You need to try multiple colors and types of bulbs until you get what you like.

I have only two hard and fast rules
- If the player can directly see the LED bulb then you should use a frosted top.
Even if the lights are under plastic and you can see them through an opening or clear plastic.
If the lights are blocked by plastics then clear top or no top is fine.
- Make sure that using non-white bulbs near the flippers does not make that area darker and harder to see the ball

see my BSD GI lights - purple, blue, red, and white.
I used lots of white near the flippers because the game is dark

4-BackTogether (resized).jpg

Having done around a dozen BSD, my recommendation is Comet Twin 2835 Frosted in Sunlight.....between Warm and Natural white.

Grab a few Extra Purple, Blue, or Ice Blue, Red, to round out any GI color you might want to test out.

A couple of strips cant hurt, if you want even brighter, or a Purple for the Graveyard.

About $50 for everything needed and much more extra to do the GI.

Here are a few LED related threads:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/led-questions-2

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/ponball-led-survey

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/best-leds-for-pop-bumpers

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/leds-in-ballystern-ss-gi

Find out whether you like Cool or Warm white, that's the biggest deal. Then go with large packs (for discount) of the cheapest frosted domes.

Im curious.....You mention choosing between Warm and Cool, and thumbs down the Kelvin between the two?

Have you tried them?

No I have not...I wanted to take a peak but forgot to put them in my order just last week!
For me the Warm is so much cooler than an actual incandescent, I can't imagine a middle temp being that much diff'rent.
But of course I wasn't thumbing you down for the talk of whites (that sounded weird), it was using colors for GI, needing multiLEDs, and adding strips etc etc. You know there has to be people like me in this world to balance out your love of blinding color LEDs

I like to keep the artwork on the playfield looking the way it was designed. I use Comet 1SMD frosted warm white if you can see the bulb and Comet 2SMD frosted warm whites if you cannot. It makes for a pretty easy order and not too much inventory to keep.

I think everyone who was sold on warm white and soft white before sunlight came out should try them. Wow is all I can say. Sunlight's hue makes the others look like fluorescent bulbs in an office. I know it's just my opinion, but they just look right, no blue hue, no yellow hue, just real white.

Out of about 25 games here, I have 8 colored LEDs in GI in total of all games, other than stock from manufacturer.
I mentioned those, as for a total of $5, one could try for themselves and decide.
(not sure where you feel I have a love of color blinding colors)

I was offering help, not my personal taste, which is somewhat middle of the road.

Strips help see the ball in the dark, or for dark areas, but fine if it isnt your taste.

Sorry, if we differ...old habits, but what would I know about helping people independently with LEDS?

You shouldn't be sorry at all; we both have an opinion and gave it. I don't think my opinion is better than anyone elses.

(not specific to BSD but) I like to play in the dark so I need to give a nod to Comet Optix Maximus. No need to add spots to see your PF. They look really really nice.

Haha yeah there's no easy answer when it comes to this stuff. Everyone's got a diff'rent formula & tastes. Just get a few of diff'rent types and go from there.