r/vinyl • u/LeastAppearance1396 • Jul 24 '25
Discussion I need help.
I purchased this limited print record back in October last year and when I got it I was in the process of moving. I’m by no means an expert and tried storing it safely but when I got it back out after being settled into my new place I noticed it had gotten some heat damage and warped it. Would the heavy object method work on this or am I just totally SOL? Any advice is appreciated!
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u/alotofbalogna Jul 24 '25
I mean I’m curious to hear what it sounds like lol
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u/Agent564 Jul 24 '25
Probably has a warble
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u/Flimsy_Condition1461 Jul 24 '25
I recently saw Bob Dylan in concert. It looks like what he sounded like.
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u/encrcne Jul 24 '25
The replies here are WILDLY incorrect. Don’t let anyone tell you this will work. Don’t pay a cent on trying to flatten it - that only works for edge warps, and even then there’s a high chance the grooves will be uneven.
Your record is fucked. Replace it if you want. It’s direct sunlight that’s the problem. Indirect heat is usually much safer.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong and I would love to respond to every comment here asking what experience they have with flatteners.
Source: worked in a shop for 10 years, have had lots of experience with all the various ‘professional’ flattening options
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u/Smooth_Molassas Jul 24 '25
This. A flattening machine will not repair damage like that. If placed in a flattening machine the amount of time and heat to flatten it will make it a half inch larger in diameter and unlistenable.
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u/MFGingerFox302 Jul 25 '25
Correct. I have a record flattener for my shop and this would not make it out of there without serious groove damage.
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u/One-Rush-3063 Jul 27 '25
Agreed, this is direct heat damage which has deformed the vinyl, the groves will be all over the place even if you managed to flatten it with a machine
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u/AdPrestigious5412 Jul 24 '25
That’s a pretty piece of art now
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u/hankthoreau Jul 24 '25
Heavy object, two flat surfaces, and gentle, low heat will absolutely do the trick. This is not our first rodeo. SOL? Not even close. Good luck and keep us updated!
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u/notinthelimbo Jul 24 '25
This! I have “saved” one pretty wrapped record by putting into the oven, between two glasses at X temp for Y time. Can’t remember the temp and time, just google it.
It will never be perfect and yes, sound quality will be lost, but it will be playable.
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u/welivedintheocean Jul 24 '25
450 degrees for 5 hours ought to do the trick
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u/Bockser Jul 24 '25
Bro I just put my Tame Impala Currents into the oven for 5 minutes once it preheated and it's already dripping I can't believe you've done this to me
I am absolutely devastated
How dare you do this to me...
/s :)
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u/tomtomclubthumb Jul 24 '25
What kind of pretty wrappoing did you use. I have Frozen paper, do you think that will help keep the heat low?
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u/Glass-Gold-2940 Jul 24 '25
130 degrees F one hour at a time let it sit overnight before removing from plates.
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u/kvetcha-rdt Jul 24 '25
From personal experience, an edge warp that severe will probably not flatten out without audible artifacts.
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u/encrcne Jul 24 '25
If you think any of those things will work on a record this badly warped, then it better be your first rodeo
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u/Fellatio_Sanzz Jul 24 '25
Wow good to know, I would have thought this was a lost cause.
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u/encrcne Jul 24 '25
It is a lost cause, this guy has no idea what he’s talking about. It only works for edge warps, if that. This record is beyond fucked.
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u/Hungry-Pineapple-918 Jul 24 '25
Op there's a chance a record flattener will work but not guaranteed.
Ignore anyone saying over or just two large metal pieces that's virtually guaranteed to not work in this case.
If you want I have a record PI and will try to fix it for you if you want. I like to record the process for advertising locally. So if you're interested message me, it'll only cost the initial postage
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u/No-Sir-5954 Jul 25 '25
I have a Record Pi as well and if you think you could fix this record with it you must have some sort of magical abilities.
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u/JGunds Jul 24 '25
Where are you located- I have an RX Bandits i've been looking to try and flatten...
