The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a buddy of mine who is getting his MSA auto-wrapped with custom graphics and it looks awesome. I'm not much into the wild graphics but there are some great looking high gloss wraps that really caught my eye. Auto-wraps are also quite cheap to do, preserves the original mica under the wrap and takes only a day to complete. I believe this could be an idea for a great alternative to replacing formica on our steel guitars.

Has anyone on the forum thought about this or is using auto/car wrap on thier mica covered steels? Any experiences or concerns?

Where would you get something like that done? It sure looks slick...

I believe you can have it done at any trusted auto shop that specializes in auto wrap and graphics. You could also have it done in a sign/advertising shop that does custom work.

I have seen a couple of these outfits open locally .. covering vehicles for pizza shops, harley dealers, even fuel oil trucks.. it is a great maketing tool and really looks cool

One of our club members had his Purple Zum SD-10 wrapped with black gloss a couple of months ago.

Unless someone knew, they wouldn't know. He also put a new Zum decal on it.

Very cool.

Just for the tone enhancing qualities!

Here's the finished product.


I'm debating either getting my Carter finished in glossy brandywine (classy) or a candy blue (a real looker).

Decisions....Decisions....

I did this on a double 10 steel guitar I built, it worked great, had it done by a graphic designer, there were so many wraps to choose from, that was my problem, but cost of doing it was relatively cheap.

Hey, Steven, did they have any wood grain wraps? I might like something that looks like a beautiful burgundy wood finish for my blue/gray mica MCI guitar.

Not sure if it's the same stuff, but my son had his delivery truck wrapped with this or similar stuff to advertise for a company. They paid him a few hundred dollars a month for the service, but when they went out of business, they removed the decals.

He's been trying different solutions for over a year, but still hasn't found anything that will easily remove the adhesive residue on the aluminum body.

Everything he tried would only do about a square foot per hour. That would take a long time on a 20 foot box truck! Maybe it comes off Formica easier.

Good thinkin' there, Jim. I hadn't thought that far ahead. That could be a BIG problem!!

That can be done - I can get a price if you let me know what you want on it.

I have had a steel builder give me the mica that he used for his customers steel and I made a seat cover to match.


Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com
plus Road Cases and other stuff

I’ve been thinking about using some of this on a guitar.

http://www.decalfx.com/3d_carbon_fiber_blue_sheets.html

Joe, I built a seat and used rosewood formica on it. It was an experiment and came out looking great. I took it to St Louis and displayed it on the Franklin guitar co table and it was sold within 2 hours (to someone in Nashville). It had boat seat back hinges and a reddish brown cloth covering for the seat and back.

But back to the wraps. That might be an idea for seats? That blue carbon fiber would look sharp on a seat.

I have build a couple with carbon fiber - Black is the most popular still.



Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com
plus Road Cases and other stuff

Reviving this subject to see if more experience has been gained.

-durability
-effects on tone and sustain if any
-best companies to deal with
-thickness of the material

Etc.

Thanks for any comments.

Hi Marty,

This an old one alright.

1) Very Durable
2) No effect on tone. (It's vinyl & not dense)
3) Any local car wrap shop should have you covered
4) Internet says 0.09 mm. Feels like thick paper.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cPnt1qZaj7hMugMJ6 (tone/front view)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wt2JP9ksmuUmeJLL9
(guest try out/top view)

Michael,
Can the wrap be applied and the body be inserted into the endplates without peeling the wrap?

That is beautiful !!! Would you share where/how you obtained it?

Chris, thank you!! Love the color!!

Marty - and others who may be interested.

I originally posted this modification on the CARTER guitar Facebook group.

Sorry for being windy here, but I'd like to share what occurred.

First, I wrapped my Carter front panel because I love the guitar, but have always disliked the front panel color (about the same turquoise as the pedal in the background). A good chunk of my work life is in graphic design - I designed this panel and had it produced by a trusted supplier.

It is self adhesive vinyl with a clear UV protectant laminate. The laminate makes the piece thicker - which makes the installation much easier.

It has NO impact on the tone of the guitar.

FWIW - the vinyl used here is called ARLON Air-Release vinyl Stock # 4600GLX. It IS used on wrapping trucks and cars. It is 3.3mils thick not including the UV over laminate. I found it easy to install because it is 'repositionable' and 'air release'. Repositionable means that it can be lifted and repositioned if it accidently touched the mica before final 'smoothing'. Air release means you can squeeze out bubbles with your fingers without having to prick the bubbles - the bubbles can be squeezed to the edge until they're gone.

This vinyl has a 7 year outdoor duration with the UV laminate. On a steel guitar indoors it should last much longer.

I designed this about 1/4" larger than the face panel all around, laid it on the panel and then used an Exacto knife to trim the edges to the metal trim. It comes with a split in the backing to remove the adhesive cover. I used the split as the center of the panel and then slowly pulled the backing off from center to right and center to left.

My supplier regularly takes this stuff off vehicles using a heat gun and some sort of adhesive release. He indicates that there is no issue with the underlying paint. I'm guessing that mica is a lot more stable than paint if the vinyl should need to be removed.

That's the technique. Now the tale.

Roughly 10 Carter owners contacted me to inquire about creating a personalized front panel for their guitars. My thought was 'what fun'! I offered to design panels for other players using their vision for their instrument. I'd design it and after approval would arrange manufacturing the vinyl and mailing it.

The cost for the vinyl manufacturing and mailing was $40. The charge for my help designing was 'pay me what you think it's worth'.

A number of people started sending me their ideas.

One 'good samaritan' made it clear that if I produced a vinyl for him and somehow he felt that his guitar was damaged or defaced during installation or removal - I would be responsible for the cost of repair.

As I posted, no good deed goes unpunished. I contacted those who expressed interest and told them I decided to not offer the service.

I'd love to help players personalize their instruments if there's a way to do so without risking life and limb.

Interesting tooled leather look wrap Michael. I like that. Good info there on the vinyl materials and the application process too.

Very important that any vinyl used has transfer tape, backing etc.

Seems like a viable option for dressing up the front panel of the relatively unspectacular "bowlin' ball" 'mica found on so many of the old Emmons student model guitars.

Michael,
I sent you a PM.