CD Labels???

[kylen]

...it takes forever. Up to 20 minutes per disc depending on the artwork. It will take 2 hours to do 6 of them...

Yep - the speed of light is not so fast on these guys, eh?
In fact sometimes I have to run them thru twice depending on the layout I'm trying to print - it does line up exactly for multiple runs...not for production though!

 

[apl]

For this reason you have to set it using some spray, this is the unprofessional piece - I use Kilz Satin Finish available at the local Walmart.

I've done that, too.

 

[kylen]

Speaking of smearing...Anyone tried the new aquaguard Imation inject waterproof CDRs yet?
http://www.datamediastore.com/26129.html

 

[kylen]

I've done that, too.

Cool Beans!

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

You shop in the wrong place. www.Supermediastore.com has taiyo/yuden printable CD-Rs for $36 for 100. A full complement of ink is $17 and does around 400 to 500 CDs depending on the artwork (you might run out of some colors faster than other depending on the picture you are printing) So, my actual cost for 500 CDs is $197. That is less than $0.49/each.

My Bohemian mother would be ashamed of me for not shopping around more before quoting . Thanks for the price correction, Jay .

And Al is right, it comes down to the type of job. As I said, ink jet printing is not bad for personal use, for proof copies, one-offs and such. Maybe even for demos, though I'd personally be more than willing to pay $1.78 for a demo that looked like a commercial CD.

And if one is just doing one-offs of their own work, unless they pump out a CD's worth of new material every few weeks, they'd better find plenty of use for the printer outside of just making CDs to make the initial investemnt worthwhile (a single one-off will still cost $130 for printer and a spindle of discs )

For something like what Rami describes, an indie release for public sale and distribution, I would recommend getting them done by the service, though. Granted this only IMHO and FWIW subjective opinion, but the way I see it, there's no excuse in that case not to put the best presentation forward.

Even if one sold their disc for only $9.95, that still leaves $8.13 gross per disc. One can add the full color heavy bond 2-panel sleeve and tray card for $.90/disc and still be making $7.13 gross profit per disc. At that rate, one only has to sell one quarter of their inventory (25 discs) before breaking even, everything beyond that is pure profit.

Buying a new printer and discs one's self, the break even point would be at 14 discs, but that's not including the extra cost of making the 2-sided sleeves and tray cards on 2-sided heavy bond gloss stock.

Sure the pro printing remains more expensive, but it's far from prohibitive, has a vey low break even point (assuming one's music is good enough to sell 25 measley copies to the entire world ), and looks like - because it is - the real deal. Can't beat it IMHO.

(Insert all abbreviated discalimers common to internet forums here )

G.

 

[Robert D]

Two good options above. I have that Epson printer, and it's a good way to go IF you don't have a ton of ink going on the disk, which is a matter of the artwork. The order out option sounds great, IF you really will sell the CDs. I shudder to think of all the CDs that are out there in dusty boxes that will never sell. The Epson route has the advantage that you only print em as you need em. Of course, yours will sell.

 

[apl]

It's a lot harder to sell 100 CDs than it sounds.

 

[RAMI]

It's a lot harder to sell 100 CDs than it sounds.

True......

 

[Change of POETS]

Far better than labels, and not very expensive:

www.mixonic.com

G.

I use www.kunaki.com

They use the same method to print on disc, and no minimums either. Yet, they don't offer the 4 panel, or just the CD's in spindles.

However, my last order of 100 CD's in full color with 2 panel and tray card, with shrinkwrap cost me about $1.84 per CD.

Considering I sell them at shows and online for $10.00 a piece, I make a fair return on investment.

 

[RAMI]

I use www.kunaki.com

They use the same method to print on disc, and no minimums either. Yet, they don't offer the 4 panel, or just the CD's in spindles.

However, my last order of 100 CD's in full color with 2 panel and tray card, with shrinkwrap cost me about $1.84 per CD.

Considering I sell them at shows and online for $10.00 a piece, I make a fair return on investment.

Hey thanx alot for that, Poets....That might be intersting.
Just a question, and excuse my ignorance. When they say 2-panel or 4-panel, etc...I'm assuming they mean what goes in the front. But what about the back of the CD??? Or are these slim CD cases that don't require a back???

 

[Change of POETS]

Hey thanx alot for that, Poets....That might be intersting.
Just a question, and excuse my ignorance. When they say 2-panel or 4-panel, etc...I'm assuming they mean what goes in the front. But what about the back of the CD??? Or are these slim CD cases that don't require a back???

The back panel (behind the CD) is called the Tray Card. That's included as well. With Kunaki, you download their exe file, and it takes your artwork and your CD master and uploads it to their server. Then, you place an order whenever you need to. It ships the next day, or two days tops.

A 2 panel (which is what Kunaki offers) is basically the CD cover, and then you can print Credits, thank you's, etc on the other side. It's 2 printable panels. With the other site Glen listed, you can get a 4 panel, which is basically a 2 page booklet with cover art on the front panel, and 3 other printable panels.

