LATHE FOR CUTTING MASTERS?

[Jonas Nakel]

Hi,
I have successfully produced, mixed and recorded music for almost 20 years. Also mastering has been on the menu many times. Now days I only produce music on tape, later to go on only vinyl.
I have been around Europe attending some of my masters getting cut. And I'm in love with this process.
I want to do this. And I know close to nothing about these machines. My hands are working well with technical stuff and I even have an electronic egineer as co worker so I'm not afraid to start up and repair some my self.

But where to start?
I know a guy in U.K. I can do a compressed internship with when it is all settled and I eventually have to learn the beauty of cutting.
Some say that the Neumann is THE only one if you want to cut lacquer masters for making stampers.
And others say no and make machines that are half as expensive as the cutting-head itself of a Neumann.
So I'm confused now.
Of cause price and quality go along, but where to start and what to do.

Looking forward to hear from all of you trolls.

-Jonas

[mossboss]

How about you do a little homework
Ask around the places that do produce vinyl what machine they use. That will set you in the right path. Of course you need a decent amount of shekels for a pro setup.
If you wish to shorten up the learning curve I suggest you communicate with Flo in the chocolate capital of the world. Best

[Jonas Nakel]

Hi Mossboss

I already doing that. Reading online calling people. Getting numbers etc.
I am not particularly interested in a quick learning process. But intense it will be.

Thanks a lot for your input:)


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[concretecowboy71]

You can cut masters on a Scully also. It also depends on what your clients want. I can cut a master on a Presto, but it is Mono and is not the same sound quality as a Neumann or Scully. Until the innovators here come up with a head and lathe that match the quality of those machines, you will have to keep saving and looking. Even 8 years ago, Neumann machines were "affordable" and available. Just finding one for sale is a challenge these days and affordable went out the window a while back.

I would suggest leasing time from a current owner or find more creative ways to get in the game. If you have a rock solid business plan however, go for it.

[Jonas Nakel]

Hi concretecowbow71
Thanks for your reply.
My clients wish stereo fully fat sounding vinyl. I have kind of a standard in Denmark and people believe they will get sound that my analog and me does. So to go for the full monty and cut myself also would mean that I'd have to live up to what I normally order in the U.K..
Is it only the Neumann that'll do the job?
I have head that som guys are building some laser cutter? Does anyone knows about that?

Thanks:)


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[concretecowboy71]

A Neumann or Scully with proper head is the only way to go if you want professional level cutting.

Over the last 8 years I have heard a lot of people say they were going to build a "new" lathe that would perform the same way. Even had engineers visit my shop saying they would do this. Never happened.

[Noise Factory]

Hi Jonas

I am danish but write here in english so others can see the reply, guess not many people here understand danish:-)

I looked at getting a cutting lathe for 8 yrs before buying one almost 3 years ago from a member here...
It's a mono set-up with a Fairchild overhead, Grampian cutting head and some custom amps/motors... I had a shop in Barcelona for over a year, recently moved back to DK and have it set-up about 1 hour north of Copenhagen.

Would love to upgrade to a stereo system, but it's getting more and more expensive and harder and harder to come across.... 8-10 yrs ago it was possible to buy a stereo system for under 15.000 USD, in fact I got offered a few, but at the time could not afford it.
Now you would be lucky to get a Neumann for under 50.000 USD, and then probably without a cutting head, so it is getting a bit crazy...

So not to discourage you, but it is getting expensive, however the satisfaction when you cut a record:-) It takes time to learn and you have to bin a lot of cuts gone wrong, nothing more frustrating than f"#ckin up the last song on side 2 on a 30 min record and start all over

Let me know if you wanna hook up, talk some more, it is only great that another dane wanna do this:-)

You can contact me through my website or pm here

All the best/ bedste hilsner
Mikael

[flozki]

hello Jonas
well there is definitely a solution.
so far there where still enough neumanns or scullys around to upgrade. and scullys where damn cheap if not fully working.

the low end starts at around 15k euro. but leaves every scully behind ( except the look of course. cant beat that scully look).
all neumann AM32 to VMS70 comptatibel. so you can upgrade with original neumann parts or new flokason stuff.

AM44 basic package:

AM44 grey cast body.
a 14 inch vacuum platter with nice 20mm shaft and neumann style TT-Bearing
a TT15 brushless direct drive motor
a lasercut arm with pro quality vertical dove tail slide and simple suspension box (scully style)
microscope arm
microscope with 160x magnification
Caruso stereo Head, built preamps. caruso head is already way better than a todays westrex 3D.
simple pitch and machine controller.

not included i the table, the vacuum pump, the tonearm and the power amp.all third party items you can get easy in your country.


then a top solution starts in the range of 40-50k. open to whatever you want.

this one almost the same but
neumann style linear unit
pitch13 controller
neumann suspension box or similar. for the moment i still have some on stock
SC-99 head or neumann SX74
ultracut UC16 cutting amps (the highend version of a neumann sAL74)
TT15 quarz lock upgrade
granit stone heavy table. around 80 kg.

and 40-50k was always a 'regular' price for a good working trouble free system up to date and serviced...even 10-15 years ago.

most of the crucial parts are tested and used in various combinations on neumann or scully lathes some of them since almost 20 years others just recently
for example cutting amps, heads, pitch13 controller, TT15 motor, turntable, cast body is same or better as vms70 body

the thing is that i am a one man show and pretty booked with regular neumann service.
so i pull out max. 2-3 lathes per year. more i cant manage.
preferable to european customers who can pick it up at my place.
the first lathes where still with lots of prototyping parts.some as semi kits . but except the new suspension box everything is settled and defined.

also there is a scully lathe in copenhagen.pitch98 and westrex 3D head, westrex 1700 amps
maybe you can cut your stuff there.
or you can easy go there and get a cut and do the same on my AM44 models (or even to anyone with a VMS70/80) to compare.

some actual pictures of current models soon here.
there was a lot happening during last few month...

happy cutting.

flo
www.flokason.ch

[Jonas Nakel]

Wow. What a reply.
This is so helpful.
Wow!!!

Do you have a workshop in Switzerland where I can visit you ?

All the very best - Jonas


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