Humble, TX
Quoted from Mr_Tantrum:Comet is my go to for LEDs, although I strongly support Titan for all my rings. The Comet product line beyond just playfield bulbs is great, and I use their Matrix products with all the mods I make and sell. It seems I am counter to may others here, but my preference is cool white for my GI (frosted domes), and for inserts I prefer the 4 SMD non-domed bulbs for their brightness (I also use the flex 1 and 2 SMD versions where needed). For some colors I do color match inserts (reds, greens, dark blues), for others I use cool white (clears, yellows, cyans), and for others I use warm white (ambers, oranges). For backbox I also tend to like the 4 SMD non domed, but they are bright (nothing wrong with frosted domes in the backbox), and I do tastefully color some of these with white still being the dominant color.
Finally, I love Comet’s 18 SMD flashers. They shock the senses when they fire, and I have a mix of colors in games based upon the coloring of surrounding artwork. Others will prefer white only, and much dimmer flashers.
In the end, I highly suggest you order an assortment of colors and types from Comet to see what you prefer. You probably wouldn’t need to spend more than $20 or so to get a good sampling. Oh, I also ALWAYS order the non-ghosting version of the bulbs for GI and inserts. While it might not be necessary in some games, I figure why take the risk. When I bought my JP it had all Cointaker bulbs in it. Many were dim, but the insert ghosting drove me nuts. I replaced everything with new Comet non-ghosting bulbs, and now all is right with the world again.
I should also say that beyond their products, both Comet and Titan have excellent customer support. The people that run and work for these companies have a true passion for pinball. They treat others like they themselves would want to be treated, are responsive to issues and communicate well, and overall are positive and friendly people.
Dang, I would go blind with 4smd inserts and 18smd flashers. My recommendation is 1smd clear lens or flex in inserts, 2smd frosted lens for gi, and 5smd flashers. Plenty bright. I totally agree on getting an assortment of bulbs to experiment with to see what you like if unsure. In most cases, color matching with warm white for orange/yellow inserts works best. I used to be a fan of cool white but sunlight is my choice now. It adds a little warmth to the lighting without being too yellow.
I'm also a big fan of Comet's Matrix line. Cheap and easy to add lighting. Everything is on connectors so no soldering and easy to disconnect when working on the game. You can also get a dimmer which is perfect for dialing in the brightness.
