Lathe-cut vinyl records
Lathe Cut vs Pressed Vinyl. Which One Do You Need?
We don't press. No father, no mother, no stampers. We cut every record straight from your master audio, one at a time, so the record you keep is the cut itself, not a copy pressed from one.
From £17.00
The short answer
What Is a Lathe-Cut Vinyl Record?
A pressing plant cuts one lacquer master, plates it into a metal father, mother and stampers, then presses hundreds of copies. Lathe cutting skips all of that: each record is cut in real time, straight from the master audio, one at a time. So every record you get is an original cut, not a copy pressed from a stamper, and there's no minimum order and no setup cost.
- From
- £17.00
- Holds up to
- 20 min a side on a 12-inch12-inch from £45.00
- Copies
- One copy or a limited run
- Estimated dispatch
- Wednesday 4 November
Side by side
Lathe-Cut and Pressed Vinyl Compared
Neither is better in every way. They are different jobs.
- How it's made
- Lathe-cut (us)Each record cut in real time, straight from your master audioPressedLacquer master → metal father → mother → stampers → pressed copies
- Copies
- Lathe-cut (us)One copy or a limited runPressedUsually a few hundred copies or more
- Time to make
- Lathe-cut (us)Days. A batch is sent in parts as it's finishedPressedUsually 1–6 months
- Cost per copy
- Lathe-cut (us)Higher per copy, with no setup costPressedLow per copy once the setup is paid for
- Every copy
- Lathe-cut (us)An original cut, from the same audioPressedAn identical copy pressed from a stamper
- Sound
- Lathe-cut (us)Full, clear sound with low surface noise. Every record is noise-tested and listened toPressedFull, clear sound with low surface noise from a good pressing. A test press is checked before the run
- Playing time
- Lathe-cut (us)Shorter per side (see how much fits on each size)PressedLonger per side
- Personal designs
- Lathe-cut (us)Your own photo on a picture disc, your own shape, cover and label, even for one copyPressedThe same design on every copy
Which one is right
When to Choose Each
Choose Lathe-Cut When
- You want one record, or a few.
- You need it in days, not months.
- You want a picture disc, a heart shape or your own cover, even for one copy.
- You're selling a limited boutique release, or need a short run fast: it's cut in order and sent in batches as it's finished.
Choose a Pressing Plant When
- You need several hundred identical copies or more.
- The lowest price per copy matters most.
- You can wait weeks or months.
- You need the longest playing time per side.
The other way
How a Pressed Record Is Made
- A lacquer master is cut on a lathe from the finished audio.
- The lacquer is plated with metal to make a father, then a mother, then the stampers.
- A press squeezes a hot lump of vinyl between two stampers, one for each side, and a record comes out every few seconds.
- A test press comes first: a handful of copies, played and checked before the full run is pressed.
With lathe cutting there is no test press, because there are no stampers. The nearest thing is our optional approval: you hear your record's audio before we cut it.
What Is a Dubplate?
A dubplate is a record cut so a DJ or producer can play a new track out before it's released. The old kind is a soft lacquer disc, often called an acetate: every one uses up a lacquer blank, the same blank used to cut a master for pressing, and because lacquer is soft it wears with every play and doesn't last. That's why vinyl dubs have largely taken over, and it's what many people call our records. Each one is cut on our own lathes into a much tougher disc than lacquer, so you can play out a new track, a mix or an edit and keep playing it for years.
For labels and artists
Short-Run Lathe-Cut Records
We don't press records, and we won't pretend to. What we do is cut: every copy on a lathe, one at a time. That suits a label or an artist who wants a limited run without a pressing plant's minimum or its wait: promo copies, a release for the merch table, records for an event.
- Tell us how many copies and your date, and we quote the job.
- A run is cut in order and sent in batches as it's finished, so the first copies go out within days.
- Every copy can carry the same design, or each one can be different.
- For several hundred identical copies or more, a pressing plant is usually cheaper per copy, and we'll say so.
How we cut
How We Cut Your Record
The same steps, in the same order, for every record.
Cut Direct, No Stampers
The first thing we cut is the record you keep. No lacquer master, no metal stampers, no run of hundreds.
Each Side Set Up Before the Cut
We set the groove spacing and the cutting level once for the whole side, from how much music is on it and how loud it is. We never cut a side short or fade it out without your yes.
A Diamond We Grind Ourselves
The cutting tool is a synthetic diamond, ground and polished in our workshop and swapped before it dulls, so the last record of the day cuts like the first.
