Unfortunately to keep up with orders we cannot respond to these emails nor give an estimate. Estimates are always 2-3 weeks with custom records/printing and 6-8 weeks for pressing. We appreciate your patience!
FAQ
I ordered _______, can you have it done by __/__/__?
Why are vinyls out of stock most the time?
We are a very small team and can currently only take 25 custom record orders per week to maintain quality. We will soon be able to fulfill more but thank you for your patience!
We appreciate not emailing us asking when it will be back in stock, check back daily around 10am ET as we add more in stock (around 5 a day) most days. This ensures we can work on getting your order to you faster!
Whats the difference between your custom records and record pressing?
Record pressing, means that the record it sent out for mass duplication in large record presses. This is for musicians and other creators to make large amounts for resale. Custom vinyl records are hand cut in real time on a record lathe which enables us to create a single copy and up to 25. Here’s a video on the record pressing process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaz15u7cJLQ
How do I see how long my playlist is?
Easiest way is to create a playlist in Spotify or iTunes and they will tell you your total time. Be sure to do this for each side! Standard records are 17 mins max a side unless you pay up to 20.
Can I do a unique combo of your products?
Most of our options are available on our website so please check under the “Products” menu. If it is not there send us an email at americanvinylco1@gmail.com
I am nervous about placing an order, will you help me with it if I need help?
Yes, we know that vinyl is very difficult to create but we can guide you through it. Please try to place an order first then message us if you need extra help!
How do I design my cover/labels?
Most product pages will have the links your need to access the online designers. If you already submitted an order and paid for a cover or need to resubmit your cover follow these instructions:
- Go to the design page
- Select the type of cover or labels you ordered
- Upload your images and add text how you like
- Make sure the background and or images extend into the area that says “Extend background or images into this area” but do not put main images and or text that you want on the cover as this will be cut off! If you don’t extend anything into the background, there will be white on the cover since nothing was extended and we can’t accept returns of covers if this happens.
- The front of the cover will be on the right side and the back on the left side.
- When you are done, you have to click “Buy Now”. If you don’t click “Buy Now” it won’t show in your cart and we don’t receive it!
- Ensure you check out all the way!
What audio can I put on the record?
This is a very common question and it is complicated! We want all musicians to get paid as we are musicians and understand how little we make to begin with. American Vinyl Co acts as a “transferring” service of YOUR audio such as VHS to DVD services. All the copyright liability is the responsibility of the customers.
Repeat: All the copyright liability is the responsibility of the customers, we do not do copyright checks.
You can review our terms and conditions here.
This said, if you purchased audio from a legitimate distributor and you want to make a personal single copy mix of that music on an analog medium (vinyl) then there should be no issues (this is not a guarantee). We will not accept illegally obtained copies of audio and do not support unauthorized music, your order will be cancelled if it is obviously bad quality from an illegal source. We will not make exact copies of an existing album or sound track.
American Vinyl Co can’t purchase any audio for any customers nor do we own any of the music that is submitted for transfer to vinyl
How much time does a 12″ record come with and hold?
Our 12″ record come with 34 minutes of audio standard which is 17 minutes per side. You can add up to 40 minutes with 20 minutes max per side. It is a dollar a minute more per minute which can be added on the 12″ Record product screen or requested on Etsy.
What audio do you accept and what is best?
High quality WAV files will be best.
Accepted format: .mp3,.aiff,.m4a,.wav,.flac
If your songs are not in one of those formats use the converter: https://online-audio-converter.com/
I don’t want to use the website, can I order over the phone?
Because of the amount of orders we have to complete every day it is best to attempt completing the order then if you have additional questions call (828) 367-7354 and we’ll help you complete it
I am in a independent band and we don’t have a lot of money, do you have cheaper packages?
Yes! We have DIY hand cut options, pressed runs with black and white labels and covers, records only, etc.. We are touring musicians so we know the pain of income and how much we rely on making a profit at the merch booth. Remember, custom records are hand-cut custom records, not pressed, and you can use that to your advantage! Think an original painting vs. a print.
