How to Apply a Guitar Hero Controller Skin on PS2

Quick answer

Clean your PS2 guitar controller face, peel the skin from its backing, align it carefully at the edges, and press it down from the center outward. The Rock Star Gear CM183 skin is reusable, so you can reposition it if needed.

Installation steps

1. Clean the controller surface: Wipe the face of your PS2 guitar controller with a microfiber cloth and mild soapy water to remove oil and dust. Let it dry completely. Any leftover grease will prevent the skin from sticking evenly, causing bubbles or peeling.
2. Peel the skin from one corner: Starting at a corner, slowly peel the vinyl skin away from its backing paper. Avoid touching the adhesive side with your fingers. If the skin folds onto itself, it can attract dust and lose stickiness.
3. Align the skin before pressing: Hold the skin just above the controller and line up the edges around the strum bar and buttons. Once it touches, it will start sticking. Do not press down until you are sure the alignment is straight—lifting a fully pressed skin may stretch the vinyl.
4. Press from the center outward: Use a soft card or your thumb to press the skin from the center toward the edges, pushing out air bubbles as you go. If a bubble remains, lift the nearest edge slightly and re-smooth. Never poke a hole in the skin.
5. Trim any overhang (if needed): If the skin extends past the controller edge, use a sharp hobby knife to trim along the contour. Cut slowly and only through the vinyl. Cutting too fast or too deep can scratch the controller plastic.

What you need

• NEW Rock Star Gear CM183 Reusable PS2 SPIKES Style Guitar Hero Controller Skin: The NEW Rock Star Gear CM183 is a reusable PS2 Spikes-style skin designed specifically for Guitar Hero controllers. Because it's reusable, you can lift and reapply it if your first alignment isn't perfect, which is the most common mistake during installation.