 

[RAMI]

The back panel (behind the CD) is called the Tray Card. That's included as well. With Kunaki, you download their exe file, and it takes your artwork and your CD master and uploads it to their server. Then, you place an order whenever you need to. It ships the next day, or two days tops.

A 2 panel (which is what Kunaki offers) is basically the CD cover, and then you can print Credits, thank you's, etc on the other side. It's 2 printable panels. With the other site Glen listed, you can get a 4 panel, which is basically a 2 page booklet with cover art on the front panel, and 3 other printable panels.

Awesome! Thanx for the info. I will be comparing prices, etc...Thanx again guys.

 

[ds21]

I also have the Epson r200, before that I modified an older canon printer. Yeah If I was going to need a lot and at the same time I'd go to a service, but I just make enough to sell some at gigs or online expecting no more than 25 at a time. I also do a light dusting with clear spray paint to take care of the moisture problem. If I remember right I think it cost about $1.60-$1.70/CD BUT that's for the full boat ie: the CD's, ink, 4 panel cover and insert, and case! So the only thing that's missing is shrinkwrap (I did try shrinkwraping about 50 CD's but it just took too long).

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

It's a lot harder to sell 100 CDs than it sounds.

That's certianly true. That's a whole 'nother thread altogether. I have asked the question before about why so many people who as artists are really just not ready to record (so to speak) are in such a hurry to hit the record button.

This is even more to the point; there's a whole lot of prematurely burnt CDs out there. Just burning a box of CDs, hanging out an Internet shingle on MySpace, Soundclick or even a real website, and trying to sell them there and at live gigs without doing one's marketing homework and legwork first is a virtually guaraneed prescription for failure. Yet that is how 98% of indie artists try to do it. Hence the landfills full of custom drink coasters.

First things first: If one cannot line up pre-orders from 20 family members, friends and neighbors willing to fork over $10 as a personal favor to buy their CD - which will guarantee covering the production cost - one is not ready to burn their CDs. There is no reason for one to have to pay dollar one of the production cost.

Second, before going ahead with it, the key is to find the market first; i.e. make sure there is an audience out there willing to buy your stuff. Then it's a matter of building the market and getting the word out to it.

Put another way: Have a product actually good enough for people to buy, find out who those people are, and then hustle to create the appetite for your CD in that market. Only then should a retail CD be produced, not a minute before.

G.

 

[chazba]

Back to my trusty sharpee



chazba

 

[SonicAlbert]

Put another way: Have a product actually good enough for people to buy, find out who those people are, and then hustle to create the appetite for your CD in that market. Only then should a retail CD be produced, not a minute before.

However, having promo CD's to send out is part of any plan to "create appetite" for your music. Even a modest self-produced release that is intended for indie radio stations nationally will involve sending out *at least* 500 promo CD's to DJ's, reviewers, etc., etc., etc. The first run of a typical 1,000 copy pressing will be mostly giveaways, if doing a real promotion of the album. And this is for a very modest indie release.

I just want to be clear about what a serious release is, as opposed to making 50 copies for family and friends.

It's also important to know that a commercial release of this nature cannot be done with CDR's and stick-on labels. The CD's have to have a upc code and be manufactured. Most if not all major retailers will not accept CDR's. Maybe that's changed since I released my album, but probably not.

CD's sold at performances can be whatever the artist wants them to be, and whatever the fans will accept. So again the question of how to make copies of albums comes down to how many will be made, and how and where they will be sold. If doing a large promotion I think it would actually be cheaper in the long run to do a full manufactured run, and the album would sure look a lot better in the hands of the DJ's, reviewers, and customers who are receiving it.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

However, having promo CD's to send out is part of any plan to "create appetite" for your music.

Absolutely true. I made it sound as though it wasn't until after that that the CDs chould be created, that's not quite what I meant. Thanks for clarifying that for us, Al. Sometimes my fingers type faster than my mouth does .

The main thrust of what I was trying to say, I guess, is that one needs to figure out just how saleable their product will be is before they create the product. It's Business 101 stuff. Now, sending demos to DJs admittedly kind of straddles both sides of that line. But it is entirely possible to determine to at least some degree on a local scale just how marketable one's product may be *before* they porduce a large run of product.

Failing to think of a more diplomatic way of putting it, let me just say that there are a lot of recordings out there in the landfills and in the back of closets because the public just plain doesn't consider the content to be good enough. One should get some form of objective feedback on the potential market before they attack that market. Don't go printing up 500 or even 100 CDs before you have a pretty good objective idea that a) the DJ won't toss it in the circular file 10 beats into the first song, and b) that there are at least some fans out ther who will truthfully tell you that a CD would be worth paying ten bucks for.

G.

 

[YoungRecords]

WoW! ...that Glen's Company is Expensive...I get my CD's done for 1000 CD's for $800..and their Silk screen and inserts and all...and Shrink wrapping..if anyone wnats to know where i get mine done..pm me..later