canadianastatic.com Paid content

To find the right replacement stylus, first determine whether your turntable uses a ceramic or magnetic cartridge, then match your record player's brand and model against Canadian Astatic's brand lists and its ceramic or magnetic stylus picture identification pages. Canadian Astatic is a North American supplier of replacement stylus, replacement cartridges, and microphones, and its catalog is organized by cartridge type, then by brand, then by stylus specification and picture. This guide walks through that structure so you can identify the correct part before ordering.

Step 1: Determine whether you have a ceramic or magnetic cartridge

This is the single decision that splits the entire catalog. Canadian Astatic separates its stylus listings into two top-level categories:

• Ceramic Stylus — with its own specifications and picture identification pages
• Magnetic Stylus — with its own specifications and picture identification pages

If you search the wrong category, you will not find your part no matter how accurately you know your brand.

How to tell which type you have

• Ceramic cartridges are common on older, mass-market console and portable record players. They typically output a higher signal and often do not require a separate phono preamp stage in the same way magnetic cartridges do.
• Magnetic cartridges (moving magnet or moving coil) are typical of component turntables and higher-fidelity systems, and generally need a phono input or preamp.

If you are unsure, look at the cartridge body itself or any markings on the existing stylus. Canadian Astatic's own category list also includes a Ceramic Cartridges section alongside the stylus categories, which can help you confirm the family your player belongs to.

Step 2: Find your brand in the catalog

Once you know ceramic or magnetic, locate your record player's brand. Canadian Astatic maintains long brand lists under each stylus type. The ceramic list includes brands such as:

• B.S.R.
• Garrard
• Dual
• Zenith
• Magnavox
• Electrohome
• Philco
• RCA
• Sonotone
• V-M
• Webcor
• Wurlitzer

The magnetic list includes brands such as:

• Audio Technica
• Bang & Olufsen
• Denon
• Dual
• Empire
• Fisher
• Grado-family names appear via related listings
• ADC (Audio Dynamics)
• Shure-family and others appear through their own brand entries

Brand names are the fastest filter. If your player is a store-brand or rebadged unit, check the brands that manufactured it — for example, many console players sold under department-store names were built by major OEMs that appear in these lists.

Step 3: Narrow to your model and confirm the stylus shape

After selecting your brand, you still need the specific model. Two players from the same brand can use different styli. Canadian Astatic provides two tools for this stage:

1. Specifications pages — for both ceramic and magnetic styli, listing technical details of each stylus.
2. Picture identification pages — visual references so you can compare the shape and mounting of your old stylus against the catalog entry.

Use both. A part number alone can be misread; a picture plus specification reduces the chance of ordering a stylus that looks similar but will not seat correctly.

What to compare before ordering

• Stylus tip type — conical, elliptical, or other profile, as listed in the specifications
• Mounting and body shape — how the stylus clips or slides onto the cartridge
• Part number — cross-check the number on your old stylus against the catalog entry
• Cartridge model — confirm the stylus is listed for your exact cartridge, not just your brand

Step 4: Check availability and price before buying

Canadian Astatic publishes a Price List page. Check it to confirm the stylus you identified is listed and to see current pricing. Because this is a replacement-parts catalog rather than a live retail storefront, confirm the item is orderable before you commit — a part appearing in a brand list does not by itself guarantee it is in stock.

Step 5: Verify the fit after it arrives

A correct replacement stylus should seat fully and securely on the cartridge with no wobble. If it does not:

• Fits poorly or will not seat — recheck the mounting type and body shape against the picture identification page; you may have matched the brand but not the exact cartridge.
• Sounds distorted — confirm the tip type matches your original, and check that the stylus is fully seated before assuming the part is wrong.
• Tracks incorrectly — verify you ordered the correct stylus for your cartridge model, then check tracking force against your turntable's recommended setting.

Quick reference

The core discipline is sequence: cartridge type first, brand second, model and stylus shape third, price and availability last. Skipping the first step is the most common reason people order a stylus that will not fit.