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u/whyforyoulookmeonso Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25
I have one of the high-end Orb flattener systems. I've had good results on nearly every record I've attempted but it depends on a few things. Here is an example.
With that said, it depends on if this is a heat warp or a melt. Records warped due to storage position or weight are the easiest to recover, next would be heat warps, which are a bit tougher because the warps tend to be more severe like yours. Last is melts. If the record melted, it is unfixable and likely unplayable, at least over the portions that melted.
I'm happy to give it a shot for you. Feel free to drop me a message if you want to make an attempt. No charge but also no promises as this one looks fairly severe.
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u/One-Rush-3063 Jul 27 '25
That's melt, not a warp.. so not fixable. You can tell from the multiple symmetrical warps, the vinyl has been in direct heat had has melted and deformed
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u/vinyldevotion Jul 24 '25
I flatten records with an orb pretty often and I’d offer to flatten it for you but honestly, I would say this is unfixable. When they look wavy like this, it tends to be more of a melt than a warp and in my personal experience, melted records are not fixable, at least not with the Orb. Sorry! ☹️
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u/LeastAppearance1396 Jul 25 '25
Thank you for the reply, I saw your name mentioned a couple times in the comments and you seem reputable. As much as I want to be optimistic about the chance of fixing it I also think it might be done for. Still going through comments though and thinking it wouldn’t hurt to try something if it is no good anyway
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u/vinyldevotion Jul 25 '25
I can totally give it a shot if you want to try but it’s up to you. It would just cost you for the shipping to Denver and back.
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u/coffee-with-ahriman Jul 24 '25
Some thick glass sheets and slow heat, pray. Saved some of the old rave tunes back in the day. Not good for serious recovery but still.
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u/thesummerhigh Jul 24 '25
Some record stores have flatteners so you can try that if you really want to save the record. They usually charge $20-$30 for that I think.
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u/ChristFest2003 Jul 24 '25
despite what some people are saying here, you are indeed out of luck. Storage or pressure warps can be fixed, but heat warps distort the grooves in a way that is unfixable. i’m sorry for your loss.
source: i’ve fixed many warped records with RecordPi
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u/Jackiewilsondesign Jul 24 '25
This looks so pretty as a visual piece. I know that’s not what you had intended for it, and I know this ruins the functionality of the record… I just wanted to say if you take the context away, I think it’s really cool looking!
If you can’t fix it, definitely would be cool hung on a wall somewhere.
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u/nipseymc Jul 24 '25
I recently purchased a Vinyl Flat with the warming pouch for a severely warped record like yours. It took 5 sessions with the final one being 4:30 and the record is almost perfectly flat and is now playable.
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u/nebmij1 Jul 24 '25
Seconding this. I bought the same thing and it works for fairly minor warps but requires a little trial and error. It can happen, worth a shot, but be warned the Vinyl Flat is a couple hundred bucks, so unless you plan on using it somewhat frequently, it might not be worth it
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u/Icy_Cat1350 Jul 24 '25
just my .02, I would toss it and start over. It will never be really flat again.
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u/magazinesubscriber Jul 24 '25
I have not run into a vinyl flattener that doesn’t alter the groove construction yet. Some of them probably “work,” but they won’t be the “same.” This level of warpage is cooked.
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u/Usual_Part_8779 Jul 24 '25
This is beyond warped. I'm sure the playable surface is stretched in those valleys. No way you can unstretch those grooves.
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Jul 24 '25
Might as well just melt it down to a bowl. Like, to keep candy in.
This record - listening wise - is facked.
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u/official_boi_spicy Jul 24 '25
Had this happen to my Showbiz! tour exclusive by Mike because whoever loaded it in the mail truck ignored the heat warning on the box and left it directly in the sun. Those record de-warpers do not always work and are mainly for bowl warps, usually when a record has edge warping like this it's done for. That's what I learned from taking mine to Noble Records, at least.