There is a bigger discount when ordering a package compared to singles!
If you are looking for unique pricing on record pressing and don’t see it on the site give us a call!
Is there a limit on how many I can order?
Please contact us if you need a large order, but we like to keep custom record orders under 25! No limit on pressed runs
What are printed covers?
Printed covers are the protective outer jacket that has printed graphics or text, they make your record look good! Ours are 18pt THICK jackets with 2400×1200 print resolution, only the best!
Will you design my cover and labels?
At this time we are not offering design work. Please use Fiverr to find people that will design you a cover! Make sure to give them our templates
What are labels?
Labels go in the middle of your vinyl record with graphics or text on them. Here you should put what side is currently facing up and track listings
Are the printed covers made from my art?
Yes, yes they are! Using the our designer on our website or templates to use in your designing program. Cardboard covers have no printed graphics on them
Can I order over 100 jackets?
Yes, we can do 300, 500, and 1000. But we can’t do 36-299, it’s complicated!
Do you offer rush service for an extra fee?
We offer a I NEED IT NOW fee which is 100.00 (on top of your order). Sorry it is so expensive, if it wasn’t absurd everyone would pay it and we wouldn’t be able to keep up.
Refunds and Cancellations
We do not give refunds on any product made at American Vinyl Co. If defects in sound quality are found, the customer must ship the record back for us at there expense to be verified on our high fidelity system to determine if the defect exists. Returns will be accepted if there are severe scratches, severely warped records, or broken/pop out grooves but only for replacement not money back.
Cancellations are accepted up to two weeks from the order date. After 30 days, a credit will be given in the amount paid but no cash will be returned to the customer.
Can you recut my record?
Records will not be recut if the defects are not reported within 30 days. If the record has incorrect order of songs and the songs were submitted with the names not updated correctly to be in order according to side and order (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2) then the record will not be recut. It will be recut if the order has been clearly and correctly labeled according to side and order and was cut not in the specified order.
How long will my order take?
Average is 2-3 weeks and 3-4 weeks for orders that have 5 or more custom records. Turn around for pressed runs are 6-8 weeks. American Vinyl Co is a small team and all custom records are cut in real time. That means a record that is 30 minutes long will take 30 minutes to cut, not including set up time. For this reason, times may vary. If this is a concern, please contact us to know what our current workload is and expected delivery times.
My order has been in ``Processing`` for weeks! What gives??
Dont worry! Nothing is wrong with your order. It just means we haven’t started creating it yet and it is in the queue. We appreciate your patience
If I upgrade shipping will my order get made faster?
We wish we could make the orders faster, but they are all made in order they come in and shipping won’t make a difference until it is made (2-3 weeks)
Extra stuff to know
Vinyl is a very sensitive medium that is effected by many things. We want our customers to be extremely satisfied but we want them to know a few things first:)
- Vinyls in a retail store are professionally mastered and costs artists/labels up to $1000 dollars! So our basic mastering for the custom records is a bargain. (our pressed records are 100% professionally mastered!)
- These aren’t burned like a cd, they are hand cut in real time, so your patience is very appreciated
- Record players are KEY to good playback. Because all record players aren’t created equal, this can effect the way your record sounds and plays (compared to our hifi system). If you need suggestions on a new system feel free to ask!
- Dust can ruin the sounds of a record, keep your record clean with a carbon fiber bristle brush.
- Some songs will cut to vinyl easily and clearly, and others won’t. Modern music will be harder to cut because of the loaded high frequencies. So results may vary. Suggested to put loud modern pop music towards the beginning of the record.
Can I add over 40 minutes?
Anything over 40 minutes causes audio quality loss and lower volume.
For custom records we do not cut anything longer than 20 minutes a side. Please get 2 records if you have over 40 minutes of audio.
For pressed records you can cut up to 25 mins per side.
Tips for best quality vinyl
-
Provide high quality formats such as WAV, 320 MP3, or other lossless formats (although we’ll accept most formats). If music is low quality, it will not translate well.
