Who these terms apply to
These terms apply to all orders placed with Kieron Deane trading as Diz Lathe Cuts, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (kieron@dizlathecuts.co.uk). By submitting an order you agree to these terms.
The service
Diz Lathe Cuts provides hand-cut lathe vinyl record cutting services. Every record is individually cut in real time on a precision lathe in Newcastle upon Tyne. Minor variation between copies is a normal characteristic of bespoke hand-cut records and does not constitute a defect.
Diz Lathe Cuts is a one-person workshop operating Tuesday to Friday. Enquiries and production updates are handled on these days only.
Internal test cuts and physical pre-production approval
Internal workshop test cuts
Every order includes whatever technical assessment, cutting setup, internal test cutting and playback verification Diz considers necessary to establish a clean, stable and reliably tracking cut. This is standard production work. Internal test cuts are not normally supplied to the customer and do not constitute a customer approval stage. Once Diz is satisfied with the cutting setup, production of the run proceeds.
Optional physical pre-production approval copy
For customers placing larger or particularly important runs who specifically want to hear a finished record on their own playback systems before the complete run is manufactured, Diz can produce a physical pre-production approval copy. This is an optional, separately paid production stage — not an additional penalty for customers who genuinely proceed with their run.
The approval copy stage covers: technical preparation of supplied masters where required; cutting setup; necessary internal workshop test cutting; and one finished physical approval record supplied to the customer.
Pricing for the approval stage: a £50 cutting and setup charge applies. Vinyl preparation (£35) is charged where required. Shipping and any selected physical add-ons are additional.
Credit against the subsequent production run
If the customer approves the physical record and proceeds with the production run using exactly the same approved masters and cutting setup, the £50 already paid for the approval cutting stage will be credited against the cutting cost of the subsequent run. Any vinyl preparation already completed will also not be charged again. The work carried out to establish the approved cut effectively becomes the first stage of the full production order rather than an additional cutting charge.
The £50 credit applies only where the subsequent production order is for the same project, the approval copy has been accepted, and exactly the same approved masters and programme are being used without material changes. The credit is not a general voucher, is not transferable to another project or customer, is not redeemable for cash, and does not apply to shipping or unrelated add-ons.
If the customer decides not to proceed with the production run, the approval-stage charges are not refunded or credited elsewhere. Diz has by that point completed the technical assessment, preparation where required, cutting setup, internal testing and manufacture of the physical approval record.
What approval covers
The approval copy establishes how the supplied programme translates to the physical record and confirms the cutting approach. It is not a pressing-plant reference pressing. These are individually lathe-cut records: minor copy-to-copy variation inherent in the individual cutting process may occur in the subsequent production run and does not constitute a manufacturing defect.
Revised masters after approval
If the customer supplies materially revised audio, a changed mix, a changed master or different programme material after an approval copy has been produced, the revised material may require new technical assessment, additional vinyl preparation (chargeable), and a further approval copy (charged separately). The original approval and the £50 credit are not transferable to revised source material. Internal test cuts required to achieve a satisfactory initial cut are part of establishing the original approval and are not treated as customer-requested additional approval copies.
Production queue
A production slot is not reserved while an approval copy is in transit or while a customer is auditing it. The subsequent production run enters the next available production position once approval confirmation and payment have been received. Choosing a physical approval stage naturally extends overall project timelines.
Ordering
An order is placed by submitting the request form at dizlathecuts.co.uk/order. Submitting the form does not confirm an order or reserve a production slot. An order is only confirmed once:
- A quote has been agreed
- Full payment has been received
- All final approved and accessible audio and artwork files have been supplied
Diz Lathe Cuts reserves the right to decline any order, enquiry or request at any time and without explanation. This applies before and after an order is placed. If an order is declined after payment, a full refund will be issued for work not yet begun.
Pre-sales enquiries
Diz Lathe Cuts is a one-person specialist workshop. The website includes an extensive guides section covering format requirements, audio preparation, vinyl cutting limitations, packaging and the production process. These guides are the primary resource for pre-ordering questions.
