The "In The Groove" record cleaner - has anyone used one of these yet?

This is fairly new product available from Music Direct.

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/89476

In no way is this meant to replace a professional cleaning machine such as a VPI or a Nitty Gritty but even after a record is freshly cleaned that pesky ol' dust can easily find its way on to a record surface. Usually a carbon fiber brush is used to remove dust but it's far from perfect as the dry brush scatters dust too. This is supposedly able remove fingerprints too.

I ordered one these things today and was curious if anyone else has tried it?

 

That looks very interesting and reasonably priced.

 

Looks like my one. $2.99 at Walgreens. Might want to check them out first. Also seen in many dollar stores.

I don't think any claim of 'gets into the groove' is justified, but they are good for surface fluff and hairs. Beware of static (generates a BIG charge) and will also do very nasty things to the label if you go over it.

 

Well a $2.99 lint roller at Walgreens is basically using adhesive tape for cleaning that is peeled off after use. I can see where one of those would so some serious damage to a record label. The In The Groove roller is using a different material altogether. So this isn't exactly comparing apples to apples.

I'll give my full report once I get this and put it though some use.

 

Mr. Sticky

I believe it's basically the same thing as the "Mr. Sticky" washable lint roller set that's sold online. I saw a demo of it in Sears a year or so ago. This site has the set for $14.95 plus shipping:

http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/lint_roller.html?gclid=CKjX-4yk96UCFQZj7AodFCrsaQ

You can also google "Mr. Sticky" for more sources for the set. Looks like they only sell the set, though, not the medium sized roller by itself.

 

Yes, I've seen these before for years now....I think they are just another color of the Mr. Sticky washable lint rollers.

 

This is intriguing to me, as it looks like a cheaper version of the Nagaoka CL-152 Record Cleaner

The Nagaoka works well, so I imagine this new thing would perform similarly. I'm done with any kind of brush. Traditional brushes just move stuff around IME. These sticky rollers actually pick the junk up! Beware of static.

 

If you really want something like this, spend a few extra bucks and buy the Nagaoka, which I've owned for 20 years.

The Nagaoka still leaves a film in my opinion, which is why I'd never use it for serious record cleaning, but I do believe it has a useful function in terms of removing seriously heavy crap from records before a good wet cleaning/vacuuming.

But if you don't have a good wet cleaning/vacuum system, the Nagaoka is worthwhile and probably a hell of a lot better than using a lint roller on your records.

 

That was the product I was thinking of......the Nagaoka roller; I knew this thing had been around for 20 years or so....

 

True, the Nagaoka leaves "something", but only temporarily. In other words, if I haven't used the Nagaoka for a while, the first 'pass' across the LP leaves a light film (?), but subsequent passes pick up the film and the LP is spotless.

I have a VPI 16.5, but use the Nagaoka after wet cleaning/vacuuming, if necessary. I want the VPI to pick up the real grunge, and the Nagaoka is just to get those pieces of dust you get when it comes out of the sleeve again.

 

Just received mine just a few hours ago and I put it to use right away.

I'm glad to say I'm very happy with it. Very easy to use, it grabs every spec of dust and no it does not leave any residue behind that would cause noise or gunk up your stylus.

You can use it along with a carbon fiber brush too. Just give the record a sweep with the CFB so the dust is in a pile and take the "In The Groove" roller over the dust pile and it's all gone or you can go over the entire record with it instead. You pick.

I used it on several dusty 45's (can't clean them on my VPI since I don't have an adaptor kit.) and they were clean in seconds.

IMO this something that needs to go along with every record collection.

 

I received mine this afternoon but won't be able to try it until tomorrow (Thursday). Looks interesting, though...

 

One other thing I forgot to mention is that there was no static charge left behind even with the dry heat we have in winter.

 

Great review John.

I will probably pick one up next time I order from MD. The price is right!

 

I got to use my "In the Groove" record cleaner this morning.

I thought I would try it on a less desirable title first...a pretty dirty (but not too scratchy) copy of Chet Atkins' "Caribbean Guitar". The roller is very sticky right out of its blister pack, so try not to get your fingers on it. It does seem to work, picking up dust and even removing some fingerprints.

I purchased a M- "Shades of Deep Purple" last Tuesday and used it on that one. Again it worked, but not to the extent it did on the dirtier Atkins title. So I'm thinking it will be best suited, at least for me, for those really messy record show finds and as a "pre-cleaner" before putting it on my record cleaning machine for a good wet clean. I figure the more grime I can take off before it hits the RCM, the better the clean will be.

Three notes:

1. You can use it for maybe three records before you need to clean it with tap water and a paper towel. It loses its tackiness after that.

2. Try not to use too much downward pressure while cleaning your records. It's easy to do and I don't think it's really necessary.

3. And try to keep the roller away from your record's center label. It's tacky enough to sepatare it from your vinyl. I know this to be true.

For me, well worth the money.

 

"In the Groove": sorry it is worthless, it leaves a rubber layer over the vinyl LP surface, that produces a sound like frying eggs. Horrible! I wrote a complaint to the Groove guys, no reply! Don't use it for LP's. Does anyone know how to remove it, alcohol?

 

Sorry, it is too sticky and it leaves a rubber layer over the vinyl surface, producing a "frying eggs" sound.

 

Yeah, I tried one of these sticky lps cleaners years ago. It had that rubbery"wall-walker" kind of synthetic rubber on a roller. Left an oily residue on my lps. It sucked. And this synthetic rubber never "lasts forever". After a couple washes, I guarantee the stickiness will depart the roller. Isn't it time to roll out the CD Stoplight green pen again?

 

I'm going to. I have read that you can buy pretty much the same thing at Walgreens. I am going to try a lint roller made by 3M that I picked up at Target.

I can just wash the record afterward with some alcohol/water to remove any film left behind.

 

I wouldn't let a roller anywhere near my vinyl. Even with care, you HAVE to be pushing some of the dirt/dust deeper into the grooves.

 

I don't see how. The whole point of a lint roller is to pick up the dirt. The only possible issue would be leaving behind residue, and that can be cleaned off. It's easier than using wood glue, which doesn't always work so well.

 

After using a similar cleaner years ago, I wouldn't be tempted to try this!

JG

 

I used something similar about 30 years ago. It was a cream coloured sticky roller that you dragged over the surface, perpendicular to the grooves, label to the outside. The dust stuck to the tape.

When the roller got dirty you just peeled that away to reveal a new section, Just like a reel of sellotape.

It must have worked really well as I only use a 1 or 2 declicking setting on ClickRepair when recording needledrops!

Can't for the life of me think what it was called though.

 

I dont think these kinds of rollers hurt your records any, but I have always used a treated record cloth before playing a disc if it look dusty. Thats always worked, so I see no reason to go with a roller.

 

Pixall...

Had to use it with a generic antistatic gun though.