How much would it cost to press my release?
We offer a wide variety of options for the printed elements and the pressing of your project. Please fill out our quick Project Questionnaire with the quantity and options that you are looking to have produced and we’ll get back to you quickly with an accurate estimate for your job.
What is needed in order to place an order?
After your have confirmed your estimate, you’ll need to send us your audio saved as two uncompressed .WAV files (“Side A” and “Side B”), in order to start your order. Please include a timing sheet, complete with track titles and start & end times for each song, to serve as a reference for lacquer cutting. You can upload your files to smashedplastic.wetransfer.com.
Can I supply my own lacquers, stampers, center labels, or outer packaging?
Yes, you can start your order with us and supply any of the pieces that you already have. We offer full assembly & packaging services using any of the elements that you supply.
What Payments do you require in order to start my order?
We require a payment of 50% of your order up-front, in order to cut lacquers, create stampers, and start printing your inner labels, jackets etc. The remaining 50% is due on approval of the test pressing in order to complete your full order.
Will my stampers fit your press?
Please let us know the details of your stampers, including where and when they were produced, and we can confirm whether they will work for our presses.
What is the maximum audio time for each side of an LP?
The optimal audio run time that we recommend for a 12” LP cut at 33 1/3 RPM is 18-21 minutes per side, in order to create the best sounding results.
If you are interested in a 45 RPM LP, we recommend shooting for 10-12 minutes per side for the highest quality sound reproduction.
Please review our handy Audio Runtime Guide for further details about getting your audio ready for vinyl.
What is a catalog number?
Your catalog number is a release number that you create, that is unique to your project. This catalog number is how we track the parts of your order (including how your lacquers and plates are numbered and archived). Typically, catalog numbers are made up of three letters describing the label or artist name followed by the release number – ie “SPR-112” for Smashed Plastic Records release number 112.
How do I review my test pressing?
We will supply you with 4x copies of test pressings for each LP of your job. We will keep an in-house copy of your Test Pressing as well, so that we can review and answer any questions that you might have.
If you have any questions about what to look for when reveiewing your test pressing, please check out our Guide to Reviewing Test Pressings.
How will I know when my order is completed and ready to be picked-up?
We will communicate with you throughout each step of the process. We notify customers at each critical step in the process – when plates are received, test pressings pressed, inner labels & jackets printing are completed, test pressings approved, final order completed, and final order shipped. If you have any questions about your order, please contact us at info[at]smashedplastic.com.
What is your turnaround time for orders?
Turnaround times vary depending on the format, options, requirements, quantity, and when we receive the critical components of your project. Once we receive all of the pieces of your order (final artwork, printed material, approved test pressings), we’ll give you a timeframe for when it will run. If you have a release date that you are shooting for, please let us know when you begin your order and we’ll discuss scheduling with you to make sure that you receive your order based on your timeline
Where can I find Templates & Artwork Requirements for inner labels, inserts, Jackets, Gatefold covers?
You will need to send us a your final artwork as layered file (.AI, .PSD, .IDD) with your artwork laid out on a separate layer from the Template, Guides, and Registration layers that exist in each of our templates. Please convert all text to outline if you are sending a vector file. If you are interested in B&W printing, you must convert your file to grayscale. Please use a minimum resolution of 300 dpi if you are creating your artwork in Photoshop.
You can find all of the templates on our Templates Page.
I'm interested in color vinyl. What colors do you offer?
We offer a wide range of color choices, including custom mixed colors that can be matched to any Pantone (PMS) color in your artwork. If you have a specific color in mind that you are looking for, please get in touch with us at info@smashedplastic.com and we can discuss all of the different options for your project!
Can you cut a custom message into the dead wax of my record?
Yes, we can cut a message into the lead-out of your LP. Please note that we will need this final text before your final mastered audio is sent to our lacquer cutting engineer. If you have any questions about the length of your message, please contact us.
What is a parallel groove? Is that an available option for my release?
Yes, we offer the option to cut a “parallel groove”, which is a separate & distinct groove that can contain a unique piece of audio. This will be invisible to the naked eye, but will allow listeners to effectively listen to one of two separate recordings until the side runs to completion. This is a technique that is often used to “hide” a secret piece of music. Because a second groove is cut within the same amount of physical space on an LP side, the total runtime for each unique piece of audio will be half of a normal side. If you have any questions about this for an upcoming project, please contact us.
What Am I Reviewing and Approving of in a Proof?
Signing off on a proof of your final artwork is your way of confirming that everything is set up the way that you want for your project. In addition to colors, resolution, cut lines for borders, you are also approving of the side designation for inner labels. Our proofs indicate which inner labels are assigned for the A, B (and in the case of 2xLPs and 3xLPs C, D, E, and F) sides of your record.
Please pay special attention to all of the details on your proofs for inner labels, jackets, inserts, printed inner sleeves, and hype stickers – and please ask us about any questions that you might have about your proof, as all approvals are final.
