Had an accident - Damaged cantilever - can’t see with naked eye but under microscope VERY slightly. Does affect sound so will need to be fixed. Sold as is and not working.

Purchase 13 January 2018 so only just broken in.  

broken cantilever, not working but still "almost new" ?

teachers have a lot to answer for.

www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/turntables/listing-1737621564.htm

Looks to me as if the diamond has gone AWOL.

that would affect the sound

Yes Graham's eyesight may be 20/20, the diamond does not appear to be there.

The cantilever on Koetsus is usually a one-pc machined, stepped Boron rod (although I've never looked closely at a Black/Black Goldline) which is used because it is an ultra stiff material - ie. will break before it bends

Depending on the physical torture it's suffered, it's possible I guess that the suspension/damper/wire may be damaged or awry.
Otherwise.... a new stylus might get it back on the road.

(Amazingly, the Koetsu cantilever end usually has a cut slot, into which the diamond stylus is inserted & glued - usually with a 'tsuba' reinforcement plate around its square shank - more Koetsu trivia here - although can't say if the lowest priced Black has all these refinements.)

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Aug 21, 2018 21:07:29 GMT 12 michaelw said:

Had an accident - Damaged cantilever - can’t see with naked eye but under microscope VERY slightly. Does affect sound so will need to be fixed. Sold as is and not working.

Purchase 13 January 2018 so only just broken in.  

broken cantilever, not working but still "almost new" ?

teachers have a lot to answer for.

www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/turntables/listing-1737621564.htm

Michael, it is almost new (Jan 2018) and he does say it is damaged.

And needs to be fixed. So no problem with his schooling!

Some pedantic dude ( ) is asking Qs & the seller has provided answers - although it's still unclear what is broken and/or amiss.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Aug 22, 2018 17:56:23 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Aug 21, 2018 21:07:29 GMT 12 michaelw said:

broken cantilever, not working but still "almost new" ?

teachers have a lot to answer for.

www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/home-audio/turntables/listing-1737621564.htm

Michael, it is almost new (Jan 2018) and he does say it is damaged.

And needs to be fixed. So no problem with his schooling!

clearly "almost new" does not mean what he think it means.

if something is damaged it can't by definition be "almost new"

maybe that's like almost perfect ?

the q&a makes the seller appear clueless

Owen's asking some great questions, so we'll wait and see how it pans out.

Clueless or evasive ? I think the latter.

But whatever, it's going to need a retip.

I would have thought he would have claimed insurance

How do you know he hasn't?

Has edited his listing, now says “yolk is missing”. Never heard or seen that word before in relation to cartridges!

most mc's have 2 yolk parts.

see pic.

the question is now where did it go, as the inner workings of a koetsu are well encapsulated by the body...

Yup, michaelw is on the money I think, I very much doubt that the front 'yoke' has detached, never happens.
The cantilever also protrudes through a hole in the fr yoke - see pic of Koetsu typical innards below.

My guess is that the stylus is missing, knocked/broken off, somehow.

So for NZ$1k you could send it off somewhere for a new stylus to be fitted.
If so, if it was me, I'd send to back to Koetsu - I have done this & the service is good as you would expect.
Likely the innards only need checking, some adjustment maybe, not replacement.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

I thought Koetsu didn't do part repairs, only rebuilds, keeping just the outer body?

outer body and magnets

darklantern.proboards.com/thread/1186/fix-cartridge

is owen running his rosewood sig with bottom plate removed ?

j carr/lyra prefers cartridges with no bodywork.

the picture above looks a lot like a modern lyra ...

Aug 28, 2018 14:31:35 GMT 12 Citroen said:

I thought Koetsu didn't do part repairs, only rebuilds, keeping just the outer body?

I cannot be sure these days, but I would consult Melvin Ang, Koetsu SE Asia distributor.

Also, the Black is not an entirely in-house model.

Worst case scenario is a complete re-build as you say, for significantly less (IIRC around 50-60% of new price, US$2500?).

I guess if you want to mess with this level of gear, the costs will not be bargain basement, but rebuilding is a more affordable (& recommendable) entry path.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Found this on their website, from Melvin Ang

www.koetsusea.com/Why-Rebuild-a-Koetsu-.php

"Why Rebuild a Koetsu?

1) Koetsu does not retip their phono cartridges.

2) Koetsu REBUILDS their cartridges.


When a Koetsu is sent for rebuilding, all the elements in the cartridge are replaced - only the cartridge body is retained. This might be seen as wasteful but there is a strong reason for it.

A phono cartridge's performance does not merely depend on the condition of the cantilever or stylus. A cartridge with a brand new stylus is not going to do the music any good if the suspension is weak or if the coils are oxidised. This is akin to replacing the engine oil in your car while retaining the old spark plugs and oil filter. The car will still work, but it's performance will be terribly off-spec and suboptimal.

Replacing all the elements in your Koetsu phono cartridge will give it a new lease of life. It will be equivalent to getting a brand new cartridge. In fact, as the Rosewood body ages, it will add considerable value to the sound (which is why the Rosewood Signature Platinum [aka Pro IV] uses Rosewood which has been allowed to age naturally).

(TIP: Want a great sounding Koetsu at a lower cost? Get an old Rosewood Standard or Signature and have it rebuilt!)

Rebuilding your cartridge ensures that it will perform at the level which you've come to expect from your Koetsu cartridge.

For the more demanding Koetsu owner, Koetsu Japan is able to rebuild higher spec innards into their current cartridges. For example, upgrading the existing cores with the Platinum-alloy set.

Another upgrade is the Diamond cantilever option. As the name suggests, the stylus/cantilever assembly is machined out of a solid piece of diamond. This 'monocoque' structure effectively removes the interface issues associated with regular stylus/cantilever assemblies.

This is how Koetsu preserves your investment..."

Would be tempting to just go somewhere else and do a retip only. Could be a bargain, if nothing else is wrong with it? (Not for me, I have too many carts as it is).

If the stylus has been broken off, I'd be concerned that the amount of force required could have affected the suspension elements.
So yes, factor in for a rebuild.

(BTW Mel Ang is v personable & would provide info about servicing a Black Goldline I'm sure.)

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

i seriously thought about it before i sent the TKR away. i would have sent it to andy too.