Aguilar blue lights - Too Bright!

[darwin-bass]

I just got a TH350. First impression is good. It has a nice full sound and also has a clean high freq response when you want it. Nice.

But those --- blue -- LEDs. Boy are they bright. Too bright.

What is the WORLD were they thinking! Come on Aguilar!

- Keith -

 

[Dave W]

I've put little pieces of tape over super bright LED's. It works great.

 

[Primakurtz]

Blue lights suck! Plus, they trigger migraines for some of us.
I use multiple layers of paper medical tape to knock them down to a dull glow.

 

[chuck3]

ha! You should try Genz Benz. On snowy nights I take my amps out to JFK so the planes can land.

 

[darius8]

My MarkBass Big Bang is the same way. I used electrical tape to black them out but it still shines through.

 

[Borzi_4]

I've put little pieces of tape over super bright LED's. It works great.

Yep.

 

[JimmyM]

Not a fan of blue LED's.

 

[BassKitty101]

The tuner mute light on the Ashdown ABM 500 is the most god awfully bright thing I've ever used. I've blinded myself temporarily turning it off on a dark stage.

 

[lowfreq33]

Blue LED's are the devil's work. There's actually a company that makes little tinted lenses to go over blue LED's and dim them. On an amp I don't mind to much, but on a pedal that you'll often be looking directly at it's the worst.

 

[Munjibunga]

I just got a TH350. First impression is good. It has a nice full sound and also has a clean high freq response when you want it. Nice.

But those --- blue -- LEDs. Boy are they bright. Too bright.

What is the WORLD were they thinking! Come on Aguilar!

- Keith -

The bright blue lights are so you can see them on daytime gigs. Seriously. Personally I like to be backlit by a blue spotlight, so I'm good.

 

[lowfreq33]

The bright blue lights are so you can see them on daytime gigs. Seriously. Personally I like to be backlit by a blue spotlight, so I'm good.

That is a good point. But I can't remember the last time I did a gig when the sun was still up.

 

[Stu L.]

Blue LED's are the devil's work. There's actually a company that makes little tinted lenses to go over blue LED's and dim them. On an amp I don't mind to much, but on a pedal that you'll often be looking directly at it's the worst.

That's why when I build pedals now I use a plexiglass bottom plate and mount the led under the box. Otherwise it's too bright because I like them that way!

 

[ronlitz]

I have a TH500, and I am annoyed by the blinding brightness of the two blue LEDs.

 

[Beano_z]

Trust me, they (manufacturers) don't have a choice, the LED business is a rapidly growing semi-conductor business with amazing rates of new product introductions. Every generation is significantly brighter than the last. Older products will be immediately phased out, making place on the production line for newer ones.

I'm guessing these indicator light manufacturers are buying the same LED's all the time, but after a few years the same size / type of LED will be much brighter than the ones used when the original products have been designed.

Maybe this is a niche market, maybe I should start a company making dim LED's especially for the bass amp market!

But joking aside, the amp guys should be able to fix this by useing a lower current to drive these indicator lights, I don't think they will realize it's an issue unless enough of us start to complain.

 

[Passinwind]

But joking aside, the amp guys should be able to fix this by using a lower current to drive these indicator lights, I don't think they will realize it's an issue unless enough of us start to complain.

You can also make a water clear lens into a diffuse one with a few swipes of extra fine sandpaper.

 

[JimmyM]

Trust me, they (manufacturers) don't have a choice, the LED business is a rapidly growing semi-conductor business with amazing rates of new product introductions. Every generation is significantly brighter than the last. Older products will be immediately phased out, making place on the production line for newer ones.

I'm guessing these indicator light manufacturers are buying the same LED's all the time, but after a few years the same size / type of LED will be much brighter than the ones used when the original products have been designed.

Maybe this is a niche market, maybe I should start a company making dim LED's especially for the bass amp market!

But joking aside, the amp guys should be able to fix this by useing a lower current to drive these indicator lights, I don't think they will realize it's an issue unless enough of us start to complain.

People have complained to manufacturers before about it. I remember Andy from Genz Benz discussing it once. He said something like, "When you play an outdoor gig or under really bright lights, you'll be glad we have a bright blue LED in there." Personally, I think bright red LED's work just as well. And what's wrong with other colors? My Barber Linden EQ has a green LED in homage to the Ampeg B-15's lightup plate. It's less intense but I can still see it in the daytime.

 

[MetroBass]

I agree, seriously way to bright, but I understand their dilemma of trying to make the rigs visible in the daylight. But do you really need to know the status of on/off and mute. My ears can tell pretty easily.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

Dim it down with a Sharpie.

 

[999Brent]

Interesting thread, I got to say I find stage lights way brighter than my TH500. Plus I do not look at my amp that often that the lights become a pain, most of the time I am facing the audience and I have never had one of them tell me to turn my AMP lights down...
But I also like blue LEDs, so no problem here,..

 

[JimmyM]

Interesting thread, I got to say I find stage lights way brighter than my TH500. Plus I do not look at my amp that often that the lights become a pain, most of the time I am facing the audience and I have never had one of them tell me to turn my AMP lights down...
But I also like blue LEDs, so no problem here,..

I've had a couple complaints about my REDDI. I used to think people were insane complaining about blue LED's, but then I got this Keeley-modded Rat pedal a few years ago with the most offensive blue light I ever saw. Whoa Nellie! All of a sudden I got it

But you have to admit they look awesome in pics:

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