D dlaloum Audioholic Chief Nov 18, 2021 908 0 16 61 Feb 3, 2026 #21 3db said: I prefer the ultrasonic approach because the vibration of the water molecules help loosen and lift dirt out of the grooves. I dont like the idea of using chemicals because of residue. Click to expand... Even the ultrasonic methods work best with some added surfactant in the water...
3db said: I prefer the ultrasonic approach because the vibration of the water molecules help loosen and lift dirt out of the grooves. I dont like the idea of using chemicals because of residue. Click to expand... Even the ultrasonic methods work best with some added surfactant in the water...
lovinthehd Audioholic Jedi Sep 11, 2012 44,861 0 113 Oakridge, OR Feb 3, 2026 #22 Do you have the 22L model? Was just looking at the Amazon ads for various sizes and had a chuckle at the descriptions of "mental cleaning" and "mental apparatus"
Do you have the 22L model? Was just looking at the Amazon ads for various sizes and had a chuckle at the descriptions of "mental cleaning" and "mental apparatus"
D dlaloum Audioholic Chief Nov 18, 2021 908 0 16 61 Feb 4, 2026 #23 lovinthehd said: Do you have the 22L model? Was just looking at the Amazon ads for various sizes and had a chuckle at the descriptions of "mental cleaning" and "mental apparatus" Click to expand... Don't remember how many L - it can clean 5 or 6 records at a time.... which is sometimes handy... (I made it myself about 10 years back)
lovinthehd said: Do you have the 22L model? Was just looking at the Amazon ads for various sizes and had a chuckle at the descriptions of "mental cleaning" and "mental apparatus" Click to expand... Don't remember how many L - it can clean 5 or 6 records at a time.... which is sometimes handy... (I made it myself about 10 years back)
lovinthehd Audioholic Jedi Sep 11, 2012 44,861 0 113 Oakridge, OR Feb 4, 2026 #24 dlaloum said: Don't remember how many L - it can clean 5 or 6 records at a time.... which is sometimes handy... (I made it myself about 10 years back) Click to expand... I was looking at 3db's Vevor unit....or is yours also described that way on Amazon!?
dlaloum said: Don't remember how many L - it can clean 5 or 6 records at a time.... which is sometimes handy... (I made it myself about 10 years back) Click to expand... I was looking at 3db's Vevor unit....or is yours also described that way on Amazon!?
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 4, 2026 #25 If anyone happens to know where I can buy a "shower cap for the record label area" mentioned earlier, please let me know. That would be handy for my kitchen sink cleaning process.. . . Although I never fully submerge the LP I find I still inadvertently get swater drops on the paper so I'm currently blotting it dry immediately after treatment. So far so good but it would make the job easier.
If anyone happens to know where I can buy a "shower cap for the record label area" mentioned earlier, please let me know. That would be handy for my kitchen sink cleaning process.. . . Although I never fully submerge the LP I find I still inadvertently get swater drops on the paper so I'm currently blotting it dry immediately after treatment. So far so good but it would make the job easier.
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 4, 2026 #26 I have never washed an LP. As I keep telling the solution is the Dust Bug. And Dust Bug.
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 4, 2026 #27 I used a dust bug in the 60/70s but was annoyed that it never tracked nicely with the play stylus. It always moved inward too quickly if I recall. Also I never carefully analyzed the situation but theoretically having any object scraping along the top surface during play could potentially cause a noise which travels to the pickup stylus. Heck, if you yell at your record surface during the play of a silent groove simply the vibration or your human voice vibrating the record surface can be detected! There are some rock groups who attend the cutting of their record and during the lead-out groove they all gather around the cutting lathe and yell at the laquer surface: "Thank you for buying our record!" and that shows up (faintly) in the pressings we buy. Anyone have an example of that they can link us to? I'll search for one later.
I used a dust bug in the 60/70s but was annoyed that it never tracked nicely with the play stylus. It always moved inward too quickly if I recall. Also I never carefully analyzed the situation but theoretically having any object scraping along the top surface during play could potentially cause a noise which travels to the pickup stylus. Heck, if you yell at your record surface during the play of a silent groove simply the vibration or your human voice vibrating the record surface can be detected! There are some rock groups who attend the cutting of their record and during the lead-out groove they all gather around the cutting lathe and yell at the laquer surface: "Thank you for buying our record!" and that shows up (faintly) in the pressings we buy. Anyone have an example of that they can link us to? I'll search for one later.
