Cassette Tape Duplication
Custom cassettes wound to the length you require for orders of 20 or more
Cassette tapes are the most popular analogue audio format ever created with over 30 billion blank or pre-recorded cassettes produced to date. Whilst CD sales overtook cassettes in 1991 and cassette sales dropped massively from 2000 onwards, they are now making a resurgence as one of the most popular retro and niche items for bands looking to connect with their audience, bringing back memories of youth way before CDs were ever invented.
‘Compact Cassettes’ were first launched by Philips in Amsterdam way back on 13th September 1963 as replacements for the bulky reel-to-reel tape format and are commonly used for demos, promos, metal, drone, punk music and spoken audio. They can also be used for full albums and bring a character to the music akin to traditional vinyls that is often missing in the technically superior CD format.
We can provide small runs of high quality cassettes with your own audio and artwork on for quantities of just 20 tapes or more. We have tape shells available in over 60 different styles or colours (just scroll down to view each one – they can also be mixed colours within a single order for no additional fee) and they are all priced the same. The cassettes come in a clear single tape case with a full colour double side printed ‘J-card’ insert (the cassette J-cards can also be ordered separately here) for further information, pictures and credits to be added.
Benefits of our cassette duplication include:
- Real time tape duplication on high quality Tascam cassette decks
- Minimum orders start at just 20 cassettes
- The cassettes are wound with tape to the exact length that you require
- Cassettes come in clear cases with double-sided full colour printing on the cassette and a double-sided full colour printed J-card in the case
- Over 60 different cassette tape colours available (see below), with total play lengths up to 105 minutes (52.5 minutes per side)
- Competitive pricing that includes UK delivery (international delivery available) and can offer quick turnaround times
Cassette shell colours available
We have all the colours in the rainbow with over 60 different shell colours and one of the largest selections in the world. Please note that the exact tape shell style and shade can vary slightly depending on current stock and suppliers, if you have a very specific request then please contact us.
Pricing for cassette tapes in cases with printed J-cards for total lengths up to C45 (22.5 minutes per side):
- £83.76
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £167.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £310.80
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £573.60
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 6-9 day turnaround
- £788.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
- £1254.00
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 45 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
Further unit price reductions are available for larger quantities, please contact us with your requirements and we can quote.
Pricing for cassette tapes in cases with printed J-cards for total lengths up to C90 (45 minutes per side):
- £100.56
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £209.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £394.80
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £741.60
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 6-9 day turnaround
- £1040.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
- £1674.00
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 90 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
Further unit price reductions are available for larger quantities, please contact us with your requirements and we can quote.
Pricing for cassette tapes in cases with printed J-cards for total lengths up to C105 (52.5 minutes per side):
- £110.16
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £233.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £442.80
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 5-8 day turnaround
- £837.60
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 6-9 day turnaround
- £1184.40
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
- £1914.00
Inc. VAT & Delivery - Cassette tapes of any colour with full colour sticker printing on both sides of the tape and audio recorded up to 105 minutes in total length, supplied in clear cases with printed two-sided j-cards
- Includes UK delivery, Worldwide option
- 7-10 day turnaround
Further unit price reductions are available for larger quantities, please contact us with your requirements and we can quote.
Deductions from above pricing
If you don’t require the clear cassette cases, printed insert J-cards, printing on the cassettes or audio on the cassettes then please deduct the following from the above pricing:
No J-cards: £0.30+VAT less per cassette
J-cards only printed on one side: £0.10+VAT less per cassette
No printing on the tapes: £0.30+VAT less per cassette
Printed labels only on one side of the tapes: £0.10+VAT less per cassette
No audio on the tapes: £1.00+VAT less per cassette
No clear cases with the tapes: £0.15+VAT less per cassette
On-body cassette shell printing – new options!
We can now offer full colour, white, black and even spot gloss on-body cassette printing with the same turnaround times as stickers and with the option of printing over the full surface of the cassette as shown in the example on the right. Our new in-house printer is a state-of-the-art UV LED printer that is very high resolution and prints incredibly hard and durable inks directly onto the tapes in vibrant colours. There is a small additional fee for the on-body printing, but it is now priced per tape (rather than a fixed setup cost for printing plates), making it more economic for shorter production runs.
Click here to find out more about our new on-body printing, view prices and see some examples
Double cassette sets
If you would like two cassettes packed in a double ‘butterfly’ cassette case with a black spine to the case and full colour printed J-card inserts, then please click here to view the double cassette case pricing page.
Cellophane or shrink wrapping the cassette cases
If you would like your cassettes supplied in neat boxed-corner cellophane wraps for a glossy protective finish that is ideal for retail environments or presentation purposes then please add £0.10+VAT per cassette. Alternatively we can also provide a heat sealed clear shrink wrap for the same price of £0.10+VAT per cassette.
Both help to avoid the cases getting scratched in transit, storage or during retail. In the picture above the top cassette has the boxed cellophane wrap and the lower one has the shrink wrap that has a slightly rougher seal on two of the sides.
