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Whether you're a seasoned vinyl head or a newly-initiated enthusiast, there is no shortage of things available to enhance your experience of collecting and listening to records. We've chosen the best gifts for vinyl record lovers across a range of price points, from stocking stuffers like headphone jacks and stylus cleaners to larger presents like record bags and speakers. The music fan in your life will surely like these gems!
This is the ultimate gift for the record collector in your life. Fill up a 12” custom vinyl record with songs that remind you of your gift recipient, or a list of tracks that you just know they will love! This personalized gift is both thoughtful and a very fitting piece to add to their beloved collection.
Show those 7" vinyl records some love in your life! With the help of this practical adaptor, you may play a dinked 7" record on a regular turntable. It's the ideal little yet mighty present because it's always missing and always required.
The headphone jack is a necessary component for DJ setups as well as private home listening. It’s one of those incredibly helpful products that is incredibly easy to lose and you can never have too many of.
Carbon fibers are used in vinyl brushes to reduce static charges while eliminating dust and other small particles that could impair the sound quality of your record, and prevent damage to your needle. It's an essential piece for any vinyl collector.
With the help of this stroboscopic disc, you can precisely calibrate the rotational speed of your turntable. On the other hand, convenient cartridge alignment indications will help you to ensure that all turntable appendages are in excellent condition.
A clean and smooth-running record is one that lets your stylus move smoothly across its surface like an Olympic figure skater. This is particularly crucial if you're purchasing used records, as a clean record guarantees that your needles will last longer and not be damaged from excessive dust, dirt, and muck buildup. Purchase a sound cleaning package for both dry and wet cleaning for the record collector in your life. A good set should include items like record cleaner fluid, lint-free cloths. anti-static brush, and a pick-up brush for your stylus.
Place yourself in front of these, close your eyes, and recall what concerts were like in a previous life, discovering new facets of your favorite music in the process. Wireless speakers can integrate into your analog set-up and offer a mighty sound. Ideally suited for highs and mids, improve the setup even further by including subwoofers to guarantee that the low-end is covered.
A vinyl bag made specially to carry these fragile pieces is especially useful if they’re intending to share a few pieces of their collection with friends at a gathering.
From groovy and thoughtful custom vinyl records to practical tools like brush cleaners and adapters, the items on this list are bound to please any record lover in your life!
Saying that vinyl is having a moment would obviously ignore the fact that it has experienced a great deal of moments in the preceding seven decades. However, it can't be denied that over the past few years, we've all spent more time at home nesting, honing our setups for listening to vinyl records, and savoring the experience of kicking back and just listening.
While vinyl has always been the best way to listen to an album, a custom vinyl record now makes it possible to have the best of both worlds – the listening experience of a vinyl and the customization and personalization that digital music ushered into the world in the 2000s.
Making a personalized record enables you to create a priceless keepsake for yourself or a loved one, with your own hand-picked playlist. This is, of course, a nice bonus to enjoying the vinyl experience (and sound quality) that you’ll always get with a regular vinyl record. If you’re looking to customize a vinyl record, look no further than Freestyle Vinyl.
Established in 2017, Freestyle Vinyl has specialized in making customized vinyl records of various sizes. We’ve made it our top priority to produce music in its most authentic form—on high-fidelity vinyl.
For 6 years, we’ve been committed to achieving that objective. From our Chicago headquarters workshop, over 30,000 personalized vinyl records have been hand-cut and hand-made by us for our awesome customers. You can count on us to bring your favorite tracks to life with our first-rate custom record making and cutting services!
Thanks to our various record types and sizes, you can include as many or as few songs as you’d like. If you are looking for a full LP experience, we’d recommend going with our 12" custom vinyl records, which allow you to fit up to 22 minutes of music on one side.
If you want to share a special song with someone, you can also choose to include a single song on our 7" single custom vinyl records, designed to hold 6 minutes per side (Side A only or Side A + B available). We also have a 10” picture disc available, an uber-personalized option that allows for about 12 minutes of music on one side plus your favorite photo on the vinyl itself.