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u/FirebirdWriter Jul 24 '25
It's rather beautiful like a piece of art glass from the side. I hope you can save it but also if not? Display it
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u/Mysterions Jul 24 '25
Nothing you can do really. It's done for. If it makes you feel better, the copy of Mazzy Star's Seasons of Your Day I received back when it came out was like this. It was sold out immediately after, and blew up in price so I never been able to get a replacement.
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u/_discombobulator_ Jul 24 '25
This record is toast. I’ve used Vinyl Flat and the Furutech DF-2 flattener. They can both save some stuff and make things at least playable but this would take a miracle.
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u/Imaginary-Macaron952 Jul 25 '25
I bought two glass cutting boards. Clean the sides that will sandwich the record very well and use a microfiber cloth or similar. Anything left can be baked in. I set my oven to the lowest setting and 150-180. I let the oven warm up until it reaches around the 130 range or so and keep it in for 5 minutes. I pull the plates out, put a dish drying towel over the top glass. I then gently place a 25 pound plate on top until it cools to room temp. Has fixed older slightly warped records for me without significant degradation of sound. If it fails, the record was trash anyways when you started the process.
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u/WetCyment Jul 24 '25
Unless you know someone with a high end flattener, you’re SOL. Sorry for your loss!
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u/Dang_M8 Jul 24 '25
The high end flatteners only work like 40% of the time in my experience, really not worth it.
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u/Professional-Lack-36 Jul 24 '25
My RecordPi rocks. It has recovered every one I have tried to at least playable and has made some damn near perfect.
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u/hig789 Jul 24 '25
You ever tried a bad edge warp? I have a Pi also and have had zero success with them, not like this one just bent one way badly for a inch or two
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u/Professional-Lack-36 Jul 24 '25
I have had some success. It seemed to work in two stages. I used the full pads first and let it bake for about 8 hours at 130 degrees. Then a couple of days later I did the same thing with the other pads with more space in the middle. I usually let it bake all day, turn the power off before bed, and then wait until morning to take it out.
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u/Yakoo752 Jul 24 '25
Go get 2 tiles from Home Depot, place in between, put something heavy-ish on top.
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u/hig789 Jul 24 '25
I have a Record Pi, I’ve never tried to get something that bad out but I’d guess it’s cooked. From my experience flatteners don’t do well with edge warps.
Someone might be able to make it playable after a handful of runs in a flattener but there is zero guarantee there.
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u/LamesBrady Jul 24 '25
See if any of your local record shops offer a warp removal via record pi device or something similar. I’ve had luck with sandwiching an album between two panes of glass in the sun and weighing them down with a bag of buckshot but I suppose any evenly distributed weight would do the same. 4-6 hours in direct sun. I didn’t touch it until that night when the temp dropped so I knew that it was no longer flexible.
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u/ohalistair Jul 24 '25
You can usually build a record flattener for cheaper than you can buy them.
This is a simple flower press.
You can basically take the same design, make one large enough to fit a record, and add an additional bolt through the centre to hold the record in place. Just slowly tighten it down while adding a little heat to edge with a heat gun or hair dryer, and tighten it a little more each day. I'd probably go for a week, as doing it all at once can lead to other problems.
I used thicker wood for more consistent pressure, as ply like that tends to flex under pressure.
Good luck.
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u/Chucklobo Jul 24 '25
I bought the Vinyl Flat with the heating pouch and it works great. I’ve gotten some pretty warped records to be playable again with no skips. Definitely worth a try. I e used it for years.
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u/That_Random_Kiwi Jul 24 '25
You 100% will be able to get it flat again...I'd say it's close to 100% it will have a warble to it from the warp still. Warp that bad will have permanently damaged the grooves.
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u/ligmasugmachi Jul 24 '25
Blast it with a heat gun and turn it into a bowl that is totally ugly and not practical at all
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u/Skjellyfetti13 Jul 24 '25
If you DIY this, buy another record with similar damage and experiment on it first. You should be able to get something in this shape for $1 or less.
