DJ's - do you share needles?

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:13 am

Well do you?

Post by **JAMESSSS** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:15 am

Have my own.

Use them myself.

If someone asks to use them I'd let them but usually work on the presumtion everybody has their own unless told otherwise (ie: take mine off when i finish playing)

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:21 am

Venues needles unless there fucked in which case i carry a spare set around in my bag.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:21 am

If the club's are good I'll use them - saves the wear and tear on mine!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:23 am

How can you tell if the club needles are fucked though?

they can look perfectly fine but still be blunt and killing your records

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:35 am

FoundationStepper wrote:How can you tell if the club needles are fucked though?

they can look perfectly fine but still be blunt and killing your records

If your worried about record wear and tear thats pretty full on. I'd suggest wrapping your records up in cotton wool?

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:35 am

Alternativly use your own needles.

Post by **JAMESSSS** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:36 am

Fents wrote:
FoundationStepper wrote:How can you tell if the club needles are fucked though?

they can look perfectly fine but still be blunt and killing your records
If your worried about record wear and tear thats pretty full on. I'd suggest wrapping your records up in cotton wool?

Word.

Could not for DJs who stress about plays on a tune.

You buy it to play.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:39 am

jeez

Like I wont want to listen to my music in 30 years...

Its not a question of normal wear, its a question of blunt needles carving out the groove, altering the frequency response and tracking prematurely. You know that fuzzy, flat sound?

If it can be avoided, why not?

I answered A

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:40 am

Perhaps it doesn't matter to people when they play disposable music only for a certain situation (ie a club), and dont expect to get home listening pleasure time and time again for many many years

just hypothesising

Post by **lynt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:44 am

I broke mine & house needles SUCK ASS.

Should be mandatory for each DJ to own their own pair (just like headphones). That way there's no questions as to why "the record keeps jumping" or "it's only coming out of one side" etc etc.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:45 am

Actually the "only coming out one side" is usually because of dirty contacts from the headshell to the tonearm, a good lick will usually fix that...

my point being i see it with people who bring thier own needles too!

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:46 am

FoundationStepper wrote:How can you tell if the club needles are fucked though?

Won't they sound and respond shit then?

Post by **lynt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:48 am

FoundationStepper wrote:Actually the "only coming out one side" is usually because of dirty contacts from the headshell to the tonearm, a good lick will usually fix that...

my point being i see it with people who bring thier own needles too!

Sure, or dodgy connections from the headshell to the cartridge, or many other reasons.

My point being is, know and bring your own gear.

aspekt · Post by **aspekt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:50 am

FoundationStepper wrote:Actually the "only coming out one side" is usually because of dirty contacts from the headshell to the tonearm, a good lick will usually fix that...

my point being i see it with people who bring thier own needles too!

gah! this actually makes the problem worse in the long run as your saliva corodes the contacts making them more resistive to current. you're actually better off cleaning them with something like a cotton bud dipped in metho (although i realise that licking it is far easier).

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:50 am

its a sliding scale... yes one can often hear it, but many people dont listen for it really, just compensate with eq for eg... or more weight

you can contribute to damage on your record on a needle that doesn't "seem" terrible, especially with heaps of back cuing, or dirty records, cos it ingrains the dirt

and how many places have a perfect monitoring setup?

I guess im interested in what people think is fucked for house needles... from dirty sound to bent cantileviers and everything in between

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:51 am

aspekt wrote:
FoundationStepper wrote:Actually the "only coming out one side" is usually because of dirty contacts from the headshell to the tonearm, a good lick will usually fix that...

my point being i see it with people who bring thier own needles too!
gah! this actually makes the problem worse in the long run as your saliva corodes the contacts making them more resistive to current. you're actually better off cleaning them with something like a cotton bud dipped in metho (although i realise that licking it is far easier).

too right

Im not quite anal enough to bring a vial of metho with me to gigs though

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:51 am

lynt wrote:
FoundationStepper wrote:Actually the "only coming out one side" is usually because of dirty contacts from the headshell to the tonearm, a good lick will usually fix that...

my point being i see it with people who bring thier own needles too!
Sure, or dodgy connections from the headshell to the cartridge, or many other reasons.

