Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

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anonymousbrunette
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Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by anonymousbrunette »

This information is scattered in various places so I thought we'd start a list. If you have experience having records pressed let us know how it shook out.

http://lathecuts.com
http://www.customrecords.com
http://www.dasrecordautomat.com
http://www.vinyl-pressing.com
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arewhyehen
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by arewhyehen »

Thanks, Ara.

I was asking questions about this just recently. I will look into these.
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Grimtale
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by Grimtale »

Nice thread Ara. This looks like you have a lot of the custom lathe cut shops covered, here are a few others I know about.
http://www.poly-cut.com/

and...
The infamous
http://www.peterkinglathecutrecords.co.nz/

This is who cut the secret CASS lathe release if I'm not mistaken. The band (not named) visited them on tour while in NZ and someone pulled a CD out of their pocket and they had them pressed up on the spot. Wish I could say more...
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anonymousbrunette
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by anonymousbrunette »

Grimtale wrote: The infamous
http://www.peterkinglathecutrecords.co.nz/

This is who cut the secret CASS lathe release if I'm not mistaken. The band (not named) visited them on tour while in NZ and someone pulled a CD out of their pocket and they had them pressed up on the spot. Wish I could say more...
Grim
Hmmm, intriguing...

I'd really like to hear about people's experiences. Lathe cuts really does some beautiful work (https://www.flickr.com/photos/97318420@N07/) but they've a 20 minimum which is actually manageable. I think Ben mentioned he's worked with them so perhaps he'll chime in.
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bh1644
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by bh1644 »

this place looks really cool:

http://meeprecords.com/
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Stl_ben
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by Stl_ben »

bh1644 wrote:this place looks really cool:

http://meeprecords.com/
Looks cool...wonder how the quality is because their prices are high.

Think I am going to try something with these guys
http://www.funkyfrankenstein.com
20 7"s cut for $100, pretty good deal in my book!
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by curseofhalos »

Stl_ben wrote:
bh1644 wrote:this place looks really cool:

http://meeprecords.com/
Looks cool...wonder how the quality is because their prices are high.

Think I am going to try something with these guys
http://www.funkyfrankenstein.com
20 7"s cut for $100, pretty good deal in my book!

Man, it's a shame that lathe cuts can hold so little time. I'd love to get the album I'm working on pressed and just have a handful of copies, but it's an hour of music so that would be a 3 LPs! Still may do it and only have 3 made or something. :lol:
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arewhyehen
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by arewhyehen »

For those who have done custom lathe cut records...

I am completely clueless. I have finally designed all the artwork and I'm sending it off now to be done. I am looking at two different sites right now. Just had a few concerns.

First site is

http://www.customrecords.com

Second is

http://www.meeprecords.com

I want to get two copies of the same 7" record with custom sleeves and labels.

Custom Records are about triple the price and have two different processes it seems. They can only do up to 5 mins per side.

Meep Records are much cheaper and can do up to 7mins per side.

Is there any indication one may be better than the other? Anyone used either of these? Like I said, never done this before and know nothing about it.
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by rsimms3 »

Lots of differences between the two companies.

Customer Records:
1. Cut actual acetate like would be used to for pressing of records
2. Probably cut in stereo, not sure
3. Not familiar with their "clear" record if this is a true lathe cut or some other process

Meep
1. Not actually cut, but impressed. Impressing = no material removed, sort of like making lines in the sand / Cutting = material removed from the acetate
2. Cut in mono only
3. Polycarbonate plastic is used, same process TMR uses for the Record Booth
4. Volume not as loud as pressed records or most cut acetates (sometimes called dubs)
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by rsimms3 »

I think this may be the best place for this, but not really. We don't have a general "record industry" thread. A behind the scenes guide on why it takes so long to get a record pressed, who controls what, and why those Aerosmith/Springsteen reissues are keeping you from getting more great records.

Pressed to the Edge: Why vinyl hype is destroying the record
http://www.factmag.com/2015/05/07/press ... dge-vinyl/
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by koala »

rsimms3 wrote:I think this may be the best place for this, but not really. We don't have a general "record industry" thread. A behind the scenes guide on why it takes so long to get a record pressed, who controls what, and why those Aerosmith/Springsteen reissues are keeping you from getting more great records.

Pressed to the Edge: Why vinyl hype is destroying the record
http://www.factmag.com/2015/05/07/press ... dge-vinyl/
The world does not need more Led Zeppelin LPs.
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by Dr.Zissou »

So has anyone used any of these places with FLAC audio? How do they sound? I've been seriously considering getting some live shows and trying to get them pressed. Bootlegs basically. Anyone know if US pressing plant will do that? They're of shows that are freely available on the internet.
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by rsimms3 »

Interesting question that has no easy answer. The first hurdle is the rights to the music and the rights to transfer it to a different format which I have read a variety of discussion about that has been more related to mechanical license. It really boils down to the artist having final say as to what happens with their music and your requirement to ask their permission to make such a product, even for personal use.

The White Stripes - Gold Dollar situation comes to mind. The Gold Dollar owner recorded the White Stripes first shows at their request, he owns those tapes and can do what he wants with them within the confines of copyright law. The White Stripes hold the copyright to the music itself so if the Gold Dollar owner wanted to make CDs or what have you, he'd have to ask the White Stripes for permission, pay them, etc. Generally the person who engineers and records a live show in this type situation is paid for their work and credited if the performance is released for profit. Doesn't always happen (doesn't sound like it did in this case either) but ultimately the copyright holder is in control of their content. See also: Jack White live recording from the Ryman that ended in DMCA take down notices to live music torrent sites

So, even though the music may be free on say Archive, the copyright holder has given specific permission for their content to be freely available in a digital format only. Free hosting does not constitute permission to change media formats from digital to physical. My understanding (I've not pressed a record before) is that the person requesting to create a record signs an agreement that indemnifies the persons involved in the record creation process from all legal responsibility and puts the responsibility on the person having the record created to attest that they are the owner of the music and have the correct permissions for reproduction.
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Dr.Zissou
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by Dr.Zissou »

Yeah that's as far as I gotten. I'm not going to sign my name to something without proper permission. I've reached out to artist in the past and they just never responded.

I'm guessing all those bootleggers in the EU just give false information? And sign the documents saying they have all the permission? I just want to do it for fun, but obviously it's not worth being sued over. I was curious to know if anyone's just said fuck it. There are these live recording bootlegs everywhere and I wonder how they went about getting those made.
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Re: Custom Record Pressing Services & Reviews

Post by rsimms3 »

Laws are different in the EU related to copyright, my post was specific to the U.S. A specific difference is the length of time a piece is copyrighted before it becomes public domain. Case in point, a few early Beatles Songs recently came into public domain in the EU so essentially anyone can create content using those recordings.

And some plants turn a blind eye. Even if they make you sign a statement or contract, they never pay attention to the actual content you're having pressed. I know at URP their quality control doesn't listen to 7" records when test pressings are made or even at production (last I heard) so conceivably the only person that would hear the music you submitted from beginning to end would be the lathe engineer. Hence why some bootlegs come with a plain white or single color label, so no one suspects that it's a bootleg and reports them.
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