So, I'm trucking along with my little dolly with my passport perched atop and wham, something comes out of no where, long story short; my Fender Passport PD-150 (the black one) ends up on the sidewalk and gets a little scratched up. Now, beyond the obvious of getting a cover for it... Is there anything I can do to remove the scratches? Magical scratch remover?

Edd

Edd,
I don't know exactly what the finish is like, but with Bose 802 speakers, E/V Sx speakers, and other speakers with a similar, "tiny bumps" plastic housing, I've always used a propane torch. I'm talking about the kind of torch that screws onto the top of a 10-20 oz propane canister. You don't actually touch the speaker with anything except the flame. Enough heat to lightly remove the surface scratch, but not enough heat to leave a "melt mark".
Dan.

Fender makes a cover for the Passport system. I was going to order one when my friend at the music store had an inexpensive one he gave me. I still don't know where it came from. It has the Fender logo, but it is just clear vinyl. It isn't nearly as heavy duty as the one black one that Fender sells. Anyway, it didn't cost me anything, but it is starting to rip now. It fits so tightly that it is ripping at the seams.

Does anyone have the black cover for the Passport system? I may buy one when the one I have wears out. Covers are really nice to help prevent scratches and to keep your gear looking like new.

Regan

Edd,
You could try using sandpaper. Start with a fairly coarse sandpaper, like 150 grit, and work your way up to a very fine sandpaper, like 2000 grit. That should take care of any scratches. Before you do it take some of the very fine sandpaper and test it on a small section to make sure it gives you the finish you are looking for.

The clear plastic vinyl for the Fender Passport P-250 used to be included with it. I don't know if it still is or if they include it with the PD-250. The P-150 I had did not come with any cover.

The clear plastic one only protects it from minor scratches and rain. The heavy padded covers are much more protective. I had one for my P-150 and my P-250 when I owned them.

Thanks Michael. I wondered about that, because the guys in the music shop were not even certain why this one had a cover. Mine is a PD-250 and I bought it when Fender was first coming out with that model, so I'll bet you are correct. It makes sense anyway.

I may try to get one of those heavy duty covers one of these days. The vinyl one has done a decent job but it fits too tightly. It used to be difficult to get on (taking it off wasn't as hard) but now that it is ripping at the seams it goes on easier. I don't think it will hold up much longer unless I can figure out a way to weld the seams back together. LOL

Regan

To remove scratches from anything that is plastic, use Maguires Fine Cut polish (#2). You can find it at most auto parts stores. It's designed for car paint but works great on plastic. It's like super fine sandpaper but it's a liquid and is oil based. Think of it as ultra fine rubbing compound.

Edd,

I would be careful, whatever you do. Test an inconspicuous area first. If you find something that works, I would appreciate it if you'd let us know.

Regan

I bought the black cover and I'm glad I did. It is padded and offers excellent protection plus it has pockets for the cords.

Ooh, I was not aware of the pockets. I may have to get that baby.

I have been wanting to order the battery power unit for my PD-250 also? Anyone have the DC power pack that could give us some pros and cons?

Regan

I have the DC power pack for my PD150, and it works great. I recently used it at an outdoor show, and it powered everything right up. It's done the job every time I've needed it. Pros - you can have sound even if you don't have electricity, which gives you a huge edge over people who don't have that option, and therefore they can't be heard as well. Cons - it's heavy, and requires carrying some extra stuff (a 12V battery and the AC/DC converter). But it's a small price to pay, in my mind, for having the versatility of using your sound system wherever you need it.

Thanks jkvand!

How many hours can you run your Passport on the battery when it is fully charged?

Thanks for the suggustions. I will try the car polish first. The fire seems a little iffy. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Edd

I have scratches on my 150 also. I'm thinking about getting the 250 and put a strong glue around the system. Next, put a speaker's black felt material around it. This will keep it protected from other scratches. The question is will the covering make it to hot?