To say vinyl is having a moment would, of course, dismiss the seven decades in which it has had many, many moments. But there’s no denying that over the last year, with live music—and most other social activities—off the table, we’ve all spent more time at home nesting, perfecting our vinyl record listening setups, and enjoying the pure relaxation that comes with putting our feet up and just listening. While finding vintage vinyl records online is top of mind for most collectors, custom vinyl records (as in, creating your own compilation on vinyl) are equally intriguing to long-time record enthusiasts. Not only is it a treat to have the vinyl experience (and sound quality) for your own hand-picked playlist, making a custom record also allows you to design a memorable keepsake, whether for yourself or a loved one. Check out these eight retailers to make your own custom vinyl record.
Related: The Best Sites to Buy Vinyl Records Online
In the Clouds
In the Clouds will cut a seven, 10, or 12-inch, double-sided custom vinyl record. You upload your own audio (meaning you could upload original songs or a favorite playlist), and can use their design software to add your own creative flair to the album cover. Your album can run at 33 rotations per minute (RPM) or 45 RPM, giving you 18 minutes of music per side for a 33 RPM record, and 15 minutes per side for a record with 45 RPM.
To buy: From $30, intheclouds.io
Freestyle Vinyl
Freestylin’ your custom vinyl record is to be expected with Freestyle Vinyl, an audio retailer that’s “bringing back the mixtape” and will immortalize your favorite playlists on vinyl records. And to further customize your listening experience, you can choose your record color (black, white, or sage green) and an album cover decorated in one of their house designs. You can also opt for a white album cover (no Beatles reference intended) and draw your own record cover, or upload a photo or design for a custom sleeve.
To buy: $100, freestyle-vinyl.com
One Cut Vinyl
One Cut Vinyl is all about fostering unforgettable moments through personalized vinyl—their custom vinyl records have been the centerpiece of more than a few marriage proposals. The team at One Cut Vinyl will work with you to take the music you own and convert it to the appropriate format for a custom seven, 10, or 12-inch vinyl record. You can customize the center label of the vinyl, as well as the sleeve, and their high-quality sleeves can turn your custom art, photos, or really anything you’ve got on .jpg into an album that could rival Vampire Weekend’s latest.
American Vinyl Co.
American Vinyl Co. offers custom records made by hand in Asheville, North Carolina. They ensure top-quality sound by cutting the records with “top-of-the-line mastering tools and digital to analog conversion straight to our calibrated record lathe.” Start with a seven, 10, or 12-inch record (seven-inch records offer five minutes of music per side, 10-inch records offer 10 minutes of music per side). We’d recommend their 12-inch records—really, American Vinyl’s pièce de résistance—which features hand-cut vinyl and custom-designed packaging.
To buy: $60, americanvinylco.com
Artglider
If you’re into the idea of making a record and distributing it to multiple people (perhaps as a multigenerational family gift), Artglider allows you to mock up one album (designing the playlist for the custom vinyl record and the record sleeve) for $49 and then print as many copies as you’d like for $39 each. Their 12-inch records, which you can also create a custom center label for, can play 44 minutes of music and up to 18 tracks (nine on each side).
To buy: From $88, artglider.com
Vintage45Store
Ready to delve into the effortlessly hip world of artful record creation on Etsy? Vintage45 makes seven-inch custom vinyl records as gifts—perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and any other special occasion you’re celebrating with the music lover in your life. They print only two tracks on the 45 RPM record—one track per side—with a personalized center label. However, Vintage45 does all the heavy lifting for you; just leave the song names you want on your custom vinyl record, and they’ll handle downloading high-quality audio files, cutting the record, and sealing it in a crisp white sleeve.
To buy: $65, etsy.com
Related: Saint Laurent Releases Turntable That Costs More Than a BMW
Vinylify
Vinylify does 10-inch custom vinyl records and brings artistry into the mixtape game with beautifully designed album sleeves. Their design software allows you to lay out the front and back cover of the album sleeve and each side of the record, uploading photos and playing around with placement. Next, you choose your record color, design your “record label,” and upload your music (10 minutes of audio on each side). And voilà, you’ve got yourself a record.
To buy: $120, https://vinylify.com
Vinyley Custom Records
Also an Etsy retailer, Vinyley does 12-inch records with 20 minutes of listening per side (for 40 minutes of audio total). In addition to selecting your music, you’ll choose photos for both sides of the album cover, as well as two images for the center labels on each side. Vinyley will send you proofs of the whole package before pressing your custom vinyl mixtape and shipping it to your door.
To buy: $99, etsy.com
