Ed Lansink
Have you listened to one of your favorite records, and your record player needle keeps skipping?
Skipping issues are something that every vinyl collector faces at some point, so I’ve made this guide to help you figure out:
Record player skipping occurs when the needle’s path is disturbed, disconnecting it from the groove and interfering with playback. The issue can be caused by different factors, for example, deep scratches, dirt or dust, a damaged record needle (aka ‘stylus’), or even bad calibration.
Here’s a video of a record skipping as a demonstration:
As you can see, sometimes, when a record is skipping, it results in a record looping over the same spot. Other times the needle bounces out of the grooves and lands randomly.
Either way, skipping records are annoying and interferes with the listening experience. They can also damage your record player and vinyl if left unchecked.
Several factors can make a vinyl record skip, ranging from issues with the disc to problems with the turntable itself. Anybody who owns a record collection will run into this problem at one stage. Learning how skipping occurs can help you to understand how to stop it from happening.
If your record is skipping, there’s a high chance one of the factors below could be the cause.
(You can find solutions for fixes further down on this page.)
Dust, dirt (and even hairs) are some of the most common causes of record skipping.
The microscopic grooves of a record are incredibly thin. Any damage or blockages in the grooves can cause the needle to lose track of the groove.
If excessive amounts of dirt or dust build up in the grooves, it can block the needle’s path, causing it to skip.
The best way to prevent this is to clean your records regularly with a carbon fiber brush or anti-static brush.
Causing the worst kind of skipping, and often unrepairable, scratches are the bane of any record collector.
Not all scratches make records skip, but deeper ones will deform and disturb the grooves, which interrupts the tracking of the needle.
Scratches tend to create worse skipping than any other cause. Some scratches can be repaired or corrected; although often a bad scratch means you have a broken record you can bin (or upcycle!).
Larger scratches can span more than one track on a record and can ruin the whole album in the worst cases, with recurring clicks.
On cheaper record players, often you will run into issues with the tonearm rest, especially with all-in-one (and suitcase-style) players.
Sometimes the plastic tonearm rest doesn’t fully lower, which means the needle doesn’t rest in the groove fully. That’s practically a guarantee for skipping (and distorted playback).
The fix is simple but annoying: Push down the rest fully whenever you play. It’s not an easy thing to fix permanently, thanks to the cheap plastics used.
Check out this youtube video for more info on this issue:
Warped records are also prone to skipping. This type of damaged record will be bent out of shape (usually from excessive heat or pressure for prolonged periods), which interferes with the tracking of the record grooves.
Even small warps can make cause skipping. You can check visually to see whether warping is causing the issue. Look at the turntable from the side, and look at where it skips. If there is a bump or warp in the record near that location, it’s probably the cause.
If you’re dealing with a warp, you can try to flatten them, but there’s no guarantee it’ll work perfectly. Check out my full guide on this topic here → how to fix warped records.
Sometimes, even a brand-new record skips, although this is usually caused by the turntable rather than the vinyl record itself. An uncalibrated turntable can increase the chances of the needle skipping from the record grooves.
The three types of calibration issues that are most common are:
Think this is your issue? Jump to the section on calibration fixes.
If dirty, the stylus may struggle to stay in the grooves and may jump out when you play a track. You’ll know it’s dirty because the sound quality won’t be great.
Cleaning your stylus is the fix for this, which is an easy task. Use a stylus brush to remove dirt from the tip of the needle. Liquid or gel cleaners also help.
Check out my full guide here → how to clean a turntable stylus.
Vibrations from your speakers can disturb the turntable. Particularly bass frequencies will affect the turntable, which can cause the needle to jump out of the groove.
The best way to fix this is to rearrange your setup and ensure there are enough layers of isolation between your turntable and speakers. Turntable Isolation Platforms are a great accessory here.
To stop a record from skipping, you will need to address the causes of the problem.
Once you’ve worked out whether it’s dirt, damage, or calibration, use the following information to correct the issue.
Records that are dusty, greasy, or filled with debris will be more prone to skipping.
If a record is skipping due to a build-up of dust, you should use one of the many vinyl cleaning techniques to restore its condition.
The easiest fix for cleaning vinyl is with a record cleaning brush or velvet pad. You can find these online or sometimes in your local record store.
Here are some recommended brush and pad-style cleaners:
Not only will carbon fiber brush help to remove dirt, dust, and other debris, but they also reduce the static buildup, preventing the disc from attracting more dust.
