Not that we surf much on the internet. But - i feel - some of the forums and information around the Allaerts product need some explanation and manufacturer-comment. Some people say repair time is long and this is true. We can not repair a cartridge in a few moments and send it right back to importers. We repair carefully and want to get the cartridge back in new condition. This is sometimes more work as to build a new cartridge. Most people do not understand that if you damage a cartridge we must do full check and replace the parts that are damaged to get the cartridge in good condition after cantilever breakdown or coil-burnout caused by DC from phonostages or other. To rebuild such a cartridge takes a lot of time and some items are in such a bad condition that we cannot understand how some people can do or get this done on a cartridge. We build and repair almost entirly by handcraft work. No machine can replace my hands. Some things can be done by very expensive tools but it always has to happen under the microscope to follow up and correct when necessary. Even the new cartridges we deliver are fully handcrafted and checked many times before they go into the box and get shipped. By regret we can only build 50% or less from the orders we could get. We have to decide (very difficult for some people to understand - but very easy for me)  between quality and quantity and for me I go for quality and this means limited cartridge quantities. We want to keep the product just the way it is. There is no compromises possible for this and we hope that reading this news message will help understand that there is a long waiting list for our cartridges and repairs. We do our very best trying to find a balance between building new cartridges and the repairs and we want the repairs to go out like new. I think most people that get their repaired cartridge back have no complaints about the result.

We also want to teach our customers about how to clean a cartridge. Basicly you must not clean it  so much. The needle is so smooth that not much of dirt and dust will be able to stay there. If there is some on the cantilever you can remove it with a fine paint brush number zero (0) and clean from left to right and reverse. Carefully - because the rounding radius is very small (4-5 µmm) so the sides must cleaned carefully from the back to front and reverse and with little pressure so that you do not move the boron too much. If the needle needs real cleaning use some distillate water and this pencil and clean only the needle - not the cantilever. Some users put cleaning product into the hole where the cantilever comes out. Please remind that the coil is right behind ... and if fluid gets inside there you can damage the coil or the suspension. So - use fluid. But very little. At last I want to say that we do our best to please everybody. But you must understand  that before you complain please keep in mind that we are a company of just two hands. We do not work just on a commercial basis - but for those among us that enjoy listening to records on a  high level and with extended emotional expectations and readyness.

Enjoy your Allaerts cartridge. And be careful concerning the mechanics. It is a precise instrument with no need for much cleaning or useless checkups. Follow the instructions from your dealer or importer (or mine) and you can play a very long time without quality variation.

Regards and hopefully some understanding for

Jan Allaerts