CD cleaner for cd player - please HELP

[Johnny Stecchino]

Hi to all,
I got today a Tascam CD-A500 player I bought on Ebay. Main reason was for the cassette functioning (which seems to work fine). The cd player, though, skip some cd's (originals) so I look at the net and found these explanation of how to fix it: http://www.ehow.com/how_4856030_fix-cd-player-skips.html
I wonder if anyone knows where can I buy one of these CD lens cleaner, since it seems like they are not available anymore:
Maxell CD-345 Gold
TDK CDC-LBHTG CD LENSCLEAR

In case anyone have other approved solution, please suggest it.
Thanks in advance,

[Johnny Stecchino]

Well, thinking 'bout it, I presume actually that any laser cleaner will do, is there any particular model I should buy or all will be equal?
Like this one for ex. http://www.ebay.it/itm/Laser-Lens-Cleaner-For-CD-CD-Rom-brand-New-sealed-/400334664148?pt=UK_Home_Garden_CD_DVDStorage_SM&hash=item5d35ce31d4
I'm asking for not damaging anything and make situation worse...

[fay spook]

You could just take off the lid of the box and clean the lens yourself.

However if you arent happy doing this the cleaner in your second post will work as well as any.

[Martin Walker]

Agreed - these are simply a tiny and very soft brush that rotates in the CD player, gently wiping the lens.

At £2.99 you can't really go wrong

I've got a similar one that has returned my car CD player from the dead on several occasions

Martin

[Johnny Stecchino]

Thanks fay and Martin,
would I need also some sort of liquid with it or just use it as it is?

[fay spook]

Use a lens cloth and you wont need any fluid.

[Exalted Wombat]

Yes, just clean the lens the same way you would any other delicate bit of optics.

Might be worth looking at the rubber bands etc in the cassette side too. And, of course, cleaning and aligning the heads.

Accept the possibility that the CD player may just have worn out. There's no "vintage" quality in these things - newer is better (and a lot cheaper

[Johnny Stecchino]

Thnx fay, and wombat,
I'm gonna buy the cd cleaner Monday, don't want to open the case, unless it's a must.
For the moment the TASCAM skips only with one cd in particular and the others now it reads with no skipping. STRANGE. Regarding the cassette - it functions good and head seems almost new.

This thread reminds me of my dead Plextor cd burner, so I open it and clean the lens with alcohol but unfortunately it still doesn't read cd's, though now it makes spinning noise again...

I found this interesting youtube which shows that there are actually TWO lenses in a cd player:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzymmOrJRho

[Martin Walker]

I'm gonna buy the cd cleaner Monday, don't want to open the case, unless it's a must.

I agree - sometimes you can get into clean the lens manually, but some systems simply don't make it easy to get anywhere near the lens without complete dismantling.

With those it's not worth the risk unless it's an expensive unit

Martin

[Exalted Wombat]

I found this interesting youtube which shows that there are actually TWO lenses in a cd player:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzymmOrJRho

And the guy cleaned the top, but not the bottom surface of both.

[Martin Walker]

Hah!

Martin