A phono cartridge is the complete assembly at the end of your tonearm that holds the stylus (needle) and converts the movement of that needle through the record groove into an electrical signal. The stylus is only the replaceable tip inside the cartridge. If your sound is weak, distorted, or one channel is dead, the cartridge body may be the problem rather than the needle. Canadian Astatic, which describes itself as North America's largest supplier of replacement stylus and replacement cartridges, organizes its catalog by both cartridge type and equipment brand, which is the fastest route to a correct match.

Cartridge vs. stylus: what you are actually replacing

Many people say "needle" when they mean the whole cartridge. Before ordering, confirm which part is failing. If the cartridge body is fine and only the tip is worn, a stylus replacement is usually the cheaper and simpler fix.

Ceramic vs. magnetic cartridges

Canadian Astatic separates its catalog into Ceramic Stylus and Magnetic Stylus sections, and the same split applies to cartridges. The type matters because the two are not interchangeable on most vintage equipment.

• Ceramic cartridges were common in console record players, portable players, and budget turntables from the 1950s through the 1970s. They produce a relatively high output and often feed a simple amplifier stage.
• Magnetic cartridges (moving magnet or moving coil) are found on better turntables and component systems. They produce a lower output and normally require a phono input or preamp with appropriate gain and equalization.

If you install the wrong type, expect very low volume, heavy distortion, or no usable signal — not just a tonal difference.

Identify your cartridge before you search

Work from evidence on the machine, not from memory:

1. Read the existing cartridge. Look for a brand and model number molded or printed on the body.
2. Check the stylus assembly. Many stylus carriers have their own number, which can identify the cartridge family even when the body marking is worn off.
3. Note the turntable brand and model. The deck manufacturer often determines which cartridge family fits.
4. Check the mounting. Standard half-inch mounting and proprietary or plug-in mounts are not interchangeable.

Canadian Astatic's site provides a Ceramic Stylus Specifications page and a Ceramic Stylus Picture Identification page, plus a Magnetic Stylus Specifications page. Picture identification is useful when markings are illegible — you match the shape of the stylus assembly rather than a number.

Match by brand list

The site's Brand List and Category List let you navigate from the equipment maker to the correct part. Ceramic stylus entries are listed by brand, including Admiral, Airline, Arvin, Astatic, B.S.R., Columbia, Dual, Electro-Voice, Electrohome, Emerson, Fisher, Garrard, General Electric, Hitachi, JVC, Magnavox, Motorola, Panasonic, Philco, Philips, Pioneer, R.C.A., Sanyo, Sears Roebuck, Sharp, Sony, Sylvania, Toshiba, V-M, Webcor, Westinghouse, Zenith, and many others. Magnetic stylus entries follow the same pattern with brands such as Acutex, ADC (Audio Dynamics), Aiwa, Akai, Audio Technica, Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Dual, Empire, Fisher, Garrard, and more.

Practical approach:

• Find your equipment brand in the brand list.
• Confirm the cartridge type (ceramic or magnetic) from your own inspection.
• Cross-check the model or stylus number against the specifications page.
• If the brand is not listed, use the picture identification page to match by appearance.

Common compatibility mistakes

• Ordering a stylus for the wrong cartridge body. Stylus assemblies fit specific cartridge families; a similar-looking part may not seat or track correctly.
• Mixing ceramic and magnetic. Output level and required preamp differ, so a swap usually fails.
• Assuming the turntable brand equals the cartridge brand. Deck makers frequently used third-party cartridges, so check the cartridge itself.
• Ignoring mounting type. Half-inch mount, plug-in, and proprietary mounts are not universal.
• Replacing the cartridge when only the stylus is worn. Confirm the fault first to avoid unnecessary cost.