Once you've chosen the songs you want to include on your custom vinyl, you can upload the mp3 files directly onto our system, or input the artists and song names if you do not have the files. It’s that simple! As the record is fully customizable, you can also choose to include voice memos, which add a personal touch that is perfect if you intend to send it as a gift.
Once you've finished creating that personal playlist, you can also choose to get a custom jacket for your 12” record. This can be anything, from a picture of you and your loved ones, to an artwork you’ve made. Otherwise, you can always choose from one of our stylish pre-made designs and check out!
Then, all that’s left to do is kick back, relax, and wait for your one-of-a-kind record to be made and dispatched (which should take 1-3 weeks).
Vinyl is still making a comeback, and is the most popular physical media once again, beating out tapes and CDs decades after being replaced by them. The allure of analog audio fidelity is one reason. Another is the large artwork on the album covers. For many reasons, vinyl seems to create passionate collectors the world over – including those who funnel that passion into actually creating the vinyl itself!
Japanese designer Yuri Suzuki has teamed up with magazine publisher Gakken to develop a DIY record cutting machine to make lo-fi, personal vinyl at home. While it isn't as convenient (nor as high quality) as getting a custom record made for you from a professional lathe operator like Freestyle Vinyl, it's still a pretty nifty tool for vinyl record fanatics. Here's everything you need to know about the vinyl record cutter!
The construction of the device, which can playback and cut 5-inch vinyl records, takes roughly one hour. Users have the option of 33 RPM or 45 RPM and can input audio via USB or from anything they can plug a 3.5mm auxiliary cable into. Therefore, a recent flagship phone is not recommended unless the user has the necessary adapter. The 33 RPM option will offer about four minutes of audio on each side, while the 45 RPM option will offer about three.
The device's interface was created at Suzuki's studio, and the actual manufacturing was handled by publisher Gakken. The device was initially sold in conjunction with its Adult Science Magazine Series under the name "Toy Record Maker." It arrived with a print magazine that described the design process and the operation of the vinyl cutting.
Seven years have passed since Suzuki and Gakken first discussed how to create and disseminate easily accessible and inexpensive DIY musical instruments. We're not sure how they ended up producing an "assemble-at-home record cutter," but we're not mad about it.
Customer reviews on Amazon Japan suggest the process is very hit and miss, and urge others looking to purchase this to get the version with the extra blanks to allow for some trial and error. This is obviously not the way to go if you want to produce records that are of commercial-grade or if you want to have control over the aesthetics of the record itself. Getting a custom made picture disc would be the way to go in that case. However, if you're searching for a special present for a friend or relative who enjoys crate-digging, this might be a cool choice. Even if music isn't your thing, you can always record a voice message for any special occasion or as a fancy season's greeting.
While a ~$150 lo-fi vinyl record cutter is a neat toy, we ultimately prefer our records to be high quality listening experiences. In that vein, we recommend going with Freestyle Vinyl’s excellent custom record service. To date, we’ve cut over 30,000 records for our customers. With our easy-to-use platform, you can simply input the tracks into our system, and we’ll master, cut, and create a vinyl record with your playlist. Our 12” vinyl records even allow you to fit up to 22 minutes of music on each side.
All that’s left to do afterwards is kick back, relax, and await the arrival of your one-of-a-kind record!
The latest and greatest in vinyl record artwork? Custom vinyl records with custom artwork of your own creation, brought to you by Freestyle Vinyl. What else could you do? Read on below...
Whether you’ve stumbled across a box of records in your parent’s attic that don’t quite work anymore, or you’re looking to repurpose a beloved vinyl of yours, there are many ways to transform vinyl records into something updated and visually appealing. You can even gift the completed piece to a loved one, along with other thoughtful gifts like a custom vinyl record! Here are the top 7 vinyl record projects to try out today.
You can use your vinyl in conjunction with other wall art to create entertaining scenes, or you can use a straightforward design that nevertheless exudes a retro vibe. Decorate your wall by hanging the records from a piece of string or by sticking them straight to the wall with an adhesive surface.
