Why Is My Crosley Record Player Skipping? (Let’s Fix!)
Crosley record player skipping, and you’re wondering why? Well, this guide will help you!
The skipping problem is a frequent occurrence on many turntables, including Crosley record players.
So, in this quick guide, we’ve gathered the most helpful and guaranteed solutions that will not only help you locate the problem but also show you a quick and easy way to resolve it.
Here is what the most helpful methods include:
That’s it. Let’s walk you through each of these steps!
Crosley Record Player Skipping – Fixed in 7 Easy Steps!
Note: Have you tried restarting your Crosley record player by unplugging it from the outlet?
1. Level Out the Crosley Player
When your Crosley player is skipping notes from the vinyl record, the first and most important step is to ensure that the turntable is perfectly leveled.
This is crucial, as an uneven surface can produce a wobbly motion of the vinyl record, leading to inaccurate pressure from the stylus.
The easiest way to level your Crosley turntable is by checking whether the feet are adjustable, and if yes use them to balance the turntable.
Then, by using a spirit level you can take this to perfection. However, we only recommend positioning the turntable on a flat and hard surface.
Quick Tip: Avoid positioning the Crosley turntable on a fluffy surface such as carpets!
2. Use a Different Speed Setting
If your Crosley record player keeps skipping, you might have selected an incorrect speed setting for your specific type of vinyl record.
The Crosley record players come with three different speed settings, which include 33 ⅓, 45, and 78 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute).
The speed selection switch is located on the right side of the turntable.
So, based on your vinyl record, you might need to select a different speed setting.
- 33 ⅓ – This speed setting is meant for 12-inch LP (Long-Play) records.
- 45 – This speed is designed for the 7-inch singles, also known as “45s”.
- 78 – This speed is for the oldest records, released before the 1950s.
If your Crosley record player is skipping on the current speed, and you don’t know the type of vinyl record, we recommend trying all.
If the skipping appears on all of them, continue reading!
Reminder: If switching the speed didn’t help, revert the switch back to the default 33 ⅓ speed!
3. Clean Your Record’s Grooves
The next step is to ensure that your record grooves are clean and not damaged.
If there are any scratches on the vinyl record that you are playing, you may not be able to fix the skipping issue. So, let’s try cleaning it!
Use a microfiber cloth, or any other soft and dry cloth to clean the grooves from any dust/debris, and spin the record again to test.
If the skipping is still there, we strongly recommend testing via a different vinyl record, just to see whether the skipping comes from the turntable or the record.
Note: Don’t forget to use the correct speed settings as per the vinyl record that you’re spinning!
4. Clean or Replace Your Stylus
The stylus is where the magic happens.
The stylus, also known as the “needle” is the piece that catches the vibration from the grooves and transforms the signal into digital and audible music.
There is a high chance that the skipping problem on your Crosley record player is coming from the stylus, especially when damaged or dirty.
Once again, cleaning is the first step to attempt!
If cleaning the stylus doesn’t help, you might need to replace it!
How to Replace Crosley Turntable Stylus?
To replace the needle on your Crosley turntable follow these steps:
- First, grab the tonearm and move it aside from the platter.
- Using your fingernail, pull down the front edge of the stylus.
- Push downwards until the needle comes off the tonearm.
That’s it. The new stylus just clicks in place, and you’re ready to test if the skipping is there!
5. Re-adjust the Tracking Force
Note: Skip this step if your Crosley turntable has a fixed tracking force and no counterweight.
If you have cleaned and replaced the stylus but the problem persists, you might need a different Crosley record player skipping fix.
In this step, we’re going to adjust the tracking force, which is the pressure of the needle onto the vinyl record grooves, that can cause skipping or distortion.
The perfect tracking force is somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 grams, based on your cartridge, stylus, and vinyl records. So, we’re going to set the tracking force to 2 grams and test the issue.
Here’s how to adjust the tracking force on a Crosley record player:
- If necessary, release the counterweight using an Allen wrench.
- The next step is to reduce the Anti-Skate knob to a setting of 0.
- Remove the arm from its holder and put it aside from the platter.
- Rotate the counterweight ring to balance the arm independently.
- Then, you must rotate the numbered ring for two full revolutions.
- This means starting from 0, going over 0 again, and ending on 2.
- This will put exactly 2 grams of weight on your tonearm’s stylus.
When ready, don’t forget to adjust the Anti-Skate knob and then test whether the skipping issue is still there.
If yes, we recommend trying with a tracking force of 1.5 grams to test the problem.
Tip: Many users recommend checking the true tracking force of the tonearm by using a small weight unit to measure the actual weight.
6. Inspect and Clean the Platter
If you’ve tried all the previous steps but the skipping problem on your Crosley record player is still there, perhaps the issue comes from the platter.
This is why we recommend performing a complete inspection of the platter, which also involves removing it and repositioning the belt.
The key points of interest you need to inspect are the spindle and the underside of the platter for any foreign objects.
Those include wrapped hair, dust, debris, or anything obstructing the platter. To remove the platter, you must eject the small ring holding it onto the spindle!
When you remove the platter the belt will come loose. However, proceed with your cleaning and inspection and verify there are no obstructions.
If everything looks good, let’s reposition the belt.
7. Reposition the Belt Correctly
The belt plays a vital role in the spinning of the platter and when misaligned, this can produce a wobbly motion, which often leads to sound distortion and skipping.
So, let’s learn how to set up the belt correctly:
- First, flip the platter upside down on a flat surface.
- Stretch the belt and wrap it around the inner ring.
- Verify that the belt is tightly wrapped on the platter.
- Flip the platter the right way up above the spindle.
- Pinch the belt from the right and gently stretch it.
- Then, attach the stretched side to the motor pulley.
- Release and belt and slide down the platter slowly.
The belt should now be tightly wrapped around the pulley and the spindle, which guarantees that the platter will rotate correctly.
Go ahead and test whether the skipping issue continues…
Skipping is Still There – What To Do?
Well, if you tried ALL methods but the skipping is still there, this suggests a problem with the motor and the rotation speed.
However, if you skipped an essential step such as replacing the needle, we recommend buying a new stylus and replacing it before rushing into conclusions.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.