Before you order

Verify these four things: cartridge type (ceramic or magnetic), brand and model of the existing cartridge or stylus, turntable brand and model, and mounting style. Canadian Astatic publishes a Price List page for current pricing, and the site's Resource Material section supports the specifications and picture identification lookups. If your markings are gone, start with the picture identification pages rather than guessing from a model number.

Canadian Astatic organizes its replacement stylus catalog by cartridge type (ceramic vs. magnetic) and then by equipment brand, so the fastest path to the correct part is to identify your cartridge family first, then match your turntable's brand in the corresponding list. This works for most vintage record players and consoles, including obscure brands, because the catalog covers dozens of manufacturers. If your exact model isn't listed, you'll need to measure or photograph the old stylus before ordering.

Step 1: Determine whether you have a ceramic or magnetic cartridge

This is the single decision that determines which half of the catalog applies to you. The two families use different stylus shapes and mounting, so a ceramic stylus will not fit a magnetic cartridge body and vice versa.

If you're unsure, the practical test is to look at the cartridge body and the stylus assembly: ceramic styli are often a self-contained plug-in unit, while magnetic styli are typically a smaller replaceable stylus that clips into a cartridge body. When in doubt, the catalog's picture identification pages exist precisely for this check.

Step 2: Match your turntable brand to the stylus list

Once you know the family, narrow by the brand of your record player or turntable. The site maintains separate brand lists for ceramic and magnetic styli, and the two lists are not identical — a brand may appear in one, both, or neither.

Ceramic stylus brands in the catalog include, among many others:

• Admiral, Airline, Arvin, Astatic, Audio Industries, AUE
• B.S.R., Bradford, Brother
• Capitol, CEC, Claritone, Columbia, Coronado, Crown, Curtis Mathes
• Dual, Electro-Voice, Electrohome, Emerson, Euphonics
• Fisher, Fuji-Denki, Garrard, General Electric
• Harmon Kardon, Hitachi, JVC, Magnavox, Mitsubishi, Morse-Electrophonic, Motorola
• Nagaoka, NEC, Olympic, Onkyo, Panasonic, Penncrest, Perpetuum-Ebner, Philco, Philips, Phonola, Piezo, Pilot Radio, Pioneer
• R.C.A., Ronette, Rotel, Sansui, Sanyo, Sears Roebuck, Seeburg, Sharp, Singer-KLH, Sonotone, Sony, Sylvania, Symphonic
• Teledyne, Telefunken, Tetrad, Thompson, Toshiba, Toyoto, Truetone
• Varco-Vaco, V-M, Webcor, Westinghouse, Wurlitzer, Yamaha, Zenith

Magnetic stylus brands in the catalog include, among others:

• Acutex, ADC (Audio Dynamics), Admiral, Airline, Aiwa, Akai, Audio Technica
• Bang & Olufsen, Bradford, Brother
• Capitol, CEC, Clairtone, Coral, Crown
• Denon, Columbia, Dual
• Electrohome, Empire, Excel Sound, Fisher, Fuji Denki, General Electric

Note that some brands (for example, Admiral, Airline, Bradford, Brother, Capitol, CEC, Clairtone, Crown, Dual, Electrohome, Fisher, Fuji-Denki, General Electric) appear in both families. That's why Step 1 comes first — the brand alone doesn't tell you which stylus you need.

Step 3: Confirm the specific stylus with specifications and pictures

Brand and model get you to a short list, not a final answer. Before ordering, use the two verification resources the site provides:

1. Specifications pages — the Ceramic Stylus Specifications and Magnetic Stylus Specifications pages list the technical details of each stylus, so you can confirm the shape and mounting match what's in your player.
2. Picture identification — the Ceramic Stylus Picture Identification page lets you visually compare your old stylus against catalog images. This is the most reliable check when model numbers are worn off or the same brand used multiple stylus types across similar models.

The goal is to confirm three things: the stylus shape, the mounting/clip style, and that the part is listed for your cartridge family.

