Finding which GRADO it is OR could be, OR who knows?

[LESONAUSSI]

Hi,

I'm opening this thread because luckily there are great Grado carts experts (and stylus experts) here. It seems that at least twice a month one can find a Grado cart without knowing what it is and being unable to find it on the GRADO CARTRIDGES AND STYLI CROSS REFERENCE.

So if anyone can help and we could try to gather information on different models with the same reference.

Let's try to begin with :

The Grado XG : the replacement stylus sold by ???? is a blue one so i should be somewhere between the XF3+ and XF1+, my guess (it is only a guess) is that it is a lost cart between XF1+ and X+. Would anybody have info on this one and it's stylus ?

Second one : one made for the market outside the US (well, I guess) : blue and gold body, RSIII inscribed in the bottom. Where would be it's place is this cross reference ?

Thanx for you king help. If we gather interesting info, I'll try to create an Excel sheet available to everyone so that we can share

 

[hiwattnick]

I wish that I could be of assistance because I own half a dozen or so Grado carts, and I’d love to have a spreadsheet available for cross reference of Grados. They seem so elusive, but then again, maybe they want it that way? I just do not know.

 

[danj]

Will this help?

 

[hiwattnick]

Will this help?

Yeah, man! Thanks so much, danj. That definitely clears things up quite a bit.
Once again, thank you.
- Nick

 

[LESONAUSSI]

Will this help?

This is done by Grado so that people think they can find a replacement stylus for all previous bodies.

The reality : the present Gold 2 stylus is bonded elliptical. In other words, a low end stylus.

It way below the stylus of the common G1+ (but great).

So the chart is completely useless.

Want to find a similar quality on older TOTL Grado ? Retipping is the easiest way.

 

[hiwattnick]

This is done by Grado so that people think they can find a replacement stylus for all previous bodies.

The reality : the present Gold 2 stylus is bonded elliptical. In other words, a low end stylus.

It way below the stylus of the common G1+ (but great).

So the chart is completely useless.

Want to find a similar quality on older TOTL Grado ? Retipping is the easiest way.

You’re absolutely correct, but that chart can be a decent and helpful cross reference, although I do like the new Prestige Series 2 styli. But..., If you’re paying $200+ for a cart, it should have an upgraded stylus on it. l have personally had my main Grado cart retipped by Needlestein with a .3 x .7 mil nude ellipsoid, and it sounds phenomenal.

 

[cafe latte]

You’re absolutely correct, but that chart can be a decent and helpful cross reference, although I do like the new Prestige Series 2 styli. But..., If you’re paying $200+ for a cart, it should have an upgraded stylus on it. l have personally had my main Grado cart retipped by Needlestein with a .3 x .7 mil nude ellipsoid, and it sounds phenomenal.

I have a worn Grado Platinum wood in my collection, my plan is to buy a Audio Technica ml and cut stylus and insert into the stub of the woody (cut it too after bit that has the iron thingy in of course). IMO the Grado stub will be easy thick enough for AT to slide in and then epoxy and good to go. Just hope the woody is worth the expense...
Chris

 

[LESONAUSSI]

You’re absolutely correct, but that chart can be a decent and helpful cross reference, although I do like the new Prestige Series 2 styli. But..., If you’re paying $200+ for a cart, it should have an upgraded stylus on it. l have personally had my main Grado cart retipped by Needlestein with a .3 x .7 mil nude ellipsoid, and it sounds phenomenal.

Amazing, when writting my post, I was thinking of @needlestein

 

[hiwattnick]

Amazing, when writting my post, I was thinking of @needlestein

That’s great, man! His work and skills are absolutely top notch.

 

[fredgarvin]

I've emailed them in the past and have gotten good info.

 

[LESONAUSSI]

I have a worn Grado Platinum wood in my collection, my plan is to buy a Audio Technica ml and cut stylus and insert into the stub of the woody (cut it too after bit that has the iron thingy in of course). IMO the Grado stub will be easy thick enough for AT to slide in and then epoxy and good to go. Just hope the woody is worth the expense...
Chris

I'd be very cautious about that.
First, not only the shape matters but also the purity of the stone and AT is known to use low quality stones.
Second : the cantilever matters a lot and I'm not sure you'll get. So you might loose the $50-$75 remaining value of you platinum plus $175-200 for the stylus.

