What It Is
Vinyl record metal processing is the foundation of every quality pressing. It’s how your mastered audio is transformed into physical tools that press thousands of records. At Erika Records, we offer complete in-house metal parts processing—from Father to Mother to Stamper—ensuring every groove is captured with precision.
The Three-Step Process
We offer both two-step and three-step processing options based on your production needs. For projects of 5,000 units or more, we recommend the three-step process to ensure consistency and durability across high-volume pressings.
Father
The Father is the original metal negative made directly from your lacquer or DMM master. It enables us to create multiple Mothers if you plan to produce high quantities. This is essential for long-term projects or repressings.
Mother
The Mother is a positive metal copy made from the Father. It’s used to create multiple Stampers. Having a Mother ensures consistency across multiple press runs.
Stamper
The Stamper is the final metal part used to press your records. It's what goes into the press to physically create your vinyl. We recommend replacing the Stamper every 1,000 units, or as early as 500 depending on material and audio complexity.
Commitment to Quality Metalwork
Poorly made metal parts = bad sound, short pressing runs, and wasted materials.
That’s why we keep all metalwork in-house, ensuring:
- Tight groove replication
- Accurate center-hole alignment
- Long-lasting Stampers
- Quiet surfaces with minimal defects
We don’t cut corners, because you shouldn’t hear them.
Pro Tips from Erika
Pressing over 5000 records? Go with 3-step processing (Father → Mother → Stamper).
