Ask a pressing plant employee

[thieves]

So, I've worked at a pressing plant for a bit over a year now, doing quality assurance, press operation, etc etc. After being a vinyl fan since my mid teens, I've learned that a lot of what I previously thought about records was completely wrong. So I guess I'll just throw this thread out here in case you folks have questions about your records or records in general.

[xjustinxschwierx]

So, I've worked at a pressing plant for a bit over a year now, doing quality assurance, press operation, etc etc. After being a vinyl fan since my mid teens, I've learned that a lot of what I previously thought about records was completely wrong. So I guess I'll just throw this thread out here in case you folks have questions about your records or records in general.

which plant?

[Guest]

Where do babies come from?

[thieves]

So, I've worked at a pressing plant for a bit over a year now, doing quality assurance, press operation, etc etc. After being a vinyl fan since my mid teens, I've learned that a lot of what I previously thought about records was completely wrong. So I guess I'll just throw this thread out here in case you folks have questions about your records or records in general.

which plant?

gotta groove in cleveland

[thieves]

Where do babies come from?

oddly, they come from record pressing machines... when they really love each other

[mattisr1984]

Where do babies come from?

oddly, they come from record pressing machines... when they really love each other

i chuckled.

[One Hundred Fifty-Two]

Which color sounds the best? Why do picture discs come in that flimsy clear jacket?

[donlombardo]

I've learned that a lot of what I previously thought about records was completely wrong.

Kill some myths!

[travis]

Why do picture discs come in that flimsy clear jacket?

I dont work at a pressing plant but Id assume its so people can see the picture disc.

Sounds like more of a question for the labels that put these out, the plant just makes what the labels want.

[aarondanger]

Can I trade you something for a Hold Steady RSD Test Pressing?

[serum7]

What's the most outlandish vinyl color/design anyone has requested?

[thieves]

Which color sounds the best? Why do picture discs come in that flimsy clear jacket?

the picture disc question i can't really say anything about, as we don't do them.

the short answer on color is that it, in my experience, is exactly as susceptible to surface noise/etc as black, but it melts at a lower temperature, which makes it more susceptible to warping and also perhaps wear and tear. we use two different brands of colored vinyl and the only colors that seem to be sub-par sound-wise are glow in the dark and a brand new version of white by a certain brand. the white just seems like these guys haven't gotten their formula down yet and the noise floor is just a bit higher than i'm used to. this isn't to say that white records sound bad... i'm assuming 99.9% of white records made in the states in last 5 years are mostly from the same brand and that stuff sounds great.

[somethingvinyl]

Is working at a pressing plant really cool because you're making vinyl or is it like working at any other industrial/warehouse type place? It seems cooler on the surface, like you should be making $50K a year. But, my assumption is you make $10/hour because it's just a plant that makes products in demand.

Edit: I mean in general, not you specifically thieves.

[thieves]

Can I trade you something for a Hold Steady RSD Test Pressing?

jesus, 7 months later and everyone is still talking about the RSD hold steady record.

[thieves]

Is working at a pressing plant really cool because you're making vinyl or is it like working at any other industrial/warehouse type place? It seems cooler on the surface, like you should be making $50K a year. But, my assumption is you make $10/hour because it's just a plant that makes products in demand.

the work is hard, the pay is definitely not great, but i love doing it. especially the past few months... at first, we were the newest plant around, just trying to figure out how to make a good record... it's a lot more like making good food than putting together a desk. that part was frustrating because sometimes you just can't get things to sound good. now, a year later, our small staff all seems to do what they're good at and what they like. i spend most days listening to the same 2 or 3 records over and over again. i can't speak for everyone who does my job, but on any record i work on, i go home feeling terrible if i've had to work on a record where we're struggling with any sort of quality issue.

[thieves]

oh and i guess in general it's a lot more fun for the people i work with who love music... it's always fun to do a little water cooler talk in the morning like "did you hear we're doing the new ______ record!"

