Editing Acetate disc (section)

{{Short description|Type of phonograph record}}
[[File:Acetates various sizes.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Acetates of 12", 10", 7" sizes]]
An '''acetate disc''' (also known as a ''lacquer'', ''test acetate'', ''[[dubplate]]'', or ''[[transcription disc]]'') is a type of [[phonograph record]] generally used from the 1930s to the late 1950s for recording and broadcast purposes. Despite their name, "acetate" discs do not contain any [[acetate]].

Lacquer-coated discs are used for the [[production of phonograph records|production of records]]. Unlike ordinary vinyl records, which are quickly formed from lumps of plastic by a mass-production molding process, a lacquer master or acetate (instantaneous record) is created by using a [[Disc cutting lathe|recording lathe]] to cut an audio-signal-modulated groove into its surface – a sequential operation requiring expensive, delicate equipment and expert skill for good results.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.obsoletemedia.org/acetate/ |title=Acetate / lacquer disc (late 1920s – ) – Museum of Obsolete Media |website=www.obsoletemedia.org |date=28 January 2016 |language=en-GB |access-date=2018-08-31}}</ref>

In addition to their use in the creation of masters, lacquers were widely used for many purposes before magnetic tape recorders became common, and in the modern era they are used by dance music DJs. They were used in [[radio broadcasting]] to archive live broadcasts, pre-record local programming, delay network feeds for broadcast at a later time, and provide programming "from home" on the [[Armed Forces Radio Network]]. They were used extensively in Jamaica by [[Sound system (Jamaican)|sound system]] operators in the late 1940s and 1950s. Acetates were often used as "demos" of new recordings by artists and record labels. Some acetates are highly prized for their rarity, especially when they contain unpublished material.