofons and other brands integrate the headshell and cartridge into
one piece, but these are not usally designed for scratching). The
stylus is the actual 'needle' inserted in the cartridge. First, most
cartridges come with an extra weight that can be inserted between the
cartridge and headshell, with holes for the screws. Remember to
re-adjust the tonearm balance for your optimal stylus pressure - the
weight is meant to 'deaden' up-and-down movement, not to add stylus
pressure. I use one, as do most scratch DJs.

The other thing you can do is 'toe-out' the cartridge. Normally you
want to have the front of the cartridge flush with the front of the
headshell and ninety-degrees perpendicular to the grove (straight).
Some DJs instead angle the cartridge anywhere from 12 to 20 degrees to
the right (towards the edge of the platter). Some say this helps
imitate the performance of straight tonearms (which are considered
more skip-resistant) on curved tonearm designs. Also, they feel it
makes it more likely that skips move to the inside groove, which they
may prefer. I have never had much success with this technique.

Another thing to consider is whether or not the platter is level. If
the platter is tilted, the needle will skip. A lot. And ruin your
records. You can get a small level from any hardware store - I have a
little round plastic one the size of a quarter that I always bring
when I'm setting up for a show. Technics have adjustable,
spring-loaded feet that you can turn to adjust in case the surface
isn't level, but you can't really correct very far and it's a slow and
painful way to get a level platter. Much better to try to affect the
change on the surface itself. Get the surface as close as possible to
level, and then make minor adjustments to the turntable.

The records themselves can also contribute. You should be meticulous
in keeping your records clean, dust free and away from heat. Always
store records upright (vertically) in their covers away from light or
heat. This helps keep them from warping - you cannot scratch warped
records, and often can't even listen to them! You should also have
two brushes - a sponge-type velvet brush for applying cleaning fluid
and a dry carbon-fiber brush for clean but dusty records. Use the wet
brush (D4 and Radio Shack make fine, cheap cleaning kits) to clean a
dirty record that may have sugar or grease on it (from spilled bear or
fingerprints most likely). Don't play the record until the cleaning
solution has evaporated. To quickly remove dust, use the dry brush.
I have one from Pickering that costs about ten dollars that will last
a lifetime.

Sometimes the problem is that the hole in the record is too big for
the spindle - if it's not a snug fit, then every time you touch the
record you will cause a skip. You'll notice that as you scratch the
record will move side-to-side slightly on the platter, instead of
strictly around the spindle. There's all sorts of solutions. Most
people will put little bits of stickers or tape through the hole to
make it small enough and keep the fit snug. You can also take a bit
plastic, like the kind used as record inner-sleeves, put it over the
spindle and then press the record over the spindle and plastic. The
plastic will stretch and form to fit the hole.

Finally you'll want to work on your touch. Some DJs have a heavy
touch, and compensate by using more stylus pressure. Some DJs have a
light touch and don't need all the weight and special tricks. One way
to lighten your touch is to work with less than the weight your
normally used to when practicing - kind of like how athletes will wear
ankle weights during training and then take them off for the game to
over-develop their muscles. Then, during a performance, you set it to
the normal weight and only add more weight if skips become a problem.
There's nothing I hate more than sharing decks with some a__hole who
just immediately jacks the weight to max - I've had many of my
expensive styli ruined this way (note: proper DJ etiquette states
that if you're using someone else's turntables you still bring your
own headshells with cartridge and stylus to use - would you let
someone else DJ with your records, or show up to a gig without your
own headphones? I didn't think so).

There are a few manufacturers that have designed styli for scratching
and turntablism. Vestax comes to mind. Pickering styluses are good
if you're on a budget. Stanton has just added some new products
designed for turntablists, but they have traditionally catered to the
beatmixing crowd. The gold standard is the M-44 from Shure. The
cartridges cost (with included stylus) something like $100 to $130 a
pair, but are well worth it. You can get replacement styli anywhere
from $25 to $45 dollars (it pays to shop around). Plus Shure are
American-made and really stand behind their product (when I got my
first pair of M-44's, the included stylus on one simply snapped the
first time I used it - they replaced it for free).

I hope all this info helps. Check out the Shure website for tonearm
balancing and cartridge setup instructions that apply to any
manufacturer's product. They also sponsored the Turntablism 101
video, which shows a Shure tech setting up a cartridge for use at the
end. And remember, shit happens! Grandmaster Flash, Mixmaster Mike
and every other DJ in history has had his s__t jump in front of
thousands. Shrug your shoulders, flip off the heckler, and keep on
spinnin'!

Kraft

Jackson West

I just found the Shure SG-2 Stylus Pressure Guage. At approximately
$20 it offers a quick way to very accurately (within one-tenths of a
gram) determine your stylus pressure, from 0 to 3 grams. Think of it
as an insurance policy against excessive record and stylus wear - a
must-buy!

Kraft