I've got a "How'd they do it?" question for you all.

[mjr]

Ok, I watched the "How it's made" episode on how vinyl records are cut and pressed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqJ0ouQScM8

It got me thinking about The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper" record...which looks like this:



So how would they press it like that? Because if they did it the way that it's shown on the "How it's Made" episode, the image would be worn off after a couple of plays, wouldn't it?

I know that this record was pressed like this (at least one run of it) because my dad actually owns (owned?) a copy, and if you look at the image, you'll notice the hole in the middle.

[wolfie]

That video showed how conventional (black) records are made. On a picture disc like you show, the needle must NOT touch the paper label with the picture - the paper won't take the grooves that carry the sound, and the needle would shred the paper (probably getting damaged in the process).

I'd imagine it would be a reverse of the "sandwich" that's used on a conventional record - label (full diameter) in the middle, with a "biscuit" of clear vinyl on each side. The label with the picture on it winds up with a layer of clear vinyl covering both sides, and the grooves are pressed into the clear vinyl.

[mjr]

I'd imagine it would be a reverse of the "sandwich" that's used on a conventional record - label (full diameter) in the middle, with a "biscuit" of clear vinyl on each side. The label with the picture on it winds up with a layer of clear vinyl covering both sides, and the grooves are pressed into the clear vinyl.

Damn, wolfie! That's brilliant, and probably how they did it. I hadn't considered that approach!

[dalesys]

Damn, wolfie! That's brilliant, and probably how they did it. I hadn't considered that approach!

You never expect the Spanish Magician...

[csquared]

According to my Google-fu, wolfie is correct.
http://www.furnacemfg.com/vinyl/picture-discs.html

[wolfie]

Looks like I didn't get it 100%. I was assuming a 3-layer "sandwich" with the label in the middle, but it turns out to be a 5-layer "sandwich" (premade plastic layers on the outside, then the picture labels, with the "normal" vinyl in the middle strictly as a structural element). The grooves are pressed into the premade plastic layers (according to the link, not quite as good sound quality as a conventional record - my guess as to why is that they're pressing them into a solid that got softened, rather than a semi-liquid that flows when pressed).

The 3-layer I imagined probably would have issues of unevenness, with the label coming too close to the surface (since nothing rigid would be on either side of it to enforce spacing in the press). If it came in contact with the bottoms of the grooves due to the unevenness, it would produce a fault that wouldn't be detected until the record was played and the needle hit paper.

[Argabarga]

The pressed plastic apparently had some longevity issues too.

One of my arts professors in college had been a Beatles fan when Sgt Peppers was released and related a story about how a copy a friend purchased had worn out to the point it wasn't playable anymore after only a month. (Though, said friend was a HUGE fan who probably played it constantly, but still, that's a shockingly short life for a record)

[wolfie]

That might not just be an issue with it being a picture disc, but the nature of the record could have made it worse.

A bad needle will damage a record, and a bad record can damage a needle. Since this happened when the Beatles were together, it pins down the time. Back then, there were both sapphire and diamond needles for LPs. IIRC, a sapphire needle was good for around 400 sides, and a diamond for around 1000. Later, sapphire was discontinued (not much cheaper, since material cost was a small fraction of the price).

Using the wrong needle (LP needle on a 78, 78 needle on an LP) can also damage both the needle and the record (remember the "flip-under" needles with the "flag" saying "78" on one side and "LP" on the other?). This is because the 78 groove is wider and has a more rounded bottom (older technology).