Static On Records, Solution to Alleviate. Options

[Engelsstaub]

Hey, guys: I was just wondering what some of you use to get rid of static on your LPs. I've been getting a few lately (usually from EU manufacturers) that are just loaded and impossible to play (and record) without an obnoxious amount of crackle. I try to kill it with an anti static cloth and some distilled water and it only seems to partially mitigate the problem.

Has anyone ever tried Static Guard? I'm not so eager to spend $99 USD on that static gun-thing, but all advice is appreciated.

[RonaldDumsfeld]

At the grave risk of offending an infinite # of TOSses and based on a totally inadequate not to say unscientific sample I think it's people who have a differing tendency to attract static not records.

The g/f is always getting mildy shocked by random doorknobs, elevator handrails, 1990s Detroit Techno and the like whilst it rarely happens to me. Shame really.

My vinyl hygiene routines are pretty basic. Clean it thoroughly on first acquisition. Lighter fuel for bad cases, simple brush and lint free cloth for brand new stuff. Very occasional wet clean with distilled H2O rinse for old friends. Quick brush up every time they get played (both sides). Replace plastic inner sleeve with paper. Inspect, clean and replace stylii regularly. If you cannot afford to get a new one often enough it's too expensive.

Anything that doesn't respond to the above usually gets binned and replaced, usually by a digital version. I do have a system of identifying personal favourites which I'd be embarrassed to play publicly but cannot bring myself to put out of their misery.

There is a surprising amount of old stuff, particularly in my case 6Ts soul, that just sounds crackly and there is nothing you can do about it 'cause they lost the masters decades ago and the only surviving copy belongs to some bloke living in Hebdon Bridge. Still brilliant music though. You just gotta embrace it in all it's glory.