Ordering Your Custom Vinyl Mixtape at PhonoLab

by Justin Moon

Remember the days of the cassette or CD mixtape? Carefully curating tracks to share with your friends and loved ones for those special moments? Well here at PhonoLab we've taken it to another level with the custom vinyl mixtape! Yes, you can finally get your favorite tunes on a custom vinyl record, with a full colour cardboard cover, a choice of 9 colours for your vinyl, delivered to your door quicker than anywhere else in the world!

Ordering your custom vinyl mixtape with PhonoLab is easy and stress free. Whether you want to get crafty and design your own cover and centre labels, or you just want to send a few photos and get us to add text, we've got you! With consistent 5* reviews for audio quality and customer service why would you go anywhere else?

We've make the ordering process as simple as possible and below we'll outline how to get the most out of your custom vinyl mixtape to enjoy for years to come.

Step 1: Choosing Tracks

Let's face it, the tracks you select for your custom vinyl mixtape are the most important part!

The process of selecting tracks for your custom vinyl record can be daunting but it also provides an opportunity for creative expression. Consider who the mixtape is intended for and what kind of music would be suitable - if it’s a gift, choose songs that reflect the recipient's taste but also remind you of them; if it’s a personal project, pick tracks that resonate with you in some way. Don’t worry about filling up all available space on the record - focus on quality over quantity when picking out tunes and make sure each track is special in its own right.

To make the process as easy as possible we recommend sending Spotify or Apple Music playlists for each side of your custom vinyl mixtape; Side A, Side B etc. Just copy and paste the playlist links in the text boxes when making your order. We then purchase the audio files you'd like on your custom vinyl record so your favorite artists and labels benefit too!

Alternatively, if you want to put your own music on the record, you can send us a WeTransfer/Google Drive link to your files (there is a text box for a link on the order page). If supplying your own files we recommend loseless files such WAVs and FLACs although we can transfer any file type to a custom vinyl record.

How many songs can I fit on a Custom Vinyl Mixtape?

We have 4 size options for your custom vinyl records and the one you choose depends on how much audio you want to include in your project. Below are the maximum for each sized custom vinyl record:

These maximums ensure we can optimize the loudness of your custom vinyl mixtape to make it sound as good as possible on all playback systems.

Step 2: Designing the Cover Artwork and Centre Labels

Not only do you want your custom vinyl mixtape to sound great, you also want it to look great!

If you've got some creative flair we recommend using Canva. It's a free web-based design tool which can assist you in making an awesome cover and labels. We have a number of templates available to help you create a great cover but if you need any assistance don't hesitate to get in touch. Here are a few tips to get it right first time round:

  1. Avoid putting text close to the edges of your cover. We trim and hand-fold all custom vinyl record covers so if your text is too close to the edge it could get cropped.
  2. Again, avoid putting text too close to the edge of your labels or near the centre. We cut the circles to size ourselves and punch a hole (7.3mm) through the middle.
  3. Remember to include a 3mm bleed with all artwork. Not sure what a bleed is? Check our blog post about why they are important.
  4. Avoid slim borders around the outside of your cover artwork. Although we do our best to make everything square when folding and cutting, because the process is done by humans (that's us), it's important to leave a little bit of wiggle room to accommodate for errors.

Alternatively you may want to use your own design tools such as Illustrator or Photoshop. Please use the specifications below when making your artwork.

7 Inch Custom Vinyl Record Cover & Labels

  • Front & Back cover - 180mm square, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (Front & Back)
  • Centre labels - 94mm diameter circles, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (A, B)
  • 3mm bleed

10 Inch Custom Vinyl Record Cover & Labels

  • Front & Back cover - 240mm square, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (Front & Back)
  • Centre labels - 100mm diameter circles, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (A, B)
  • 3mm bleed

12 Inch Custom Vinyl Record Cover & Labels (Single & Double LP)

  • Front & Back cover - 300mm square, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (Front & Back)
  • Centre labels - 100mm diameter circles, CMYK, 300DPI - separate PDFs (A, B)
  • 3mm bleed

Our custom vinyl record covers are printed on 350GSM cardboard, just like a regular vinyl cover, and are individually shrink-wrapped for added protection. We highly recommend leaving the shrink-wrap on your custom vinyl record cover as it will protect it for years to come!

Please make sure you've checked the artwork for spelling mistakes and errors. Additional covers will be charged at $20/cover which includes Standard delivery via Australia Post.

Step 3: Upload & Place Order

So you've curated your playlists (or audio files) and finished your artwork, now it's time to order your Custom Vinyl Mixtape!

We've made ordering as easy as possible, just head to our custom vinyl record collection on our online store, select which size you'd like and fill out the blanks.

If your custom vinyl mixtape artwork is too big (that's a good thing), you may receive an error when you try and upload on the product page. Please do not reduce the quality of your files! Instead e-mail us at phonolab45@gmail.com or send them via WeTransfer, Google Drive etc. If you reduce the quality of your artwork it will likely become pixelated when printed and nobody wants that.

If you're after two of the same custom vinyl record or two different custom vinyl records in the same order, you'll automatically receive 20% off your purchases!

Step 5: Sit Back and Relax

Once you've made your custom vinyl mixtape order we guarantee to ship your record to you within 10 business days. If you need it sooner, we will try and get it to you, but there are no guarantees. We ship all Custom Vinyl Records via Australia Post and include free Express Shipping with every order! Express Shipping takes between 1-4 business days but the timeframe depends on where you are based in Australia.

If your custom vinyl mixtape arrives damaged, please let us know ASAP! Take photos of both the mailer it arrived in and the custom vinyl record itself and e-mail us the photos. You can also take the custom vinyl record and mailer to Australia Post who will assess the damage and issue you a refund.

If there has been an error with your custom vinyl record, let us know so we can arrange a replacement for you.

All our records are cut at 33RPM so, before asking us why we've cut you a record featuring Alvin and the Chipmunks, make sure your settings are correct on your playback equipment.

Conclusion: Enjoy Your Custom Vinyl Mixtape!

So that's it! What are you waiting for? Order your Custom Vinyl Mixtape now to add a bit of personalised wax to your (or a loved ones) vinyl collection!

 

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