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 4, 2026 #28 m. zillch said: I used a dust bug in the 60/70s but was annoyed that it never tracked nicely with the play stylus. It always moved inward too quickly if I recall. Also I never carefully analyzed the situation but theoretically having any object scraping along the top surface during play could potentially cause a noise which travels to the pickup stylus. Heck, if you yell at your record surface during the play of a silent groove simply the vibration or your human voice vibrating the record surface can be detected! There are some rock groups who attend the cutting of their record and during the lead-out groove they all gather around the cutting lathe and yell at the laquer surface: "Thank you for buying our record!" and that shows up (faintly) in the pressings we buy. Anyone have an example of that they can link us to? I'll search for one later. Click to expand... You had it mounted too far forward. They do not transmit noise to the stylus. I have used Dust Bugs for sixty years or so now, with zero issues.
m. zillch said: I used a dust bug in the 60/70s but was annoyed that it never tracked nicely with the play stylus. It always moved inward too quickly if I recall. Also I never carefully analyzed the situation but theoretically having any object scraping along the top surface during play could potentially cause a noise which travels to the pickup stylus. Heck, if you yell at your record surface during the play of a silent groove simply the vibration or your human voice vibrating the record surface can be detected! There are some rock groups who attend the cutting of their record and during the lead-out groove they all gather around the cutting lathe and yell at the laquer surface: "Thank you for buying our record!" and that shows up (faintly) in the pressings we buy. Anyone have an example of that they can link us to? I'll search for one later. Click to expand... You had it mounted too far forward. They do not transmit noise to the stylus. I have used Dust Bugs for sixty years or so now, with zero issues.
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 4, 2026 #29 Mine was setup in the same place as yours and there are only two pivot holes to choose from. Are you suggesting I was supposed to drill a new, third pivot hole?
Mine was setup in the same place as yours and there are only two pivot holes to choose from. Are you suggesting I was supposed to drill a new, third pivot hole?
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 4, 2026 #30 This guy seems to have heard what I only stated as a possible concern (but I didn't examine it closely): WATTs DUST BUG I've heard lots of people really like this product and these are people without expensive record vacuum cleaning equipment. I wonder about the quality of this ... www.audiosciencereview.com "You usually can't have something riding on the surface of an LP without it making enough noise that the cartridge will pick it up enough to totally ruin the experience. We played with and rejected "Dust Bugs" in 1967. "
This guy seems to have heard what I only stated as a possible concern (but I didn't examine it closely): WATTs DUST BUG I've heard lots of people really like this product and these are people without expensive record vacuum cleaning equipment. I wonder about the quality of this ... www.audiosciencereview.com "You usually can't have something riding on the surface of an LP without it making enough noise that the cartridge will pick it up enough to totally ruin the experience. We played with and rejected "Dust Bugs" in 1967. "
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 4, 2026 #31 m. zillch said: Mine was setup in the same place as yours and there are only two pivot holes to choose from. Are you suggesting I was supposed to drill a new, third pivot hole? Click to expand... No, I did not drill another hole. However the distance of the pivot is very critical. I have four turntables in use, all have Dust Bugs, and none have the problem you describe. In fact I have never had this problem in sixty odd years. I have never had noise transmitted through the system. Last edited: Feb 5, 2026
m. zillch said: Mine was setup in the same place as yours and there are only two pivot holes to choose from. Are you suggesting I was supposed to drill a new, third pivot hole? Click to expand... No, I did not drill another hole. However the distance of the pivot is very critical. I have four turntables in use, all have Dust Bugs, and none have the problem you describe. In fact I have never had this problem in sixty odd years. I have never had noise transmitted through the system.
3db Audioholic Slumlord Sep 7, 2002 16,484 0 113 65 Ottawa Canada Feb 4, 2026 #32 TLS Guy said: I have never washed an LP. As I keep telling the solution is the Dust Bug. And Dust Bug. Click to expand... The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself.
TLS Guy said: I have never washed an LP. As I keep telling the solution is the Dust Bug. And Dust Bug. Click to expand... The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself.
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 4, 2026 #33 3db said: The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself. Click to expand... That is absolutely true. You have to keep the discs in good condition and handle them properly. I have very few discs that I did not buy new. I bought a few from the estate of a collector in England, and his son assured me that he was obsessional about the care of his discs and he gave me pictures of his turntable. The discs were in perfect condition and play perfectly. I have not bought any vinyl for quite a few years now. So I just enjoy my collection, and I don't really have space for any more discs. Reactions: 3db
3db said: The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself. Click to expand... That is absolutely true. You have to keep the discs in good condition and handle them properly. I have very few discs that I did not buy new. I bought a few from the estate of a collector in England, and his son assured me that he was obsessional about the care of his discs and he gave me pictures of his turntable. The discs were in perfect condition and play perfectly. I have not bought any vinyl for quite a few years now. So I just enjoy my collection, and I don't really have space for any more discs.
Eppie Audioholic Ninja Jan 22, 2021 4,082 0 36 The Great White North Feb 5, 2026 #34 3db said: The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself. Click to expand... They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us
3db said: The dust bug will not work on used album purchases as affectively as an ultrasonic cleaner, not even close. Once the records have been cleaned via the ultrasonic, then the dust bug would come in very handy to maintain the cleanliness of the lps. I wouldnt mind getting two myself. Click to expand... They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us
Mikado463 Audioholic Warlord Feb 27, 2016 7,568 0 83 Feb 5, 2026 #35 Eppie said: They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us Click to expand... So, inquiring minds want to know, if the 'bug' is that great, why hasn't it be re-introduced ? Given the current resurgence in vinyl playback, albeit a niche market, one would think it would ?
