Protecting pedals from velcro?

[mathias]

What do folks do to protect good pedals' finishes from velcro? I used blue painters tape in the past, but we get a ton of it for projects and I've noticed that some rolls are good and some really suck: either the adhesive doesn't stick and the velcro+blue tape stays stuck to the board when you try to remove a pedal, OR it has gummy adhesive that ends up on the finish anyways.

Does anyone use gaffer tape? If so, do they have a brand to recommend? (Preferably one I can get cheap and on Amazon.) the reviews on Amazon for gaffer tape for all the top hits seem like they're varying quality, too, and sometimes worse than what I'd expect.

Or is there something else that I haven't thought of? Feel free to also reply "Just put the velcro on the pedal, you dolt." -- that's valid feedback too

[Psyre]

I've never had issues getting it off. Maybe little bits if hand painted pedals, but the back plate should only be looked at when being opened- otherwise it should be getting curb stomped anyway.

I'm not a flipper though, so I usually value chips and scratches more than the $$ I'd get selling it mint.

It is sad when boss pedals are missing their labels though. Probably wouldn't put velcro on a labeled section.

OCD solution would be buying backplates you can have as interchangeable velcro plates...meh

[Jwar]

Bro just go all in. Get 3M dual lock and say fuck it. I've done that with a few pedals. That shit is the hardest thing in the WORLD to get off. LOL!


If you're worried about re-sale, the only advice I'd offer is keep the velcro semi clean. No one wants a pedal with cat hair mashed in it (especially not me!). Other than that, I dunno. LOL.

What's the reason for the removals? Good finished won't get fucked up by it btw. Only when they are painted cheaper. I've made that fucking mistake many times...

[Jwar]

I've never had issues getting it off.

TWSS

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

i've been using the lil circle dots of velcro more recently. they seem to hold pretty good and come off pretty easily while not covering the whole bottom of the plate anyway. (just put em in the corners)

i used to use the industrial strength velcro and while it holds like a muthaffjfff, getting it off is almost impossible.

[mathias]

Yeah. I could just suck it up. I tend to try to keep my nicer pedals (my newer EQD stuff, my Ct5) cleaner by not putting the velcro right on there. I guess because I always think there's a chance I'll flip everything. (Or those more expensive pedals, especially.) With Reverb, or something, people are a lot more concerned with whether things have velcro and the original box, I've noticed. I never paid attention to that in the past.

I do have cats that like to occasionally sprawl out on the pedalboard when I'm not home. They're weird and I love them. But it does lead to some gross-looking velcro. So I feel what you're saying, jwar (Some of the pedals I've gotten in the mail had something more like body hair than cat hair in the velcro, though. Blech.)

[goroth]

Just get some spare enclosures so you can put fresh backplates on there. If minty-ness is the key then that is the one true way.

[Jwar]

Yeah. I could just suck it up. I tend to try to keep my nicer pedals (my newer EQD stuff, my Ct5) cleaner by not putting the velcro right on there. I guess because I always think there's a chance I'll flip everything. (Or those more expensive pedals, especially.) With Reverb, or something, people are a lot more concerned with whether things have velcro and the original box, I've noticed. I never paid attention to that in the past.

I do have cats that like to occasionally sprawl out on the pedalboard when I'm not home. They're weird and I love them. But it does lead to some gross-looking velcro. So I feel what you're saying, jwar (Some of the pedals I've gotten in the mail had something more like body hair than cat hair in the velcro, though. Blech.)

I look at it this way. The most expensive pedals I own are Toneczar and Ed applies the Dual Lock before he sends them to people. I've never heard anyone complain about it, but I have when people have removed it! LOL!

When I sell on Reverb, regardless of pricing, I always write "comes with free velcro". It's a joke and it's the truth because almost everything I have is getting velcro. That's just how I roll. You know me as well, I've flipped a metric fuck ton of stuff and never once had an issue. I don't consider someone bitching about it an issue, keep that in mind. LOL.

If you don't want to do it, that's ok! Just don't! I like Goroth's suggestion and Dr. Sherms.

If you want to buy spare bottoms though, hit me up first! LOL! I may have extras you can just have.

[mathias]

Also, there's engraved backs on my Ct5 (and Montreal Assmbly Positive, too, now that I think about it) and my new DIRGE RAT. And a few non-pro hand painted pedals like my micro Wolf Computer. Needing to attach all of those is part of where this question came from.

[popvulture]

I've also never had any trouble peeling it off. If there's any residue left, Goo Gone works well, or usually you can just roll it off with your thumb. If there are any labels or anything on the bottom that I don't wanna mess up, I just cut the velcro into strips and go along the sides or whatever.

[Jwar]

Also, there's engraved backs on my Ct5 (and Montreal Assmbly Positive, too, now that I think about it) and my new DIRGE RAT. And a few non-pro hand painted pedals like my micro Wolf Computer. Needing to attach all of those is part of where this question came from.

Use smaller pieces? I cut mine so it doesn't cover the engraving. That's during times I actually care, which is extremely rare. LOL

[mathias]

Quick update here from the lab where I've been doing the mad scientist thing:

I remembered I had a box of those 3M Commander strip things for hanging pictures. They've like industrial velcro -- there's no separate hook and loop side, just the same material that acts as hooks and loops at once. The benefit is, they're supposed to be non-marking on the wall, and they have a little tab you can pull to remove the adhesive.



I put just the strips on the Pedaltrain's fuzzy velcro and it was near impossible to get the strips off -- even more so than the industrial velcro I've used in the past. I stuck 4 of the small ones (pictured above) on my DIRGE RAT to experiment, and the adhesive was lacking -- the strips just stayed on the board when I went to move it. The benefit is that no adhesive stayed on the RAT. But I don't think they're gonna work for me.

Back to blue painters tape and cheap craft store velcro for me

[Jwar]

Dude. LOL! I could have saved you the trouble on that one! LOL!!! I have those in my house and they are so fucking strong that when they eventually fall off (which they do because they are a shit product) they pull the fucking paint with them! hahaha These things are definitely impossible to remove without leaving residue.

[mathias]

Yeah, I remember now, these took chunks, out of the wall when we used them. That was quite a few apartments ago.

Now, we live in an old house so we've got picture wire from hooks up on the moulding, and I prefer that every day. Makes it easy to move art and ensure it stays level, and no damaging the plaster or letting a frame with glass fall to the floor and break (compared to a little nail or these 3M things)

[Jwar]

Yeah, I remember now, these took chunks, out of the wall when we used them. That was quite a few apartments ago.

Now, we live in an old house so we've got picture wire from hooks up on the moulding, and I prefer that every day. Makes it easy to move art and ensure it stays level, and no damaging the plaster or letting a frame with glass fall to the floor and break (compared to a little nail or these 3M things)

I just had a thought and I don't know if it's been mentioned here but what about the bike chain method? It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but with a drill and some time, it'd be well worth it to preserve your pedals.

http://christopherhopper.com/2013/06/ja ... nk-method/