Printing (words) on gear?

Dylan · January 24, 2011, 05:56:09 PM

I'm trying to get my instruments to look sexier/more professional. I really want to have text indicating what the pots/switches/whatever do and I'd really rather not just do it with sharpie. Any idea how I would go about getting professional text on there (like this: http://www.diyguitarist.com/Images/Funk-It.jpg)? I'd rather do it myself and not have to send it off somewhere.

Sorry if this has been asked before. I would have searched but I'm strapped for time. . .

voodoolikeudoo · January 24, 2011, 06:06:01 PM

I would have replied properly but i'm strapped for time. I'm sure you know how it is.......

nochtanseenspecht · January 24, 2011, 07:34:05 PM

nochtanseenspecht · January 24, 2011, 07:35:40 PM

maybe water slide decal

Dylan · January 24, 2011, 10:52:48 PM

Quote from: voodoolikeudoo on January 24, 2011, 06:06:01 PM
I would have replied properly but i'm strapped for time. I'm sure you know how it is.......

Sneaky bastard

Back from class. Let the search commence. . .

Bogus Noise · January 26, 2011, 06:11:27 PM

Some people are getting good results by laminating a printed design and gluing it to metal boxes.

I've also seen something called Lazertran (it may actually be water slide decal as mentioned above... not sure). I saw the guy on the link below use it on his SSL compressor clone, and from the pictures it looks pretty sweet! I haven't looked into it enough to know if it'll work on plastic yet, but if you're going for the guitar pedal style then I guess you'll be using metal boxes, and it seems to work pretty nicely on those.

http://gssl.rolandklinkenberg.com/english/3.html

seaweedfactory · February 22, 2011, 06:16:07 PM

Have you considered making stickers? I recently did a design where the entire front panel labeling was replaced with stickers. You can see it here:

http://seaweedfactory.blogspot.com/2011/02/lumberjack-fight.html

I measured each space and produced the design in an image editor, then I had it printed on full-sheet label paper at a print shop. Cover this with clear contact paper and you have very durable stickers. I trimmed the sticker to shape and sanded the area to be covered before applying it. This was a very cheap way to completely relabel an entire machine.

I'm going to try scanning an entire keyboard to create stickers for another project.