Held Flat, Measured Signal
A vacuum platter holds the disc flat so the groove stays even from the edge to the label, and your audio reaches the cutting head through a calibrated signal path.
Watched, Then Listened To
A cutting engineer watches every record as it is cut, start to end. Then a noise test, then someone plays it on a turntable and listens. Not right? It is cut again.
If It Isn't Right, We Make It Right
A recut or a replacement. Tell us within 14 days of it arriving and someone on the team sorts it.
Cut one for you
Custom Lathe Cut Vinyl, on Demand
Vinyl on demand: pick a record and we cut it for you, one copy or a few. Each one is cut to order on our own lathes.
How it works
How Your Lathe-Cut Record Is Made
01
Pick the Songs
Search for songs, upload your own files or record your voice. The playlist builder shows what fits on each side as you add them.
02
Design It
Put your photo and your words on the disc, the centre label or a printed cover. You see your record in 3D as you go.
03
Optional: Hear It First
At checkout you can choose to hear your record's audio and approve it before we cut. It adds about a day.
04
Cut, Packed and Sent
Your record is cut to order, one at a time, on our own lathes, then sent by tracked delivery.
Fresh off the lathe
Recently Completed Records
Before you order
Questions People Ask
Are lathe-cut records good?
Yes. They are real records with full, clear sound and low surface noise, and they play on any normal turntable (all but the experimental 5-inch picture disc). How good a lathe-cut record sounds comes down to how it's cut: ours are cut on our own lathes, with diamond styli ground in our workshop, through a calibrated signal path. Every record gets a noise test as it is cut, then it is played on a turntable and listened to before it is sent.
How long does a lathe-cut record last?
For years. An old-style dubplate is cut into soft lacquer, which wears with every play; ours are cut into a much tougher disc, the record you keep. Store it upright, keep it clean and use a decent stylus.
What is a one-time-only vinyl pressing?
It usually means a record made once: a single copy or a single batch. Strictly, a single copy isn't pressed at all, because pressing needs stampers. It is cut on a lathe, which is what we do. One record is a normal order.
Can I order a limited run instead of one record?
Yes. Tell us how many copies and your date and we quote the job. A run is cut in order and sent in batches as it's finished, so the first copies go out within days. For several hundred identical copies or more, a pressing plant is usually cheaper per copy.
What does it cost to press vs cut?
Cutting has no setup cost: you pay per record, and the smallest starts at the price shown at the top of this page. Pressing has a setup cost first (the lacquer master, the plating, the stampers and a test press), then a low price per copy, so it only pays off at a few hundred copies or more.
Can I cut vinyl records at home?
You can buy a DIY record lathe, but a clean, loud, lasting cut takes a proper cutting head, a diamond, a calibrated signal path and a lot of practice. That is our job: send us your audio and we cut it for you.
7-inch vs 12-inch vinyl: what's the difference?
Size and speed. A 12-inch's outer groove is about 92 cm round, so at 33⅓ rpm the stylus travels about 51 cm of groove a second. A 7-inch's outer groove is only about 53 cm round, so we cut it at 45 rpm, where it travels about 40 cm a second instead of 29 cm at 33⅓: more room for detail. A 12-inch also holds more music a side; each product page shows its own playing time.
What speed will my record play at?
Each record plays at the speed it was cut at. Picture discs: the 5-inch, 7-inch and heart at 45 rpm; the 10-inch and 12-inch at 45 rpm, or 33⅓ if you choose. Classic vinyl: the 7-inch at 45 rpm; the 10-inch and 12-inch at 33⅓ rpm, or 45 if you choose. Where a size has a choice, you pick it on its product page.
Will it work with an auto-play turntable?
Usually. Lead-ins, gaps and lead-outs are set by hand on a lathe cut, so the odd auto-return turntable can behave differently. That is normal for a hand-cut record, not a fault.
Do you press records?
No. We are not a pressing plant. Every record we make, one copy or a limited run, is cut on our own lathes, one at a time.
Is it legal to make your own vinyl record?
Yes, for private use. We hold an MCPS-PRS Limited Manufacture licence that covers commercial songs on records made for personal use. Pictures are different: use your own photos or artwork, not album covers or band logos.
Can I hear it before you cut it?
Yes. At checkout you can choose to hear your record's audio and approve it before we cut it. It adds about a day. It checks the sound and the running order of the songs you chose; the songs themselves are set when you order.
How is it delivered?
By tracked delivery. At checkout you choose Value or Express for your address and see the cost before you pay.