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Originally posted by Jah ok i hope to own some gear soon and i was just wondering what some techniques are to keep everything tip top like how do you clean your needles/records well and take care of your tables (technics!) and mixer...? (cover?) also how should store records/gear is it ok if there is sunlight on it? sounds really picky i know but keep em nice!

get a roadcase. Protect it from dust.

Since I dont have a roadcase my gear gets dusty, a few days ago I vacumed the dust off my mixer.

oh ok! thanx for the info and tips dude!

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to clean needles, I'm using Stylus Cleaner Kit.

and for the records, just carbon brush...maybe I'm gonna buy Gruvglide.

Dust is the worst enemy of both your vinyl and your equipment. Try and keep them as dust free as possible. A road / flight case as Xavier suggested is a good idea. Not only will this keep the dust away but it will protect your equipment from nocks and bumps. As for sunlight, the odd beam of light isn’t going to hurt your decks, however I wouldn’t recommend leaving them in the blazing sunlight for all the time!

so how often should i dust proof?

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Originally posted by Spin Doctor As for sunlight, the odd beam of light isn’t going to hurt your decks, however I wouldn’t recommend leaving them in the blazing sunlight for all the time!

No danger there for me there then, I live in Wales!

But seriously, keep you records OUT of the sun. Sunlight through a window really makes the records heat up, and thats the best way to warp them. Just keep them in the shade, maybe directly under the window because the sun is never going to hit them there.

As for dust covers, I don't have any for mine, I just end up brushing dust off my Technics while I'm mixing. As long as you don't let the dust build up too much you should be fine. Just remember to take the platter off every month or so to get rid of the dust accumulating under there.

I use a stylus cleaning brush to clean my needles as well, although you can avoid the cost of buying one. Just nab an old mascara brush off you mum or girlfriend, clean it out well (and I mean well - you don't want to end up with voluminous lashes on your cartridges!) and just dip it in some isopropyl alcohol (aka IPA) which you can get from most hi-fi or hardware stores. It's used for cleaning tape heads and things like that so it's widely available.

As for storing records, you need to try and keep them upright if you can. Leaving them horizontal won't damage them directly, but if you stack them like it then the grooves get squashed down and affect the sound of the vinyl. It can also cause warping.