Short Run Vinyl Duplication
PERC is the proud home of a Presto 8n embossing record lathe, with the very rare and highly sought after Van Eps Duotone cutter head. Lathe cut records are a unique solution for artists looking to have a vinyl option in the their store front but who don't have the desire, finances, or fan base or space to constitute a couple thousand dollar purchase or as many commercially pressed records, sitting around collecting dust. Unlike the common commercially available pressed record, a lathe cut record means that each copy is created in real time, one at a time, a singular piece of art.

The Presto 8n was most commonly found in local broadcast radio stations across the nation somewhere between the 1930s and 1950s being used to cut live performances "direct-to-disc" of local and touring artists, for archival or on-air replay purposes. It was also a common solution for early recording studios who utilized the "direct-to-disc" concept for recording artists of the era. You know, before tape (an well before computers) became a thing. The Van Eps Duotone cutter head, a mythical beast in its own right, was one of the first "hi-fi" cutter heads of its time, allowing for the capture of sonics all the way up into the 10khz range, if done with care, and as far up as 9khz if done haphazardly. Combined, the Presto 8n lathe and Van Eps Duotone cutter head create a product unlike any other. The output of this dynamic duo feels both out of time yet completely modern. It adds a warmth to the listening experience that takes the listener back to the golden era of record making but with a high end fidelity that captures every nuance of the source material.​
The act of "embossing" rather than "cutting" also allows for more unconventional mediums to be used, as the styli is re-distributing the material rather than removing it. This means things like coffee tin lids to car hubcaps can be "cut" on, and the studio is currently over run with polycarbonate blanks ready to get ripped in to. With a very similar look and feel to a traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) record, there is a very good chance the every day music enthusiast might not even know they are hearing a boutique product cut by hand and not another massed produced, pressed piece of wax.
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If you would like to learn more about having your next short run project cut to wax here at PERC, reach out via the form over in the Booking section to get your quote started today!