My point being is, know and bring your own gear.

elscripto

unsoundbwoy · Post by **unsoundbwoy** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:52 am

lynt wrote:know and bring your own gear.

indeed

Post by **JAMESSSS** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:52 am

True. Which is why I use my own needles

But still there is only so far you can go with the whole damage thing.

I know people who have albums of material they won't play for fear of degrading the quality.

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:53 am

I agree everyone should have there own, but clubs make squllions of dollars on bar and entry fee's, and yet neglect sound sytems and decks n mixers, if club is a good club they will regulary replace needles. Lounge just brought bulk stylus's cause we complained, now when one is stuffed we just have to ask and we get a new one. If a BIG DJ is playing tho and we dont trust the needles Keir or I will bring our concordes from home.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:55 am

I guess it takes one slipmat incident

or a habit of tracking too heavy

and a needle gets fucked pretty quick...

despite good stock of needles, you never know at a club

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:01 am

Fucked Slipmats, Blunt needles, shit fold back, bad contact on headshell, pitch isnt quite right, fader bleeds, eq's are out.....

Its all part of DJ'ing somewhere other than your house. Unless of course you can bring it all in.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:02 am

yep

to a point

which is what makes a good setup all the more pleasureable

Post by **lynt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:04 am

Fents wrote:Fucked Slipmats, Blunt needles, shit fold back, bad contact on headshell, pitch isnt quite right, fader bleeds, eq's are out.....

Its all part of DJ'ing somewhere other than your house. Unless of course you can bring it all in.

That's why we tell the crew in the DJ course here at DMC to get familiar on all types of setups, because it's never going to be as comfortable as your own home.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:06 am

actually some reggae djs are in the habit of bringing in slipmats, not necessarily needles, becuase they play mostly from 7"

Post by **JAMESSSS** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:33 am

Nothing gets reggae DJs moving faster than the where's that bit that sits over your 7" panic.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:37 am

Scholtzy · Post by **Scholtzy** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:02 pm

I always bring my own and always use them, club needles are stuffed most of the time, and I cbf dealing with weird skipping issues.

mr lob · Post by **mr lob** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:07 pm

leaving your needles at home is like going to play golf without your clubs...turning up to work without your tools, need I say more!

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:14 pm

mr lob wrote:leaving your needles at home is like going to play golf without your clubs...turning up to work without your tools, need I say more!

Most clubs should have good needles. So is that like going and playing golf and the golf club forgetting to put the 9th and 18th green in?

mr lob · Post by **mr lob** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:19 pm

Fents wrote:
mr lob wrote:leaving your needles at home is like going to play golf without your clubs...turning up to work without your tools, need I say more!
Most clubs should have good needles. So is that like going and playing golf and the golf club forgetting to put the 9th and 18th green in?

I agree that most clubs 'should' have good needles, but in my experience don't seem to.

I guess it's just about being prepared in case of all eventuality's.

No offence intended Fents

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:26 pm

How offensive was that Rob?

Outta control....

mr lob · Post by **mr lob** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:29 pm

Direktor wrote:How offensive was that Rob?

Outta control....

not very

but still wanted to make myself clear

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:34 pm

none taken mate sorry i forgot to put my TEEF in today

Scholtzy · Post by **Scholtzy** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:34 pm

From what I can gather, most places lease their gear and the needles are the responsibility of the company they lease from...so they're not going to want to pay for new ones when they are already paying $$$ for the gear.

If its their own then I doubt any of the bar staff working would care / notice if the needles are stuffed...which is funny because its as important as the speakers as far as sound quality goes. But what can ya do.

Also, I can't venues them for just having the stanton 500's, people would knock em off if the carts were half decent.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:38 pm

plus stantons take a beating better than most other, better sounding needles

partic with overweighting

shepherd · Post by **shepherd** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:09 pm

i have never brought my own needles ever to a gig. Couldn't be arsed ... most venues that give a shit actually make sure their headshells are kept in good condition and work. It's embarassing for all concerned otherwise.

side note - when I was at Lounge we had approx 12 headshells stolen in 3 years - thieving DJs!!!!!!!!!