Diz Lathe Cuts cannot guarantee responses to open-ended, speculative or extended pre-sales enquiries. Enquiries should be specific and related to a confirmed or imminent order. General curiosity questions, requests for lengthy technical consultation before ordering, and repeated follow-up messages on the same topic may not receive a response.
Placing an order confirms that you have read and understood the relevant information on this website and in the guides section. Placing an order confirms readiness to proceed with production.
Minimum order
The minimum cutting order value is £50. Vinyl preparation, labels, sleeves, artwork inserts, rush and shipping are additional. This reflects the setup, audio assessment, file handling, cutting, packing and administration involved in every custom record order. If the cutting subtotal is below £50, a minimum cutting adjustment will bring it to £50 before add-ons and shipping are charged.
Orders of 1–4 copies use the published small-batch rates. Standard short-run pricing begins at 5 copies.
Payment
Full payment is required before production begins. Payment confirms your slot in the production calendar. Production does not begin immediately on payment — it begins when your slot is reached in the production queue and all final files are in hand.
Prices are as quoted and confirmed before payment. Pricing on the website is indicative; final pricing is confirmed per order based on format, quantity and add-ons.
Production turnaround
Standard production turnaround is approximately 2–3 weeks from payment and receipt of all final approved and accessible audio and artwork. This is production time only. Shipping and transit time is additional and cannot be guaranteed once the parcel is with the carrier.
Larger runs may require additional production time and will be confirmed individually. Diz Lathe Cuts is a one-person workshop and production capacity is limited. Please allow for this.
Fixed deadlines
If you require records by a specific date, this must be discussed and agreed before placing your order. A deadline is only considered reserved once payment has been received and the production schedule has been explicitly confirmed. Submitting an enquiry or order form does not reserve a date.
Rush production is subject to workshop capacity and is only confirmed once explicitly accepted by Diz Lathe Cuts. When accepted, it is charged at 40% of the cutting charge, subject to a £30 minimum rush fee.
Master suitability and vinyl preparation
All supplied audio is technically assessed before manufacture. Files not specifically mastered for vinyl cutting may require the vinyl preparation service before cutting can proceed. Where preparation is required for safe and reliable manufacture, it is not optional.
Customers supplying a dedicated vinyl master — audio specifically prepared for vinyl cutting by a professional mastering engineer — may bypass the preparation service subject to technical assessment. By declining preparation, the customer confirms this and accepts full responsibility for the suitability of the supplied audio.
If audio supplied without preparation cannot be cut and tracked reliably, production will be paused. Options will include: supplying revised audio; purchasing the preparation service; or accepting that the record will cut at a compromised level. Diz Lathe Cuts will not cut a record that is likely to mistrack or sound unacceptably compromised without disclosing this first.
Vinyl preparation scope
Standard technical cutting preparation is part of every order and is included in the cutting price. This covers the engineering work required to operate the cutting system safely and competently for a given programme, including test cutting and verification.
Vinyl preparation — technical preparation of source material to help it cut cleanly and reliably — is a separate service available as an add-on. When a customer declines vinyl preparation and supplies their own master, they are confirming that the audio has been specifically prepared for vinyl cutting.
If physical testing during a cutting session reveals that the supplied audio cannot be cut and tracked reliably as supplied, Diz Lathe Cuts will: identify the problem; attempt sensible adjustments within the scope of standard preparation; contact the customer if those adjustments are insufficient; and request a revised master where appropriate. Production may be paused while this is resolved.
Repeated repeated preparation requests, excessive additional testing, or additional material caused by unsuitable supplied audio is not automatically included in the original cutting price. If significant additional work is required that was not anticipated and not paid for, this will be discussed before any additional work is done.
Where vinyl preparation has been purchased, this covers the engineering work of optimising supplied audio for the vinyl format. It does not constitute a full mastering service and does not guarantee a specific cutting level or loudness. If the source material is of insufficient quality to achieve a standard cutting level regardless of preparation, this will be communicated before the session concludes and options will be discussed. The preparation fee covers the engineering time applied. It does not guarantee an outcome that source quality cannot support.
