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How elasticStage Makes Vinyl & CDs On-Demand (And How It Differs from Traditional Pressing)

elasticStage manufactures vinyl records and CDs on demand from our facility in London, United Kingdom. Every product is made only when it’s ordered — meaning there are no minimum quantities, no upfront manufacturing costs, and no unsold stock.

To understand how elasticStage works, it helps to first understand how traditional vinyl manufacturing works.


How Traditional Vinyl Pressing Works

Traditional vinyl manufacturing was designed for large production runs.

The process typically involves:

  1. Cutting audio onto a lacquer master using a precision lathe

  2. Electroplating the lacquer to create metal stampers

  3. Using those stampers to press hundreds or thousands of vinyl copies

This system is highly effective for mass production. However, it usually requires:

  • Minimum orders of 100–500+ copies

  • Significant upfront payment before selling

  • Long manufacturing lead times

  • Storage space for unsold inventory

  • Manual fulfilment or third-party distribution

For major labels or large releases, this model works well. For independent artists and smaller labels, it can create financial risk and logistical complexity.


The elasticStage On-Demand Model

elasticStage uses proprietary production systems that allow us to manufacture vinyl records and CDs individually — only when an order is placed.

Instead of producing large batches in advance:

  • A fan places an order

  • We manufacture the vinyl or CD

  • We ship it directly to the customer

There are:

  • No minimum order quantities

  • No upfront manufacturing costs

  • No warehousing requirements

  • No wasted or unsold copies

Whether you sell one copy or one thousand, each unit is produced to the same professional standard.


In-House Production in London

All vinyl and CD production is handled at our London-based facility.

Keeping manufacturing in-house allows us to:

  • Maintain consistent quality control

  • Manage turnaround times efficiently

  • Coordinate production and fulfilment under one roof

  • Ship directly to fans in over 90 countries

By managing the full process from production to dispatch, we simplify physical music for creators worldwide.


What Happens After You Upload Your Release?

Once you create your Page and upload your audio and artwork:

  • We manufacture each vinyl record or CD on demand

  • We generate or use your barcode and ISRC codes

  • We ship directly to fans worldwide

  • We handle customer service, including lost or damaged parcels

For every sale, you receive a revenue share from the retail price (excluding taxes and shipping).

You don’t need to manage stock, organise shipping, or handle support requests.


How elasticStage Differs from Traditional Pressing

The core difference is simple:

Traditional pressing is built for bulk manufacturing.
elasticStage is built for on-demand selling.

With elasticStage, you can:

  • Release vinyl or CD without financial risk

  • Keep your entire catalogue available physically

  • React quickly to tours, anniversaries, or viral moments

  • Sell globally without managing logistics

There’s no need to predict demand months in advance. Every copy is produced when it’s ordered.


Ready to Create?

Once your release is built, you can publish it and start selling immediately. Every order is manufactured on demand and shipped directly to your fans.


Learn More

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