YouTube ripped music does not sound good on vinyl and we do not cut illegally obtained files
Music without extreme bass or a lot of high end frequencies cuts better. Please don’t send us clipped music or music that sounds destructive to speakers.
If you have a mixing/mastering engineer have them de-ess the vocals
Put loud songs towards the beginning of the record and quite songs towards the end of each side (towards the center)
Less time = better quality and volume. Best translation will be around 15 minutes a side or less.
Basic mastering is included! We will do our best to make sure there is good spacing, volume is even throughout, volume is a listenable volume, S’s are tamed, and more.
Do these records play on regular turntables?
Yes, with no adjustments needed. Play as well as a retail record! WARNING: some lower end portable players might have issues playing these records.
Are your records stereo or mono?
All records are stereo, unless you want mono, then let us know and we’ll make some mono magic
Why do some of the records cost as much as retail records or more?
Simple: large manufactured runs vs. artistic creations. If you are looking for a ton of copies, pressing a record would be the right choice. If you are looking for a one off record, a short run of records for merch or special release, or a unique vinyl gift for someone special then we are your guys.
Are the records lo-fi quality?
No way! The records made here are high fidelity stereo records cut straight from our lathe.
Are these the same as other Lathe Cut websites?
Yes and no. As with all products, none are created the same because it is the operator and equipment that determine the quality you get. Also, these are not cut on vintage machines which have a limited frequency range and more surface noise. Our records have a full hi-fidelity frequency response and full stereo imaging.
How long is your turn around?
Turn around times are usually 6-8 weeks from when everything is submitted and approved to shipping
Do you offer different options besides the predefined packages?
Yes! Please email or call us for your specific vision and we’ll make it happen!
Audio for pressing
- We cut from most digital formats as well as ¼ inch, and ½ inch analog tape.
- Mastering is included in our pressing packages and all masters are cut on a Neumann VMS-70 by an engineer with 20 years of experience.
- Digital master specifications – WAV, AIFF, 16, 24, 32 Bit, 44.1K, 48K. 96K, and 192K.
- Order your songs with the loudest songs at the beginning and softest towards the end of each side. This is strongly suggested even if your order on CD is different than your vinyl release.
- Great article on preparing audio for vinyl release: http://www.chicagomasteringservice.com/vinyl.html
Why American Vinyl Co for pressing?
We are vinyl record experts! Not only do we press records but we hand make custom records, packaging, and even record live to vinyl at our shop in Asheville!
Hate waiting for responses? We are always here to talk Monday-Friday via email or phone for any questions, updates, or advice to get vinyl on your merch table. Check out our reviews!
Our pressings are all cut on a Neumann VMS-70, the grand daddy record lathe! We will make sure the process is simple, friendly, and quick!
Where are the templates?
All label and jacket templates are found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/28yo29cu0pcpcki/AAA9m2nAgmU7ZzdX7_M_mmmga?dl=0
Send them via wetransfer.com to americanvinylco1@gmail.com with your name and order number in the message
What is the max time for 7`` and 12`` pressed records?
Run times for 7″ are –
45 rpm – 4.5 min.
33 1/3 rpm – 7 min.
Run times for 12″ are-
Recommended length is 22min per side or less.
We can fit 25min per side but volume and low frequencies will be compromised.
Whats the difference between your custom records and record pressing?
Record pressing, in this case, means that the record it sent out for mass duplication in large record presses. This is for musicians and other creators to make large amounts for resale. Here’s a video on the process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaz15u7cJLQ
Who does the lacquer mastering for the pressed records?
Our lacquer masters are cut by a renowned mastering engineer with over 20 years experience cutting records by Beyonce, 50 cent, Flaming Lips, Thievery Corporation, Smashing Pumpkins, and many more major and independent artists. We cut lacquer on a Neumann VMS-70, undeniably the best lathe cutter ever made. Our engineer’s years of experience and meticulous attention to detail guarantees the highest quality lacquer masters available today.