can you repair a scratched record ?

Question

i have a record with minor scratches in it but its enough to make it skip. is there any way to repair it ?

thanks you for all your help i tried number 3's advice first and holy **** it helped a lot not 100% but it for sure made a HUGE different i still get some skips but less then b4 thanks you guys !!!!

Answer 1

No. sorry =( I am glad that you still listen to vinyl. It a lost ART!

Answer 2

The answers above are pretty good, but I've found a surefire way to fix a scratch is to play the record through on an old turntable at 78rpm.+ a few other tricks... I've got a music system from the seventies I use, so it still has a stereo stylus/cartridge

I just play through the area a few times at a fast speed, then stop the turntable, wheel it backwards over the area, play through again. If there is a visible obstruction in the groove, sometimes I'll occasionally work through that area with my thumbnail. (carefully...). If the record still skips at the fast speed, I might weight the needle a little...Generally, however, if you can get it to play through at 78rpm, and do so a few times, it will play fine at 33 or 45.

Can't recommend using a toothbrush, but cleaning certainly helps. I use a regular washing up liquid, and that has made some records that look TOTALLY WRECKED play very well indeed.

Answer 3

There's no 100% fix but here's my two cents. You might want to try this on another old scratched vinyl and if you like the results then proceed to the real deal.

*** Disclaimer: Try this at your own risk ***

Clean the record with alcohol, use a solf but firm brush to get into the grooves as much as possible. Do not use any metal or hard brushes. You want to clean, not scratch further.

Make sure your record players needle is new or in like new condition. A worn out one will skip easier. Make sure it's clean too.

At this point you can try it before going into more complicated territory. If it still skippin try the following.

Calibrate the player arm for correct weight and tension. This is a little harder than it sounds. Depending on your record player model. It might have a balance weight. When adjusted it will make the needle press harder or softer on the vinyl. Sometimes making it heavier will help the needle absurb the scratched section and proceed. You will still hear a pop depending on how bad the defect is. If the needle is too lite then any minor inpection will make it jump.

Your record player might also have a tracking adjustment. It's an adjustment that sort of gives the arm the property of moving into the record or pulls on it. Don't know the correct term for it, but when properly adjusted it makes the arm flow effortlessly in the direcction of the vinyls grooves creating less tension and reducing noise.

By trial and error you can (after cleaning the LP) configure your player to play through the scratched section on the record.

I also found the actually playing the LP while it was still wet with alcohol, helped buffer out or reduce the more faint hiss.

Make sure you understand how to modify your record players adjustments to return them to the original settings. Take notes on all the changes you make and be carefull not to get any alcohol on the record label or player, cause it will ruin it.

Like I said. Try it first on a demo record you don't mind messing up. And do not mess with your record players adjustments unless you know what your doing and can reset to defaults again.

Answer 4

YES!!!!
It just so happens, a friend of mine is a DJ.

He showed me this, YEARS ago! I had a collection of really old but very scratched up records and wanted to know where I could buy NEW ones! LOL!!!

He said.."they aren't scatched. What causes them to skip, is just plain old dirt, that has gotten into the grooves over time."

He asked me if I had an old tooth brush.
I got one for him.

He took my records over to the kitchen sink, turned on the water(warm), rubbed soap on the toothbrush and started scrubbing the records, along the grooves!

I would have THOUGHT, that would ruin them. NO!

He dried them off with the dish towel and then we played them.

They sounded as if I had bought them THAT DAY!

I was stunned! I thought SCRATCHES, caused them to skip! No. Just dirt!

Good Luck!
Scrub away! It won't hurt your records and they'll sound like new!

NO KIDDING!

Answer 5

you can take it to a game store or movie rental place and sometimes they will buff it for a small fee but if it's really scratched it's time for a new one