So, I'm fairly new to turntables and record playing, but my dad gave me his old turntable and I have some questions/problems/issues.

The turntable is a JVC QL-F4, it is in excellent shape, and seems to run well. However, the cartridge is very old, and hasn't really been used much in 15 years. I tried inspecting the stylus, and it looks pretty worn out/dirty, and not fixed by brushing it back-to-front with a carbon fiber brush. So, I think I should just buy a new cartridge. So, my questions are...

-should all cartridges fit the header on my turntable, or should I get a P-mount instead?
-I would assume cartridges are sold with a stylus, and what would be a good, fairly inexpensive cartridge for a beginner like me with this tt? I don't want to spend more than $100. I have bought Grado headphones in the past and I know they make some pretty inexpensive cartridges, but I've also heard that Shure produces a very good, inexpensive cart.

Thanks in advance for any help or tips anyone can provide.

Looking at the manual on vinylengine.com..http://www.vinylengine.com/library/jvc/ql-f4.shtml

It appears to have a standard headshell. I would go with a standard cart. I got my Grado black a few weeks ago from LPGear for 40.00 with free shipping. There are several carts in that price range so look around.

PM Hakaplan for best reference for the JVC TT. He has some experience with that line. I'm looking forward to your report. In a month or so I'll be getting a JVC myself. For a while I'll run it with the AT 440MLa that i already have mounted in an existing shell. As soon as I can scrape up the extra $$, I'll be moving up to an AT 150MLX :)

So, I'm fairly new to turntables and record playing, but my dad gave me his old turntable and I have some questions/problems/issues.

The turntable is a JVC QL-F4, it is in excellent shape, and seems to run well. However, the cartridge is very old, and hasn't really been used much in 15 years. I tried inspecting the stylus, and it looks pretty worn out/dirty, and not fixed by brushing it back-to-front with a carbon fiber brush. So, I think I should just buy a new cartridge. So, my questions are...

-should all cartridges fit the header on my turntable, or should I get a P-mount instead?
-I would assume cartridges are sold with a stylus, and what would be a good, fairly inexpensive cartridge for a beginner like me with this tt? I don't want to spend more than $100. I have bought Grado headphones in the past and I know they make some pretty inexpensive cartridges, but I've also heard that Shure produces a very good, inexpensive cart.

Thanks in advance for any help or tips anyone can provide.

Before you invest in a new Cartridge stylus if it was me I'd pickup a Magic Eraser and give the stylus a good cleaning. You'd be surprised at how many stylus that looked like crap cleaned up with a swipe of ME.
If you don't know about the Magic Eraser, do a google search for stylus cleaners or a search at AudioAsylum lots of info on it over there

Before you invest in a new Cartridge stylus if it was me I'd pickup a Magic Eraser and give the stylus a good cleaning. You'd be surprised at how many stylus that looked like crap cleaned up with a swipe of ME.
If you don't know about the Magic Eraser, do a google search for stylus cleaners or a search at AudioAsylum lots of info on it over there

Interesting, I'll check it out. I don't think the cartridge/stylus has been changed since my dad has had the turntable, though, which has been at least 25 years (though it hasn't been used all that long), and I don't even know what kind it is. Just has an insignia with an 'S' and below that it says Model 100. So, I think a new one might be in order anyway.

Thanks for all of the help, all.

Prolly a Shure 100S - new stylus should be about 25 bucks.
try lpgear

Hmm, it doesn't say 100S, but Model 100. My fault, sorry for the confusion. I think I'll probably just get a Shure M97xE, as that seems to be the popular choice around here.

Would you guys recommend stylus cleaners like the LAST #4/#5 solutions? Or just a gentle swipe with my carbon fiber brush?

Any chance of posting a picture of that Model 100 cartridge? I'm curious as to what might be.

Any chance of posting a picture of that Model 100 cartridge? I'm curious as to what might be.

I'll see if I can get a shot of it...

