Hi, 
 
The ground wire for my old turntable is too short.  Can I simply splice another wire to it to extend it 2 more feet before it reaches my amplifier?  Thanks.
 
Rimshot

yes

Yes.
 
The splice may add some minute resistance to ground.
 
If there is a ground loop issue it is usually because the various connections to ground in a system will have minute differences in resistance to ground. Minute is the key word here, so it seems like an answer to your OP question should acknowledge the idea.
 
Go for it one step at a time. It will probably work just fine and if not, you may have a clue as to what can be improved. For example, you can probably trace the ground wire into the chassis and replace it so that it has a little resistance as possible.
 
Don't bother trying to measure for the resistance... the contacts of a most VOM probes have more resistance than the amount that you would need to measure for.
 
 
Have fun with your record collection!
 
best regards,
mike

Thanks to all.  My son Alex, now 16, is hooking up my father's old turntable.  We opened a box of albums I have been carrying around for the last 25 years but it has been boxed up all this time.  Revolver, The White Album, Buffalo Springfield Again, old Elton John albums, etc... where in there.  He is very excited to get into them.  
I went to Radio Shack to purchase a record cleaner kit.  I can't even remember the last time I did that!  
 
Rimshot
 

Ah Kids.  Love it when they go all analog.  Just up in Seattle to see my middle daughter and they have a turntable.  She tried to drag a bunch of our college albums back.  I had to limit her to the repeats for the most part - stuff both me and my wife had.  She also wanted an australian press Nancy Sintra best of I picked up in NY 20 years ago but I couldn't let it go even after the "But Daddy" routine. 
 
I picked up some stuff when we went to the EM shop up there - a Cademon of John Donne (wish I still had my Ezra Pound recordings), Ernest Tubb doing gospel (yea, he is a 3rd cousin) and a Momas and Popas, all for about $10.  She, of course, got a $25 Morrisey reprint, which was about what I paid for Nancy 20 years ago.  I would have given her the nancy album if she and her friend hadn't done a sing along to the whole damn Morrisey album.  I gave her Ten Years After's "A Space in Time" and maybe she'll learn to sing along w/ it.  Better shape than my copy.
 
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Splicing a ground is just fine. Use a butt-splice compression connector or better yet, twist the wires to make a nice solid mechanical connection and solder the joint. You can, but don't need to, slide some shrink wrap tubing over the joint and shrink it with heat.... it will look better.
 
 

Really the best way to get the dust out is a blast of air from a oil-less compressor. Playing the record once and clean the needle. Those cleaning kits , if it's the one with a silky kinda wiper, get dirty real fast and then you are actually scratching the record. 
 

When I unearthed my old collection a few years back (about 20 Zappa and Beefheart originals, loads of old blues stuff, around 350 beautiful vinyl albums!) I treated myself to the ultimate cleaner from zee germans. Looks a bit like a turntable - you put the record on and tighten the clamp, put on just distilled water, then swing over an arm which has an extremely soft brush type thing attached , press the clean button and it vacuums all the water (and debris) from the record - when you clean out the collection tank you can't believe the colour of the water!!
Anyway one of the best things I think I've ever done - its amazing how good they sound when cleaned and I STILL think vinyl sounds better than cd - Luddite that I am........ 

As long as the ground wire isn't 40 feet long or something crazy it will be fine to splice in a longer section.
 
I finally got around to unpacking and setting up my turntable after a recent move. Luckily, I still have my old 70's-80's discwasher. While a few albums have some pops or a little "bacon frying" there are some songs that just don't sound right without the static. :)  Of course, I had to teach the kids, that are old enough, how to properly handle albums - they are too spoiled on CD's.
 
Are there any record companies still pressing vinyl? While I have pretty much replaced my album collection with MP3's, I would still like to get some replacement albums for those that are the most needle burned.

Actually, vinyl is making a small comeback.  You won't find it in Wallmart, but any record stores that are left.  Everyday records (I think that is the name) in Portland/Seattle area carry a lot new press, as well as used.  I suppose you could order from them.  Shipping is a problem but if you get a dozen at a time you can probably get it packed well.
 
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