Thanks Greg. I was admittedly complacent, picking my way through the translation, but this is much easier on the eyes / brain. :-) I see the steel needles are rated at around "5 sides." That would be useful for a few muti-side classical pieces.
It also makes things easier when you're trying end a house party by putting on your Gold Seal repeater and "The Okeh Laughing Record." ;-) I've ordered a tin to give it a try. We'll see how they fare, or if my tester 78 is reduced to dust. On the converse of that, I also saw for sale in Japan, a vintage needle sharpening record. Was anything like that ever attempted in the West? I wasn't sure if it was meant for steel or fiber. Clever as it might be though, I wouldn't want to be around to hear a needle being sharpened in rich booming orthophonic sound, ;-) Arvin On 4/11/13 5:12 AM, "Greg Bogantz" <[email protected]> wrote: > Well, silly me, I should have known that Google is my friend. A little > poking around the internet yields this English language site that describes > the various JICO styli available directly from Japan: > > http://stylus.export-japan.com/ > > And the deluxe S.A.S. models are also available from LP Gear: > > http://www.lpgear.com/category/JICO.html > > Greg Bogantz > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Greg Bogantz" <[email protected]> > To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 9:06 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] JICO "Eagle" Steel Needles? > > >> What interests me is that this company has a fairly complete line of >> what appear to be good quality replacement styli for modern stereo >> cartridges. Considering that Stanton and Shure do NOT make replacement >> styli for their premium models anymore, I wonder if anybody is importing >> these from JICO. I don't see any indication that there is an >> English-friendly website equivalent to the Japanese one, so I can't >> decipher much of the technical imformation. But the pictures and the >> smattering of English on the site indicates that they have Shibata or >> quadrahedral line-contact types available for the Audio Technica and >> Stanton lines, and the nearly impossible to find "Micro-Ridge" styli for >> the Shure models as indicated by the MR in their model numbers. Decoding >> the prices in yen for these models, they aren't cheap but the fact that >> they are available at all is a revelation. I'd sure like to find out more >> about these. >> >> Greg Bogantz >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Arvin Casas" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2013 8:09 PM >> Subject: [Phono-L] JICO "Eagle" Steel Needles? >> >> >>> Hi All, >>> >>> I happened to run across these needles and was curious to see if anybody >>> had >>> any experiences with them? These are modern antique phonograph needles >>> made >>> in Japan by a precision jewelry manufacturer called JICO. The company, >>> aside from precision jewelry bits, apparently makes styli for the retro >>> hi-fi / audiophile market. >>> >>> In keeping with the recent trend/interest in Japan in antique phonographs >>> (some may have seen the hobby kits coming out of Japan allowing you to >>> build >>> your own "Edison," or other mechanically powered model gramophones), >>> JICO >>> is making carbon steel acoustic phonograph needles called "Eagle." >>> >>> http://jico.co.jp/product/ >>> http://shop.jico.co.jp/accessories/ >>> >>> I can't read Japanese, but from what I can decipher via my Google >>> translation plug-in, these "Eagle" carbon steel needles are designed for >>> 8-10 plays. They even package them in 50's style Japanese tins (modern >>> graphics, but old style, sliding cover tins). >>> >>> Has anybody had a chance to try these? I know very well we have >>> contemporary US and European needle manufacturers, but this is the first >>> I've seen of some coming out of Asia and not in a "knock-off" or >>> counterfeit >>> vein. These are being made via hi-end Japan, not the darkened alleys of >>> China or India. >>> >>> If anything, a curious FYI. The quest for multiplay needles, the sequel. >>> :-) >>> >>> Arvin >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Phono-L mailing list >>> http://phono-l.org >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Phono-L mailing list >> http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