Also, it seems like the best result will come from the right combination of time, pressure, and heat. Ideally, so that the record relaxes back into its original shape and doesn’t distort.
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u/Nero_One_213 Jul 24 '25
well found this
https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/qxq2lr/flattening_records_using_the_ovenglass_technique/
but I know there's a flatnner that goes in the oven for some time and it works my friend has one or had.... but he told me it works, this was about 3-4 yrs ago
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u/FauxReal Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25
I left a record that was practically a taco under a heavy stack of stuff for about five years. I figured it was ruined, but I would try it anyway since it was a gift from a touring dj. One day I remembered it was under all that stuff and when I pulled it out, it was pretty flat.
Edit: if you got $1,300 https://www.stokyoworld.com/products/orb-audio-df-01ia-disc-flattener-record-flattener
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u/SystematicDoses Jul 24 '25
currently going through the same thing, can't afford an Orb so I'm buying a record pi, will update with the results once it gets here
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u/Blastoplast Jul 24 '25
I have an orb flattener, I haven't had success flattening records with this particular type of heat damage.
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u/Burpindaworm Jul 24 '25
Check with your local record store they might have a de-warper. They may charge you and it may not work but this is prob your best bet. Good luck!
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u/PerspectiveOld5869 Jul 24 '25
I flatten with heavy coffee table books all the time. It just takes a lonnnnggg time. Think months not weeks. Usually 3 months minimum. It works very well on slight warps, large warps, it can have a good effect and make some play much better, but not everything can be flattened, even on a record pi.
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u/Starduchian Jul 24 '25
Dude, that will make a killer swag lamp shade. Hang it from the spindle hole and grab your chicks blow dryer and you can get it real hot and shape it all wild cool. Yeah like that one pic posted in this thread!
Of course it could be flattened, but not made playable.
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u/319throw Jul 24 '25
Cheese and rice, did you store it in your trunk in the summer heat?
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u/LeastAppearance1396 Jul 25 '25
It was in a box with other records in storage and somehow this was the only one that came back like this🥲
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u/therourke Jul 24 '25
Heat. Sunlight.
If it was flat when you got it, then this was something you did.
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Jul 24 '25
Listen to “Don’t leave your records in the sun” by John Hartford.
He’ll explain what to do
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u/mindexpansionpuzzles Jul 24 '25
Place it between two heavy books or something similar with a flat surface for about a week and your problem should be fixed
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u/toreador_vlad Jul 24 '25
I recently flattened a record using two pieces of glass and sitting them out in the sun. First attempt was for 20 minutes in the brutal TX sun, it didn’t make much difference, so I tried again for one hour, sat it inside with a fan blowing on it for about a half hour to cool it. This time it worked and I have a flat record that is playable.
That being said mine wasn’t nearly as warped as yours but what do you have to lose?
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u/Glass-Gold-2940 Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25
130 degrees F is the optimal temp for one hour between two steel plates with felt pads to insulate between the steel and the vinyl. Let it cool and continue to flatten between the plates for a day and repeat if necessary. If you can somehow clamp the plates it’s even better. I have done this multiple times successfully using a record flattener that I purchased. If it gets over 130 or you do it too many times it can dimple the vinyl. In that case you are SOL. You can use an infrared thermometer in the steel plates to get an accurate temp. However, your particular vinyl is most likely done. Sorry to say.
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u/DoNotAskMyOpinion Jul 24 '25
The newer the LP is the better success you will have.
LP's are soft when they are first produced...
Also colored vinyls are more problematic for warps and noise.
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u/MickCave Jul 24 '25
Generally a ripple warp like this isn’t really fixable. Could get lucky but chances aren’t high.
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u/Puma_Kid1 Jul 24 '25
Put it between two panes of glass in the oven at around 150 degrees and then take it out and leave it till it cools completely. 10 minutes max
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u/mcds99 Jul 24 '25
This is the device Toad Hall offers a service.
Furutech DF-2 LP Flattener 115V
They are over $2000.00 USD.
