Start your own label!!!

Here at Ditchdiggin'records,we don't have no secrets to hide to nobody.As a matter of facts,we'd like to share with you all the D.I.Y stuff we've learned since we started this little venture of starting our own label.So if you're in a band and you're sick to send your demos left and right without no positive answers,just follow these few instructions and you should be able to put out your own shit without spending too much cash.

We're putting stuff out 500 copies at a time,so all the prices in there are for this number of records.Ask the companies I mention for price differences if you wish to order more or less records.

First of all,you need to get your recording and put it on a cd format.For that,you can send your tape,along with $10, to Chuck at:Chuck Stillborn,po box 666,Greensburg,indiana,U.S.a,and he will take care of this for you,really fast.It's best to figure it under 7 minutes on each sides of the record or the sound quality will go down.

After you have your cd back,send it to united records pressing.Their address is:United Record Pressing,453 Chestnut street,Nashville,Tennessee,37203,U.S.A.Like I was saying,if you want to put out 500 records the cheapest way,you should make it on black vinyl,two colors center label(one for the background,one for the letters),45rpm with small holes.The price comes up to $569,including all their set up bullshit,plus shipping(in us)

Now for the packaging.As far as the covers go,I do it myself.What i do is take a 14 1/2" X 7 1/4" piece of paper and do my art work on it.I like to write stuff in the inside of it also,like contact infos,or whatever,but if you're not too artistically inclined,like me,check out Lem's Garage,who does an excellent job at designing covers,t.shirts,logos and so on,for the cheapest price there is....So now I have a piece of paper with shit on both sides.Go to kinko's,and get them to make you 500 copies of it.It would be cheaper to do it with only one side printed,but it's nice to have a little literature along with the music,no?It costs me $134 to get it done(500 of them).

After that,you want to get you some inner sleeves to put your records in,and some clear vynil covers to protect your records.I believe that bags unlimited (email them for catalog)is the cheapest way to go.500 45 poly record sleeves plus 500 7"x7" inner poly sleeves will cost you $34.75.

Now that you have your records back from pressing and your packaging material,just assemble everything.Put your records inside your inner sleeves,then put this in the flap cover that you have folded down the middle,then stuff everything in the poly record sleeves and your record is ready to sell.

So now,let's recap:$10 to put your suff on cd 
                      $569 to the pressing company
                      $134 for the covers
                      $35  for sleeves
                      _____
                      $748

If you need to make some pins for your band or label,it's not difficult...All you need to do is send Jeaneene a e.mail and she'll take care of this for you.She only charges $20 per 100 on black and white ones only.Colors are a little extra.Of course you could go ahead and buy your own press,but what for?She's got one already and doesn't charge arms and legs.Plus she has a fast turnaround time.

Stickers are cool to promote your band or label or whatever the hell else.I think the best place to get stickers done should be to order them from Sticker Guy.They're real cheap,do a real nice quality work and send the stuff back to you real fast.

PS:I know it's not too D.I.Y to promote other companies who will do your shit for you...The companies I put in there are the ones that I have personally used and am satisfied with their services,fees and everything else.And sometimes it's easier and cheaper to get someone else to do some things for you,such as stickers and pins...

If anyone have better deals on anything mentioned above,thanks for letting me know.