Cleaning a record by hand has its own quiet rhythm. A little fluid, a few slow turns, and then the hush before the needle drops.
The Nitty Gritty Model 1.0 is a manual vacuum record cleaning machine from Nitty Gritty Record Care Products, an American company making record cleaners since 1981 and now based in Kennesaw, Georgia. It comes in a black vinyl finish.
Where Nitty Gritty begins
Nitty Gritty calls the 1.0 its least expensive vacuum-based machine. You apply the fluid, scrub the record and turn it by hand, and the vacuum then draws the fluid and loosened dirt back out of the grooves. Nitty Gritty notes that the 1.0 uses the exact same vacuum motor as its Mini-Pro 2.
Design and build
The record rests on a platform above a vacuum slot lined with VAC-SWEEP, the fine fibers Nitty Gritty calls its velvet lips. Because the record is cleaned from underneath, a freshly cleaned side never lies on a mat. The body is wood and plastic with a Lexan suction head, and waste fluid collects in a tank inside the cabinet.
Nitty Gritty describes itself as a small company dedicated to hand-built record cleaning machines, and its catalog, which lists the 1.0, states that its products are made in the USA.
Living with it
Nitty Gritty's owner's manual speaks of one brief minute to clean a record: fluid on the VAC-SWEEP and the disc, a scrub with the supplied brush as you turn it, then slow turns over the slot with the vacuum running. The manual suggests cleaning each record just before you play it.
As you brush the top of the record, Nitty Gritty explains, the underside is scrubbed against the VAC-SWEEP as well. Fluid in the tank will usually evaporate if only a few records are cleaned each day, according to the manual, and heavier use calls for draining it through a rubber stopper underneath.
Choosing your Nitty Gritty
The 1.0 is the entry point to the range. The Model 2.0 is the same manual design in a solid oak or classic cherry cabinet, and the Model 1.5 adds automatic rotation. If you are weighing them up, we're happy to talk it through, and the full Nitty Gritty collection sets them side by side.
Specifications
| Type |
Manual vacuum record cleaning machine |
| Cleaning |
Wet scrub by hand, then vacuum extraction through the VAC-SWEEP-lined slot |
| Sides per pass |
One side per pass, vacuumed from underneath |
| Rotation |
Manual (included record turner) |
| Fluid application |
Manual (apply PURE 2 to the VAC-SWEEP, the record and/or the brush) |
| Vacuum |
Industrial-grade flow-through vacuum motor coupled directly to a venturi-shaped vacuum slot lined with VAC-SWEEP fibers |
| Record sizes |
12-inch LPs; 7-inch and 10-inch records with the record turner (rated for 7", 10" and 12") |
| Waste fluid |
Internal tank, drained through a rubber stopper underneath |
| Finish |
Black Vinyl |
| Construction |
Wood and plastic cabinet; Lexan suction head |
| Cabinet |
15-inch cabinet (fits DC-1 vinyl and DC-2 acrylic covers) |
| Recommended fluids |
PURE 2 (all-purpose, for vinyl LPs and 45s); PURE 1 (alcohol-free, for 78s and lacquers); PUREnzyme+ (enzyme cleaner for heavily soiled records) |
| Session use |
Up to 10 records per session, then 15–20 minutes to cool |
| Warranty |
1-year Nitty Gritty limited warranty (VAC-SWEEP liners and capstan 90 days; commercial use 90 days) |
In the box with the Model 1.0, per Nitty Gritty's owner's manual:
- Nitty Gritty record cleaning machine
- 1 "velvet" record cleaning brush
- 1 four-ounce bottle of PURE 2 cleaning fluid
- 1 record turner
- 1 small whisk for cleaning the VAC-SWEEP
Questions
How is the Nitty Gritty Model 1.0 different from the Model 1.5?
The Model 1.0 is fully manual: you apply fluid, scrub and rotate the record by hand. The Model 1.5 adds Nitty Gritty's Capstan Record Drive, which turns the record during the scrub and vacuum cycles, and it collects waste fluid in a slide-out tray.
Does the Model 1.0 clean both sides of a record at once?
No. The Model 1.0 vacuums one side at a time from underneath, so you turn the record over for the second side. In Nitty Gritty's range, only the Mini-Pro cleans both sides in one pass.
Which fluid should I use with the Model 1.0?
Nitty Gritty recommends PURE 2 for vinyl, PURE 1 for 78s, or PUREnzyme+, and a four-ounce bottle of PURE 2 comes with the Model 1.0. Its warranty notes that other cleaning fluids may invalidate it.
How many records can I clean on the Model 1.0 in one session?
Nitty Gritty advises no more than 10 records per session on the Model 1.0, then letting the machine cool for at least 15 to 20 minutes, with the vacuum switched off after each record.
What does the Model 1.0 cost at HiFi Boutique?
The Nitty Gritty Model 1.0 is $581.99 in black vinyl, with sales tax included and free delivery anywhere in the USA. It comes with Nitty Gritty's one-year limited warranty, with 90 days on the VAC-SWEEP liner.
From our boutique to your listening room
HiFi Boutique is an authorized Nitty Gritty dealer. Delivery is free anywhere in the USA, and sales tax is included in the price.