If audio supplied with vinyl preparation purchased is found to be fundamentally unsuitable regardless of preparation — where no reasonable engineering intervention can produce a record that tracks reliably at an acceptable level — Diz Lathe Cuts reserves the right to stop the session, report the finding, and charge for the engineering time and material used to that point. In this case the cutting fee will not be charged for work not completed. Options will be discussed with the customer before any further action is taken.
Your files and artwork
You are responsible for supplying final, approved and accessible audio and artwork files. Production only begins once all required files are in hand and accessible. If files are shared via a link (Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer) you must ensure access is granted before production begins. Files that require permission requests may delay your order, including rush orders.
You are responsible for checking all audio content, artwork, labels, spelling, track order and file orientation before approving them as final. Once files have been approved and production has begun, corrections may require re-cutting or reprinting and may incur additional costs and delays.
Files are assessed at the point production begins. If a significant technical issue is identified that may affect the quality of the cut, you will be notified before cutting proceeds. If a revised master is required, this may delay the order.
Customer cooperation
When Diz Lathe Cuts contacts a customer to request revised audio, additional information, or a decision about how to proceed, a response is required within a reasonable time. If a customer is unresponsive for more than 14 days without prior notice, the order may be cancelled. In this case a partial refund will be issued reflecting any work not yet completed, less any costs already incurred including test cuts and material.
Diz Lathe Cuts is not in a position to hold production slots open indefinitely while waiting for revised files or customer decisions.
Changes after confirmation
Changes to audio content, artwork, quantities, formats, specifications or packaging after an order has been confirmed may affect the production schedule and may incur additional charges. We will always discuss this with you before proceeding.
Cancellations and returns
Every record cut by Diz Lathe Cuts is a bespoke item made to your individual specification. Once cutting has begun, the record has no resale or reuse value to anyone else. For this reason, returns are not accepted on completed orders.
Bespoke goods exemption: Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the statutory 14-day right to cancel does not apply to goods made to a consumer's specification or clearly personalised. Every lathe cut order falls into this category. By placing an order you confirm you understand and accept this.
Before production begins: If you need to cancel before cutting has started, contact us as soon as possible. We will refund any payment received, less any administration or file assessment costs already incurred. We will always be transparent about what has been deducted and why.
Production faults: If a record is defective due to a fault in the cutting process on our part — not a characteristic of the medium or a consequence of the supplied audio — we will re-cut or refund at our discretion. We stand behind the quality of our work. Minor variation between copies inherent to the hand-cut lathe process does not constitute a defect, nor does the characteristic sound of lathe-cut vinyl compared to commercially pressed records.
File or approval issues: We are not liable for errors in the finished record arising from faults in customer-supplied audio, artwork or approved files. If you approved the files as final, those approvals stand. We will flag any technical issues we identify before cutting — but we are not responsible for content errors we were not asked to check.
Intellectual property
By placing an order you confirm that you own, control or have appropriate permission to use all audio content, artwork, samples and other materials submitted. Diz Lathe Cuts accepts no liability for copyright infringement arising from customer-supplied content.
Diz Lathe Cuts may photograph finished records for portfolio and promotional use (including on social media) unless you specifically request otherwise when placing your order.
Packaging
Every order includes a white card sleeve as standard. Additional packaging options (printed centre labels, photocard artwork inserts, poly outer sleeves, coloured sleeves) are available as add-ons at the prices listed on the website.
Printed artwork inserts are printed card inserts supplied with the record. They are not traditional printed and glued outer record jackets. Externally produced printed outer jackets can be arranged through third-party print partners for runs of approximately 25 copies or more. External suppliers typically require 4–6 weeks depending on their workload. This is separate from Diz’s own production turnaround. Diz does not control or guarantee the external supplier’s completion date or more — discuss this before placing your order.
Limitation of liability
Our total liability to you in connection with any order shall not exceed the value of that order. We are not liable for any indirect, consequential or economic losses including lost profits, missed release dates or any loss arising from delay by a third-party carrier.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that cannot be lawfully excluded.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time. The version in force at the time your order is confirmed applies to that order.
Contact
Questions about these terms: kieron@dizlathecuts.co.uk