Ever wonder what it takes to make a vinyl LP from start to finish? The actual creation of the physical product, as opposed to recording the music itself is fascinating, and a company called TruTone Mastering Labs has put the entire process online in a step-by-step pictorial.

For me, the most interesting part from a visual standpoint is the plating process:

But you’ll be amused to learn that your favorite, most expensive vinyl collectible in your stack originally looked like THIS before it became the precious thing you revere now as a sacred object:

Those are NOT coffee beans…they’re vinyl PELLETS. Yes–your favorite record starts off looking like a pile of Seattle’s finest.

TruTone Mastering labs is a full service mastering facility and pressing plant and the even offer online mastering. Check out the entire collection of vinyl manufacturing images in sequential order from the first step in the process to the final product cooling down and awaiting packaging. This is GREAT stuff, even if you don’t have a budget to put out a new release right now…fascinating.