What to do when a new vinyl record skips
There’s nothing more disappointing than putting on a brand-new record and hearing it skip.
The good news is that a skip doesn’t always mean there’s something wrong with the record. Dust, static, a dirty or worn stylus, or the way a turntable is set up can all cause playback problems — and many of them are easy to fix.
Before arranging a return, try the checks below. They only take a few minutes and can often solve the problem.
1. Give the record a gentle clean
A new record isn’t necessarily a perfectly clean record. Small bits of paper from the inner sleeve, dust from packaging, manufacturing residue and static can all be present straight out of the sleeve.
Start by gently brushing the record with a clean anti-static record brush. Avoid household cleaners, rough cloths or improvised cleaning mixtures.
If you can see something in the groove where the record skips, a proper wet clean with a cleaning solution designed for vinyl may help.
2. Check the stylus
A tiny amount of dust or fluff on the stylus can be enough to affect tracking.
Take a close look at the stylus and, if necessary, clean it with a suitable stylus brush. Brush gently from back to front, following the direction the record would normally travel under the stylus. Never scrub it from side to side.
If the stylus is old or heavily worn, it may also have difficulty tracking records that would otherwise play normally.
If you have recently replaced the stylus, make sure the replacement is suitable for your cartridge. An incorrect or poor-quality replacement can also cause tracking problems.
3. Try the same section again
After cleaning the record and stylus, replay the same section.
If the problem has disappeared, dust, debris or static was probably the cause.
If it skips at exactly the same point again, take note of where it happens and inspect that part of the record under good light. Look for a visible scratch, mark, particle or unusual groove.
Also pay attention to what the stylus is actually doing. Does it jump forward, jump backwards, or become stuck repeating the same few seconds? This information will be useful if you submit a return request.
4. Check for warping
Look at the record from the side while it spins.
A small amount of movement does not necessarily mean a record is defective. Vinyl records are not always perfectly flat, and a slight variation that does not affect playback is generally nothing to worry about.
A more pronounced warp can be a problem if it causes the cartridge and tonearm to move significantly up and down or makes the stylus lose contact with the groove.
If the record is badly warped, don’t try to force it to play.
5. Check your turntable setup
If the record is clean but still skips, the next thing to check is the turntable.
Make sure the turntable is sitting level on a firm, stable surface. Speakers should ideally be positioned so their vibrations aren’t transferred directly into the turntable.
If your turntable has adjustable tracking force and anti-skate, check that they are set according to the cartridge manufacturer’s recommendations. Tracking force that is too low can make the stylus lose contact with the groove and skip.
Avoid adding coins or other weights to the headshell or tonearm. This can put excessive pressure on the stylus and record and may cause unnecessary wear.
6. Does it happen with other records?
This is one of the easiest ways to narrow down the problem.
If several different records skip, especially in different places, it’s worth checking the stylus and turntable setup more closely.
If only one record skips — particularly if it repeatedly skips at exactly the same point — there may be contamination, damage, a warp or a pressing defect affecting that copy.
If possible, try the record on another properly set-up turntable. If it skips at the same place on both players, the record itself is more likely to be the cause.
Can a brand-new record be defective?
Yes. It can happen, although isolated manufacturing defects are not especially common.
Records are pressed in production runs, so a significant problem originating in the pressing process may affect more than one copy of the same release rather than a single record.
That doesn’t mean an individual copy cannot have a problem. A particular record may be warped, contaminated, damaged during handling or transport, or have another defect affecting only that copy.
That’s why a new record skipping doesn’t automatically tell us whether the problem is the record or the playback equipment. The checks above help narrow down the cause.
Not every noise means the record is defective
Vinyl is an analogue format. An occasional pop, click or small amount of surface noise is different from the stylus actually skipping.
Dust and static are common causes of clicks and surface noise, including on brand-new records, and a proper clean can often improve playback.
A stylus repeatedly jumping or becoming stuck in a short loop is different. If this always happens at exactly the same point and cleaning doesn’t help, inspect the record carefully and, if possible, try it on another turntable.
Also, a heavier or 180 g pressing is not automatically better or less likely to have playback problems. The weight of the vinyl alone does not determine the quality of the pressing.
A note about compact and all-in-one turntables
Some compact, suitcase-style and all-in-one record players have tonearms with little or no adjustment. These players can sometimes have difficulty tracking certain records, even when the record itself is within normal manufacturing tolerances.
That doesn’t necessarily mean either the player or the record is “bad” — some combinations are simply more sensitive than others.
If you regularly experience skipping across different records, checking the stylus or trying the records on another turntable can help identify the cause.
What not to do
Please don’t try to force the stylus through a skipping section or add permanent extra weight to the tonearm or headshell. Both can damage the groove or shorten the life of the stylus.
We also recommend using products specifically designed for vinyl when cleaning records. Household cleaners, abrasive cloths and improvised cleaning solutions can cause damage.
A quick checklist
If you’re not sure where to start:
- Gently clean the record.
- Check and clean the stylus.
- Replay the same section.
- Inspect the problem area and check for a significant warp.
- Try another record on the same turntable.
- Check the turntable setup and tracking force, if adjustable.
- If possible, try the problem record on another properly set-up turntable.
- If it still skips in the same place, start a return request.
Still skipping? We’re happy to help
If you bought the record from us, tried the checks above and it still skips, start a return request. We genuinely want to help work out what’s happening.
If the record is damaged or defective, we’ll arrange a replacement or refund in accordance with our returns policy.
We want you to be able to put the record on, enjoy the music and forget about troubleshooting.