# Vinyl wrap as a finish?



## narad (Apr 18, 2017)

Anyone that's into cars has probably noticed the huge trend over the past 5 years or so in the exotic car customization scene to use wraps instead of refinishes. These tend to be on the extreme side of things, so the number of cool wraps has really shot up -- mirror chrome, chameleon, carbon, mattes, and any combination of the above.

Why hasn't vinyl ever happened as an alternative to fancy guitar finishes? Is it difficult to do? It seems a lot cheaper in terms of materials, but an outfit like Aristides still does their chameleon colors in paint.

Like I'm tempted to say this would look awesome on a more extreme guitar shape:






I mean, actually not that far off from a Trussart now that I think of it


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 18, 2017)

I think it's a perception thing. Not to mention I doubt many builders have considered it.


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## Dcm81 (Apr 18, 2017)

Not really new - but like Max says (if I get his gist), it's generally considered as cheap....personally I think it's a nice alternative to spending hundreds on a new paint-job. With some clear coat over the top you can't even tell the difference when it comes to some graphics (esp. solid colours) and it won't start peeling off.


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## marcwormjim (Apr 18, 2017)

I've put vinyl tops on a few guitars. It's crucial to consider beforehand how flat some designs will look in-person. Other than that, the "mah tonewood" crowd will continue to keep something this simple, practical, and convenient from catching on.


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## narad (Apr 18, 2017)

By how flat some designs will look, you mean when there's like a vinyl graphic / something more than just a single color or pattern?


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## marcwormjim (Apr 18, 2017)

Right. They sell wraps printed with 2D textures and wood grains that just look wrong, in-person. Many of the colored flamed grains, for example, are just low-resolution photos that have been tinted in a program one rung above MS Paint (Fades and bursts look even less realistic).Then it's printed at a scale that apparently isn't 1:1, and you end up with a decal that demands a polished clear-coat as necessary for the illusion.


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## narad (Apr 18, 2017)

Ah gotcha. In this case I'm more interested in wraps of these weird optical effects like mirror and color-change, and sort of prismatic things. So I guess that's not an issue here, but I guess I would be worried about other things -- like seams? -- that were probably fairly easy to hide in the 2d textured case.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Apr 18, 2017)

Haha, I was literally thinking of doing this just a few weeks ago. I may be getting a sweet little Mazda in a few months from someone I know, just needs some body work. So I was looking around at these wraps, and plan on trying to do it myself. While I was at it I thought if I have any left over, why not try it on a guitar? I have nothing against covering the wood in an opaque color, paint jobs (and presumably wrap jobs) to me look just as great if done right and tastefully as a natural wood finish, and would certainly have a place to hang on my wall along side my other guitars. 

I think the problem is in the complexity of wrapping such a shape. With a car, you can break it down into panels, where there is an edge that gets cut off all the way around and tucked behind, section by section, so the over all car can have the impression of a smooth continuous finish with all the unsightly edges and glue beads that seal them hidden away. But with a guitar it'd be nearly impossible to wrap it in a seamless finish. It'd have to have a seam, probably around the edge, and as you handle and play it you run the risk of having the wrap start to peel up where you rub against it. 

Seems like it'd be more practical to wrap a single part that allows the edge to be tucked under and hidden, like just doing the pick guard, or if the entire front face of the guitar were removable like how some guys make the front face of the body with engraved copper or leather, but just wrap that face piece in a nice matte or colored chrome or something...

It's definitely got potential.


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## LiveOVErdrive (Apr 18, 2017)

Suddenly I need to build a mirror-top Iceman


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## bostjan (Apr 18, 2017)

I bet it can be done tastefully. I tried it on one of my first guitars years ago to get a mirrored finish in a lazy cheap teenager way, and it looked like ass. But I'm convinced that I failed because I had no experience and I didn't take my time. I'm sure you can pull it off. Maybe you can do a test swatch on a piece of old wood just to see how it'd turn out. You'd still probably have to clear coat a dozen times to get that professional look, though, and, IMO, that's the part that's the most work and the most prone to issues.


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## KnightBrolaire (Apr 18, 2017)

I've vinyl wrappped some small parts on my guitars like pickup rings, pickguards, knobs and cavity covers. It's pretty easy to do, all you need really is a credit card to scrape out air bubbles and to make sure that your pieces have no easily visible seam. I haven't tried clear coating the vinyl yet but I'm sure it'd be fine if you use spraymax 2k or other actual automotive clear coat.


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## cardinal (Apr 18, 2017)

Yeah, I've used it to wrap smaller parts and pickguards. Works well. I might do it to a headstock as well (easier than painting it black).

With a guitar body, there's no way to avoid a seem. But if you burst the edges, I don't see why it won't work. Car guys shoot clear over vinyl no problem. 

I actually though guitar companies already are doing this? You can get some pretty cheap guitars with complex graphics. I've always assumed that it's printed to vinyl and then painted to hide seems. Is there another way to do it?


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## Mr_Mar10 (Apr 18, 2017)

I just hello kittyd my gf's cheapo les Paul (pic attached for lolz )

My thoughts:

the printed ones don't take spray lacquer very well. I had to hand brush it with acrylic lacquer in the end. It looks nice & glossy now

The edges are some work. I trimmed it flush with a modelling knife & used brushed on thinned super glue to get the edges tight... I've wrapped a few things & the only bug for me is always edges!! On something flatter its always easy to tuck under panels etc not so simple on the edge of a solid lump lol

Post some pics if u do it


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## LiveOVErdrive (Apr 18, 2017)

That hello kitty guitar is amazing.