Ask @needlestein for advices (those a free lol). I don't know the price of a sapphire cantilever + paratrace stylus but it should be around $300

 

[cafe latte]

I'd be very cautious about that.
First, not only the shape matters but also the purity of the stone and AT is known to use low quality stones.
Second : the cantilever matters a lot and I'm not sure you'll get. So you might loose the $50-$75 remaining value of you platinum plus $175-200 for the stylus.

Ask @needlestein for advices (those a free lol). I don't know the price of a sapphire cantilever + paratrace stylus but it should be around $300

The stylus on the Grado is worn and AT do not use low quality stones, I have a microscope and the tip on my new AT VM95 is superb and nude mounted too. Also heard a lot of people doing this sort of retip use AT tips due to the high quality of tip they use. I also own a Grado Statement Reference and the cantilever on that is exactly like I plan to do ie a thick stub and a thin graft after that and this is from the factory. My plan will give me a Grado woody with a Micro ridge stylus and a lighter cantilever and I will have done it myself too. The experiment will also give me an idea what Grado sound like with a really nice micro ridge if it works my gold 2 might be next...
Chris

 

[LESONAUSSI]

The stylus on the Grado is worn and AT do not use low quality stones, I have a microscope and the tip on my new AT VM95 is superb and nude mounted too. Also heard a lot of people doing this sort of retip use AT tips due to the high quality of tip they use. I also own a Grado Statement Reference and the cantilever on that is exactly like I plan to do ie a thick stub and a thin graft after that and this is from the factory. My plan will give me a Grado woody with a Micro ridge stylus and a lighter cantilever and I will have done it myself too. The experiment will also give me an idea what Grado sound like with a really nice micro ridge if it works my gold 2 might be next...
Chris

Do what you want, that's none of my business. I'm only curious to know how you'll make a 4 pieces OTL cantilever that way. VM95 doesn't mean anything : there are 6 models. An AT uses crap stones of very low purity. Want good stones : get them from Namiki.

 

[cafe latte]

Do what you want, that's none of my business. I'm only curious to know how you'll make a 4 pieces OTL cantilever that way. VM95 doesn't mean anything : there are 6 models. An AT uses crap stones of very low purity. Want good stones : get them from Namiki.

So you have seen them under a microscope? I have and they are far from crap, beautiful actually. I have a stereo analogue microscope which I have modded with different eyepieces to give me 200x without getting too close to the subject and serious quality not usb rubbish and the AT stones are amazing quality even compared to some of my expensive MC's. I would go one further I have not seen similar quality stylus on anything except vintage, most modern MC's dont come close so your opinion re AT stones is simply not true not the ML anyway. The last section of the cantilever on the Grado wont affect the original design it is what Grado changes when they retip and it is what Grado have as a thinner piece on the high end woodies as I said before just epoxied on. I was talking about the AT vm95ml which is nude and truly amazing quality.

 

[cafe latte]

Basically past the bulge is section 4 and I am cutting after that so nothing changes..
Chris

 

[cafe latte]

And Needlestien will be changing cantilever too not replacing the tip so similar job. Probably cutting the same section too so 4 piece cantilever remains.
Chris

 

[marcmorin]

And Needlestien will be changing cantilever too not replacing the tip so similar job. Probably cutting the same section too so 4 piece cantilever remains.
Chris

He sent me a VPI Reference to evaluate. The 1.5mv body. He shod it with a very nice stone on a stick right about the gob area. Impeccable cart

 

[cafe latte]

He sent me a VPI Reference to evaluate. The 1.5mv body. He shod it with a very nice stone on a stick right about the gob area. Impeccable cart

Yep after the gob bit is where you need to cut.
Chris

 

[marcmorin]

Yep after the gob bit is where you need to cut.
Chris

I sent him a grado stylus assembly completely disassembled into its small parts so he could have an understanding of how, and where everything was in it.

 

[cafe latte]

I sent him a grado stylus assembly completely disassembled into its small parts so he could have an understanding of how, and where everything was in it.

I know after the gloop is the place to retip, but off topic do you have any pics as this has come up many times on the forums and nobody seems to have pics of the individual parts of a Grado stylus. It would be very interesting to see a disassembled Grado stylus.
Chris