Seabass Vinyl – Record Pressing Plant

27th February 2024 0 By Jon Deaux

Vinyl Pressing Machines

Test Pressing

A visit to a record-pressing plant has been on my bucket list since I was a kid. In the center of the space was where the album sleeving takes place. It was a beautiful thing to see as it took me right back to my first-ever Saturday job when I was sleeving records for £1 an hour (before the minimum wage was a thing).

To stand and watch record after record being pressed coupled with the smell of fresh vinyl was intoxicating. It’s all fine and dandy watching videos on YouTube but until you witness the process in person, you don’t appreciate what goes into making the final product that ends up on your turntable.

Seabass Vinyl has only been open since November 2023 but has already received high praise for the quality of its pressings. They’ve had several emails not only complementing them but asking for a current discography of pressing so they can purchase others Seabass has done.

Vocalist Fish also entrusted the new company with the recent pressings of the deluxe vinyl versions of the 13th Star and Feast Of Consequences album.

Seabass Vinyl works in close conjunction with Curve Pusher who produces the laquers, Stamper Discs who provides the masters and Delga, who provides the artwork and record labels. The communication between all 4 companies is incredible.

Speaking of time, the company’s current turnaround is 4-5 weeks of getting the finished product to the client. An incredible rate. (correct at the time of writing).

The plant itself is as carbon neutral as it can be. Electricity is produced by wind turbines on-site and all waste products from mispresses and excess material cut from the discs themselves are ground down and reused.

To say I was impressed with the prouction quality is an understatement. However it’s their attention to detail and, their quality control is in a different class. From making sure that the record sounds as good as it can, to identifying any faults in the record itself with a microscope is mind-blowing, and thanks to the overhead air filtration system there’s virtually no dust in the air.

Of course, it’s not just black vinyl Seabass produce, there is of course colored, marbled, and of course, there are also bespoke colors they can produce.

If you’re looking for just a small or even a huge run of vinyl, this is the company for you. The owners, staff, and Pepper the dog are incredibly friendly and very welcoming.

I look forward to visiting again and seeing the evolution of the place. The vision Seabass Vinyl has, not just for the business but also for the premises they have built is fantastic. We at All About The Rock look forward to watching them grow and wish them every success.