Sounds like the tone arm cutoff switch is being activated before the arm reaches the closed record groove. Do you have a copy of the manual? In it you will find instructions on how to adjust the tone arm cancel. If I remember correctly, during adjustment, I think there is a cancel light in the mechanism that should light up just before the tone arm reaches the closed groove in the record. You have to make the adjustment so that reed switch (which turns on the light) gets actuated at that time.