Do you ever think that "skins" will ever make it over to vintage audio gear??

[bergun]

Today at work, a friend had his iPhone covered in a red metallic "skin." After inspecting the phone and only after looking hard and very close did I see where the "skin" was trimmed back. It even appeared to be or have a very realistic metallic look and feel to this product. He even ran a key over it, lightly, several times with no visible damage afterwards.

With that said, I know that us "vintage gear-heads" are basically a very small group of individuals, which I'm pretty sure that any large manufacture(s) wouldn't pay any attention to, but say a more smaller type of Ma & Pa business? After thinking more about this, I think that the only show-stopper to this would be the reapplying of a factory correct looking silk screening of the factory markings to the skin after it was applied... And possibly applying a protective coat/finish to protect the finished product. If they could make a metallic red, I'm sure other colors and shades would be possible.

Personally, if this was to ever become a reality, I would love to see my battle scared MX-1000 and CX-100 in a passible stainless/silver finish.

I would easily pay $200 (US) or more for each unit to be professionally refinished since IMHO, would give my equipment a new life... I know many are OK with scared and dinged up equipment, but at the same time, I'm sure that there are many, like me, who are visual and that cosmetic "issues" bother us... Or at least me and my OCD condition.

Also, I feel in the long run, this would be far better process that using a high grade automobile paint that some are using now.

So!! Do you think that this might be an realistic option in the near future or just another useless dream??

 

[Chris Brown]

Well, like you said I don't think the vintage market is big enough for anyone to target. If there was a way to have a custom skin done that wasn't too expensive it would be very intriguing. One of my Yamaha P2201 amps is pretty dinged up after having apparently spent years on the road. I wouldn't mind a nice cosmetic restoration. All I've done so far is use a paint pen on the dents but it didn't really help all that much.

 

[avionic]

I would love to see my battle scared MX-1000 and CX-100 in a passible stainless/silver finish.

Your warped..

 

[brutal]

Well, like you said I don't think the vintage market is big enough for anyone to target. If there was a way to have a custom skin done that wasn't too expensive it would be very intriguing. One of my Yamaha P2201 amps is pretty dinged up after having apparently spent years on the road. I wouldn't mind a nice cosmetic restoration. All I've done so far is use a paint pen on the dents but it didn't really help all that much.

Thoroughly clean/de-grease and use birchwood casey aluminum black.

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Thoroughly clean/de-grease and use birchwood casey aluminum black.

Good stuff.

Cheers,
James

 

[Pio1980]

Sorry, don't see the point doing this.

 

[restorer-john]

When the gear is trashed cosmetically, why not? Make it look any way you want.

Some of those lovely automotive colors would look awesome on vintage gear. One day, when I've got nothing better to do, I'll do something like that on an amp I have several of, just for fun. Pimp them basically.

 

[OMGCat!]

You can vinyl wrap anything you want. I've seen cars done in all sorts of colors and textures but it apparently takes some practice to get just right though when an experienced person does the job it's nearly blemish free.
To get the lettering you'd just need some laser cut decals made.
I'm not sure if they have brushed aluminum vinyl but I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[amr2]

Maybe with something like this...

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Brushed-Aluminum-Air-Release-Including/dp/B01MTL08BD/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1510863244&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=BRUSHED+ALUMINUM+vinyl&th=1

 

[RamblinE]

Phone skins and car skins are all some sort of vinyl product from 3M. You should be able to get a roll of whatever color you want and carefully apply it to your gear. Just clean it off first then take your time to work out bubbles.

I seem to remember a year or two ago somebody wrapped his Pioneer BS22 speakers in orange 3M vinyl rap and it looked awesome.

 

[avionic]

Do it in plaid... I dare you !

 

[OMGCat!]

Plaid NS2000s. Still better than painted pink and blue ones.

 

[fernarias]

Someone with a machine shop could make your faceplate. Then someone with a anodized aluminum shop could anodize it black. Then someone with a laser engraver could put the white letters on your faceplate. The only problem is cost. It would cost more than 200 dollars. On some high end gear and with someone with money it's possible. The Marantz faceplates are easy and they are selling for less than 200 shipped(silver or black).

 

[Roboturner91]

There was a thread here a good while back with a CR-1020 or 2020 (can't remember which) that had a vinyl skin on the faceplate that made it a "factory" (well, factory-looking) black. It was nice-looking too.