Cassette case colour options
Most people choose the clear front and back cassette cases for their orders and these are the ones that are provided as standard. However you can also choose from over twenty different cassette case colours with solid or transparent back options:
The prices for all the different cassette tape cases are the same, apart from the transparent red, transparent turquoise, transparent green and transparent purple cases that add £0.10+VAT per case. Please notify us when ordering if you would like a colour other than clear.
Some examples of our work:
Outer O-cards for the cassette cases
For a finishing touch where you can include further information and which helps to provide extra protection and a premium appearance, you can add oversized outer O-cards with you own full colour artwork on an extra heavy weight 350gsm matt or gloss white card or 300gsm brown Manila card for £0.49+VAT per cassette. The cassettes can still be provided cellophane wrapped within these outer O-cards if you wish.
Download the artwork template for cassette case outer O-cards
Audio cassette J-card material options
Our cassette J-cards are available in five different card stocks. The most widely used and the default for orders (if you don’t ask us to use a different one) is the bright white 200gsm matt card stock (second from right) that gives excellent colour reproduction and an authentic smooth matt J-card feel with good rigidity. We can also supply 170gsm and 280gsm gloss white (shown on the right – a slighty creamier colour than the matt white), 300gsm brown Manila 100% recycled card stock, a 300gsm eco-natural 100% recycled light brown/grey card and then a 140gsm tracing paper (also referred to as ‘clear vellum’, shown on the left of the five samples) for an interesting effect where you can partially see the cassette through the J-card (as shown with the pink cassette in the case), looking like a frosted case.
Your artwork can be printed in full colour on all J-card stocks.
To the right is a picture of how the tracing paper inserts can look (click to enlarge):
For the tracing paper inserts we only recommend printing on one side of them, otherwise you can see both front and reverse prints at the same time.
The prices for all the different cassette tape J-cards are the same. Please notify us when ordering if you would like a card colour other than matt white.
Cassette case obi strips
If you wish to add a Japanese-style release obi strip to the cassette case with full colour printing then we can make them for your order with either a horizontal or vertical orientation around the cases.
Our obi strips are full colour printed onto a high quality 300gsm matt card, although other material options could be arranged.
Click here to find out more about the obi strips, pricing and artwork templates
‘Cassingles’ in printed O-card slipcases
As an alternative to standard cassette cases, you can go for full colour printed cassette O-cards, often referred to as ‘cassingles’, with a variety of card stocks available.
Click here to find out more about our printed card cassette slipcase O-card printing
Cassette tape mailers
To assist with posting your tapes out, you may wish to consider our card mailers, specifically made to fit a single cassette in a plastic case or O-card. They are strong, rigid, give better protection than a bubble envelope or Jiffy bag and will allow your cassettes to be sent as a large letter size in the UK.
They can either be added to your order for £0.23+VAT each, or can be ordered individually from our online store: www.retrostylemedia.co.uk
Artwork template downloads
Cassette tape Sticker printing template downloads (also suitable for editing in Photoshop)
Cassette tape on-body printing template downloads (also suitable for editing in Photoshop)
The yellow areas show the artwork area to be printed. Please select between standard printing or full coverage printing when downloading a template (the prices vary depending on coverage, please see our on-body printing pricing table). Generally if printing on anything other than white, cream or grey tapes, we will add a white base layer beneath colours so that the colours come out accurately and are not affected by the shade of the tape shell behind. If you would only like a partial white layer or would only like your artwork to be printed in white then please supply a separate copy of the artwork for the white layer only (with white print in the file name so that we can easily identify it as being a white print), with the white area to be printed using a solid black colour (essentially white colours are never printed in artwork and for us to print a white base layer we load up a specific file with the black in the file representing the white layer to print). The same is true if you would like a spot gloss layer applied, please supply another copy of the file with gloss print in the file name with the black area showing where the gloss should be printed. This may mean that if some areas are just printed white, some areas are full colour and some bits have a spot gloss then you would need to supply three different artwork files per side, one for the white, one for the colour and black areas and one for the gloss areas.
Standard cassette case insert ‘J-card’ artwork templates
The standard cassette case ‘J-card’ front insert artwork is as follows:
Cassette case J-card artwork template downloads (also suitable for editing in Photoshop)
- Photoshop standard cassette case J-card front template
- Photoshop standard cassette case J-card inside template
Extended cassette case J-card artwork templates with additional panels downloads (also suitable for editing in Photoshop)
If you require additional panels for your cassette J-card inserts, then you can add up to five additional fold-out pages by using the templates below. Each page is printed full colour on both sides, so for example three pages actually give up to six sides of additional artwork content and each additional double-sided page costs an additional £0.12+VAT per cassette (so a full five additional pages would add £0.60+VAT per tape). In the artwork templates below, just fill in the additional panels of artwork that you require and leave any others blank that aren’t required (please always fill in +1 as the first extra panel, then +2 and +3 if required). Please only use the five extra panel template if you are going for four or five extra panels, otherwise please use the three extra panel template.