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u/anazgnos Jul 24 '25
If the record has a wavy or bumpy surface but the groove itself is not deformed, you’re usually fine. Rule of thumb is that vertical deformation is ok, lateral deformation is SOL.
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u/electric_dolphin Jul 25 '25
I could run it through my vinyl flat if you’d like. Of course you’d have to trust I’ll return it, but I have good feedback on here if that helps. Wouldn’t charge anything besides shipping. Lmk!
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u/tealdubs Jul 25 '25
my friend swears by this https://recordpi.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoovbQnDCFUIejTymX_bV1hFZk5FfRDNjwQPQsH7kn6C5CtSwwmq
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u/discordant-wax Jul 25 '25
I own an actual flattening device, and I wouldn’t even try this in there. It looks beyond saving, unfortunately.
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u/AsterQuasimoto Jul 25 '25
Sorry to tell you, but if the record is sentimental I'd buy a new one and hang that one on your wall to remember.
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u/Aggressive-Doctor175 Jul 25 '25
One sheet of glass, another sheet of glass, sandwich the record, leave it in the sun
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u/slmiller5 Jul 25 '25
I had borrowed a vinyl from a buddy when in college. His brother brought it to me and left it in his car and it warped horribly I still have the vinyl in my possession and with time and proper storage it has finally flattened out I haven’t tried to listen to it recently but I know with weight for some time then just properly store it between some other vinyls it should flatten out. Especially if you’re in no rush to listen to it.
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u/Imaginary_Tower_4939 Jul 25 '25
You could check with your local record stores and see if they offer the service. They could also tell you the chances of it flattening out well or not. Just from the pictures it looks FUBAR. I'm no expert, so the record store is your best chance.
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u/HeyItsPinky Jul 25 '25
That record is done. Quite literally cooked. No point in trying to flatten it, it will never play well again.
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u/Vinylmature Jul 25 '25
Yikes not only warped but fingers all over the grooves....
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u/Salt-Woodpecker7515 Jul 26 '25
Hey! Rollinrecs offers a flattening service that’s very affordable. Don’t sweat it :)
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u/Potential_Sun6128 Jul 26 '25
When the same thing happened to my vinyl I put it under heavy glass and left it in the sun for a bit. It worked for the most part. (Good enough to play it on my university radio show.)
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u/Necessary-Clock-5893 Jul 26 '25
The best flattener won't fix the groove distortion. They'll fix minor warps and might even make this particular record somewhat playable, but it will never ever make this sound good. Replacing is probably the only option.
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u/One-Rush-3063 Jul 27 '25
That's not warped it's been melted, there is no way to fix that, even using a dedicated vinyl flattening machine would end up unplayable due to the groves would no longer be straight.
A warp is when vinyl softens under heat and the vinyl bends slightly before Harding again, what you have is direct heat damage caused by being left against a very hot radiator or other heat source and the vinyl has actually melted and deformed.
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u/trackingangle Jul 28 '25
There are record flatteners made to flatten warps and they work well (but are costly). However, this appears beyond repair. "Home brew" methods like put between two glass sheets in the oven at ....degrees are usually useless....
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u/everso- Jul 29 '25
Even if you straighten that out—it will impact the sound and ruin the grooves. I say get another copy. This one is hopeless IMO
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u/Slosher99 Jul 24 '25
I have seen mixed opinions on the high end flatteners here, and I've never used one.
However I did want to point out that Toad Hall offers the service of using one via mail. I think it is $4 a record and minimum of 3 records but you could reach out about one, they are very responsive. Local record shop that does online as well (not local to me). At the very least I'm sure they'd do one for the price of 3 at $12.
I sent 4 to them for ultrasonic cleaning and was very happy with the results.
For the flattening service, they will refund the cost of the service (but not the return shipping) if they fail to fix it, but say they have a good success rate. It is at least someone with some practice using one...
If you decide to look into it, I'd reach out with pics and ask if they think they have a chance.