screen printing record covers...

[chrispunx]

i was wondering, if i buy blank record covers to screen print, if i take a heat gun to where its glued, would it melt it with out damaging the cover? all this is before the actual print.

[crosshair]

No.

See if Calumet Carton or Stumptown or somebody like that will sell you sleeves diecut but unglued.

I can get them made custom for you if you want but it would probably only be economical in quantities of 500+.
If you want to print full bleeds, you need to print on uncut sheets and then diecut & assemble... Which again only becomes economical in quantity.

[crosshair]

If you want to make something that looks D.I.Y. Or Die, that's one thing, but if you want a sleeves that look clean, crisp and pro, with full bleeds, you should print on uncut sheets and then have a diecutter cut and assemble. Call diecutters and see if you can find one with a stock lp sleeve die. Even if you can't, a custom die like that shouldn't cost more than about $150 to make.

Lots of bands do the folded-paper-in-a-baggie thing, like a giant 7". I always think that looks half-assed and lame. If you're already going to the expense of recording, mastering, and pressing vinyl, why skimp on the last step and make something that looks tacky & cheap?

[Zach Hobbs]

^^^This.

[paul204]

Lots of bands do the folded-paper-in-a-baggie thing, like a giant 7". I always think that looks half-assed and lame. If you're already going to the expense of recording, mastering, and pressing vinyl, why skimp on the last step and make something that looks tacky & cheap?

Depends on the music and the quantity... Punk's got a weird synthetic economy going on where no one will pay for nice things. If a small band has a full-length's worth of material and can't muster selling 1000+ copies, a run of 300 or 500 can still be had mastering/plating/pressing vinyl at $3 a piece. For quantities that small, I think it's almost always best to go with a nicely designed fold-over rather than a cheap, 15pt one colour jacket. You can screen print something real nice, with a spine even, and still keep a small run cheap so that you can sell them for 6 or 7 bucks, which is all people will pay once you cut in shipping mailorder or a store's markup.

However, if you happen to either a) be able to sell 1000+ records; or b) have people who care about your band who also buy nice things, a nicely printed, die-cut and glued jacket is the way to go. You gotta keep your options open though...

[tenspeed]

I'm not sure where I stand on this. Part of me agrees that a well printed, well designed slip beats a poorly produced sleeve while the other agree's on the 'you spent so much on it, why skimp?' mindset.

I think that if it's one of the first few things you put out, or simply a split with a friend then it's fine to go scrappy. And if it is going to go to friends then I think it might be better that way - more fun, more personal. But would you really send that out and expect to be taken as seriously as a band who's REALLY put the effort into the release - DIY or otherwise?

I think the A Wilhelm Scream 12" above shows how some things just need the care and attention. I wasn't a mad fan of the artwork but having it professional produced and die cut makes it really, really tempting.

My 2 cents anyway.

[MediaMark]

you should check out New World Digital. they do really good work (not affiliated with them)