Roots Archives Forum

If you own any JA vinyl with the spindle hole drilled off centre you'll be interested in my solution.

We've discussed this problem here before and a suggested answer was to enlarge the spindle hole to attempt to centre the record for playing.

I haven't found this an at all satisfactory solution and so spent a lot of time trying to think of a better way.

Then it dawned on me that Linear Tracking record decks would be the answer, so I bought one on ebay (a Technics SL-DL1).

IT WORKS!

With a normal deck the tone arm will sway in reaction to an off centre pressing causing it to actually change the speed it reads the record, so you get 'wow' - in other words the music plays in and out of tune.

With a linear tracking tonearm the stylus merely moves side to side, in a straight line, therefore not changing speed or tune.

Now I am able to play the many JA off-centre pressings without being driven utterly mad!

You can use a compass to find the center of the grooves and glue a plastic 45 center to correspond to the center. Have about 15-20 records like this.

K.

leggo rocker: Great info!

"Mad" IS the word, the 'wow' effect is the worst!!!

I don't mind my stylus ridng the rollercoaster-(up&down), but when it's sailing the seas(swaying)...no thanks.
I've sold/returned countless lp's/45's due to this condition.

I'll have to find one of those tables and try it on my leftovers.

"soufriere"...in the meantime I am going to use your skilled instructions, many thanks~!!!

soufriere1 (K) - sorry, but glue, compass needles and anymore drilling are a no no for me and valuable JA pressings! I'd rather spend the thirty five pounds it cost me to buy an old Technics linear tracking deck!

Talking of roller coaster rides, I have an old copy of Kings Dub that is BOTH very off centre and badly warped, the linear deck handles it admirably, albeit with a fair bit of surface noise as the stylus is rammed up against the sides of the groove while trying to cope with the wild movements of the track!

It's entertaining to watch the tone arms symnastics as it tries to keep track of it all (sic)

With 45s, I use the very unscientific method of using one of the turntable centres, lining the record up with that then taking it out and shoving the edge of the record in towards the spindle where it sticks out most- and if it's a really bad one putting a pencil arrow on the label to show where to give it a push. "Tambrin Season" by Dillinger and "Whip them Jah Jah" by the Mighty Abidjians (which is also cracked) are the worst I've come across.

For LP, Soufriere ideas is the one I use, but I don't glue a 45 center.

I enlarge the hole. I find the good position on the turntable. Once the disc spine without any off center problem, I put my 45 center on top of the disc and with a carbone paper I design (as light as possible) on the label the 45 center position. To play the record later you only need to put the 45 center on top of the disc and find the good position of the disc according the mark on label.


wareika

LEggo,

I never said anything about a drill....and this is generally more f a problem with 45's than LP's - I've yet had to fix an LP this way. IS it not about the music (and getting it to play)? If so, one must "suck it up" so they say.

K.

P.S. Do you Dj? What happens when you take your records out to play and there's no linear tracker at the establishment?

I'm not a great collector of 45s, except 12 inch. I have never have been into them in any genre of music. Partly because of the dreadful quality of them - even UK/US mainstream pressings - at 7" size.

But I do have MANY LPs that are off centre. All of them JA pressings! Can someone explain what was going on there? Was it the collie man's fault

I said drill in answer to suggestions of enlarging the hole, which I presume you must do with a knife, or drill or something. I've done this but it made me cringe! Hence the search for an alternative solution.

I have DJ'd at private parties, and for those occasions I tend to stick to the 12 inch 'disco' 45s or CDs as picking tracks out of 33 Lps isn't easy in the dark!

Sadly not much call for reggae DJs in Lincoln, UK.

And yes, primarily it IS about the music. BUT it is also, for me, about the vinyl, the covers, the labels and also the history of the record and players of instrument.

I get a thrill from listening to an LP I have been trying to track down. But I get an equal thrill from simply owning the vinyl, especially original pressings.

Some tunes or LPs I have several copies of, different pressings, different labels, different mixes or even simply different coloured vinyl! Usually there is an historical reason for this (my history that is!)

Anyone who collects anything, even the numbers on trains, can understand this 'trainspotter' disorder. And the prices formerly two dollar LPs are now fetching on ebay suggests I am not alone in my obbsession for rare and/or interesting vinyl.

I also now seem to be collecting linear tracking record decks

I'm with Jesco's method.

"Tapping" a 45 to where it's on center is very easy to do with 45's but it really can't be done with lps unless you make the hole bigger...................................

OR better yet...

if your turntable is one where the center spindle thing can be taken out, you're set.

Usually, 45s and/or lps aren't *that* off center, so all you really need is a little space {aka take spindle out} to "tap" the lp so it's not off center.

Sadly, Techniques 1200 - the center spindle can't be taken out. That's about the only bad thing I can think of when it comes to the 1200s.

That's why with modern releases, lp wise, I just drill a hole. Unless the label is something extra special.

Must admit, I don't like to drill holes in oldies lps.

Babylon {or the pope} must be responsible for off center records.

Hey Leggo,

If I take an holiday on the Norfolk Broads, you can come and DJ for me.

Respect

Dave