Unplggd reader Stacy wrote to us, asking: I'm looking for a unique way to give a mixed CD to a friend for Christmas (a lame gift, I know). I've seen those awesome USB mixed tapes, but does anyone know of a cool-looking blank CD?
Thanks,
Stacy
Stacy, we don't think it's a lame gift, because it takes thought, and thought counts more than anything when it comes to gifts. As for a cool-looking blank CD, hopefully our readers can chime in. For labels and sticker options, check out the information after the jump.
I use MixIt CD stickers. There's a nice selection at the Container Store and select patterns at Seejanework.com.
There's just one drawback: some disc drives are overly sensitive (my new MacBook for one) and the label can actually cause the disc to be "unbalanced." I can only play CDs with them on an actual CD player. This also means I can't get the music from the disc to iTunes and my iPod. Sigh.
view techgirllaura's profile
Ooh! Ooh! I've been using 5inch.com CDs for years and I LOVE them. They're screenprinted, so they'll work in any player, including the slot-loading types that could otherwise tear a label off or any number of other horrors.
They have a nifty christmas set. I gave everyone a mix cd a couple years back using the Happy Holidays disc, thiss is ho it turned out (scroll down for the image):
http://www.artofthemix.org/FindAMix/getcontents.asp?strMixID=98807
view melanie's profile
melanie beat me to it!
5inch is awesome. I haven't used their discs much but they are really good. They look amazing in person. I was going to get them to send my portfolio out when i was looking for work.
The company was created by Carlos Segura, he also owns Segura Inc, a graphic design company. the T-26 type foundry, and a record label.
I met him a couple years ago and he is an amazing man. I went to his studio in chicago and checked it out, it's in an old bank vault, super cool. I'm pretty sure the discs are printed in the basement there. There was huge stacks of them everywhere and some machine setup with them.
Make sure to get some trigger cases with them! Nothing like a kickass screenprinted cd and then a really cool case to go with them.
view jmorey's profile
These are great. Thanks!
view techgirllaura's profile
5inch is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you! I might check out the Container Store too because there's one very close to me.
view st@cy's profile
I don't think that the mix CD is lame. I asked all of my friends for mix CDs one year and then, once I had a selection, gave all of them copies of all the CDs I'd received. Since my list included my parents, a friend who was into angry punk music, an angry ex-boyfriend, and some sweeter other people, it was definitely amusing to get a phone call from my dad asking about the mental state of at least one of the people who'd made me a CD.
I guess now I'd just get a flashdrive and put some music on it to give it to a friend. Then they'd have the flashdrive AND some strange music.
view sciencegeek's profile