As a rule of thumb, even if you buy them from a good record shop, you should give second-hand records a clean before playing them for the first time.
Although a brush can be a good start for record cleaning, a “wet cleaning” method will be much more effective in dealing with gunk and other debris that can cause a record player to skip. Even a simple spritz of record cleaning solution and a wipe in a circular motion with a microfiber cloth can make a big difference.
For a full guide on the best vinyl cleaning methods, check out this guide → How to clean a vinyl record.
Most scratches are irreparable, and the chances are you have a broken record; however, there is a last-ditch method you can try to fix the scratch.
This method might seem counterintuitive, but it can work well.
Note: You might find it easier to use a magnifying glass and bright light when trying to fix vinyl records with this process.
If you want to achieve any kind of success with this method, be very, very gentle.
Properly calibrating a turntable is essential for consistent playback. There are a few calibration controls you can adjust on a record player to prevent record skips.
Some calibration tricks can help play through a skipping section of a record in a pinch.
Here is a short step-by-step guide for related calibration areas. Use this checklist to ensure your turntable is set up correctly.
If the platter of the record player is at an angle, rather than perfectly level, it reduces the stability of the needle in the grooves and can cause skipping.
The easiest way to check turntable balance is using a spirit level.
Use the spirit level to judge which sides are lower or higher, and adjust the height of the legs until perfectly balanced. The best way to do this is to place the spirit level at different (flat) points on your turntable.
Not all turntables have height-adjustable legs, so you may have to balance the surface underneath the turntable yourself.
Alternatively, you can buy externally adjustable turntable feet (aka “sound absorbing feet”), which can give you the height adjustment you need to get balanced. You could also buy a turntable isolation platform.
This control typically looks like a small round dial located on the tonearm array. It basically helps the needle sit perfectly within the groove at all points of the record surface.
First, you need to set the anti-skate to 0. We’ll make further adjustments later.
The yoke is a small device on a turntable that the tonearm rests on when not in use. These typically have some sort of clasp or hook to keep the tonearm in place. Unclip this, so the tonearm is moving freely. This helps to get a perfect balance.
At the back end of the tonearm, you should find some kind of counterweight mechanic. This is used to balance out the downward force of the stylus. It needs to offer nearly the same weight so the needle isn’t forced into the vinyl with too much (or too little) pressure.
Use the counterweight to adjust the rough balance of the arm. Both ends should float roughly at the same spot at this stage. It should just about float in balance, without one end pushing down too far.
Once balanced, gently rotate the mechanism to tighten the counterweight nut, loosely locking it in position. Don’t fully lock it, as you’ll need to make smaller adjustments later.
Next, we need to carefully adjust the arm tracking weight to get the perfect tracking force.
Each cartridge and stylus has a specific ideal tracking force weight; you’ll find this online or in the product manual. It’s typically a weight between 1 and 5 grams.
The best way to measure the vertical tracking force (VTF) is with a VTF gauge.
These tools give the best measurements for the task, helping you to get the perfect VTF measurement.
You can find well-priced VTF gauges online:
Some (but not all) turntables have easy-adjust dials for VTF; check with your user guide to see if yours is fitted.
After other measurements are correct, you can put the tonearm into its resting position and re-secure it to the yoke.
Now you need to set the anti-skating control to the same value as the tracking weight. So if you have a VTF of 2g, set the skate to 2.
The two ways to test whether anti-skate has been set correctly are:
Having the correct anti-skating value is a key fix when trying to prevent record skipping.
These steps only cover the basics of calibration. It should be enough for most record players, but for more detailed instructions on turntable calibration, see my guide on how to set up your turntable correctly.
There are a few steps you can take to prevent your vinyl records from skipping.
Keeping records in good condition is the best strategy to avoid a skip (and preserve sound quality).
Store your records properly with anti-static record sleeves and away from heat (e.g., direct sunlight) and other environmental factors like high humidity. Keeping them dust-free and protected from scratches and warps is essential.
Maintain a well-calibrated and clean turntable to reduce the chance of a skip when you play.
To prevent the dreaded record skip, regularly:
Keeping the stylus clean is very important. The stylus collects dust, hair, and other debris after playback, which can fall off and become embedded in the groove of a record. It also decreases the traction the needle has on the grooves.
More on this topic here → How to clean a record needle.
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I'm a passionate vinyl collector, analog fan, and lifetime enthusiast of most things audio.
On VinyliQ I help fellow vinyl collectors enjoy their hobby to the max, sharing my knowledge about and passion for vinyl.