Colour for front panel

[hazel]

I'm designing front panel for 2 units of 8 mic preamps (THAT1512 and AD797) and i was thinking about colour to choose.

I mainly record gigs (classical, jazz, opera, etc.) so elegant colour would fit my needs but i would like the design telling "hey i'm DIY but this guy is not a newbie". Well i'm not newbie, i've spent last 14 years recording, mixing, broadcasting, doing gigs (FOH & monitors).

So, which colour do you prefer for front panels? doesn't matter if DIY or commercial products

 

[keefaz]

I like aluminium because it's cheaper and scratch-free somewhat. I also like the solid look it has.

 

[hazel]

Thanks for your answer Keefaz,

please feel free to vote on poll

 

[rob_gould]

I voted 'other' on the basis that I've had natural aluminium, anodised black and anodised blue panels made and they've all looked great, but next for me is something a bit more upbeat I think.  A nice bright anodised red or green perhaps to get a bit more colour in my rack!  Even the gold colour that Schaeffer does might be alright with the correct infill colour and knobs.  Anodised purple could also be cool for something that was a bit wild.

Really it's a matter of taste and the look you want to go for.  It's always easy to make black or natural look sophistication I think.  Going for something brighter is more of a statement and stands out from the crowd much more of course.

 

[hazel]

thanks for answering Rob_Gould

I'm agree with you, i both like classic (black and aluminium as Millenia, API) and modern look.

My first thought about colour was based in the fact i tend to use my DIY gear in dark places so i don't know which is best combination: white letter on dark panel or viceversa.

Elegance factor is also determined by knobs and font used in designing.

 

[helterbelter]

Elegance factor is also determined by knobs and font used in designing.

Absolutely.
Imagine a Focusrite red series design, but then with plastic mediocre knobs. 

The colour for the front panel that I prefer ....  it also depends very much on the colour of the lettering.
My favourites are :
-red anodised with white lettering
-blue anodised with white lettering
-grey anodised with black lettering.

 

[hazel]

-blue anodised with white lettering
-grey anodised with black lettering.

Yeah two of my all-time favorites. Very Pultec-ish

 

[hazel]

People voting for "Other colour"...any comments?

I'm very interested since i have not finished my design yet

 

[Lamouette/rck]

I like colors, blue, green, red, orange, .... It's cool to have lot of color everywhere, and sometimes, easy to associate color to a brand or model. My preference go for green !

 

[pucho812]

I voted for other. Dare to be different.

 

[zayance]

I think that's a personal choice really.
We have anyway been influenced by commercial gear colors for choosing our own no?
So if you want it to look professional, choose the color of the "gear" you like the most in terms of sound, look and whatever in between.
Design the fpd and save different colors, and choose.
Some colors give people's psychologic response, been used so much in commercial "mind control" haha...
So maybe even can search on that side too!! well if you want people to say, "hey his really good in that DIY thing"

On your field, classical/jazz/ Orchestra, nice clean aluminium, with some nice knobs, is what i'll go for, gives a professional, and sturdy look imho ala "Grace Design" or so...


EDIT: Please don't get me wrong, i remember beeing pretty lost when choosing first fpd layout/color etc... even now a little,  what was around got my ideas together, and i just did it going from what was more speaking to me, and changed it to taste.

 

[hazel]

Some colors give people's psychologic response, been used so much in commercial "mind control" haha...
So maybe even can search on that side too!! well if you want people to say, "hey his really good in that DIY thing"

That's the main point, wherever i brought my preamps people just got shocked for sound quality but also for the fact i built it.

By now i have a Krypto Green spray painted front panel with Decal letters on it. People say it's great 'cause it looks hand made and is cute (cute in a "is-the-best-he-can" way, like a volcano science project on high school ) but, let's face it: i want cute gear or gear i'd be proud of?

I want DIY gear:
- sounding great
- looking great but
- DIY looking

 

[hazel]

I voted for other. Dare to be different.

I would like to hear your comments 

 

[pucho812]

to many companies do the usual, black panels, or other common colors. I would like to see more bright studio color offerings.

 

[Gustav]

"Other".

And I have a picture of a 4RU gold front GssL somewhere, if you want to see a real life example of it.  8)

Gustav

 

[hazel]

to many companies do the usual, black panels, or other common colors. I would like to see more bright studio color offerings.

Man, that's what i was thinking...love both classic-but-boring black and stylish-color

And I have a picture of a 4RU gold front GssL somewhere, if you want to see a real life example of it.

Hi Gustav! i must confess your front panels is one of the reasons to open this thread...is this turquoise color real? sometimes cameras makes funny things on colors without proper white balance adjust