If you don't have a sizable vinyl collection, this is an excellent project for you. One vinyl record, some string, feathers, beads, and any other decorative materials are all that are needed. Before gluing the strings to the vinyl or poking holes in the record and tying them, decorate the strings. You'll need one to hang the dream catcher and roughly five to hang from the bottom. If you have some spare vinyl lying around, host a DIY party to make vinyl dreamcatchers with friends!
Tired of your boring old clock? Use an old vinyl record to create your own clock! You can even use guitar picks as substitutes for the numbers. Simply take apart a clock you want to jazz up, and put the hands back together into the hole in the center of your record. After that, you can customize the clock's face however you like.
You can even create a record dessert stand out of various sizes of vinyl, which is perfect for a rock and roll-themed celebration. The vinyl at the stand's base should be the largest and get smaller as you go up the stand. A stand rod, a few records, some screws, and washers are all you need for this DIY!
Fun fact: melting and molding vinyl records is simple. Simply boil water (approximately an inch) in a flat-bottomed, heat-resistant container, then dip the record into the hot water. Your record will easily bend after being heated, allowing you to bend it at a 90-degree angle into the ideal bookend. Make sure to repeat this process with another vinyl record to complete the pair of bookends!
This last suggestion is more akin to a craft. Get some paint and create your vinyl to be the ideal wall decoration if the projects stated above are too complex for your DIY preferences. Additionally, this is a fantastic project to do with people of all ages. You can even paint something that reminds you of a loved one and give it to them after the gathering.
Have a digital artwork you want to transfer onto a vinyl that actually plays the music? Get yourself a custom 10" picture disc today!
If you own a record player, you probably have a wonderful collection of albums with your favorite music – or are working on building it up. Vinyl is the best and, once again, the most popular physical media for audio, with superior sound quality and overall listening experience to any other mode of listening.
Which albums best showcase this format? Whether you're buying vinyl records as a collector yourself or to give to someone special, these are 10 great vinyl records to get.
Random Access Memories, Daft Punk's most memorable album, is more 1970s disco than 1990s rave. The careers of producer Giorgio Moroder and producer-guitarist Nile Rodgers were both bolstered by this record.
Amy Winehouse's Back to Black is unquestionably one of the best albums recorded since the turn of the century. It perfectly represents her tragically short life in amber. This LP, which Mark Ronson recorded at Daptone Records, belongs in any self-respecting collection.
Depending on how you're feeling when you listen to Portishead's Dummy, there are various meanings. It might serve as the music for your upcoming dinner party or get you through a difficult time like a breakup. The final track, Glory Box is one of the greatest songs ever to be written in our opinion
This is our favorite Pink Floyd record, though every fan has their own. The title track on side B is just devastating, whereas the first side is like a drug trip without any chemicals.
Every vinyl enthusiast likely has at least one Beatles' LP in their collection, as their foundational music is still extremely popular even 50 years after the band disbanded.
Although the Sgt. Pepper stereo remix was widely publicized a few years ago, we prefer the band's penultimate album, Abbey Road. The 2009 remastered version is already excellent, but the 50th anniversary remix really brings the album into the present day.
The best jazz vinyl records deserve their own gallery, but here's one you don't hear as much. Moanin' by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers was released around the same time as more well-known albums like Kind of Blue by Miles Davis and Time Out by Dave Brubeck, but it is every bit as iconic.
While this isn’t a specific record per se, we just had to include it. Getting yourself a custom-made record is a fun and fresh experience any record collector and enthusiast can have. It’s like creating your own mixtape, but in high-fidelity, vinyl form.
You can fully customize a 10” picture disc with your own artwork or picture and 12 minutes of tracks that you adore. If you want to make your own album-length record, go for the 12” custom vinyl record! You’ll be able to include up to 22 minutes of music on each side. Whatever your playlist, we can help you create the vinyl to match!
Every vinyl collector has a favorite place to buy vinyl records. Some enjoy the physical experience of rummaging through the crates for hours in a store with other music lovers in the hopes of finding a rare LP. Some others prefer to forego purchasing their own vinyl and instead let a vinyl subscription box do the process of selecting and sending them records each month. Many also enjoy the streamlined simplicity of shopping online because it's quick and simple to find the exact records we're looking for. In this article, we'll go through things to look out for when buying records online.
