I can almost live with them in inserts, but then they ghost and I think, nah. I've got one game with them in the inserts and I'm about to get rid of those. Just not right, regardless of where they are put.

But, your game, your choice.

I used to HATE LEDs in anything but in inserts on modern games. Over time the retro style bulbs opened me up to GI usage. Eventually I tried them in some classics and EMs and really started to like them in the right situations. Maybe they're an acquired taste, but I'm pretty happy with the retro warm bulbs.

I do understand not liking the look. I just don't think that they're anywhere near as bad as they were a few years ago. Early LED bulbs were completely unfit for GI or classic games.

Is this a problem for EMs? My BSD has all LEDs in the inserts that were put in before I bought the game and they flicker like crazy. Just terrible. The Castle Jackpot light looks like it's on the whole time.

Cheap LEDs will do that. It's a pretty big issue in EMs, yeah. Just have to use non-ghosting LEDs.

I'm not a huge EM guy, but I do appreciate them and I did just get my first one, and while I acknowledge that they have a certain look all their own I personally do not have a problem with installing LED's into them. Some guys are just old school and hate anything new or slightly different, but I say if its for the greater good and isn't obnoxious then so be it. For me I wouldn't ever put in crazy bright LED's and I would only ever use soft white in the GI because I think anything else looks tacky, but some normal brightness, color matched under inserts and soft GI is ok with me. Plus I like that it helps protect things like plastics and backglasses from more heat damage. I do plan on installing LED's in my Toledo eventually and I won't feel the slightest bit bad about it!

As a rule I do not like to put LEDs in EMs. The exception is in the pop bumpers
and behind the sling shots where incandescents tend to fail because of vibration.
Steve

I am average size myself. I stay that way by eating two meals a day and staying away from late night snacks whenever possible.

Here's the last word..........Its your game so leds or incandescents, its your choice.

Effin' Spicoli...

Last time I checked, ol' JD still had a decent amount of calories. Or are you counting that towards your second meal? lol
I guess wandering the backyard/Noone Lagoon late at night can burn the rest of those pesky lbs?

As for LEDs in EM's?
Looks like homogenized ass.
Stealthy-stylee?
Not by a long shot.
The kelvins are still too far off to pass as an incandescent. They're getting better but, not in this decade.

Easier to burn off than Tequila, don't you think?

Ooh, I could go for some fish tacos right about now!

You won't put on any weight eating those. In fact you may lose a few pounds...

Which may explain the addiction to EMs in the first place.

Led's are just a cheap way to "customize" your EM machine. Looks awful to me.

There was some confusion with OP question,many thought he was asking peoples opinion whether LEDs should be used on an EM.In answer to your question, Comet makes the best LED bulbs for EMs. Experiment, I like them behind Coin Insert plastics, under insert Special lighting,and under pop-up ball blocker.I have used green under "Forest" plastics,but primarily prefer frosted warm or clear warm,everything else is too bright.
It is fun when my top Special light,which rarely comes on,shows a flashing rainbow of color.Before that it was a boring yellow dim strobe.

I use Comet Led.

When I first started out 4 years ago, I tried to find some retro LEDs for the GI lighting. But my taste has changed and I am back to incandescent bulbs for GI.

For the backglass lighting I used natural white frosted from Comet. In fact, I mostly used natural white frosted for the playfield (except for the GI Lightining) and the backglass. I feel the natural white frosted, especially under the inserts really pop the color. They are strong enough and defuse enough light so you get a consistent color across the whole insert. I sometimes experiment with colored bulbs to get a different colored effect for an insert, but thats what is fun about this hobby.

The one thing I hate about LED bulbs, is that they get mixed up. I have a case for each LED brand: Comet, Pinballbulbs and Cointaker. And the bulb are separated by type in each case. As best as I try, I always have bulbs they are mixed up. Looking maybe purchase this to help out. Does anyone have this?

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=3292

I have it. It's pretty useful when you're making your own led mods or the cat knocks over your well-organized led case and you have to re-sort them all.

Saw the topic title. Immediately thought "no."

Not much more to say than that.

Same as drugs "just say no"

Friends don't let friends use LED's in EM pins.

If it doesn't look like shit I put them in. Here is a half and half of my Grand Prix. Right side LED, left side incandescents

IMG_5422 (resized).JPGIMG_5421 (resized).JPGIMG_5420 (resized).JPGIMG_5419 (resized).JPG

Looks good. What LEDs are you using?

Warm white frosted.

http://www.cometpinball.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=2SMD-CT-FT

On Gottliebs, and I'd say Williams also, very good point. But on Ballys, I had a Bow and Arrow in an old Home Town
bar forever, (still a quarter/play) and the glass looks as it did in 1975.
I use 47s everywhere, but surely nothing warmer behind the BG..
BTW zacaj, good size pinball/arcade gathering next month in Newark..

I'm for either LED or incandescent. I have LED bulbs in my newer pins so the power supply won't run extremely hot. They look really sharp too! For my EM pins, I have incandencents but LED isn't such a bad idea. It becomes a pain in the ass when the bulbs get so hot that they melt the plastics so you have to heat gun them back into place.

I decided to buy a few led bulbs and put them in one of my games for shits n giggles..I think that it looks alright..not overkill, but just a lil something something..

IMG_1650 (resized).JPG

Gottlieb "Out of Sight" with Comet pinball retro leds.

IMG_2909 (resized).JPG

IMG_2910 (resized).JPG

I like the Out of Sight, are the pops led too? Any flashers used in inserts?

I didnt use flashers anywhere,but yes I put some warm whites in the pop bumpers too.

I put Comet warm white frosted in my World Fair. I used the 1SMD type. Not overpowering or distracting. I think it looks great.

IMG_1662 (resized).JPG

That's what I use as well, except under the plastics and lane guides (still bulbs there).

I jsut put some colored 47's in my Dodge City, feels like that is enough.

I use coloured leds in faded EM inserts, for example the GTB "Double Bonus" on last ball is often red and faded, so red led brings it up nicely, same for some of the yellow inserts where a warm white looks good and green inserts benefit too. You don't notice them as led but the colour is much stronger.

I do the same thing with colour matching coloured features in back glasses where the feature lits up - things like ball in play where there is a tight shroud around the globe so no light spill.

Flex leds under eject holes and star roll overs can make them a lot brighter too and not be noticeable if done judiciously.

Have 14 pins, most EM.

I use regular cheap LED's in coin windows

I'm starting to use warm white frosted in the back glass illumination, 63 cents each.

Use non-ghosting from Comet in the poppers for durability and even lighting.

Use non-ghosting in inserts that come one and off depending on conditions.

Use regular 63 cent 5050 LED on roll overs that are lit all the time.

Use blinking LED for "player shoots again" insert on games where equipped and for special inserts like in Touchdown when the kick out target goes from 50 to 500. Makes for a nice extra animation.

Playfield GI is still strictly 47's incandescent.

I have some color changing LED's for Night Rider, going to place them behind the back glass logo which already had colored lamps when I purchased it.

Gary

It's easy to make an EM look gaudy and cheezy with LEDs, but when applied properly, they can really enhance the look. It takes good judgement and experimentation. It isn't as easy as popping any LEDs anywhere. Unfortunately, that's what I see in many cases.

I'm going to try the warm white frosted LEDs and maybe the colored ones for the inserts.

Bruce