Skin Your Synth (etc.)

I have exactly one yellow musical instrument, and since the moment I unboxed it, I've dreamed about somehow painting it a different color without damaging the controls. Now comes something much slicker.

At StyleFlip.com, you can design your own adhesive vinyl skin for a variety of music gear — turntables, CD players, DJ mixers, drum machines, keyboards and more. (The company says the skins are removable and leave no residue.) The site's Flash-based interface is easy to suss out, and the previews look dramatic.

I stopped short of buying a sticker, as it seemed rather pricey, but I was impressed that a StyleFlip rep called me personally within minutes to answer a technical question I'd emailed.

With so many mass-produced instruments out there, it's great to have an easy way to add some personality. Sure, it's only skin-deep, but even small customizations can change the way you feel about your instruments, deepening your music.