Step 4: Check the price list and confirm compatibility before buying

The site publishes a Price List page where current pricing is listed. Check it for the specific part number you've identified rather than assuming a price from a similar item.

For older or obscure brands, confirm compatibility explicitly before purchase. The catalog's breadth (covering brands like Toyoto, Varco-Vaco, Morse-Electrophonic, and Penncrest) is the reason it's useful for vintage equipment, but breadth also means similar-looking parts exist across families. If anything about the match is uncertain, verify against the specifications and picture pages first.

If your exact model isn't listed

Not every vintage model will appear by name. When that happens:

• Measure or photograph the old stylus. Remove it carefully and record its dimensions and mounting style, then compare against the specifications and picture identification pages.
• Work from the cartridge, not just the player brand. If the cartridge was replaced at some point, the player's brand may not match the stylus you actually need.
• Contact the supplier. Canadian Astatic describes itself as North America's largest supplier of replacement stylus and replacement cartridges, and it also carries vocal, communication, and CB microphones — so it's positioned to help identify a part that isn't obviously listed.

Quick decision path

• Ceramic cartridge → Ceramic Stylus brand list → specifications + picture ID → price list → order.
• Magnetic cartridge → Magnetic Stylus brand list → specifications + picture ID → price list → order.
• Unknown cartridge type → check the cartridge body and stylus assembly, or use the picture identification pages before choosing a list.
• Model not listed → measure/photograph the old stylus and confirm with the supplier.

Canadian Astatic sells microphones in three broad categories — vocal, communication, and CB — alongside its much larger replacement stylus and cartridge business for vintage record players. If you need a microphone for singing, public address, or two-way radio use, start by matching the category to your job, then check the site's Price List page before ordering. If you actually need a needle or cartridge for an old turntable, you are in the wrong part of the catalog and should use the stylus and cartridge sections instead.

The three microphone categories and who each one is for

Canadian Astatic describes its microphone selection as covering vocal, communication, and CB microphones. Those labels map to fairly different jobs:

The category name alone does not guarantee a match. A "communication" microphone can use different connectors and wiring depending on the radio it was built for, so the connector is usually the deciding factor.

Match the microphone to the job, not the label

Work backward from where the microphone will plug in:

1. Identify the equipment. Is it a PA system, a CB radio, a two-way radio, or a recording setup? The equipment manual or the existing microphone's connector tells you what will fit.
2. Identify the connector. Communication and CB microphones commonly use specific multi-pin plugs. A microphone with the wrong plug may not work even if the category matches.
3. Choose the category. Vocal for singing and speech pickup; communication for radio and dispatch; CB for Citizen Band radios.
4. Check the Price List. Canadian Astatic publishes a Price List page. Use it to confirm current pricing before you order, since the site does not display prices directly in the product listings.

If you are replacing a microphone that already worked with your equipment, the safest approach is to match the connector and wiring of the old unit rather than guessing from the category name.

Don't confuse microphones with stylus and cartridge shopping

Canadian Astatic is best known as a supplier of replacement stylus and replacement cartridges for record players, and most of its catalog is organized around that business. The site's category and brand lists are dominated by ceramic and magnetic stylus entries — dozens of brands such as B.S.R., Garrard, Dual, Shure-era names, Pioneer, Sony, and Zenith — plus ceramic and magnetic cartridges.

That matters for two reasons:

• If you need a needle or cartridge, use the Ceramic Stylus, Magnetic Stylus, Ceramic Cartridges, or Magnetic Cartridges sections, and match by turntable brand and model. The microphone pages won't help you there.
• If you need a microphone, don't get pulled into the stylus brand lists. They are a separate product line with separate compatibility rules.

The same supplier serves both vintage audio restorers and microphone buyers, but the buying process is different for each.

Practical buying checklist

Before ordering a microphone from Canadian Astatic:

• Confirm the category you need: vocal, communication, or CB.
• Confirm the connector and wiring your equipment requires.
• Check the Price List page for current pricing.
• If you are unsure, compare against the microphone you are replacing rather than relying on the category label alone.

