A dubplate, or lathe-cut vinyl record, is made one at a time in real time. Each groove is physically cut into a durable PETG disc using a diamond stylus, with mono and stereo formats available.
Submit one completed audio file for Side A and one completed audio file for Side B. Your files should already contain the songs in the exact order you want them to play.
Place the songs in the exact order you want them to play and create one continuous Side A file and one continuous Side B file.
Export the completed sides as:
Side A.wav
Side B.wav
WAV or AIFF only. 44.1 kHz - 192 kHz. 24-bit preferred. 16-bit accepted.
Upload both completed audio files at checkout and name them clearly:
Artist_SideA.wav
Artist_SideB.wav
Large files may be sent by WeTransfer after checkout.
If a side contains multiple songs, leave approximately 2 seconds of silence between songs. We use those silent sections to identify the track changes and create the physical track bands while cutting the record.
The silence in your audio is a production guide. The physical separation on the finished record is created by the lathe during cutting and may vary. It is not guaranteed to match the exact duration of silence in your digital file.
If you only have individual songs instead of completed Side A and Side B files, purchase Side Sequencing or Vinyl Mastering.
When we sequence individual songs for you, we build the completed Side A and Side B files and send those files back to you for approval before cutting.
Standard orders where you submit your own completed Side A and Side B files do not receive an additional sequencing approval. Your submitted files are treated as your approved sequence.
If your files exceed the checkout upload limit, use WeTransfer and include your order number.
The checkout uploader includes three upload slots.
Title_SideA.wav
WAV or AIFF
Title_SideB.wav
WAV or AIFF
Upload your PQ Sheet and artwork ZIP when artwork is included with your order.
Better source material produces louder, cleaner, and more stable lathe-cut records. Reviewing these recommendations before submission will help improve groove stability, playback tracking, and overall vinyl translation.
WAV or AIFF files are preferred. 24-bit is ideal, 16-bit is accepted. Please do not submit MP3 files.
Dynamic mixes generally translate better to vinyl than heavily brickwall-limited masters.
For stereo cuts, bass below approximately 150 Hz should generally remain mono-compatible.
Excessive stereo width can create groove instability. Always check stereo mixes in mono before submission.
Harsh high frequencies and excessive sibilance are among the most difficult things to reproduce cleanly on vinyl.
Crest factor is the difference between peak level and RMS. Higher crest factor generally preserves more transients, punch, and dynamic range.
Longer sides reduce available cutting level and require tighter groove spacing. Bass-heavy music makes this even more important.
Louder and brighter material generally performs best earlier in the side before inner groove distortion increases.
Please submit Side A and Side B as separate WAV or AIFF files with matching sample rates.
Unlike streaming platforms, we do not cut records to a specific LUFS target. LUFS is a psychoacoustic measurement designed to estimate how loud audio is perceived by humans, while RMS is an electrical measurement of average signal energy. A record cutting lathe responds to the electrical signal driving the cutter head, not perceived loudness.
We evaluate every project using RMS, crest factor, true peak, frequency content, stereo information, dynamics, and the overall electrical signal presented to the cutter head. LUFS can be a useful production reference, but it is only one measurement and does not determine whether a master is suitable for vinyl.
Although we do not cut records to a specific LUFS target, modern masters delivered around -14 LUFS generally provide a much better starting point for vinyl than masters pushed to -10 LUFS, -8 LUFS, or -6 LUFS. Less aggressively limited masters typically retain more crest factor, transient detail, and groove headroom, allowing the music to translate more naturally to the record format.
Masters with healthy dynamics often have significantly lower RMS values than their LUFS readings may suggest. Conversely, masters with aggressive peak limiting or clipping may have RMS and LUFS values that are very close together. For example, a master measuring approximately -6 LUFS and -6 dB RMS has typically been heavily peak limited or clipped, leaving little to no crest factor. These types of masters can reduce groove headroom, increase distortion, stress the cutter head, increase stylus temperature, and may require additional mastering adjustments before they can be safely transferred to vinyl.
Crest factor is the relationship between the loudest peak and the average RMS level. For example, if a file peaks at -1 dBFS and has an RMS level of -11 dBFS, the crest factor is 10 dB. This relationship tells us how much transient space and dynamic movement remain in the music.