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## Mr_Mar10 (Apr 18, 2017)

Haha. Cheers bud.  i suggested marvel heroes/wonderwoman but she wanted kittys so it was done


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 18, 2017)

ive been vinyl wrapping everything from videogame systems to car parts for a few years.

here are some pics when i did my rg8 a few years ago...

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/showthread.php?t=220004&page=8


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## A-Branger (Apr 18, 2017)

I was thinking to refinish an old LTD guitar I have with it, using like a chrome magenta or something flashy like that since I got a mate who does wraps for cars. Problem is that my guitar is an LTD F-50, so a lot of contours and weird shape, like someone else already mention the wrap wont be able to seamless wrap a 3D object like a guitar. 

With some heat you can stretch the material to fit odd shapes, but its still a 2D square sheet trying to wrap a 3D object. You either do only the top of the guitar, or would have a joint line in the back of it and in the edges. Think about it like wrapping a xmas present with paper, you are going to have a seam somewhere

Sad as I really dig my F-50 guitar on a shiny pinky finish


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## penguin_316 (Apr 18, 2017)

The general problem is the complex shape of a guitar. To do a full body wrap without any seams or wrinkles is going to be virtually impossible. A vinyl top or something would be fine.

Also, when you vinyl wrap things you generally need to tuck the edge around the object to get it to stay. Maybe wrap a guitar top and then glue it on? I dunno, something to consider, since you will be rubbing your arm across it constantly.

I bought a spray setup and have been plastidipping +platidip glossing guitars. With proper prep it's really legit and has no impact on tone. Much thinner finish than paint+thick liquor.


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## KnightBrolaire (Apr 18, 2017)

A lot of vinyl wraps have adhesive backs so you can literally stick it, cut off the excess and call it a day


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## penguin_316 (Apr 21, 2017)

You could do that, and have an unprotected edge that will peel over time due to playing/handling the instrument.

Not to mention it wouldn't look very high end with an exposed edge. When you wrap car parts, you tuck the edge for a professional finish. Anything less will look amatuer imo...


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## narad (Apr 21, 2017)

Just need to start building guitar bodies with little recessed edges for the vinyl tucking...


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## penguin_316 (Apr 21, 2017)

You could hide it in the binding, should be easy enough.


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## A-Branger (Apr 21, 2017)

penguin_316 said:


> You could hide it in the binding, should be easy enough.



or just made the binding with a thin strip of vinyl too


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## bostjan (Apr 21, 2017)

What if you did vinyl wrap, then put a "burst" over it to hide the seams, and then clearcoat?

Or, for that matter, do a two-color vinyl wrap, where the sides are darker or whatever, and tuck the top and back seams under the side vinyl.

I mean, there should be tons of ways to pull it off, but the more I think about it, the more it seems like making the vinyl wrap look nice may be just as difficult as painting the guitar a nice-looking colour anyway.


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## SevenStringJones (Apr 21, 2017)

narad said:


> Ah gotcha. In this case I'm more interested in wraps of these weird optical effects like mirror and color-change, and sort of prismatic things. So I guess that's not an issue here, but I guess I would be worried about other things -- like seams? -- that were probably fairly easy to hide in the 2d textured case.



If you're looking for color shifting removable coatings you may want to check out Autoflex Coatings. They're designed for the automotive industry but the color combinations are basically endless with the selection of pearls available.

Only downside is that you need professional level spraying systems to achieve a good result.

http://www.autoflexcoatings.com/


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## bostjan (Apr 21, 2017)

SevenStringJones said:


> If you're looking for color shifting removable coatings you may want to check out Autoflex Coatings. They're designed for the automotive industry but the color combinations are basically endless with the selection of pearls available.
> 
> Only downside is that you need professional level spraying systems to achieve a good result.
> 
> http://www.autoflexcoatings.com/



Those greens really pop!



(PS bring back the original  smiley)


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Apr 21, 2017)

A friend of mine makes skins for drumz & guitar pickups, hit him up & see if he's up for your idea.

http://www.sicskinz.com/pickupskins.html


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## Pikka Bird (Apr 22, 2017)

TonyFlyingSquirrel said:


> A friend of mine makes skins for drumz & guitar pickups, hit him up & see if he's up for your idea.
> 
> http://www.sicskinz.com/pickupskins.html



Is he a good enough friend that you can tell him to stop using BS mockups and do proper photos? Spend just one "skin" per design for the product shots instead of just doing very obvious composited images.


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## narad (Apr 22, 2017)

Pikka Bird said:


> Is he a good enough friend that you can tell him to stop using BS mockups and do proper photos? Spend just one "skin" per design for the product shots instead of just doing very obvious composited images.



OoOo snap! But yea, my thought is he needs to get some better designs. It's not the 80s -- there's probably like 10 people that want tiger print pickup covers and I'm not sure if they use the internet.


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## marcwormjim (Apr 22, 2017)

The cow stickers excited me.


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## neun Arme (Apr 23, 2017)

marcwormjim said:


> The cow stickers excited me.


+1


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 24, 2017)

ran across this guitar, reminded me of this thread...

https://reverb.com/item/4349722-esp...limited-electric-guitar-carbon-w-case-and-coa


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## narad (Apr 25, 2017)

Ah cool - for the price though I wonder if it is vinyl? That would kind of be a bummer coming from ESP's most elite custom shop models.


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## feraledge (Apr 25, 2017)

It's not vinyl. 


> The body of this guitar is made of Anigre with a real carbon fiber custom finish.


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