This page provides detailed information for anyone looking to order lathe cut vinyl dubplates or short-run vinyl from 36 Hertz Mastering. Please read the information carefully before placing an order so you know exactly what to expect and what’s possible.
What exactly is a lathe cut vinyl dubplate?
We use a Vinylrecorder T560 to cut your audio directly into a blank plastic record in real time – if your track is seven minutes long, it takes seven minutes to cut. A blank disc is placed on the lathe and heated, then your audio is fed through the machine and cut using a sharpened diamond stylus with a heating coil attached. These are not acetate or lacquer dubplates; they are durable plastic records that look, feel, and play like standard vinyl. Unlike acetates or lacquers, our cuts do not degrade with repeated plays. When stored and handled correctly, they can last even longer than a pressed vinyl record.
We use 2 mm thick blank discs to create a solid, heavyweight end product. Our 10-inch cuts weigh around 120 grams and 12-inch cuts around 180 grams, the same as heavyweight pressed vinyl. The result is a high-quality record that looks and feels fantastic.
What do they sound like?
Our lathe cuts can sound as good, if not better, than pressed vinyl. However, it’s important to understand the limitations of the format. Certain frequencies cannot cut well on vinyl, so they may be optimised or slightly reduced during the process. For example, bass under 30 Hz and treble over 4 kHz can distort. This does not mean we cannot cut these frequencies, but the volume may be adjusted, which contributes to the characteristic “vinyl warmth.” Modern digital mixes often push more extreme lows and highs than vinyl can accommodate, so the final record may sound different from the digital file.
The best results come from tracks mixed with vinyl in mind. In the 70s and 80s, music was mixed specifically for vinyl playback, ensuring it sounded amazing on turntables. Today, most music is mixed for digital formats and loudness, which may require adjustments to suit vinyl. If you would like your tracks mixed and mastered specifically for vinyl cutting, we offer this service — please get in touch for details.
How durable are the records?
The top-quality cut records we produce are extremely durable. Every lathe cut has a small natural noise floor, similar to what is present on pressed vinyl, but it is generally only noticeable in quiet sections such as the lead-in or run-out grooves.
How can I hear the difference?
To hear the difference for yourself, we’ve included an audio sample of a track cut onto one of our lathe cut dubplates. You can compare three versions: the original pre-master, a pressed vinyl version, and our lathe cut dubplate. Both the pressed vinyl and the lathe cut were produced from the same pre-master, recorded using the same turntable and mixer setup, and normalised to 0 dB.
This allows you to clearly hear the quality and precision of our lathe cut records, demonstrating how faithfully they reproduce your music while maintaining the character and depth you expect from vinyl.
Listening to these samples will give you a clear idea of the sound quality we deliver with our lathe cut vinyl. You can hear the original pre-master, a pressed vinyl version, and our lathe cut dubplate – all produced from the same source and recorded on the same setup.
Our lathe cuts capture the depth, clarity, and punch of your music while maintaining the character that makes vinyl so special. Comparing the three versions shows how closely our cuts match pressed records and how faithfully your music is translated to wax.
How long can they be?
The maximum track length depends on several factors. Longer tracks require closer grooves, which reduces volume, while louder tracks require wider grooves, which reduces playtime. Groove distance is the space between each groove on the record – too close and the grooves may touch, causing skips; too far apart and you waste space.
For optimum cutting, a 10″ vinyl can hold up to seven minutes at 45rpm, or up to ten minutes at 33rpm. A 12″ vinyl can hold up to eight minutes at 45rpm, or up to eighteen minutes at 33rpm. Longer tracks are possible but not advised. If your track exceeds these times, the volume may need to be reduced to fit. We always cut as loud as possible while maintaining the best quality.
We cut at 45rpm as standard, which minimises surface noise. 33rpm can be used if required, at the engineer’s discretion. If you want a specific speed, please contact us before ordering.
Sleeves
Our lathe cut dubplates are supplied in a card sleeve, with a clear resealable outer sleeve for protection. For DJ dubplate orders, we use branded 36 Hertz Mastering card sleeves. Sticker printing and custom sleeve options are also available – please get in touch for details and pricing.
Batch order differences
Each record is an individual cut, produced entirely by hand. The run-in grooves at the start of a track, run-out grooves leading to the centre, end loops in the centre, and any spaced grooves between tracks are all placed manually during cutting.
If you order multiple copies of the same vinyl with several tracks on each side, the track separator grooves and the run-in and run-out grooves may vary slightly. These differences are usually subtle and often not noticeable to the eye, but each record is unique — unlike pressed vinyl, which is identical from copy to copy. The audio silence between tracks is set manually before cutting and will remain consistent across multiple copies.
Don’t panic!
All this information is here to make sure you understand what you’re ordering and how the process works. The finished product may sound slightly different from your digital audio file, but that’s part of what gives vinyl its character.
We are passionate about vinyl cutting and take the time to make sure your tracks sound amazing. We don’t rush cuts – quality and care are always our priority.
If you have any questions about cutting your tracks or choosing the best options, please get in touch via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you and help make your vinyl release or DJ dubplate project sound its absolute best.