Sony Model HP-178A record player issues

[vortalexfan]

Greetings everyone, recently while helping to clean out my great-grandfather's house I found a Sony AM/FM Stereo/8-Track Recorder/3 Speed Record Changer System Model HP-178A that still worked flawlessly (including the original BSR Changer).

The only issues it had when I got it was that the function push-buttons were noisy/dirty and the 8-track recorder's belt had deteriorated, but when I cleaned the function push-buttons, and replaced the belt on the 8-Track recorder and cleaned and realigned the 8-track recorder heads the unit worked flawlessly.

Now to the main issue at hand, the record player, which has issues with skipping on various records whether they have scratches on them or not, and I've narrowed it down to a bad needle, the only problem is that the cartridge this record changer uses is a Sony VX-23P "Ceramic" Cartridge that has an output voltage of 3 mV which is the same output voltage as a magnetic cartridge (which is why I have the word "ceramic" in quotes, because I think its a typo because the only place I could find a reference to that cartridge was over at Vinyl Engine, and all they had was specs typed into their website no actual manual for the cartridge).

This record player is a 3 speed BSR Record Changer with an adjustable tonearm (weight), and Anti-Skate, and I was wondering if I could just replace the cartridge on this thing with a more common low output Voltage Ceramic Cartridge with a flip-over needle (LP and 78 Needle) or should I replace with a more common and readily available magnetic cartridge that has a 78 needle available for it?

I'm asking because a new needle for the Sony VX-23P Cartridge is almost $40 and there is currently no 78 needle available for it, and if I could replace the current cartridge with one that is more readily available and has cheaper and easier to obtain needles I would be able to use this record player for a long time to come.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

[KentTeffeteller]

If it is 3 mv, I suspect magnetic cartridge here (that is too low output for any ceramic save exotic strain gauge, and it's too low tracking force for all but a tiny few ceramics). And given that BSR being a nicer model, I'd try installing a Shure M 75 body, and using a Jico N75 EJ for microgroove discs, and get a N75-3 stylus from Jico for 78 RPM discs. Styli for this cartridge is easy to get and inexpensive, and as good or better than your original cartridge. You'd need to balance the arm, readjust the tracking force, and antiskating once cartridge is installed.