What are short run lathe cut records?
Pressed records are mass-produced. My lathe cut records will be identical to the digitally mastered audio and have 2 dB's lower audio than pressed records. Lathe cut records are cut directly on polycarbonate record blanks. Pressed vinyl records are made on a hydraulic press with two heated metal stampers.
Lathe cut records is a quick way to get your records pressed fast. Turn around times usually 2 days. Lathe cuts that sound good as pressed vinyl.
Pressing plants require minimums of 200 plus. Each lathe cut record is cut in real time with a sapphire embossing stylus mounted on our Scully stereo cutting lathe. Inspection is given to each record and with my 50 years plus experience, I can make you the best sounding record every time.
How do they sound?
The sound reproduction is good as pressed vinyl records using my exclusive sapphire embossing stylus.
My records are embossed with a sapphire cone stylus producing silent grooves having a full frequency range from 20Hz to 14Khz. High frequencies at 15Khz to 20Khz may be filtered out depending on the type of music you provide.
Never A Setup Fee:
Each lathe cut record starts out as a square, then it is trimmed into a 7" inch round disc, after it's recorded this is the way I do them. Others use round blanks for the ease and convenience, but at a higher cost per disc. I manufacture my own blanks and sapphire embossing styli, passing the saving on to you at only $10 each and 33 rpm at $12 each.
Lathe Cut Records Vs Vinyl Pressings:
Many call them vinyl pressings, but they are not, they are embossed records and vinyl pressings are made with steam hot metal stampers installed in a hydraulic pressing machine. We specialize in embossing 7" inch discs that are made from clear or black polycarbonate plastic made one at a time.
Vinyl And Polycarbonate:
Phonograph records, LP albums or 7 inch 45 rpm records, that are played on turntables, "vinyl pressings, or vinyl records" these items are not "lathe cuts". They are two different things, one is pressed vinyl and the other are embossed polycarbonate records or lathe cuts.
Embossed Record Pros:
Cost for 7" lathe cut $10 per disc single sided or both sides. Cost for 7" inch lathe cut 33 rpm $12 per disc. Single sided or both sides, and very affordable. Less expensive than lacquer and diamond cut. Excellent audio quality 20Hz -14Khz Very low surface noise at - 40db Good silent grooves. Good enough for Jazz and Classical music. Great for for one-off short runs.
Embossed Record Cons:
Embossed lathe cut records have to be recorded in mono and not in stereo. They are not as loud as a pressed 45 vinyl record, otherwise it will skip if recorded louder and in stereo. Embossed lathe cuts are not recommended for DJ work or DJ scratching and very tricky to cue, and will not play backwards. A warned out stylus will also skip.
Lacquer & Diamond Cuts - Pros:
Stable groove tracking - Excellent audio quality - Louder cuts - Good stereo separation lower surface noise at - 65 db can be cued and plays backwards, and very expensive. Lacquer discs are made only in Japan and are very expensive and I don't stock them.
Jukeboxes:
I don't recommend playing embossed lathe cuts in Seeburg jukeboxes, and Wurlitzers with the Cobra Tone Arm. Rowe AMI JBM and later from 1963 and up will play embossed records.
The aluminum lacquer coated discs, also made one at a time, using a stereo or mono cutting. This method has long been used for producing lacquer masters, which are then used to make metal stampers for pressing vinyl.
Most of the machines used for this purpose were manufactured pre -1960. These machines were used in the production and manufacturing process for vinyl records. Cutting a lacquer master discs, was then electroplated to make the metal stampers used by the pressing plants.
12" inch LP Lathe Cut Records
I Only specialize in making 7" lathe cuts. I can make a 12" inch lathe cut record, no problem, But I'm very RELUCTANT to do so.
1) Some audio files may have different track EQ, or vocal sibilant problems and levels on each track.
2) Doing 12 inch records, it involves listening to the whole audio file before setting lines per inch and timing before cutting.
3) I don't stock sleeves or covers for 12 and 10 inch records.
4) 12 and 10 inch records have to be cut from a large 4'x8' sheet of polycarbonate and has to be cut down to size.
The Difference Between Plexi, Polycarbonate And Lacquer acetate:
Polycarbonate plastic is not to be confused with Plexi Glass. Plexi can not be cut or embossed with a sapphire or diamond stylus. On the other hand a lacquer disc can only be cut with a sapphire stylus, it is not possible to embossed lacquer. Stereo HI-FI Lacquers can be in stereo or mono, a lacquer done with a stereo cutter head will result in a great stereo playback. Embossing polycarbonate lathe cut records with a stereo cutter head will result in a MONO play back with a very small amount of stereo separation and it will skip badly when playing it back.
De-Essing:
Sibilant Vocal Tracks De-essing Is any technique intended to reduce or eliminate excessive highs in the recording or the prominence of sibilant consonants, such as the sounds normally found in the vocal track by "s" and "sh", in recordings of the human voice.
Sibilant lies in frequencies anywhere between 2–10 kHz, depending on the individual's dental work. This causes havoc in cutting records. I'll throw in the Behringer 9024 Ultra-Dyne to clean up some sibilance.
Recommended cartridges:
Stanton, Audio-Technica, Shure, ADC, Etc. try different turntables if you have a skipping problem. Set the Anti skating for best results. Crosley or inexpensive turntables may or my not work with lathe cut records.
A magnetic cartridge is more preferable. Embossed lathe cut records that are recorded louder tend to skip more. Playback stylus pressure no more than 3.5 grams. Use only conical or spherical. An elliptical stylus may not work.
There is a trade-off - Your Choice:
LOUDER CUT = The possibility for SKIPPING - SOFTER CUT = Lower volume = zero chance for SKIPPING. If your record skips try different turntables. NO DO OVERS and No refunds. 45 rpm records recorded longer than 4 minutes and 33 rpm longer than 6 minutes may skip during playback, therefore I will reduce the audio level to avoid this !
Center Labels Are Not Provided
Sending Audio:
CALL BEFORE PLACING YOUR ORDER !
Zelle email:
Working Hours:
2pm est. - 12 midnight Est.
Links to my other sites:
https://nylathecuts-com.webnode.page/
https://buzzsonic.com/resource/recordcut-new-york-lathe-cuts/
https://www.discogs.com/user/NY-Lathecuts
https://www.discopatrick.com/6-Disco%20Acetates%20-%203-melting%20pot.html