There are a number of great online vinyl storefronts, from vinyl-specific websites to the behemoths like Amazon and Walmart. From any good e-retailer, you’ll get to read customer reviews that encompass the records themselves (sound, appearance, etc), but also the retailer as well and the experience of buying there. Reviews can be a very telling and useful piece of the online shopping experience.
Freestyle Vinyl has been in the business since 2017, and we’ve crafted over 30,000 custom-made records to our customers, and our great reviews speak for themselves. Our transparent rating system on all our products enables you to purchase with a piece of mind as well!
Before deciding on an online store to browse through, you have to ask yourself if there’s a specific album you’re looking for, and how long ago it was produced.
For vintage gems, eBay and Amazon are likely your best bet. Otherwise, modern albums can be found on pretty much any vinyl record website! And as a bonus, online stores are often slightly cheaper than physical locations.
If you’re looking for a place to put some of your favorite songs into one unique record, consider going with a custom record vendor! You can handpick about 10 songs to include onto a 12” custom vinyl record, all from the comforts of your own home.
Our 10” picture discs are another great option if you want to take that personalized gift a step further and include your very own image or artwork on the vinyl record.
You may search for records at various vinyl record stores online using a variety of useful filters, including format, genre, style, artist, media condition, currency, year, and many more.
If you are a bargain hunter, you can also check out the sale tab to view the albums that the store is currently offering for sale. Many sites also allow you to save music you want to purchase on your wish list. This is great if you want to sit on the purchase decision, and come back to it at a later date.
While browsing a store's collection on your own is always entertaining, buying vinyl online gives you access to a huge selection all at once rather than requiring you to visit three or four different stores in search of a specific record. We hope you found these tips helpful, and happy shopping!
You may hear many say that vinyl sound is superior to what you get from the digital format. It has a cozy, “warm” quality and a special fuzzy touch that no digital file can replace. There are particular advantages associated with both vinyl and the digital format, but in this article, we'll discuss the top benefits of vinyl records and why getting a custom-made one is great, as cited by record collectors.
Whether it’s for yourself or for a friend, nothing says personal like a vinyl record filled with songs you cherish or that remind you of them.
This really is the major benefit of digital music – you can stream what you want, when you want. And it is one big reason physical media, like vinyl records, were largely forgotten in the 2000s. However, with a custom vinyl record, you can add that personal touch to vinyl just the same!
With a custom vinyl record, you can also include voice notes and not just songs, which truly makes it a one-of-a-kind piece.
The only analog, lossless playback format is vinyl. This means that all you need in order to enjoy a full-fidelity listening experience is a good quality turntable to go with your custom vinyl.
With an analog format, an artist can transfer their music directly from magnetic tape to vinyl record, and finally to your speakers or headphones without having to deal with complicated digital conversion processes. The realization of this benefit, of course, depends on the initial mode of recording that took place.
This mystical quality is what makes vinyl records unique in many people's eyes. It is warm and in the mid-range. It makes every musical instrument sound beautiful.
It's true. Digital audio can be mastered and recorded louder than vinyl. This is considered by many to be a significant disadvantage of records. However, let's examine the situation differently. The volume of digital music production is frequently pushed to the limit, to make the song as loud as possible.
Unfortunately, this results in exhausting and hyper-compressed songs that are missing the textures and dynamics that give recordings their depth and energy.
The volume of vinyl is dependent on two things: the length of the sides and the depth of the grooves on vinyl. Therefore, the sound of a pressed album may be quieter if there are more tracks on your vinyl.
At Freestyle Vinyl, we can ensure high-quality sound and consistent, relatively high volume throughout your vinyl record whether there is one track or 20.
This element is linked to the concept of record collections in general. People who play or collect records are, well, cool (at least in our eyes). Whether your collection has 5 or 500 records in it, your favorite music and musicians make for a timeless collection.
Vinyl has the charm of bringing people who share interests together. After all, records look much nicer on your shelf than CDs.