Included Vinyl Premastering: Every lathe-cut record includes vinyl premastering at no additional charge. Once your completed Side A and Side B programs have been assembled, we optimize each full side for the lathe-cutting process by adjusting overall level, groove spacing, fades, filtering, stereo bass management, de-essing, and other technical parameters required for reliable cutting and playback.
Vinyl premastering is applied to the entire side as one continuous program, not to each song separately. The loudest, brightest, most distorted, or bass-heaviest song on a side often determines the maximum safe cutting level for the entire side. This is why one extremely loud or difficult track can affect the final level and playback behavior of the other songs on the same side.
Optional Vinyl Mastering Service: If your songs have not yet been mastered or sequenced for vinyl, we offer vinyl mastering at $5per song. This service includes mastering the individual songs from your stereo mixes, sequencing them into Side A and Side B, adding approximately 2 seconds of space between songs, and preparing the full program for cutting. After the songs are mastered and assembled into sides, the completed sides then receive our included vinyl premastering process before cutting.
If you prefer to prepare your own project, please upload one completed Side A file and one completed Side B file with approximately 2 seconds of silence between each song. If you upload individual songs instead of completed side files, sequencing and song-by-song preparation are handled through our optional vinyl mastering service.
Every mix is different. Some songs contain more sub-bass, others have stronger vocal sibilance, wider stereo information, more digital clipping, or more aggressive limiting. These characteristics determine how a record should be prepared more than genre alone.
If you're producing a longer album with multiple songs per side, the relationship between bass energy, crest factor, groove spacing, and playing time becomes increasingly important. In many cases, turning off a limiter and returning to the original mix produces a better vinyl record than trying to repair an over-limited master.
Stereo files are cut in stereo. Mono files are cut in mono. Do not upsample or convert MP3 files to higher sample rates or bit depth. Export audio at the project’s original resolution whenever possible.
Harsh Noise Music & Unsafe Audio Content: Audio containing harsh noise, continuous full-spectrum noise, excessive distortion, sustained high-frequency energy, feedback, brickwall limiting, little to no crest factor, clipping, or other extreme sonic characteristics may be considered unsafe for the lathe-cutting process.
If submitted audio is determined to pose a risk to the cutter head, stylus, or cutting system, we reserve the right to reduce the level, apply filtering or other mastering adjustments, shorten the program, or decline the project. Our primary responsibility is to protect our cutting equipment while producing the highest-quality record possible.
System calibrated to DIN 45 541 reference standards. Vinyl premastering, vinyl mastering, and cutting optimization are handled in-house.
Send the highest-resolution artwork you have. We review files before production and help ensure artwork translates correctly to your selected format.
Upload your files during checkout using the Hot Pink uploader. The uploader supports 3 files total.
The ZIP file may contain 2 center label artwork files and 2 record jacket artwork files, such as jacket front and jacket back.
If files exceed upload limits, send them through WeTransfer to info@lathecutvinylrecords.com and include your order number.
Our standard center label format is 3.5 inches.
Submit artwork with a transparent background as a full 3.5-inch circle. Do not add the spindle hole to the design.
Jacket artwork should generally be submitted as a 12×12-inch image at 300 DPI.
For Make a Vinyl Record orders, you may include both jacket files inside your artwork ZIP: front jacket artwork and back jacket artwork.
PNG and PDF formats are preferred. Bleed lines and trim marks are not required for most projects.
We stock both black and white jackets and select the option that best complements your artwork.
If artwork is not submitted using our template or recommended sizing, we will automatically format it to fit our standard production sizes.
Center label artwork may be resized, cropped, stretched, or adjusted to fit our 3.5-inch center label format. Jacket artwork may also be resized or adjusted to fit the selected jacket format.
Picture disc artwork and CNC engraving are prepared differently than standard printed products.
Clear records generally produce the strongest engraving visibility and light-through effects.
Exact sizing and fabrication details are listed within each product page and artwork add-on section.
You do not need perfect print-ready files.
If you are unsure whether artwork is usable, send it anyway — we are happy to review files before production.
All records are cut and assembled in-house. Production begins once audio and order details are confirmed.
All records are cut and assembled in-house. Production begins once audio and order details are confirmed.
Custom orders follow the same production, checkout, packaging, and shipping structure as orders placed directly through our website.
Every order is for one program: Side A + Side B.
