Dubplate Cutting UK.
Hand-Cut to Wax.
From £15.
Hand-cut dubplates for DJs, sound systems and producers. One-off 7″, 10″ and 12″ cuts from £15. No minimum order. Newcastle-based, ships UK-wide.
Built for the booth.
A dubplate is a physical record of a track that only you have. Diz cuts them for DJs, sound systems, producers and artists who want their music on vinyl without the pressing plant wait.
DJ Exclusives
Get unreleased tracks, edits and remixes cut on vinyl before anyone else has them. Play your dubs in a set and they stay yours — no streams, no downloads.
Sound System Dubs
Roots, dub, jungle, drum and bass, grime. The dubplate tradition is at the heart of sound system culture. Get your selector weapons cut and ready.
Test Cuts
Hear how your mastering sounds on vinyl before committing to a pressing plant run. Cheaper, faster and safer than fixing problems after 300 records are pressed.
Producers & Artists
Put your music on a physical format without the six-month wait. Cut an EP for a release, make a promo to send to labels, or hear your own production on wax.
What does it cost?
One copy or twenty — same process, no setup fees. Prices reduce per unit as quantity increases.
Printed labels, poly sleeves and coloured blanks available as optional add-ons. Full pricing including larger runs →
Professional grade kit.
Diz runs a VinylRecorder T560 with an upgraded Systemphonics Nebula cutting head and precision diamond stylus — a professional-grade setup delivering full-frequency results across every genre.
Systemphonics Nebula
The Nebula reproduces the full frequency range — excellent top end, solid bass, faithful transient response. With a well-produced master it handles every genre including bass-heavy dub, drum and bass and techno, and high-frequency content like vocals and electronic production.
The idea that lathe cuts only suit lo-fi music is about lower-grade equipment, not the format itself.
- Frequency responseFull range
- Bass reproductionExcellent
- High frequencyFull top end
- MaterialPETG blanks
- Formats7″ · 10″ · 12″
- Speeds33 + 45rpm
Three steps.
Fill in the order form
Format (7″, 10″ or 12″), quantity, single or double-sided. Takes two minutes. I'll confirm the order and send an invoice.
Send your files
WAV at 24-bit, 44.1kHz preferred. One file per side. If your tracks need adjusting for vinyl playback I'll let you know before cutting.
Receive your dubs
7–14 days from receiving your files. Packaged securely, shipped tracked. Ready to play straight from the box.
What is a dubplate?
A dubplate is a one-off vinyl record cut directly from audio — one copy, usually for a single DJ or artist. The term comes from Jamaican sound system culture, where cutting exclusive tracks to acetate or vinyl was the way to keep your selection secret and your sets unique.
Today dubplate cutting is used across every genre. A DJ might cut an unreleased track before it's out, a producer might cut a reference to hear how a mix sounds on vinyl, a label might cut a test pressing before committing to a full run. The common thread is exclusivity — you have it on wax, and nobody else does.
At Diz Lathe Cuts, dubplate cutting means hand-cut PETG records made one at a time on a VinylRecorder T560 lathe with a Systemphonics Nebula cutting head. Not a pressed record — each one individually cut in real time. That process is what gives them their character.
More detail: Lathe cut vs pressed vinyl →
Every genre cuts.
The Nebula cutting head handles a full frequency range. Bass-heavy, high-frequency, wide dynamic range — the equipment isn't the limiting factor. What matters is how the audio is prepared.
Dub & Reggae
Where the dubplate tradition started. Deep sub bass, heavy reverb, rhythmic breaks — cut loud on 12″ 45rpm for maximum impact on a sound system.
Jungle & D&B
Fast transients, complex percussion, sub bass. Needs careful low-end management for clean cutting. Short sides at 45rpm give the most headroom.
House & Techno
4/4 kicks, bass lines, sustained synths. Bass should be centred below 120Hz. A 12″ 45rpm cut gives the loudest, most punchy result for DJ use.
Hip Hop & Grime
Sample-based music, 808s, punchy snares. Usually cuts well. Watch for very wide stereo on samples — centred low end always improves the result.
Soul & Funk
Dynamic, musical, room-heavy. Often the most natural-sounding format for this material. Vinyl adds warmth and presence that suits the genre.
Electronic & Ambient
Wide dynamic range suits longer sides well. High frequency content needs checking — bright synthesis can be harder to cut at full level.
Not sure how your genre cuts? See the vinyl cutting genre guide →
What to send.
A dubplate only sounds as good as the file it's cut from. Here's what gives the best result. If you're unsure, send what you have and I'll advise before cutting anything.
What to send
- ✓WAV or AIFF — 24-bit preferred, 16-bit fine
- ✓44.1kHz or 48kHz sample rate
- ✓Peaks below −1 dBFS, no clipping
- ✓Bass centred below ~120Hz
- ✓One file per side
What to avoid
- —MP3s or streaming rips
- —Brickwalled masters with no headroom
- —Heavy sub bass below 40Hz
- —Wide stereo bass
- —Time-limited download links
Full detail: How to prepare audio for lathe cutting →
Common questions.
What is dubplate cutting?
Dubplate cutting is the process of cutting a one-off vinyl record directly from audio files using a lathe machine. Each record is cut in real time — one at a time, one play of the track. The result is a unique physical record with your audio cut into it as a physical groove.
How much does dubplate cutting cost in the UK?
At Diz Lathe Cuts, dubplate cutting starts from £15 for a 7″ single-sided cut. A 12″ single-sided dubplate starts at £25. No minimum order — one copy is fine. Prices reduce per unit for small runs of 2–10 copies.
How long does dubplate cutting take?
Turnaround is typically 7–14 days from receiving your files and payment. Cuts go out in weekly batches. Rush cuts are sometimes available at a 20% surcharge — get in touch before ordering to check.
Do you ship dubplates UK-wide?
Yes. All dubplates are cut in Newcastle upon Tyne and shipped UK-wide via tracked delivery. International shipping is available on request — mention it in the order form.
Will my dubplate play on any turntable?
Yes. PETG lathe cuts play on any standard turntable and are optimised for DJ use. They track well on Technics SL-1200s, Pioneer PLX-1000s, and all standard DJ decks. If something sounds off, always check on a second deck before drawing conclusions about the cut.
What's the difference between a dubplate and a test pressing?
A test pressing is made from the same stampers used for a pressed run — it's what a pressing plant produces to check the master before running copies. A dubplate is cut directly from audio, one at a time, on a lathe. Dubplates are quicker and cheaper for low quantities; test pressings are part of the pressing plant process.
Can I get a dubplate of a commercially released track?
Only if you own or control the rights to the recording and any underlying compositions. Diz Lathe Cuts manufactures material on the basis that you have confirmed all necessary permissions. Cutting a released track you don't own rights to is not something that can be facilitated.