VPI Record Cleaning Brush for HW16 & 16.5 Machines

The VPI Cleaning Brush for HW-16 and HW-16.5 — Sold Singly

A replacement record cleaning brush for VPI's HW-16 and HW-16.5 machines, sold individually. It is the part that does the actual cleaning: the fluid softens and the vacuum removes, but the brush is what reaches into the groove between the two.

It is also the part that wears fastest, because it is the only one in constant physical contact with the record. Everything else in the machine is either fluid, air or a surface the record rests on.

Fit and Function

Why Bristle Condition Decides Results

A record groove is a narrow, deep channel, and a bristle either enters it or rides over the top. New bristles stand straight and reach in. Used ones splay outward and matt together, and past a certain point they are polishing the record's surface rather than cleaning inside it.

Which Machines It Fits

It fits VPI's HW-16 and HW-16.5 record cleaning machines. The HW-17 series uses a different brush entirely, so the designation stamped on your machine is the one thing worth confirming before you order this part.

Each brush is sold separately rather than as a pair. That is worth knowing before you order if your machine uses more than one, or if you would rather have a spare sitting on the shelf than wait for one.

Who Is This Brush Best For?

• You own an HW-16 or HW-16.5 — this is the brush cut for those machines
• Your machine has stopped cleaning as it did — the brush is where to look first
• The bristles are splayed or flattened — the clearest sign that they are no longer entering grooves
• You want a spare — these are sold each, so a second one is a straightforward purchase
• Your machine is an HW-17 — that series takes its own brush; both are in record cleaning accessories

How Do You Fit It?

Unplug the machine first. Take the worn brush out of its mount, wipe away any dried residue around the fitting, and seat the new one so the bristles present square to the record. Then run a cycle on a record you do not mind experimenting with.

Pairs Well With

What most owners keep alongside.

• Record cleaning solutions — the fluid the machine is there to remove
• Record cleaning accessories — the rest of the spares and consumables
• 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?

It fits the VPI HW-16 and HW-16.5. The HW-17 series uses a different brush entirely.

How many do I need?

They are sold each, so order one per brush position your machine uses. If you want a spare on the shelf as well, that is a second unit rather than a multipack.

How do I know when to replace it?

Look at the bristles rather than the calendar. Splayed, matted or shortened bristles are no longer reaching into the groove, whatever the machine is doing around them.

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Learn More

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