Buggtussel Vinyl-Zyme record cleaner

[shrinkboy]

i have used this product for about the last week, having been sent it by the grumpster as part of focus users' group.

my method in usage was as follows: put the record on my 'cleaning station' TT (old technics that i use just for this purpose) spray the product on so the record is evenly misted, use a carbon fiber brush to distribute while rotating the platter, wait 30 seconds as recommended by Buggtussel, and then remove with a couple passes of clean, dry Discwasher brushes.
allow to dry.

this method is the best i could come up with, as i don't have a vacuum type cleaning station, and has always been adequate for my purposes. i tried it on brand new, crackly, out of the sleeve fresh vinyl, and on very old vinyl (Umma Gumma--old!)

on the first few uses, i felt that silences and dark spaces on records were more silent and darker, that the whole thing seemed to smoother. but i am talking 'seemed', as in, that effect you get when using a product that is supposed to make things better.....and so, it does 'seem' to make things better.

i walked away, and came back, and used my more typical method on some other records. this is: dry carbon fiber brush first to pick up loose stuff, then a Discwasher wetted on one edge with a solution of mostly distilled water and a couple drops of windshield wiper fluid (yes, true!)

same effect. and then i used the Spin Clean machine that i use for the really dirty stuff-- a small tank filled with solution in which the record is immersed up to the label and held between brushes on either side and rotated to clean the surface. you then remove, lay on clean cotton cloth, use another to dry it, and let it sit for about 12 hours.

this method gets the dirtiest records i have clean, and doubtless, the effects are noticeable.

i would say that the Buggtussel solution is good for day in/day out routine use. could possibly be superior with a vacuum machine, but i don't know that. it seemed to me, using the same techniques with different solutions, to be about the same as any effective solution a person may have developed. i would also say that distribution with the carbon fiber brush is probably very helpful in getting the solution into the grooves, where it can do its work

write me with more questions

shrinkboy

[Punker X]

Thanks for the review. Gets me off my butt. I've had a bottle of the extra strength for a while myself. Grumpy gave to me months ago.

My standard cleaning procedure is to first wipe off excess dirt and dust with a 3M HP cleaning cloth. Then scrub with a D5 brush and a solution of distilled water, isopropal alcohol and a couple drops of dish soap. Then use one brush on my DYI record vac. Then rince with distilled water with the same brush. Change to the rince brush and rince again with distilled water. Hit it with static gun then a quick brush with a carbon fiber brush just before playing.

I've noticed very little difference with the extra strength solution and my home brew. The only place that I see improvement is with moldy records. The Vinyl-Zyme if sprayed on and allowed to sit does a good job of braking down the mold. I basically don't use the Vinyl-Zyme unless I come across a record with mildew.

Plan on getting some Record Doc brushes and cleaning solution soon to see if I can get a cleaner record. As much as I clean some records just remain noisy.

X

[reyneman]

Received the juice from shrinkboy last week, am ready to post obsevations. Remember, I am gullible and WANT to hear things

I pulled out three records that I have never used a vacuum machine on but were in at least good condition. These records in the past would have been cleaned with Discwasher D4. Let me say now that, IMHO, D4 may help dust 'stick' to the cleaning brush, but has no extra properties that I can hear (unless it leaves something behind when it dries- see my following report).

My method- dry cleaned record (dusted) with discwasher brush (the one with a hollow wood handle to store a small bottle of their fluid), gave it the first play. I then treated it with the Buggtussel Vinyl-Zyme gold per instructions, second play. Finally, I used a vacuum cleaning machine and gave the record a third play. In all instances, each of the 2nd and 3rd playings showed a marked improvement over the one before.

I found that the Buggtussel reduced background noise, increasing microdynamics and the separation and clarity of the recording.

An example- In Anne Murray's 'Shadows in the Moonlight', I thought I had a buzzing distortion in the right channel. After using the Buggtussel, I found it was someone playing an instrument of a sort (after the vacuum, I found it was a comb thingie- very distinct sound, when you get to hear it by removing the haze:p: ).

Cut it short- the Buggtussel is as effective a record cleaning fluid as I've used, it removes residue left by poor cleaning fluids, decreases background noise, and enhances music playback. I put it right below a record vacuum machine for enhancing your record listening enjoyment.

[opt80]

Anne Murray...really?


Alan

[reyneman]

Hey Alan- it's my wife's record, honest:o

[opt80]

I shouldn't pick on Anne as as she is is a Maritimer.She recorded a lot of Gene Mclellan songs.
Gene was a Prince Edward Islander who wrote *Put your Hand..* and *Snowbird*
He had one eye and wore an eyepatch,he was about to record Frankie Valli's hit *My EYE Adores You* but he blew his brains out before that could happen,sad

Alan