Welcome to Freestyle Vinyl, where we create the highest quality custom vinyl records for our incredible customers (35,000+ and counting!)... check out our custom vinyl products, and read on below for advice on your vinyl quality...
Whether you are a vinyl record collector or a “newbie” just starting out, it’s an incredibly useful skill to be able to tell good quality vinyl records from poor ones, whether you're purchasing new vinyl records or used ones from flea markets.
The great thing about custom vinyl records is that they are made to order and will always come in unused condition. So, our vinyl records have a great track record of high-quality audio playback. For the rest of your collection, here are 10 pointers to keep in mind when identifying good custom vinyl records from bad ones.
Take note of the record's first impression before giving it a closer look. How does the record look? The album should have a glossy appearance rather than a dull or gray one.
You should definitely also verify whether the vinyl record has any warps, as part of your preliminary inspections. There are warps that are easy to spot and others that are more subtle.
The record must be held at eye level while being examined from the side along the record's surface. A warp is present there if you notice a wave that is either upward or downward. Some warps can be unwarped, while others may be beyond repair.
It is now time to micro-inspect the record after the initial macro-inspection. Look for dust, hair, dents, and other minor damage. Some might be apparent at first glance, but some might not be. We advise you to scan surfaces repeatedly and with great care.
Warps and heat damage are similar, however, heat damage occur on a smaller scale. They provide a "whooshing" sound during playback but prevent the needle from skipping. Remember that warping may accompany heat damage, so carefully inspect them.
Check carefully for scratches on your record. Most records contain scratches because they are particularly prone to them. However, you must first verify whether the scratch genuinely interferes with playing.
There are certain marks on the record that either have no effect at all or have a minor impact on how the record sounds as it is spinning on a turntable. Examples include scratches that do not cross the banding between tracks and shallow scuffs that can range in size from 1/16" to 12".
The scratches that you should pay particular attention to, are those that run diagonally, almost in parallel with the record's grooves.
Finally, give the record a test run. Listen to a complete run of it if you're still unsure about whether the album is in good condition. Hearing it for yourself is the best method to verify its quality. Most record stores will let you spin a sample before you purchase.
We've reached the end now, and we hope these pointers were useful to you when looking for vinyl records! Get yourself a 12" custom vinyl record that is made with the utmost care by Freestyle Vinyl today. If you're looking for a more affordable option to test out the quality of our custom records, the 7" single custom vinyl is a great option to consider as well!
For decades, we’ve selected our favorite music and put it on mixtapes and CDs to send to our family, friends, and that special someone… or even just to enjoy ourselves! But as the digital age started, CDs and tapes have largely died. However, there’s been a resurgence of vinyl in recent years, as people ride a wave of nostalgia while also enjoying vinyl’s warm sound, large-format artwork, and cool vibe on today’s newest music as well.
High-quality music never goes out of style. So, what better gift to get for yourself or a loved one, than a custom vinyl record? In this article, we’ll go through all the steps you need to make your one-of-a-kind vinyl record.
Lucky for you, you’ve arrived at the right place. Freestyle Vinyl is bringing back the mixtape, on vinyl, and nobody does it better than us.
Since 2017, Freestyle Vinyl has dedicated itself to making music in its purest form - on vinyl, in hi-fidelity, and with your favorite people by your side.
At Freestyle Vinyl, we take that mission seriously. At our HQ workshop in Chicago, we have hand cut and hand-crafted over 30,000 custom vinyl records—and counting—for our wonderful customers! You can trust that your favorite jams will come to life on the high-quality records we deliver.
The first thing to determine is how many tracks you want to put on your custom vinyl record. Our 12” custom vinyl records can accommodate up to 22 minutes of music on one side, which works out to about 10 songs in total! Our 10" picture discs can hold 12 minutes on one side, and our 7" custom vinyl records can hold 6 minutes per side (Side A only or Side A + B available)
Once you've decided on the songs you want, you can build your playlist either by uploading the mp3 files directly onto our system on the product pages, or by keying in the tracks to be purchased on your behalf!
