TURNTABLES 101: TURNTABLE CARE AND INSTALLATION   VERY IMPORTANT! Once you've purchased one of our fully refurbished turntables from our partner locations, be very careful in brining it home. When transporting your new turntable, think of it as an expensive pizza with many toppings.  DO NOT TILT. DO NOT TURN OVER. Hold it horizontal at all times.  We suggest taping the platter down and resting the unit on a blanket or foam. In order for you to get the most enjoyment, quality sound and overall life out of your turntable you should consider the following:
1)      GROUND WIRE Always make sure your table is plugged in properly and grounded internally or via the black ground wire on the back.  If this wire is not attached to a ground (usually marked on your receiver or amp) there will be a hum or feedback when using the player.  Simple connecting the wire to a screw on the receiver also usually works.  Note:  Some players are internally grounded and do not have this wire.	2)    NEEDLES        Your phono cartridge and needle are VERY fragile.  Do not clean the needle with the tip of your finger.  Invest in a needle cleaning brush and solution available at most record and electronic stores. Oils and dirt from your hands attract dust and can ruin your records and needles.        Do not touch the needle nor the grooves of the record with you hands - ever!	3)     NEEDLE GAURDS       On occasion needles come with needle guards to prevent damage.  These are mounted on the underside of the needle/cartridge.  You must remove this prior to playing for the needle to be functional.
4)     WEAR and TEAR       Change the needle (usually, it simply pulls out of the cartridge front) when you notice diminished sound quality or when the needle is damaged– needles do wear out over time and a dull needle will also mess with your records.  Some say every 200-300 hours of listening use but, I never could afford to follow that recommendation.  Cleaning the needle helps prolong life.	5)     CARTRIDGE       The phono cartridge can be moved forward and backward in the headshell to best suit your tracking needs.  Try different tracking positions as each table tone arm is different in length and shape.  Listening to the result of cartridge movement is the best way to tell where best to lock in the cartridge on the headshell.  Buying a higher quality cartridge will also dramatically improve sound performance.	6)     CUEING       Always exercise care in placing the needle on the record.  Use the cue button if you have one.  If you do the cueing manually do it very slowly as to not damage the needle nor the record.
7)  CLEANING       Clean your records with a record lint brush prior to playing them.  Link and dust build up on records and effect your needle and sound quality.  Any debris on the record itself will effect play so keep your records clean.	8)     TONE ARM        Make sure your tone arm is balanced and uses less than 2 grams force (via the rear weight on the tone arm) whenever possible to minimize wear and tear on your records and needle.	9)     LIDS       Keep the lid on your turntable.        Many people remove the lid and greatly increase the risk of damage to the table, cartridge, needle and tone arm – friends, beer, and tables without lids ….get the picture.
10)   MOVING       When moving your table there are a number of steps you need to take to pack your table carefully including securing the platter and tone arm, removing the needle and wrapping the lid and table in bubble wrap.  Tables, lids and needles are easily damaged in transit if not secured and should be readjusted once moved.	11)   D.J. CAUTION       Most turntables are not designed for D.J. work.        Unless you own a D.J. table, do not attempt scratching or moving your platter by hand.  It can lead to major problems with the table and needle and can damage your records.	12)   TURNTABLE INFORMATION       A complete glossary of turntable terms, usage information, and tips is available at: www.theturntablefactory.com/glossary.html