If you've never had an instrument with side LEDs, the very idea may seem ludicrous.
But once you have them, what once seemed an unneccesary luxury suddenly becomes a requirement. Side LEDs are perfect
in dimly lit playing situations like orchestra pits, but they also perform great on stages with dramatic, fast-changing
theatrical lighting. It's reassuring to know that with a quick glance, you can confirm you're in the right position for
the next phrase.
Our Laser LEDs aren't really lasers, but they are very,
very bright. These can be operated with a dimmer or switch (or even both in some cases) and are real audience pleasers.
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Red is the classic color for our side LEDs. We've been installing them in our guitars and basses since 1972. Red light
has less energy per photon and doesn't destroy the rhodopsin in the rods of your eye like shorter wavelengths of light do. As a result, you
can look at red light and not loose your night vision. When you look at other colors of light when you are already in a dark setting means
you may find it hard to see until your eyes adjust. Astronomers use red flashlights for this very reason.
Red is the natural choice to pair with Coco Bolo,
Walnut, Burl Redwood, and just about any other wood we offer.
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Our green LEDs are a light shade of leaf green (think grass not emerald). Since green is right smack dab
in the center of the visible spectrum, it's the easiest color to focus on. If you ever thought that a blue or red LED looked "fuzzy" then green
LEDs might do the job for you.
Green coordinates well with our Oceanburst finish.
There are several woods that look nice with green side LEDs, especially Quilted Maple, Walnut, Myrtle, and Schedua. We must confess that
green isn't our first choice with reddish woods like Coco Bolo, Vermilion.
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Amber LEDs are a warm yellow color with a hint of orange. Amber is a close second to green for ease of focus.
Remember those old computer monitors that were either green or amber?
Amber LEDs look especially nice with Quilted Maple (natural or
amber tinted), Zebrawood, Curly Redwood, and Bubinga.
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You can easily mix amber with red side LEDs. We generally use one color at the 12th and 24th with the
other as the main color. As long as you mix red, green, and amber, you can put them in any order you like.
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This takes a little engineering to pull off, since the blue and red LEDs are different voltages.
But it's worth it since the look is pretty spectacular! Since both colors are at the ends of the visible spectrum, they tend to have a simliar
amount of "fuzziness" to them.
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Just finished the first install of violet LEDs paired with amber. Stunning.
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© 2011 Alembic, Inc.
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