- Photoshop extended cassette case J-card front template (up to 3 extra panels)
- Photoshop extended cassette case J-card inside template (up to 3 extra panels)
- Photoshop PDF extended cassette case J-card front template (up to 5 extra panels)
- Photoshop PDF extended cassette case J-card inside template (up to 5 extra panels)
The journey of a cassette tape during manufacture
Have a quick tour in less than a minute through our cassette tape production process at Band CDs.
Footage taken and produced by the very talented folk at https://mescaline.co/
Chrome tape option
Unfortunately we are currently unable to wind tapes with higher quality chrome 'Type II' tape as the world has basically run out of it and it hasn't been produced for many years. We ran out of stock in early 2019. Our current tapes are however being wound with a higher quality and thicker 'super ferric' tape that is close to chrome in terms of quality.
If chrome reel does end up being manufactured again then we will of course start adding it as an option.
How are the cassettes recorded and what is the quality like?
We record all of our tapes in real-time from a master CD for the best sound quality. We run twenty eight active decks, allowing us to record over fifty tapes at a time and the decks are regularly serviced and calibrated to keep them in the best recording condition.
Click here to find out more about the setup and some the technical specifications that we work to.
Important note about the tape styles that we stock
Blank cassette production worldwide is very limited and stocks of our coloured tapes can be restricted and cannot be guaranteed, so please check before ordering as some are discontinued styles that may not be available again. However conversely, some new batches are produced from time to time, so we may be able to source alternative styles or other colours if required.
Special offer on cassette tape presentation frames
When placing a cassette order with us, you can get 50% off our cassette tape presentation frames when using the tapes from your order and being ordered and delivered at the same time as your main tape order. The frames are fully finished, ready to hang and include additional copies of your release and can even be provided with a full colour printed metal plaque with your artwork on to celebrate the cassette release or as a memento for the band members. The frames can include both a copy of the tape and also the packaging and are available in black or white borders with black or white backgrounds.
Click to find out more about our cassette tape presentation frames
Add some full colour printed guitar picks
When placing an order with us, why not add some custom printed guitar picks with your band logo on? The picks are available in different thicknesses for acoustic/electric and bass guitars and also lots of different base colours. We can then print full colour on-body artwork with partial white base layers and spot gloss layers if required. Ideal for not only playing with, but also for merch stands, added value online CD/cassette/vinyl sales or freebies for fans.
Click to find out more about our full colour printed custom guitar picks
Do you need a barcode?
If you will be selling your cassettes through a retail store then you will probably need to register a unique barcode for your release and apply it to the rear outer artwork of your product to make it possible for them to sell via their product barcode scanner.
In Europe we use the EAN 13 barcode system and in North America the UPC system is used. We can register an EAN 13 barcode for you and embed the barcode graphic within your cassette packaging artwork for just £12+VAT. The only information that we will require from you will be the name of the band/artist and the title of the release, then just leave a suitable space in your artwork and we will register the barcode and add it to your artwork for you, all for just £12+VAT.
For further information about barcodes, please read our barcode FAQs.
Delivery
The above prices include courier delivery fees to a single UK address. International delivery can be arranged, please click here to view our overseas delivery rates.
How to place an order or request a sample
The best way to place your order or request a custom printed sample is to complete our ONLINE ORDER FORM
However there are also three other main ways in which you can get your contents and artwork across to us:
1. By email If the artwork (and contents if we are burning the discs for you) are less than 10MB then you can email them to us here.
2. By uploading online Any size of files can be uploaded to us free of charge online via our WeTransfer upload - please remember to provide your order details (band name, type of cassettes required, packaging type, total order quantity and delivery address) in the information field when uploading.
3. By post Please send your artwork (and contents if we are recording the tapes for you) to: Disc Production Manager, Wizbit Internet Services Ltd, Keppel K1, Daedalus Park, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, PO13 9FX
Payment for orders
Payment is required before production of the order. Once we have received your artwork files (and audio contents if also being recorded) and verified that they are ready for production then we will email an invoice across to you that can be paid by cheque, BACS, PayPal or credit/debit card. If you have already been sent an invoice then please click on the link below to pay for your order by credit or debit card:
Cassette name place holders and letter racks
Available now on our sister site, RetroStyleMedia.co.uk are some unique items that we have developed ourselves, including a cassette tape letter rack and cassette tape name place holders that are each available with 32 different mix and match cassette tape colours to help fit your décor or colour scheme. Just click on a picture below to visit the relevant page to view pricing and options:
Any questions?
There are often many questions that customers may have that are not answered above, in which case please do not hesitate to pick up the phone or email us and we will try to help. Our contact details can be found here.
We also have an extensive CD and cassette production FAQs section which may help to answer your questions.