Ok, so I got my Shure M97xE today, and I'm not really sure I should adjust anything on the headshell, or if there are any tips/tricks to mounting the cartridge to the headshell...

Thanks,
inexperienced turntable user....

Ok, so I got my Shure M97xE today, and I'm not really sure I should adjust anything on the headshell, or if there are any tips/tricks to mounting the cartridge to the headshell...

Thanks,
inexperienced turntable user....

Yes, you'll need to get the cart aligned properly - there should be some clue for your TT in the owner's manual, and lots of alignment protractors over at http://vinylengine.com. After alignment, you'll need to balance the arm and set the tracking weight correctly.

Thread here dealing with set-up:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52962

You can also read the "advice" page at Turntable Basics:
http://www.turntablebasics.com/advice.html
The "Tonearm" section is where you should start.

Yes, you'll need to get the cart aligned properly - there should be some clue for your TT in the owner's manual, and lots of alignment protractors over at http://vinylengine.com. After alignment, you'll need to balance the arm and set the tracking weight correctly.

Thread here dealing with set-up:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=52962

You can also read the "advice" page at Turntable Basics:
http://www.turntablebasics.com/advice.html
The "Tonearm" section is where you should start.

Thanks for the links...

Ok, so at the moment I've gotten the cartridge onto the headshell, and followed all of the JVC manual's directions for adjustments (which aren't particularly precise)...for the Shure M97, it is set back very far in the headshell (almost as far as possible) so that the tip of the stylus is right over the "overhang indicator," which seemed a bit odd. Also, I'm sure the flat part of the cartridge is lying on the bottom flat part of the headshell, but the stylus tip does not look like it is perpendicular to the platter; it looks like the tip is pointing a little to the back.

Any help is appreciated as always.

Do you have a protractor or gauge you're using? Pictures or more detailed info would really help!

If you are using overhang, and doing it with the headshell on the arm and a gauge on the platter, make sure you have all the pieces aligned correctly for maximum accuracy.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48212&d=1178112801

Do you have a protractor or gauge you're using? Pictures or more detailed info would really help!

If you are using overhang, and doing it with the headshell on the arm and a gauge on the platter, make sure you have all the pieces aligned correctly for maximum accuracy.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48212&d=1178112801

Hmm, my tt won't permit the tonearm to be roated that far (it is stopped short of the spindle) and I don't think I should go trying to change anything there...

My main concern is the stylus tip not being perpendicular to the platter, like I posted earlier, and I'm not sure how that can be changed, or if I did something wrong....

I looked up the Stupid Protractor (Baerwald) on vinylengine and printed that off, but I'm afraid the directions seem a bit vague for someone inexperienced like myself.

I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow, but thanks for helping out someone who has no clue what he's doing.

...but the stylus tip does not look like it is perpendicular to the platter; it looks like the tip is pointing a little to the back.The stylus is mounted on an arm (called the cantilever), that is mounted in a rubber boot so that it can move as the stylus passes through the groove.

The stylus will appear to point "backward" slightly until you lower the cart to the record... then the tracking weight of the tonearm will cause the cantilever to deflect slightly, and bring the stylus into correct alignment with the LP groove.

Finally realized that the Shure comes with a pretty basic Baerwald protractor, so it wasn't the most exacting method, but I think I've got it figured out....

Sure was a lot of work to put in a stylus that I may swap out to a new record player if I find one to replace the old JVC...

So, I managed to snap a few shots (sorry for the blur in some of them) of the turntable and the old cartridge...if anyone knows what kind of cartridge that is, it'd be interesting to know. There's also a shot where you can see the table's "overhang indicator," though I don't take much stock in that, as using a protractor to get a decent positioning of the cartridge in the headshell doesn't align it with the indicator...however for a non-audiophile table as this, it probably doesn't matter much either way.

Also, how much stock should I put into VTA? The JVC doesn't have an adjustment for this, but I thought perhaps I should put an extra washer or two, as the tonearm seems to be pointing downward ever so slightly.