I can’t quite call myself old enough to have experienced the golden age of the phonograph, ya know since they date back as early as the mid-1800s. But with the (continual) resurgence of vinyl records, now with the age of hipsters and vintage music enthusiasts, I figure this would be a nice opportunity to see…
Michael “Hap” Hapner is a midwest artist whose niche is repurposing everyday artifacts into colorful Spot & Dot art pieces. Our paths crossed recently at a Antique Vintage Artisan Market in Berrien Springs Michigan. Hap had brought along a sampling of his garden flower art pieces. While most of the vintage wares were muted with…
While the renewed appreciation of vinyl records have led to the highest sales numbers in nearly 30 years, equally fascinating is how vinyl manufacturing equipment –– most of which is just as old –– have been put back into commission to give listeners that “warm and fuzzy sound”. Starting with the manufacturing of the compression molding…
How are vinyl records made? Have you spent nights awake just pondering that? Well, let’s put your mind at ease. It begins with a metal flat disc and a coat of lacquer, and ends spinning on a turntable. Boom. Done. The Vinyl Factory provides a glimpse on how they make records in a 60 second…
With vinyl record sales surging at a 28 year high, it’s no surprise that among those celebrating the resurgence of that “warm and fuzzy sound” are the vinyl manufacturers themselves. In 2015 alone, vinyl sales hit $416 million thanks in part to major retailers including Barnes and Noble and Urban Outfitters adding vinyl to their…
Recently, we covered how commercial vinyl records are made by a processing plant. However, what if you could make your own records from the comfort of home? Eager to go vintage vinyl and migrate more music from digital to analog, Seth Nicholas Johnson of Haunted Birthday Records shows an easy way to make homemade records:…
Whether your choice of vinyl exists in the 200-gram form or as a tortilla, the magic that makes music play from an analog disc is one of the most impressive engineering feats ever conceived. But how exactly does a turntable convert those modulated spiral grooves into magic melodies? As music writer Ned Lannaman once described,…
Although a large amount of attention over the past few years (and especially the last two months) has been focused on the bevy of digital streaming music services including Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal, another kind of listening experience revolution has been quietly brewing as well – yet it’s been in front of us for…
They say vinyl produces the best sounding reproduction of music. It’s a big debate that seems to run in circles again and again. Get it? Well we can settle one question I’ve always had: I can burn a CD, and I can make a tape. But why can’t I make my own Vinyl records? Well look…
Next to duct tape, WD-40 is the second best solution people look to when something isn’t working properly. Squeaky door? Spray some WD-40 to make it sound as quiet as a husband who knows he’s in trouble. Stuck zipper? WD-40 will loosen it faster than a person loosens their pants after a trip to the…
They may have had their heyday in the 1980s, but cassette tapes, like vinyl records, are making a huge comeback in the digital age. While streaming music services such as Apple Music and Spotify have more monthly subscribers than ever before, there is an equally popular need for tangible, physical music, too. And unlike vinyl…
Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off…
With sales of vinyl records in 2016 reaching a 25-year high (3.2 million LPs sold), it comes as little surprise that more musical artists want their albums pressed for a growing base of fans that are treasuring physical music formats once again over streaming services. Yet, because of the downfall of vinyl in the age…
Since founder Eric Singer created the first hardwood wayfarer sunglasses style in 2009, Portland, Oregon-based Shwood has only continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible for materials in sunglass frame design. Particularly, sunglasses made from natural materials that are continuing to resonate with the outdoor enthusiast market. Since creating the original hardwood frames, the…
“You have Zeppelin on vinyl? Pfft I have it on FisherPrice Toy Records. Thus, I am so much better than you – and more pretentious.” Seriously, there is now a way for you to take all of your favourite Extreme Swedish Death Metal Bands (Meshuggah on plastic – the irony would rock). Fred27 posted this…
If you happen to have a set of vinyl records sitting around, take a look at them. Check out all those grooves that ring around and around, jostling the needle that has made all those tunes that have enriched your life. Now imagine you had that record as a CAD file and you extruded the…
With demand for analog records surging in recent years, it comes as little surprise that some of the original turntable manufacturers have been coming out of the woodwork to refine their products for a new generation. Yesterday, Panasonic unveiled a prototype of the Technics SP-10R, a direct-drive turntable with the world’s highest-level S/N (signal-to-noise) ratio…
With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you. This week we saw everything from an entirely new record player from Gramovox, an freakin’ Tweeting weather station, the first footage from GoPro’s upcoming quadcopter, live-mapped…
With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you. This week we saw everything from an impressive restoration of a classic Porsche Targa, a vertical record player that’s worthy of a spot in your office,…