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:12 pm

lol like venues give a shit about sound

most dont

shepherd · Post by **shepherd** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:22 pm

FoundationStepper wrote:lol like venues give a shit about sound

most dont

such optimism!

yeah no club music venue would want good sound ...

the venues that give sound a bad name are small bars with limited cash who skimp on sound ... most nightclubs from my dj experience all have pretty great sound that only the most committed of sound nazi could pick apart when feeling angsty.

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:28 pm

plenty of venues with good sound still dont pay that much attention to it

behind the scenes there is often an under resourced soundguy or hire company with not nearly enough time actually maintaining the equipment

the illusion falls apart as soon as you turn the rack around and see the sticky plasters

and perhiperals like contacts, needles and leads often get forgotten in larger venues...

but those that actually are happy to acknolwedge that there needs to be a guy essentially in house to keep things happening - well they are a bonus...

FoundationStepper · Post by **FoundationStepper** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:31 pm

that being said some venues are very happy to replace stuff as needed...

but my earlier point is that most often they wouldnt know its necessary becuase of lines of communication and artists/djs not picking up on stuff

sweetcheeks · Post by **sweetcheeks** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:49 pm

i make a point to share needles with every international dj i encounter, to bring me closer to them and make a nice bonding experience

oh wait, you was talkin about TURNTABLE needles, ah shit, yeah, sorry, wrong thread

Zero Hour · Post by **Zero Hour** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:55 pm

sweetcheeks wrote:i make a point to share needles with every international dj i encounter, to bring me closer to them and make a nice bonding experience

oh wait, you was talkin about TURNTABLE needles, ah shit, yeah, sorry, wrong thread

...sorry to interupt, Sweetcheeks....Do u read your PMs???!!!!!!!!!

....continuing the convo....

I bring mine with me everywhere and if the house ones r no good then i'll change them.......simple.

Post by **breaksRbest** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:56 pm

jbs wrote:Nothing gets reggae DJs moving faster than the where's that bit that sits over your 7" panic.

this happened to Cut Chemist when he did the unanounced show at Honky's, there was only one of them rings and he was playing all 7"s

just kept swapping them

sweetcheeks · Post by **sweetcheeks** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:13 pm

Zero Hour wrote:
sweetcheeks wrote:i make a point to share needles with every international dj i encounter, to bring me closer to them and make a nice bonding experience

oh wait, you was talkin about TURNTABLE needles, ah shit, yeah, sorry, wrong thread
...sorry to interupt, Sweetcheeks....Do u read your PMs???!!!!!!!!!

....continuing the convo....

I bring mine with me everywhere and if the house ones r no good then i'll change them.......simple.

i didnt even know i had any

sorry rory!!

Zero Hour · Post by **Zero Hour** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:35 pm

sweetcheeks wrote:
Zero Hour wrote:
sweetcheeks wrote:i make a point to share needles with every international dj i encounter, to bring me closer to them and make a nice bonding experience

oh wait, you was talkin about TURNTABLE needles, ah shit, yeah, sorry, wrong thread
...sorry to interupt, Sweetcheeks....Do u read your PMs???!!!!!!!!!

....continuing the convo....

I bring mine with me everywhere and if the house ones r no good then i'll change them.......simple.
i didnt even know i had any sorry rory!!

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:20 pm

Scholtzy wrote:From what I can gather, most places lease their gear and the needles are the responsibility of the company they lease from...so they're not going to want to pay for new ones when they are already paying $$$ for the gear.

I thought most clubs owned their stuff, that's why it's usually shit.

factory worker · Post by **factory worker** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:20 pm

As a promoter, I've found my self holding the hands of many a DJ by supplying needles cause of dodgy carts on club turnines, as well as mixers and head phones. Ideally every DJ should have their own spare carts/ headphones, but we all know the costs associated with DJ'ing are rarely covered by payment for gigs.

If anyone does want to ensure they have decent needles they can be hired overnite for $5 each from sound hire companies.

kronz · Post by **kronz** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:11 pm

You're all dirty

Melbourne Beats

DJ's - do you share needles?

Do you share needles?

DJ's - do you share needles?