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RECORD CLEANING
One of the most basic problems we find with nearly all the records we are asked to restore for our clients is that they are dirty (the records that is, not the clients). Over the years, poor handling has resulted in fingerprints on the playing area and the grease transferred from the cleanest fingers will attract dirt like nothing else in the world.
Cleanliness of both the stylus and the records is of absolute importance. As the stylus passes over the record surface, the record grooves are subjected to a force of over 14 tons per square inch. This tremendous pressure results in the vinyl being subjected to temperatures as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This momentarily melts the vinyl as the stylus passes by. If there is any dust on the stylus or the record it will be baked on to the stylus tip which will result in irreparable damage to the surface of the record. This damage is what causes the audible ticks and pops you can hear, even when the record appears completely free of physical scratches or other marks. Regular cleaning of both the stylus and the record will keep your record collection sounding perfect for many, many years.
Although we promote the professional cleaning of records, it is not a substitute for records which have already suffered physical damage. If such damage has already taken place, then it will be necessary to use our digital restoration techniques to recover as much of the sound as is left, preferably before any further damage takes place.
We clean records using a Keith Monks Record Cleaning Machine. This has been the machine of choice for all the major broadcasting companies and archival stores throughout the world for the past forty years. Although several similar (and cheaper) machines have been introduced, it is still acknowledged as the best machine of its type in the world.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the only machine available to the private individual in Spain. Originally purchased for use in our own audio restoration business, we decided to make it available to others in the interests of record preservation.
WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU
We attend a number of Collectors Fairs and record shops throughout the year. We demonstrate the record cleaning machine, play samples of our electronic restoration service and can clean your records while you wait. However, it is a fairly slow process (averaging some 12 LP's per hour) and large collections can not be handled in this way. The cost of cleaning a single record is 2.50 Euros, three for 7.00 Euros, inclusive of the new inner sleeve. If you have a large collection, then we would be happy to quote a 'collectors price' once we know how many records are involved. We are also exclusive agents for this machine. If you have a very large collection, or are involved with broadcasting, archival stores, etc, contact us for details of purchase.
