Searching Needles by Stylus/Needle Number
In Brief:
If you are fairly certain you have a part number for the currently installed needle, then proceed to our search window below. Contrary to popular thinking that all one needs is the player make & model to find a needle, a needle (or cartridge) number is actually the best way to find the right needle the 1st time with 99% accuracy.
In Detail:
Flat/Crank/flipover needles for older ceramic cartridges in record players & phonographs. Proceed to search window or, if you only have a brand name, scroll down to your brand to try your luck at a visual match. (You have a crank/flip stylus if there is a flipover handle sticking out the side of your ceramic pickup cartridge.)
"Push-in" needles for magnetic cartridges in turntables generally from about the mid-1970's to present, should carry a warning: "Danger! Will Robinson, you are in grave danger of having to repeat your search and order mission." Here's why.
Modified from our STYLUS SEEKERS article.
....cross referencing your needle by numbers found anywhere other than directly from the cartridge or the colored plastic stylus grip that is currently installed can present a high risk of requiring an exchange after purchase for a corrected replacement based on more careful info. for the following reasons:
A) Sometimes a manufacturer changed the cartridge/needle combo 'mid production' without changing the turntable model number or literature or drawing.
B) Sometimes a turntable was sold without any cartridge, thus forcing/allowing the customer to choose almost any cartridge available at time of purchase.
C) Most commonly, someone changes the cartridge/needle combo after the turntable was originally purchased in an effort to upgrade the sound, and so again it could have almost anything installed.
Any of the above conditions will destroy the much hoped for cross reference based on the model number, the needle number in the owner's manual or even a number stamped on the turntable itself. In short, don't fully trust any number that is not found on the cartridge or plastic stylus "grip". So, if armed with a stylus number from the stylus, please proceed to our:
You are welcome to use a stylus number from the turntable literature. Sometimes it is even printed right on the deck but if you do find a match, you MUST backup that match by visually matching our picture to your old needle, else you face about a 30% chance that something has changed which will force you to exchange your needle.
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