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Vinyl records aren't new. But they have indeed made a huge comeback, capturing the interests of different generations of music lovers. The rebirth of vinyl records started in the mid-2000s and the surge in sales happened in 2020. In the U.S. alone, 43.5 million records were reportedly sold in 2022. This number would have been much higher if manufacturers were able to keep up with demand.
One reason why the production of vinyl records is slow is that manufacturers stick to traditional record pressing, which can be tedious and requires highly skilled technicians.
If you are someone who likes buying vinyl records as a hobby and not a recording artist, the long wait times can be disappointing. Good thing, there's a quicker method of putting music on vinyl, which is lathe cutting. Read on to understand how to cut a vinyl record through this method and why it can be the best option for you.
Lathe-cut vinyl records are made and cut by hand. In this method, each piece of clear plastic must be cut separately. A special lathe is used to cut the record, which has a diamond needle that follows the grooves of the record and cuts a groove in the plastic. The needle is very precise and can create a record with clarity and high sound quality.
Short-run lathe-cut records under 100 pieces can be successfully produced at a faster rate. This method is preferred by musicians and artists when releasing limited-edition albums. It is also offered by shops that cater to individual buyers who are interested in ordering single vinyl records.
Lathe-cutting made vinyl records more accessible to people, especially those who are just starting to explore the world of vinyl albums. Lathe-cut vinyl records offer a more affordable alternative to traditional vinyl records, meaning that it's easier for anyone to get into the vinyl scene without having to make a huge investment. Additionally, it has opened up the market to many independent record labels and artists who may not have had the ability to produce vinyl records otherwise. Here are more reasons to love lathe-cut vinyl records.
Lathe-cut records, like pressed records, can also provide an immersive listening experience. This is because lathe-cut records are cut one at a time, so each groove is cut deeper, which allows for a more accurate reproduction of sound. The grooves are also cut in a straight line, rather than in a spiral, which means that the needle can stay in contact with the groove longer, resulting in excellent sound quality.
Here at Freestyle Vinyl, we help our customers create custom vinyl records! With no minimum (order just one!) and the ability to customize your record with personalized artwork, unique vinyl colors, etc., a Freestyle Vinyl is the perfect gift to celebrate the music lover in your life.
Ever used your turntable and pondered how much it would cost to make a vinyl record? Sales of vinyl records have been steadily increasing, with a notable 30% increase from 2019 to 2020. In a world where music has moved heavily toward digital distribution, vinyl is still thriving. But how much do vinyl records actually cost to produce?
The answer depends on different factors. Here's everything you need to know about what goes into the cost of one!
Pressing vinyl is significantly more expensive than creating custom vinyl records. That’s because a typical pressing requires a minimum order of 100 records. This run of 100 vinyl albums may cost anywhere between $1,200 and $3,500, depending on the current industry backlog, and options you’ve chosen, such as the vinyl record size, weight, length of the audio, color, design, the company you work with, and the packaging. A lot of musicians and indie artists choose this option when they want to release their music on vinyl.
Whereas, custom vinyl starts at $29.99 at Freestyle Vinyl. It’s a great option for music lovers and vinyl collectors. If you don’t have your own music to release and just want to create a mixtape for yourself or someone else, opt for custom vinyl records.
Making a press of 100 and more vinyl albums can take around six months. Meanwhile, a single copy of a custom vinyl album will be available after three weeks.
As mentioned, the price of a custom vinyl record depends on the size of the album. Options include 7”, 10”, and 12”. The more songs you want in it, the bigger the vinyl must be, naturally, the more expensive it becomes. Our 7" single custom vinyl costs $39.99, including side B. It can feature two of your chosen songs. Our 10” picture discs can run 12 minutes of audio while our 12” records can run 22 minutes of music per side.
These days, vinyl record shops are adding more excitement to the look of their albums. Aside from black, their albums also come in different colors to choose from. This allows people to get more creative in making their custom vinyl records. Does color make a difference? In terms of audio quality, it doesn’t. But colored vinyl albums cost more than the black ones.
Records are protected by inner sleeves and record jackets, which typically cost between $0.05 and $0.20 per record.
The record won't move around with the right sleeve and jacket combination. This keeps your music disc in good condition and ensures that it will survive for many years. Again, a custom design jacket will cost more, but give your vinyl that personal touch it needs to make it uniquely yours.
Apart from this, other costs may include test pressing and vinyl mastering. At Freestyle Vinyl, we handle all these steps for you in our Chicago workshop. To date, we’ve hand-cut and hand-crafted over 30,000 custom vinyl records—and counting—for our wonderful customers!
