What are Lathe Cuts?

Lathe Cuts are playable "vinyl" records that are made one at a time, in real time, using an experimental process on vintage mono record lathes out of polycarbonate plastic (similar to plexiglass).

Lathe Cut records are a TOTALLY different product than pressed records. There are pros and cons to each, but ultimately it comes down to treating them as playable art pieces, rather than as a simple delivery method for audio. If traditional pressed vinyl records are the mass produced $10 poster in the museum gift shop, then lathe cuts are the higher priced limited edition screenprint made by the hand of the artist. Sure, the printed poster is flawless and cheap because they made a million of them on an automated machine, and they have a larger potential customer base, but many people prefer the artist made print because it was made by a real person and has a different set of aesthetic and collectible qualities.

Lathe Cuts don't necessarily appeal to ALL artists or all end consumers. But a lot of people love them for their own unique set of values.

The Pros and Cons of Lathe Cut Records:

Pros

• Much quicker turnaround time (often a few weeks or less)
• Much lower minimums (20+ copies)
• Much lower initial monetary investment
• More art possibilities – Our cheapest offerings are clear plastic squares, which many people have never seen. These allow for a lot of cheap, easy and interesting DIY packaging options.

Cons

• Lower volume and fidelity, about 80% that of a pressed record. But we have cut over 100,000 records in the last 15 years, and rarely get complaints.
• Higher per piece cost than if you pressed 1000 copies of a pressed record, but again, you are pressing far fewer copies.
• Not consistent across discs - we cut on four lathes at a time and each one has its' own sound characteristics. None of them will sound identical to your master, but they will all sound cool. We've even had multiple artists tell us they prefer the sound of our cuts to their digital master.
• Mono - all stereo info is represented in both left and right channels. 99% of people will never even notice if you don't tell them.
• Mostly appropriate for singles, usually one sided (two sided possible, but more expensive). These are made in real time, and the longer the audio, the more time they take and, therefore, the more they cost. We can do longer records if you want, but they get pricey.
• Shallower grooves don't always play well on low-end turntables or allow for scratching/back masking. We do, however, test each one on a $60 Crosley turntable to ensure they will play on as many decks as possible.

Lathe Cuts don't necessarily appeal to ALL artists or all end consumers. But a lot of people love them for their own unique set of values and possibilities.

If this all sounds like what you are looking for, please contact one of our cutters below!

Michael provides repair, training, buys/sells vintage mono machines, does on-site record cutting for events and festivals, educational presentations about the science and history of recorded sound, and runs several art-focused record labels.

LatheCuts.com - Short Run Lathe Cut Records

We are back cutting records for select clientele! Our minimum is 50 copies (if you need fewer, check in with Phen or Zack below). We keep our offerings and client list tight so we can have the fastest turnaround time out there, but if you've been contacted by Mike, received one of our sample discs, or are a generally easy to deal with human being, then reach out to LatheCuts(at)yahooodawtcawm! If for some reason we can't accommodate you immediately, we will make sure to connect you with the best person for your particular job.

MichaelDixonVinylArt.com

The man behind the operations, Michael Dixon has spearheaded numerous companies that focus on vinyl records, lathe cut records, and bizarre variations on the theme.

MobileVinylRecorders.com

Need live record cutting at your festival, concert, party, event, or bar mitzvah? MVR will bring out beautiful vintage record cutting lathes and cut your audio onto records made from hi-fi lacquers, cost effective polycarbonate plastic, or unique oddities like plastic picnic plates, CDs that play on your turntable AND your CD player.

PIAPTK.com

PIAPTK is a record label that focuses on creating unique and upcycled packaging and formats. PIAPTK has released over 230 records in the last 10 years from artists like Grandaddy, The Flaming Lips, Jeffrey Lewis, The Golden Boots, Money Mark, Wooden Wand, Ariel Pink, Mike Watt, and R Stevie Moore, PIAPTK.

TheScienceOfSound.org

A presentation for libraries and schools that chronicles the history and science of recorded sound. Attendees learn about the various musical formats that have come and gone throughout the last 130 years of recorded music, build their own record player from a cactus needle and a piece of paper, and record their voice to a vinyl record which is left on display with the school or library.

RecordLatheParts.com

Selling embossing needles, blank records, lathe parts and accessories, etc for vintage machines.

LatheCutCamp.com

Three day training camp in beautiful Tucson, AZ for newbies, hobbyists, and people just interested in learning how record cutting works.

Vintage Machine Sales/Service/Training

If you have an old record lathe to sell, are looking to buy one, need repairs, or just need someone to show you how to use it, Michael is your man. With over 10 years of experience and over 75,000 records cut, he can help you get a machine or get yours up and running. He offers phone/text support packages, or will fly to your location to help you get your machine dialed in and start cutting. He also offers two Lathe Cut Camps in Tucson, AZ per year.