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Manufacturers cheap AND good - do they exist?


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I'm looking to release a vinyl album later this year, and started looking at some of the alternatives regarding the pressing.

Of course I have looked at Pirates Press, but every single vinyl I have that's been pressed there (it's at least 20) has some weird "residue" on them, which of course makes awful noises when you move the vinyl in or out of the inner sleeve and I guess that actually damages the record.

I've read that this is a very common problem with Pirates Press but that it's not ALWAYS like that. The thing is, I want to release a high-quality product, which means I don't want to take any chances.

Are there any places where you can press fairly small quantities of high-quality, non-residue vinyl at a fair price?

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an inexpensive plant that produces high quality vinyl in small quantities is like a unicorn... everyone wants it to exist... but it just doesn't.

the "residue" on pirates records is generally only on records with the "haze" effect... i've done a handful of records from them and never had a problem with the solid colors/splatter/split colored ones.

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Cheap + small quantities + good = DOES NOT COMPUTE

Really, you are going to get what you pay for. Every company will do small quantities (read: 100 minimum usually) but the minimum order for a lot of things (labels, CMYK jackets, etc.) is 500, 1000, etc. Not to mention you're paying the same for plates/mastering/etc. no matter how many copies you press.

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define "fairly small quantities"

500 is what I have in mind.

the "residue" on pirates records is generally only on records with the "haze" effect... i've done a handful of records from them and never had a problem with the solid colors/splatter/split colored ones.

Well, I have several transparent unicolors with this problem, but hazes and splatters are definitely the worst. It's almost like very fine sand. :-/

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an inexpensive plant that produces high quality vinyl in small quantities is like a unicorn... everyone wants it to exist... but it just doesn't.

the "residue" on pirates records is generally only on records with the "haze" effect... i've done a handful of records from them and never had a problem with the solid colors/splatter/split colored ones.

Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God with the "haze" comes to mind.

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Yeah, that one was awful. I took a dust brush to my copy one time and a ton of blue was on it. It's too bad that happens because I think its a hella neat looking record.

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