Introduction – a foreword about the use off Record Players
First of all, there are tons and tons of different record players, and Crosley might be the best manufacturer in the industry of turntables. Therefor we use their models to answer your question “How to use a turntable“. Their models are simply the best, but their series share only little of similarities between each other.
If you want to know how to operate a Crosley turntable, you should first read the instructions manual. There are different models in each series that are operated differently. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use a standard Crosley record player – a pure example of standard issue Crosley player is Portable Crosley Turntable, Crosley Cruiser, and such.
Before you start – Things you should know
There are several things you need to know before you actually get to the operating part. Each Crosley turntable serves one purpose, and one purpose alone – to reproduce the sound of your records. Now, there are different types of records (just as there are different types of players), and you should know which records you have and which records will your record player support.
For instance, most Crosley record players are able to reproduce the sound of standard LP (long play) records that are 7 and 8 inches long. The majority of record players can also reproduce the longer ones that are 12 and 14 inches long.
Furthermore, you should be aware of the fact that various parts, bits, and pieces of a Crosley record player come with a special cover. This cover shields them from damage, as they’re quite fragile in nature. For instance, the turntable needle is very small and flimsy, so it comes with a cover. If you want to preserve your record player, you should always remove these coverings before you start to operate your record player.
Lastly, you should never force a record. If your record player skips parts, if it hums, vibrates, or even shakes during playing, you should consider repairing it before you actually use it. Defective record players can damage your records (the same goes for wrongly cut records and defective parts).
This is not such a huge matter. After all, most record player parts are easily replaceable (and easily reparable). Now, let’s get to the part where we explain how to operate a Crosley record player.
Operating a Record Player
Even though operating a Crosley record player is a breeze, you can still get it wrong if you don’t do everything properly. If you miss out on some of the steps, you can damage your record player, damage your records, and, ultimately, lose some cash on repairs
Read the instructions manual
Every Crosley record player comes with a user’s manual. This manual explains in detail all you need to know about your record player, the parts, and how to use it. Now, in the unfortunate event that you happen to receive your record player without a user’s manual, official Crosley™ site offers full customer service. Just give them a call and they’ll gladly help you out.
Put the record on the platter
It’s hard to imagine a record player that can reproduce sound without a record. However, that’s still possible – some models (including Crosley’s record players) are capable of wireless sound reproduction, USB sound reproduction, and such. In that case, you can skip this step.
Unlock the turntable stylus (tonearm)
Every turntable comes with a special tonearm which is locked before usage. Now, to unlock it, simply remove the small brake that’s keeping it locked. Keep in mind that these parts are fragile, so take it slow.
Set the turntable stylus on the record
The sound is reproduced once the record starts spinning, and that can only be achieved when the turntable stylus is on the record. The needle of the turntable stylus will then slowly graze the surface of the record, producing sound. This is pretty obvious and straightforward, but it has to be done slowly, lest you damage the needle (or the turntable stylus itself).
Turn on the turntable
The tricky part is as following – some turntables come without the “power” button. Most people don’t bother with the user’s manual, and think that all they need to do is simply put the record on the platter and press the “ON” button.
If that’s the case, you should always try toggling the volume. Most Crosley record players can be turned on this way, and (in the case that the user’s manual doesn’t say anything in particular), this is how you operate a Crosley turntable.
