| There is a cheaper path but I can't remember how it worked. But I (Jefferson Street Jug Band) recorded for Fonotone Records (Joe Bussard) in 1968 or so and he had a fairly inexpensive pressing machine there where he could do vinyl one offs. You COULD try to contact Joe. He lives in Frederick Maryland. He's gotta be rather old by now, and he's become a bit of a celebrity with documentaries etc about him.
But there WAS a way besides the full on pressing machine. But the way Joe did it was sort of the equivalent of CDRs.
Possibly someone else on the list has already mentioned this. I generally do fast scans of topics and have to reply on the run so forgive me if this is repeating someone else's answer.
If any of you can find the answer to the dilemma of making records and real money at the same time you will have solved a problem an awful lot of very high falootin' people are trying to solve. My wild guess is it will be some kind of new format for presenting recorded music that's just too glorious sounding, or big, or requires special hardware... to download on the web.
R
On Dec 31, 2008, at 9:18 AM, Travis Hartnett wrote: Well, sort of. Here's a story:
Back in the mid-90's, I worked at a indie record store. There were literally a half-dozen micro labels being run out of the back room by the various buyers and clerks. Most of them were putting out some percentage of vinyl--45's, EP's and LP's. One guy decided that it would be better to buy his own equipment and press his own vinyl, and then offer that service to others (he was thinking of a co-op style arrangment). In the days before eBay, or even widespread net access he managed to hunt down the smallest vinyl pressing setup he could find, several states away. As I recall, it cost $20K to get it bought and delivered. It was industrial grade machinery--big heavy things that get moved by several guys, put down and bolted to the concrete floor. He had had some money (despite working in a record store...) and a few investors.
Then he found he needed another $20K in permits, licensing, electrical upgrades, plumbing upgrades, fire alarms, toxic waste disposal, etc. Before he could even switch the thing on. More investors are found. The necessary work is done. Then he had to learn how to press vinyl. It's not like running a Xerox machine, it's more akin to running an off-set printing press, and takes a lot of instruction and practice. He went through hundreds of bad pressings--warped, off-center, cracked, and so on. All of which was costly in terms of time--you had to set aside a day to do this, and monetarily. Raw vinyl is not free, electricity, etc. After six months, he gave up and sold it all off to someone else at a tremendous loss.
So, I'd say unless you're going to go into it whole hog and run it as a business full time for the next five years, I suspect it's not an viable option. Maybe things have changed in the last decade or so.
TH On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 9:02 AM, Krispen Hartung <info@krispenhartung.com> wrote:
Also, is it possible to make your own vinyl? Is there equipment you can buy to press your own?
Kris
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