[aarondanger]

Can I trade you something for a Hold Steady RSD Test Pressing?

jesus, 7 months later and everyone is still talking about the RSD hold steady record.

You didn't say no...

[thieves]

What's the most outlandish vinyl color/design anyone has requested?

we're still kind of new to the real crazy color stuff. mostly we'll just mix colors in the hopper for the 'marbled' effect between colors, but we're just getting into the whole 'splatter' effect which involves adding more vinyl to the existing vinyl biscuit after it's made. also, we're doing split color stuff a little lately as well. we went nuts a few weeks ago and one guy decided to press a blue record and an orange 7" into one (not 'triple decker' style), and i really like the effect:

[thieves]

jesus, 7 months later and everyone is still talking about the RSD hold steady record.

You didn't say no...

i don't feel like losing my job, either.

[somethingvinyl]

Cool info. Thanks!

[jailhouse]

Right now, you guys are the most expensive plant out there behind RTI. I've been dying to check you guys out, but have a hard time justifying the dramatic increase in cost's compared to our current plant.

Any plans on possibly dropping things to a bit more competitive edge? I know both me and a lot of other labels I have spoken with have the same concerns. It's always awesome to check out a new place, especially a owner operated place, but it's also extremely risky from a label perspective when we want to deviate from our current, trusted plants to try out the new guy on the block.

Any plans on possibly price matching or beating labels current preffered plant rates, in order to drum up some new label business?

This is not meant as crap talk in the least, I have heard nothing but excellent things about you guys, but the pricing makes it a tough sell for those of us who have been using the same plant for a long time.

I take that striked out part back, that sounded rude, and after thinking a bit, it is probably not absolutely correct, but it is up there..

[thieves]

Right now, you guys are the most expensive plant out there behind RTI. I've been dying to check you guys out, but have a hard time justifying the dramatic increase in cost's compared to our current plant.

Any plans on possibly dropping things to a bit more competitive edge? I know both me and a lot of other labels I have spoken with have the same concerns. It's always awesome to check out a new place, especially a owner operated place, but it's also extremely risky from a label perspective when we want to deviate from our current, trusted plants to try out the new guy on the block.

Any plans on possibly price matching or beating labels current preffered plant rates, in order to drum up some new label business?

This is not meant as crap talk in the least, I have heard nothing but excellent things about you guys, but the pricing makes it a tough sell for those of us who have been using the same plant for a long time.

unfortunately, i'm not on the sales/ownership side of things at all... i'd consider talking to our sales guy personally to see what he can work out. i know that what we offer is the whole 'one stop shop' experience which obviously can be more expensive than doing some of the legwork yourself. all i can say is that we really try to run a super high quality operation.

[xjustinxschwierx]

Right now, you guys are the most expensive plant out there behind RTI. I've been dying to check you guys out, but have a hard time justifying the dramatic increase in cost's compared to our current plant.

Any plans on possibly dropping things to a bit more competitive edge? I know both me and a lot of other labels I have spoken with have the same concerns. It's always awesome to check out a new place, especially a owner operated place, but it's also extremely risky from a label perspective when we want to deviate from our current, trusted plants to try out the new guy on the block.

Any plans on possibly price matching or beating labels current preffered plant rates, in order to drum up some new label business?

This is not meant as crap talk in the least, I have heard nothing but excellent things about you guys, but the pricing makes it a tough sell for those of us who have been using the same plant for a long time.

I'm in Chicago and I'd easily move all my work to you, just, if nothing else, to have a more local plant, so I'd be interested in discussing this off the board as well if you didn't feel comfortable doing this exchange on a mesageboard. But yeah everyone speaks very highly of your work.

do you do in-house plating or is that aspect outsourced to Mastercraft?

[lbw87]

ive always wanted to work at a record plant...but theres none around me..can you give me a job? or tell me how to get on that path?!

[ihprstl]

How long does it take to set up and clean up a job? Do you fill up a hopper with a vinyl color and then press all of your current orders that want that color continuously instead of cleaning the press after every job?