The first option is also great if you aren’t looking to solely include songs but rather voice memos or other personal notes on your vinyl. Remember, this vinyl is uniquely yours, so feel free to include whatever you like!
After you’re done building that legendary playlist, it’s time to customize your jacket with your own designs and pictures, or select one of our pre-made designs. If you’re getting it as a gift, a customized jacket is a great way to add one final personal touch to the already thoughtful gift!
Select a unique vinyl color or stick with the tried-and-true black vinyl record.
Then, it’s time for you to sit back, relax, and await the arrival of your custom record, which will be shipped in 1-3 weeks.
If you’re looking for how to clean vinyl records, you’ve come to the right place. Maintaining clean records is just as important for good sound as having quality equipment. This article's goal is to show you how to properly clean your precious custom vinyl records to get the finest possible sound from them. Here are the three key ways to do so!
A vacuum-powered vinyl record cleaner is arguably the greatest method for thoroughly cleaning vinyl records. It minimizes pressure and direct contact with the delicate record while sucking up the dirt and dust that have embedded themselves in the grooves of the vinyl.
The Record Doctor V Record Cleaning Machine offers the best value for your money out of all the vacuum cleaners designed specifically to clean vinyl records.
Though most expensive, this method of cleaning is worth the investment especially if you want to protect treasured pieces like a rare vintage record or a custom made vinyl record.
You can choose to go with a record washer instead of a record vacuum if you prefer a more affordable option.
The Spin Clean beginning kit is what we'd recommend. It's a manual device with brushes and rollers that cleans your recordings with an accompanying solution. You simply need to place the record into the cleaner, rotate it a few times by hand, and you're finished.
Additionally, it's a wonderful way to deep-clean extremely soiled vinyl records.
If you don't wish to purchase a costly washer or vacuum, the best way to clean vinyl records is simply by hand. With just a brush, some cleaning solution, and a microfiber cloth, you can effortlessly clean your records by hand. There are only four easy steps to cleaning vinyl records when you're on a budget and at home:
Get yourself a record brush, and start by using it to lightly brush the record's surface in a circular motion (always follow the grooves).
You want to pick up larger pieces of dust and debris from the record, but you don't want to damage the grooves, so don't apply too much pressure here.
Move on to the following steps for a deeper clean, especially if you purchased the record used, it has been sitting in storage for a while, or it simply looks noticeably dirty.
We don't advise mixing water and dish soap, even though some people do. Instead, we advise using a cleaning agent made specifically for vinyl records.
However, we advise staying away from any that include isopropyl alcohol. While it will remove the grime from your record, many claim that, over time, it will also harm the vinyl's protective layer. If you must use an isopropyl alcohol-containing solution, do so sparingly.
To remove any remaining soap residue, repeat this process one more time using only deionized water.
Vinyl records have been around since 1877, and these large discs have been enjoyed by generations ever since. With the resurgence of this retro gem, getting a custom vinyl record for your collection or a special someone is the latest trend now! You may be wondering, "How do vinyl records work?" And more importantly, how do I customize one? We’ll answer these questions, so read on to learn more!
Everything begins in a recording studio, where musicians collaborate with engineers to create their albums. After that, the audio is sent for mastering, which is the process of getting the album ready for repurposing.
The warmth and depth of vinyl records that have been properly mastered set them apart from the audio’s digital versions.
At this point, a traditional vinyl press (typically) gets involved. A master copy is produced on lacquer and is used to create test cuts, with any adjustments then taken into account for the final pressing, where “hockey pucks” of vinyl material get pressed into a mold created from the master.
For lathe-cut records, you can skip this process. Your master is your final vinyl record product, with final mastering adjustments made in real time by a qualified vinyl lathe operator.
This lathe operator is extremely important to the lathe cutting process, as they are the “first line of defense” against skips, volume issues, and other common errors.
Lucky for you, Freestyle Vinyl is an expert at making customized vinyl records of various types and sizes.
Since 2017, Freestyle Vinyl has made it a priority to create music in its most authentic form, on vinyl, in high definition.
