The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi All,

I am wondering how straight forward it would be to change the colour of a pedal steel guitar? I know very little, so please assume and forgive my ignorance on this front.

1. Is Mica something that can be replaced, removed, covered? (Is it essentially a vinyl wrap?)

2. If it was replaced with paint and lacquer, what preparation would need to be done to enable this? just sanding back to give a clean surface?

3. With specific regard to Steels like Emmons' LeGrandes that have a decal on the face panel, if the Mica was removed, would I need to get a new decal made up, or can these be semi-easily sourced?

4. And finally, if you found out someone had done this to a pedal steel you were interested in buying, would it put you off?

Kindest,

Declan

1. Yes. Mica can be replaced, but it's best left to a cabinet maker, steel builder or someone who knows how to do it. It's kind of a job to remove the old mica and clean up the cabinet properly for new mica install.

No, it's not vinyl wrap.

2. Wood preparation is the same for any refinish job. In both 1 and 2 scenarios, the guitar must be disassembled for the work.

3. Yes, there's no way to save a decal or water slide for re-use. You can buy replacements from a mfg. that's still in business. Nowadays, there are folks that can reproduce a decal that's unavailable anywhere.

4. No, if it's done professionally and is something appealing the modification wouldn't put me off. But, there are those that would scream bloody murder if even one aspect of the guitar has been altered.

Concerning vinyl wrap, here are 2 guitars that I wrapped over the bland woodgrain mica. This is no picnic either. It requires some disassembly, such as necks and keyheads, for an effective job.

On the upside, it is reversible. I sold both of these guitars. The Zum buyer was prepared to strip the vinyl until he saw it in person and decided it looked just fine.

Jerry Overstreet wrote: Concerning vinyl wrap, here are 2 guitars that I wrapped over the bland woodgrain mica. This is no picnic either. It requires some disassembly, such as necks and keyheads, for an effective job.

I've vinyl wrapped a couple...a BMI I later sold to Patrick Timmins of the Seattle pedal steel shop (he removed the vinyl as it tore when he was working on it) and my Mullen G2. Jerry's correct, it's no picnic! To get a professional looking result, I had to pull the neck, tuners, changer...everything from the top deck to get a completely flat surface to work on. Of course I also had to replace the front decals though that wasn't a big deal as Mullen sells replacements.

I love my vinyl wrapped G2, but I only record in my studio and don't gig. Even though I used the most durable snowboard vinyl wrap I could find, I have little confidence it would survive the bumps and scrapes of live performance without tearing or getting damaged.

If you're planning on taking your PSG out to play in the real world, I wouldn't recommend a vinyl wrap. If you're looking to play in a controlled environment, it can be a great way to get the exact one-of-a-kind finish you want, though you're going to need skills to successfully disassemble and reassemble nearly the entire instrument.

I'd refer you to my original thread where I discuss the process and many others share about their vinyl wrap experiences also

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... ight=vinyl

Here's a couple pix of my Mullen and the BMI I wrapped...

Jerry - Thank you for the great and detailed information. It's very much appreciated.

Dennis - Your Steel looks incredible, very distinct and done with professionalism and character. Thanks for your reply.

Declan Jenkins wrote: Dennis - Your Steel looks incredible, very distinct and done with professionalism and character. Thanks for your reply.

Thanks Declan! If you end up deciding to do a vinyl wrap send me a PM, I'd be happy to help guide you through the minefield

My conversion of a red 2004 MSA Millennium to black carbon-fiber vinyl wrap.

I can't really say yes to changing my steel's color because since my steel is a black Jackson Blackjack Custom, it will stay black, because I love its' color and also because it's showing respect to the Jackson Steel Guitar Company. My steel is a solid black color.