[machone]

First, welcome to the forum!
Powder holds up awesome, ALOT better than paint. You can coat a piece of tubing and hit it with a hammer. The tubing will bend before the powder chips. As far as the chrome goes, as long as it's a good, solid plating job, it'll be fine. You can always test it by putting it in the oven for a cure cycle at cure temp. if the chrome doesn't peel, you're good to go. I'm a musician also, & as long as you don't buy cheap japanese equipment, the plating should hold up fine.
Candy/translucent colors are a good choice. I've done a few wrenches in different colors, & they look great. Just remember: whatever the finish is on the metal, it will show through the color. The thicker the coating, the darker the color. Therefore, if you have a scratch or a small dent on the part, the powder will be thicker in those spots and will be VERY obvious. Coating is easy, PREP PREP PREP is the most important part.
Good luck!
mach