For vintage record player parts, switch to the stylus and cartridge sections and match by brand and model instead.

To find the right replacement needle (stylus) for a vintage record player, first determine whether your turntable uses a ceramic or magnetic cartridge, then identify your turntable's brand and model, and finally match it against a brand-specific stylus list before confirming the fit with picture identification and specification pages. Canadian Astatic, which describes itself as North America's largest supplier of replacement stylus and replacement cartridges, organizes its catalog this way, so the same sequence works whether you buy from them or use their structure to search elsewhere.

Step 1: Determine Your Cartridge Type

The single most important decision is ceramic vs. magnetic. These are two separate product categories on the site, and a stylus from one will not fit a cartridge from the other.

If you are unsure which you have, look at the cartridge body (the block at the end of the tonearm that holds the needle). Ceramic cartridges are often larger and were common in all-in-one and console units; magnetic cartridges are typically smaller and appear in separate-component turntables. If you can still read a model number on the cartridge itself, that is the fastest route to the correct category.

Step 2: Identify Your Turntable's Brand and Model

Once you know the cartridge type, narrow the search by brand. Canadian Astatic lists styli by manufacturer brand within each category, so you can go straight to your brand rather than browsing the whole catalog.

Ceramic stylus brands include, among many others: Admiral, Airline, Arvin, Astatic, B.S.R., Columbia, Dual, Electro-Voice, Electrohome, Emerson, Fisher, Garrard, General Electric, Hitachi, JVC, Magnavox, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Panasonic, Philco, Philips, Pioneer, R.C.A., Sanyo, Sears Roebuck, Sharp, Sony, Sylvania, Toshiba, V-M, Webcor, Westinghouse, Wurlitzer, Yamaha, and Zenith.

Magnetic stylus brands include: Acutex, ADC (Audio Dynamics), Aiwa, Akai, Audio Technica, Bang & Olufsen, Denon, Dual, Empire, Fisher, General Electric, and others.

Find your brand, then look for your model within that brand's listing. The model number is usually printed on the back or bottom of the turntable, or on the cartridge itself.

Step 3: Confirm the Fit Before Ordering

Brand and model get you close, but two more checks prevent a wrong purchase:

• Picture identification. The site provides picture identification pages for ceramic styli. Compare the shape of your existing needle — the cantilever, the stylus tip housing, and the mounting clip — against the photo. Small differences in the clip or body shape are the most common reason a "correct" stylus still won't seat properly.
• Specifications. Each category has a specifications page. Use it to confirm the stylus type and dimensions match what your cartridge requires.

If your needle is broken or missing and you cannot compare shapes, rely on the cartridge model number and the brand/model of the turntable together.

Step 4: Check Price and Ordering Details

Canadian Astatic publishes a Price List page. Check it for current pricing before ordering, and confirm stock or ordering details directly with the supplier, since availability of vintage stylus types can vary. Pricing and stock are not something you can assume from the catalog structure alone.

Troubleshooting a Needle That Doesn't Fit

If a replacement needle arrives and doesn't fit or doesn't sound right, recheck in this order:

1. Cartridge type — confirm you didn't order a magnetic stylus for a ceramic cartridge or vice versa.
2. Brand and model — verify the turntable model number, not just the brand; some brands used different cartridges across similar-looking models.
3. Stylus shape — compare against the picture identification page again; a near-match is not a match.
4. Seating — make sure the stylus is fully clicked into the cartridge body before concluding it's wrong.

Quick Reference

• Ceramic or magnetic? Decides your entire search category.
• Brand and model? Narrows the list to a handful of candidates.
• Picture and specs? Confirms the physical fit.
• Price list? Tells you what you'll pay before you commit.

Working in this order — cartridge type, then brand and model, then visual and specification confirmation, then price — is the most reliable way to buy the correct replacement needle the first time.