Iron Years - Nostalgia 7"

Iron Years is a post-punk band from Little Village in Chicago. Nostalgia is a super rare lathe cut 7", only 50 total made.
These are individually handmade collectables, sound quality may vary. 

Iron Years:

Rafael Andrade
Benny Hernandez
Leah Max Healy
Julian Cabrera

Lyrics and additional vocals by Breeanna Villalpando

Nostalgia was recorded by Chris Witt at Secret Side Studios 2017.

Nostalgia Machine Mix was recorded by Rafael Andrade at K-Town Bunker in Little Village, Chicago 2016.

Both were mastered by Dan Randall at Mammoth Sound Mastering.

Check out our other releases here.

What is a Lathe Cut Record, and How are they made?

Lathe records are a type of vinyl record made by a lathe cutting tool. The grooves on the record have been cut into a pre-grooved block of material. These blocks can be made from metal, glass, or acrylic.

How are Lathe Cuts Made?

Lathe Cut Records are made by a lathe cutting tool or a lathe CNC machine (computer numerical control). The material used is softer than normal virgin vinyl, so it is possible to cut deeper grooves, resulting in a louder sound. And makes lathe Cuts an excellent way to produce unusual shaped records. The material is warmed up and softened with a heat lamp or similar device.

The lathe machines locate the position of the cutting head by following round black marks (called guide tracks) on either side of the main spiral. Some sounds are cut into these guide tracks rather than grooves to produce special effects such as playing from the inside out, forwards, backwards, or multiple tracks on the same side.

History of Lathe Cut Records

Lathe records started in the late 1940s when special effects were needed for radio shows.

• How long have they been around?

Lathe cut records have been around for a very long time. In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, music was usually recorded on magnetic tape which was then used to produce vinyl LP records. Once an album had been mastered, a master lacquer disc would be cut from the master tape to be used in the manufacturing process to create vinyl LPs.

The term "acetate" comes from the early days of recording, where a lacquer-coated aluminum disc was used as a master for cutting a playable metal disc which would then be used to press records. These discs were called "Acetates."

• Lathe Cut Records Today

Today, Lathe Cuts are very popular with artists and DJs. They are often used for promotional purposes or special edition records. Making a Lathe Cut is slow and labor-intensive, making them expensive to produce, but they can be very collectible and unique vinyl art pieces.

How do they sound?

Lathe Cuts produce the best sound when played on high-quality turntables, tonearms, and cartridges. The main problem is that they are usually very loud because of the large grooves, which can result in poor performance due to mistracking or poor stylus life. If you play them too loud, this also reduces the quality of the sound.

Why Buy a Lathe Cut Record?

Some people buy lathe records because of the novelty value, but most people buy them for great sound quality. If you love the vinyl sound and want to hear your music as it should be heard - look out for hard-to-find lathe cut records from artists such as Bill Kouligas, DJ Sprinkles, and Arto Lindsay.

What's the Difference Between Lathe Cut Records and Standard Vinyl?

The main differences are:-

1. Lathe Cuts produce a much louder sound, resulting in poor performance due to mistracking or poor stylus life if you play them too loud.

2. The grooves on a lathe cut record have been cut into a pre-grooved block of material. The record will still have playable grooves, but the sound will be continuous as it is not cut into individual tracks or "pits".

3. Lathe Cuts are usually pressed from a metal blank. Standard records are pressed from either vinyl or PVC blanks.

4. There is no difference between side one and side two of a lathe cut record. Side 1 is just as loud as side2 because both tracks have been cut into the same surface

5. Lathe Cuts are cut to a much bigger diameter than a standard vinyl record making them look more impressive, but they can be quite heavy and difficult to hold. Some lathe cut records are solid; others are filled with something like resin to make them heavy.

Lathe Cuts vs Acetate Records

Lathe Cuts and Acetates share many similarities but they can be very different in terms of sound quality. An acetate record is usually made by cutting an audio master directly onto a lacquer-coated aluminum disc. Lathe Cut records arere made by cutting the audio into a pre-grooved block of materiathatch is then pressed in a metal die to create the record.

Lathe Cuts vs Standard Vinyl

The biggest difference between standard vinyl and lathe cut records is that tracks on a lathe cut record have been cut into a pre-grooved block of material rather than being cut into individual "tracks" or "pits".

Lathe cut records tend to have a much louder sound because the grooves are wider and deeper. This can result in poor performance due to mistracking or poor stylus life if you play them too loud.

In terms of sound quality, the best lathe cut records sound amazing when played on high-quality turntables and styluses. The largest problem with lathe cut records is that they are usually very loud because of their grooves' large size, which can result in poor performance due to mistracking or poor stylus life. If you play them too loud, this also reduces the quality of the sound.

Lathe Cuts vs. Reel to Reel Tapes

Reel-to-reel tape is a professional format that was used in the late 1950s and early 1960s before being replaced by other types of recording media such as vinyl records, Compact Cassettes, MiniDiscs, and DAT tapes. Reel to reel tapes used a continuous loop of mylar-backed tape tightly wound onto spools. Lathe Cuts are usually produced by cutting directly into the blank metal disc. In contrast, reel-to-reel tapes were recorded in real-time with machines like the Ampex 350, allowing longer recording times than standard vinyl LPs (ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours).

Lathe Cut Records - Why are they so expensive?

Lathe cut records are usually much more expensive because the process of making them is so time-consuming. Lathes have to be set up for each record that is made and then adjusted after every 100 or 200 records depending on how well the lathe has been maintained. The sound quality of a lathe cut record will depend on how well it has been cut and pressed. High-quality lathe cut records tend to be very expensive because cutting a record from a metal blank is very time-consuming, making them more costly to produce than standard vinyl records made using injection molding techniques.