VPI Pick Up Tube for HW 16.5 17 & 27 33 RPM

The VPI Pick-Up Tube for 12-Inch Records — Sold Singly

A replacement vacuum pick-up tube for VPI's HW-16.5, HW-17 and HW-27 machines, sold singly, sized for 33 rpm LPs. It is the part that actually touches the wet record and draws the fluid back out of the groove.

It is also a consumable, which is not obvious from looking at one. The velvet strips along its lips wear against every record you clean, and once they are flattened the tube is sliding over fluid instead of lifting it.

Fit and Function

Where the Suction Actually Happens

The motor provides the vacuum, but the tube is where it meets the record. Its slot has to sit close enough to the surface to pull fluid from inside a groove, and its lips have to seal well enough that the machine is not simply drawing room air.

Why the 33 RPM Version

The slot is sized to the playing area of a 12-inch LP. A tube cut for a different record size either leaves part of the surface untouched or overruns onto the label, so VPI makes separate tubes rather than one adjustable one.

If you clean 78s as well, that is a different part in the same range — a tube whose slot is cut for the shorter playing area of a shellac disc, dropping into the same holder this one uses.

Who Is This Pick-Up Tube Best For?

• You own an HW-16.5, HW-17 or HW-27 — VPI lists all three for this tube
• Records come off damp — worn tube lips are the most common reason, ahead of the motor
• The velvet strips are flattened or missing — visible on inspection, and the point at which suction stops sealing
• You clean 12-inch LPs — this slot is cut for the 33 rpm playing area
• You clean 10-inch 78s — those need the 78 rpm tube instead, listed in record cleaning accessories

How Do You Fit It?

Unplug the machine. Lift the worn tube out of its holder, clear any dried residue from the seat, and drop the new one in so the slot faces the record squarely. Run a cycle on a record you are not precious about and confirm it comes off dry.

Pairs Well With

What most owners keep alongside.

• Record cleaning accessories — the rest of the spares and consumables
• Record cleaning solutions — the fluid the machine is there to remove
• Record cleaning machines — if you are still choosing one
• Record brushes — for the dust that never needs a machine

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it fit my machine?

VPI lists it for the HW-16.5, HW-17 and HW-27. Confirm the designation on your machine before ordering, since the tube is machine-specific.

How many do I need?

One per machine, sold singly. A spare is worth having only if you clean in real volume — the tube wears steadily rather than failing suddenly.

How do I know mine is worn?

Look at the velvet along the slot. Flattened, matted or missing strips mean the tube is no longer sealing, and damp records are the symptom you will notice first.

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