Defect assessment and repair
The distinctive warmth and tactile experience of vinyl records offer an unparalleled listening pleasure; however, few things are as disheartening to a vinyl enthusiast as a favourite record that begins to jump or stick (collectively referred to as “skipping”), abruptly disrupting the audio experience. While the immediate assumption often points to a “scratch” as the culprit, the reality is more nuanced. A skipping record is a symptom, and understanding its true cause is a critical step toward any resolution.
The four main reasons that vinyl records skip
1
Debris
Microscopic dust particles, lint, and other environmental debris are by far the most common reasons for a record to skip, even on brand new vinyl. These contaminants can be deeply embedded and physically interfere with the stylus’s ability to smoothly track the delicate, intricate grooves, causing it to lift and jump.
3
Manufacturing defects
Manufacturing defects can also cause skipping. Anybody who unfortunately bought the 2012 remaster of David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”, which skips through most of side 2 (“Star” is unlistenable!), will have met this problem.
Manufacturing defects include:
=> Bubbles/pressing pimples: Small, raised spots on the record’s surface, typically caused by air trapped between the vinyl and the stampers during pressing.
=> Pressing stamper damage: The metal stampers used to press records can get damaged during the manufacturing process, resulting in a scratch or defect being replicated on every record pressed with that stamper.
=> Groove Defects: During mastering before pressing, issues in how the lacquer master disc is cut can lead to problems in the final pressed record; for example, the grooves may be cut too close together or far apart, making them difficult to track.
2
Warping
Warped records, characterised by a bent or distorted vinyl surface, are another common cause of jumping and sticking, often resulting from improper storage or exposure to intense heat. The stylus struggles to maintain consistent contact with the uneven surface, leading to skips.
4
Scratches
Once all other causes of skipping have been systematically ruled out, attention can turn to actual groove imperfections that might be causing the issue. At this stage, expectation of resolution is critical. While minor imperfections can possibly be mitigated – for example, a minor scratch that skips in one or two places – true physical groove damage (a deep scratch that alters the vinyl’s fundamental structure) is most often permanent and cannot be fully repaired to its original state: “a vinyl record groove is only cut once – when it is pressed”.
It’s important to be realistic about the limitations of scratch repair; a scratch that has completely broken the groove, or a deep gouge where a significant amount of vinyl material has been removed, is usually irreparable. There is no way to add new material back into the groove to restore the lost audio information.
Pricing
Revivinyl offers a free assessment of damaged vinyl records and advises as to whether a fix is viable. This can be a remote exercise – using close-up photos and/or audio of the skip – or undertaken in person.
We can usually fix defects determined to be caused by debris, and some caused by warping (dependent upon the degree). If the fault is caused by a scratch, then we may be able to repair it; this would require us to examine the record, determine the degree of damage, and advise you as to the viability and cost of repair. Please note that we cannot rectify severe manufacturing defects.
Costs for defect repair are dependent upon the type of restoration required.
Pricing starts at £5 per 12″ disc and £3 per 7″ disc for two ultrasonic deep-cleaning sessions, to attempt to rectify defects caused by debris.
If the defect is determined to be caused by a treatable scratch or warp rather than debris, the total cost will be between £7.50 and £20.
If we are unable to resolve the defect, we will return your record without charging you for this service.
Please contact us with details and we will start the assessment process to advise you of repair feasibility and cost.