We at Freestyle Vinyl are committed to achieving that goal. Over 30,000 personalized vinyl records have been hand-cut and hand-created for our lovely customers right from our headquarters workshop in Chicago. With our mastering expertise, careful quality control training, and passion for music in all its forms, you can rely on the top-notch vinyl records we provide to bring your favorite tracks to life.
The number of tracks you want to include on your personalized vinyl record should be a key consideration. On one side of our 12" custom vinyl records, you can fit up to 22 minutes of audio, or typically about 10 songs. Our 7" single custom vinyl records can hold 6 minutes per side (Side A only or Side A + B available). Though small, this option is perfect if you're looking to record a special voice memo for a loved one or convert that one song that is an all-time favorite of yours into vinyl form. Our 10” picture discs can hold up to 12 minutes of audio on one side.
Create your playlist, select the right product for you, and get to creating your very own Freestyle Vinyl!
Once you've finished creating that unique playlist, you can further personalize your record with a unique vinyl color and custom artwork on your record jacket. Or, you can’t go wrong with a standard black vinyl and one of our pre-set jacket designs. Either way, your record will make a very meaningful gift (if you're getting the vinyl record as a gift) or a fantastic personal keepsake!
Once your bespoke record has been dispatched (which should take 1-3 weeks), it's time for you to kick back, relax, and anticipate its arrival.
Welcome to Freestyle Vinyl! We handcraft custom, personalized vinyl records for our amazing customers. Continue reading below for some advice on the various types of vinyl records in the marketplace...
Have you recently inherited a record collection? Or maybe, like many others, you're discovering (or rediscovering) vinyl records for their vintage charm and distinctive sound. As there are many different kinds of vinyl records and some of the terminology can be pretty confusing, we're here to help. These are the five main types of vinyl records that you may find today.
When LP albums were introduced in 1948, they significantly outperformed the then-current shellac 78 records, which were incredibly fragile and only allowed for less than five minutes of playing per side.
PVC (vinyl) was used to create the new LP discs, which were rotated at 33 rpm using a smaller-tipped microgroove stylus. A 12-inch record typically holds up to 26 minutes of music.
Due to the longer playback duration, classical music was initially a popular genre for the LP. In the 1960s, pop and rock groups finally embraced the format as musicians used the extended playing time to produce a more complete body of work.
The most popular style of vinyl single is the 7 Inch (or "45").
Due to its relatively lower cost when compared to pricey 12-inch LPs during their heyday in the 50s and 60s, 7-inch records played a significant role in the early years of rock and roll culture.
The RCA Victor company first offered the 7-inch 45 RPM record in 1949 as a more robust and high-quality alternative to the 78 RPM shellac disc.
The 12-inch single model initially appeared in the 1970s, at the height of the disco movement.
They are typically cut at 45 RPM, have wider groove spacing, and have shorter playing times than LPs, which, among other benefits, enables a greater dynamic range or louder recording level.
DJs frequently utilize 12-inch vinyl to play dance music in clubs. By the 80s, record companies frequently released 12-inch singles with extended or dance remixes of pop songs.
Many of the earliest long-playing microgroove records were 10-inches. Moreover, in many instances, albums were created by grouping together several 10-inch LPs to form a multi-disc album release.
It was once believed that while pop music listeners would be able to tolerate the shorter run time of 10-inch LPs, classical music listeners would require the longer playback time of a 12-inch LP. They were mistaken, and the 12-inch LP ultimately became the music industry's go-to.
Those eye-catching image discs hanging on the walls of record stores are something we have all seen.
Contrary to popular belief, picture disc recordings have a much older history. The "His Master's Voice" dog-and-gramophone trademark was delicately scratched into the playback surface of select seven-inch shellac recordings by the Canadian Berliner Gramophone Company in 1900, as a countermeasure against piracy.
However, when we think of picture discs today, we think of collector’s items that come with full-color graphics over the surface of the playback.
Are you looking to expand your record collection? Why not make your very own vinyl “mixtape”, by customizing a record with all your favorite songs? We carry 12-inch LPs, 7-inch singles, and even 10-inch picture discs!
