Carbon fibre brushes.....

[Bright Spark.]

I know there's been a lot of posts on here regarding the advantages of carbon fibre brushes for cleaning off the record before playing ..... but looking at ones for sale ( ebay )..... the prices vary from a few pounds, to much greater sums.

Is there a great difference in quality to justify the higher priced ones ?

Can anyone recommend a good one ? It doesn't matter where it is or the cost ( within ) reason..... just so long as it's justified. !

Thanks again all ....

[pivot]

I use and am happy with the Audioquest. Here is one USA based supplier but I am sure you can find something nearer to home.

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/72883

I also tried a lower priced version that looked exactly the same if one did not look to close. The bristles were more coarse and tended to shead. I tossed it out. Look out for cheesy junky copies.

Do keep in mind the carbon brush is just to remove the loose dust just before playing an already clean record. A CF brush is not going to clean a really dirty record.

[Blue Angel]

My free, unrequired opinion: I think they all come out of the same kitchen and methinks they're pretty useless, if you're enquiring about the well-known record brushes.

I have these brushes branded Decca, Goldring and Audioquest and they're all identical except for the branding.

ba

[pivot]

My free, unrequired opinion: I think they all come out of the same kitchen and methinks they're pretty useless, if you're enquiring about the well-known record brushes.

I think you are correct on the brand name units but I did have one cheapy that was clearly inferior.

As far as "useless" I don't agree, but the use is limited to just the final dusting.

[Blue Angel]

Well, OK, Kev Final dusting's the ticket.

ba

[v1nn1e]

I have one of the regular carbon fibre brushes that I use before I play.

I also earth myself by touching the earth terminal on my phono amp with my other hand whilst I'm holding the aluminium back of the brush as it is against the record.

Just wondered if anyone else does that? Never had a particular problem with static, but then again its very damp in the UK most of the time!

[Dadimo]

I never had a problem with static.
I keep an audioquest carbon fiber brush next to the Dual to dust records that had a good cleaning on the RCM, but might need some dusting before playing.

[Singlemania45]

I know there's been a lot of posts on here regarding the advantages of carbon fibre brushes for cleaning off the record before playing ..... but looking at ones for sale ( ebay )..... the prices vary from a few pounds, to much greater sums.

Is there a great difference in quality to justify the higher priced ones ?

Can anyone recommend a good one ? It doesn't matter where it is or the cost ( within ) reason..... just so long as it's justified. !

Thanks again all ....

I have 2 brushes. The cheap and cheerful HMV carbon fibre brush (looks identical to that Audioquest one linked earlier) cleans well and doesn't generate much static. The Super Exstatic by Goldring was more costly using a combination of two carbon brushes and a velvet pad. The Goldring generates so much static that my hair (what little I have) starts to levitate and as you transfer the record to the sleeve you can see the airborn dust particles flying in the direction of the record

[Vulcan Viewer]

Use an earthed one, that tracks like a dustbug, and can be grounded.

[Audio_Man]

I would second the cheap HMV brush or similar. Works as well if better than Hunt (which sounds like its now the Goldring). The old 'Decca' type has its uses with reversable hard and soft bristles rather than carbon. In the end they just brush of loose dust. Mainly use them for removing loose debris prior cleaning with RCM.

[timspell]

I use and am happy with the Audioquest.

DITTO

[ronzeman]

Anyone remember the Staticmaster brush? It had a strip of polonium under the retractable soft bristles. The " radiation" was for ionization. I'm sure the "half life" has clocked several times over in mine, ( vintage 1977) but the bristles are still in good shape. Does a good job of cleaning just prior to playing. I also use my "vintage" Discwasher. This oldie has "directional" nap. Also a good performer.

[Alec124c41]

Anyone remember the Staticmaster brush? It had a strip of polonium under the retractable soft bristles. The " radiation" was for ionization. I'm sure the "half life" has clocked several times over in mine, ( vintage 1977) but the bristles are still in good shape. Does a good job of cleaning just prior to playing. I also use my "vintage" Discwasher. This oldie has "directional" nap. Also a good performer.

As a photographer, I had a couple of Staticmasters. I found that the camel hair brush created far too much static, and that the polonium strip was pretty useless. For negatives, the best solution was a Zerostat and a can of compressed air. The Ilford cloth was next best.
I use a carbon fibre brush to remove dust from my records, just before playing, or a misted Diskwasher brush for the dirtier ones.

Cheers,
Alec

[ronzeman]

Thanks for your insight. I just ordered a carbon fiber brush and I'm looking forward to trying it.