We do not combine multiple programs such as A/B, C/D, E/F, G/H, etc. into a single order.
If you have multiple programs, each program must be placed as its own separate checkout/order.
This applies to all orders, including custom orders, custom artwork orders, custom invoices, and orders placed directly through our website.
Custom orders follow the same checkout structure and fees as website orders.
Our $10 fee covers up to 10 records of one Side A / Side B program.
This fee is not simply the price of a USPS postage label. It helps cover:
That works out to $1 per record when ordering 10 copies of the same A/B program.
If another A/B program is ordered, it is a separate production job and requires its own checkout and $10 fee.
Yes, you may send us your own printable USPS shipping label.
For custom orders, customers may email us a USPS label if they want to use a different USPS service or faster shipping.
Providing your own shipping label does not remove the $10 fee per program / per 10 records.
The fee still covers the included premastering, handling, packaging, shipping preparation, and fulfillment of your order.
This keeps custom orders consistent with orders placed directly through our website.
For standard records without jackets or additional artwork, we ship a maximum of 10 records per mailer.
For Make a Vinyl Record packages, a maximum of 5 complete packages fit in one mailer.
This means up to 5 records with their complete jackets and artwork can be packed into one mailer.
Because of this packaging limit, 5 Make a Vinyl Record packages is the maximum per order.
Need your records faster? Rush production starts at $150 and is available on a project-by-project basis.
Rush pricing depends on the quantity, complexity of the project, our current production schedule, and how quickly you need the order completed.
For rush projects, all required audio, artwork, and project information must be emailed to us immediately.
24-hour / same-day priority production is typically $250 when the project and our production schedule allow.
Large, complex, or extremely time-sensitive projects may require $500 or more in rush fees.
Production time varies depending on the quantity ordered, the project requirements, artwork, and our current shop workload.
A standard order may still be cut the same day if our schedule allows, but same-day production is not guaranteed unless rush service has been confirmed.
Larger quantities naturally require more production time. For example, an order of approximately 100 records may require around 6–7 production days even when prioritized.
In this situation, rush service means we prioritize the order and work toward the fastest realistic production window available.
Artwork, specialty packaging, unusual project requirements, or incomplete files may add additional time.
If you have a specific event, release date, or delivery deadline, contact us before ordering so we can review the project and tell you what is realistically possible.
A custom order does not bypass our standard production or fulfillment structure.
Whether you order through our website, receive a custom invoice, order custom artwork, or arrange a custom project directly with us, the same basic structure applies:
1 checkout = 1 Side A/B program.
Up to 10 standard records = $10 fee.
Each additional program requires a separate checkout.
Customer-supplied shipping labels do not remove the $10 premastering,
handling, packaging, and fulfillment fee.
Rush production must be confirmed separately and starts at $150.
Normal orders remain in our standard production queue and ship by USPS Media Mail unless another shipping arrangement has been made. Rush service moves a project into priority production but does not guarantee a delivery date unless we specifically agree to that deadline for your project.
Records ship in protective sleeves inside premium vinyl mailers. We currently ship within the United States only.
USPS Media Mail — $10 per 10 records.
Orders ship via USPS Media Mail, a cost-effective service for records and printed media.
Delivery typically takes 3–8 business days depending on location.
Once a package is accepted by USPS, delivery becomes the responsibility of the carrier.
We are not responsible for postal delays, lost packages, or items marked as delivered.
Packages that are unclaimed, refused, or returned to sender may be re-shipped once the customer pays the required postage.
Because each record is custom made to order, we do not accept returns.
If your order arrives damaged or shows a verified production defect, contact info@lathecutvinylrecords.com within 7 days with photo documentation so we can review the issue.
Shipping time begins after production is complete. Standard records are packed at a maximum of 10 records per mailer. For larger orders, multiple mailers may be packed together inside one larger shipping box. For example, an order of 50 records would be packed as 5 mailers of 10 records each, and those 5 mailers may ship together inside one larger box. Depending on the order and shipping method, larger orders may also ship in multiple boxes and include multiple tracking numbers. Some specialty products or custom orders may offer optional upgrades to USPS Priority Mail or USPS Priority Mail Express.
Upload three files at checkout. We turn your audio and artwork into a real playable lathe-cut vinyl record with printed jacket, center labels, and a finished presentation.
