45worlds Forum - View Single Post - First Records

8th Oct 2013, 7:53 AM
	TopPopper Member since Mar 2013 2612 Points	I thought an acetate and a lacquer were the same? I looked on Wiki (which I know isn't the best source!) and it says: "Acetates are typically produced by dubbing from a master tape recording. By electroplating the acetate master, stampers (special moulds) can be created, which in turn are used to press large quantities of regular vinyl records." and "the examples most commonly encountered today are 10 or 12 inches in diameter and consist of an aluminum core disc coated with black nitrocellulose lacquer, commonly but incorrectly called "acetate" for reasons which are uncertain. Blank discs were traditionally produced in several different grades... , top-quality blanks were intended for cutting the master discs that would be electroplated to create stampers (negative metal molds) for pressing ordinary records. Second-quality blanks were considered adequate for non-critical uses such as tests and demo discs." From this, it sounds like a standard acetate which a band might make for reference would be the same sort of object as the disc cut to start manufacturing the LP, but not as good quality. As you say, it might be unsuitable for making stampers. But the technical problem is whether a vinyl LP could be electroplated in the same way. If it could, that's a possible answer to how these Taiwanese LPs, complete with matrix numbers, were made. Edited by TopPopper on 8th Oct 2013, 7:56 AM