Packaging

Hey, this thread really doesn't have anything to do w/recording but I didn't know where else tp post it and I thought maybe someone here could help me out.
I am currently working on a solo cd., I guy who hires me out to play musicals has offered me free studio time in exchange for playing on rehearsal cd's of some musicals he has written. Anyway, my question concerns the options to having to hire out a company to duplicate and package the product, I have a burner, so I'm really not worried about the duplication process, it's more about how to come up with quality looking cd labels and inserts, as well as cds and jewel cases that are of industry standards. I want the product to look professional, not homemade.
Also, will I be saving much money doing the duplication and packaging myself?

There are a bunch of companies who will do duplication, on disk thermal printing, a 6 page booklet and shrink wrapping for you for about $1.20 a disk with min order 1000.

I went the cheep way and used Neto products which was not so posh but 10 times cheaper with no minimum order!

A disk duplicator (batches of 50) will cost about 2K

I think Musician's Friend does professional looking cd duplicaton by the 100's fbut it costs about $2-$3 a cd for the professional looking packs... go to there site to find out

Yeah, that's where it gets expensive, the dreaded minimal order ( sell a 1,000 cds, yeah right, I don't have that many friends).
Can you tell me a little something about this NETO product?

I'm cool w/the duplication, I have a cd duplicator on my stereo, I only really need 10 or so to bring out to each gig.

I used 'em and think they are OK, check out:

http://www.neato.com/ushome.asp?mscsid=79FP48NQ95HV9LCAKB9X3284VNK59JM6

you can buy a test pack before going for like 500 labels!

Thanx for the link!
2 more questions for ya, what about buying the cd's and cases in bulk, an 2) do you think the money you saved was worth it for the packaged product ? In other words, if you did it again would you do anything differently as far as packaging?

I knocked out about 100 and Neato was fine (it took a lot of my time). They weren’t shrink- wrapped but looked OK. The inside booklets were double sided and the glossy paper rocks ! It was a CD single; I used cheap CDs (50 for 12 bucks or something) and jewel cases. It was quite expensive but much cheaper than getting it done commercially. When I finish the album (in a year or two, I’m going to have it mastered professionally) I’m going the commercial rout and pressing 1k. If I manage to sell half of them I will be surprised however I have gone this far!

producing cd´s (once you have a mastertape) is cheap.

i have an old sony pricelist, and a cd (with full 4C booklet, print on the disk and jewelcase) comes at less than 80 cent - and that was 6 years ago! minimum is .. 500? not sure yet.

Honestly, it depends on your budget and demand. Since this is your first solo cd, I would first look at getting a good quality recording and getting it mastered before anything. If you have monye left over that's great. You want people to hear and judge by the quality of the music first. Do it yourself and see how they sell, if your not a commercial artist most people aint gonna care if your cd is packaged like a professional. Use a home burner, photopaper and printer, and a jewel case or sleeve. Make promo packs for clubs and venues. Yeah it's cheap but it's worse when you get a package deal of 500 and only sell a 100 or so. You said yourself, if you think 10 a show is all you'll sell. Unless your playing 50 gigs in the near future it's a bad call. You'll save alot of money trust me, and saving money means you can cut another cd later or if it becomes a hit, send the master to one of these companies and getting it professional packaged. There's no shame in waiting. What I am saying is wait for the reaction of people that hear the cd before you look into having it packaged. If it sells good at your first couple of gigs, have it packaged. And those people who didn't buy a cd the first time when it wasn't packaged because they got a stick up their bumm (just kidding) will see it again and buy the packaged one.