Eppie said: They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us Click to expand... So, inquiring minds want to know, if the 'bug' is that great, why hasn't it be re-introduced ? Given the current resurgence in vinyl playback, albeit a niche market, one would think it would ?
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 5, 2026 #36 Mikado463 said: So, inquiring minds want to know, if the 'bug' is that great, why hasn't it be re-introduced ? Given the current resurgence in vinyl playback, albeit a niche market, one would think it would ? Click to expand... Probably because Cecil E. Watts is long deceased, and I have no idea who holds the patents. But he did a lot of research on the shape of the nylon brush tips and the brush itself. This was all based on his extensive research on vinyl discs using electron micro graphs. So someone would have to look up his old papers and these are very difficult to find and actually may be lost. You can't use any old brush tips you feel like. I have been thinking about that noise issue mentioned. I suppose it is just possible those light turntable platters in junk turntables could cause the problem. At the time Cecil Watts did his research there were essentially only three brands of turntables enthusiasts used, and that was Garrard, Thorens and Sugden. They all had heavy turntable platters. Two of my turntables are Garrard 301s, and two are by Thorens when they were made in Switzerland before the buyout. I have never heard any noise transmitted by my Dust Bugs ever. I can assure my systems would reveal it if they did.
Mikado463 said: So, inquiring minds want to know, if the 'bug' is that great, why hasn't it be re-introduced ? Given the current resurgence in vinyl playback, albeit a niche market, one would think it would ? Click to expand... Probably because Cecil E. Watts is long deceased, and I have no idea who holds the patents. But he did a lot of research on the shape of the nylon brush tips and the brush itself. This was all based on his extensive research on vinyl discs using electron micro graphs. So someone would have to look up his old papers and these are very difficult to find and actually may be lost. You can't use any old brush tips you feel like. I have been thinking about that noise issue mentioned. I suppose it is just possible those light turntable platters in junk turntables could cause the problem. At the time Cecil Watts did his research there were essentially only three brands of turntables enthusiasts used, and that was Garrard, Thorens and Sugden. They all had heavy turntable platters. Two of my turntables are Garrard 301s, and two are by Thorens when they were made in Switzerland before the buyout. I have never heard any noise transmitted by my Dust Bugs ever. I can assure my systems would reveal it if they did.
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 5, 2026 #37 Eppie said: They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us Click to expand... There a Dust Bug for sale in the US on eBay at the moment. If the Brush or bristles are worn, I have a good stash of spare parts.
Eppie said: They are getting hard to find. I was lucky when the Doc pointed one out on Ebay two years ago and I managed to grab it. The wire handle above the brush was a little too high for my table though. I had to carefully bend it down so that it would not hit the dust cover. There is one on Ebay currently but ships from the UK and is 100 British pounds. Ouch! I paid $70 Cdn for mine (about $50 USD). ORIGINAL VINTAGE CECIL E WATTS DUST BUG NEW UNUSED OLD STOCK | eBay Unused although the anti-static fluid has evaporated. ebay.us Click to expand... There a Dust Bug for sale in the US on eBay at the moment. If the Brush or bristles are worn, I have a good stash of spare parts.
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 5, 2026 #38 I can't speak to their efficacy, but I see there are at least some other bugs out there. Here's a similar device from 1957.: Last edited: Feb 5, 2026 Reactions: Mikado463
I can't speak to their efficacy, but I see there are at least some other bugs out there. Here's a similar device from 1957.:
m. zillch Full Audioholic Sep 5, 2022 395 0 16 Feb 5, 2026 #39 This one looks quite stylus stylish for its price. PLUS IT HAS A GROUND WIRE TO DRAIN STATIC CHARGE! Woo-hoo. [I'd think that would only really work well if the bristles are electrically conductive.] My rubbery platter mat is also made by Hudson. I like it.
This one looks quite stylus stylish for its price. PLUS IT HAS A GROUND WIRE TO DRAIN STATIC CHARGE! Woo-hoo. [I'd think that would only really work well if the bristles are electrically conductive.] My rubbery platter mat is also made by Hudson. I like it.
TLS Guy Audioholic Jedi Oct 30, 2007 27,281 0 113 79 Eagan MN Feb 5, 2026 #40 m. zillch said: This one looks quite stylus stylish for its price. PLUS IT HAS A GROUND WIRE TO DRAIN STATIC CHARGE! Woo-hoo. [I'd think that would only really work well if the bristles are electrically conductive.] View attachment 77643 My rubbery platter mat is also made by Hudson. I like it. Click to expand... Unfortunately only the original Dust Bug works and does the job.
m. zillch said: This one looks quite stylus stylish for its price. PLUS IT HAS A GROUND WIRE TO DRAIN STATIC CHARGE! Woo-hoo. [I'd think that would only really work well if the bristles are electrically conductive.] View attachment 77643 My rubbery platter mat is also made by Hudson. I like it. Click to expand... Unfortunately only the original Dust Bug works and does the job.
