Lighting and your Axe

[JammerMatt]

I was considering hanging some of those Ikea track lights in my room. They are Halogen lights. Does anyone know if halogen has any adverse effects on guitar finishes?

What about natural light for that matter?

-Matt

 

[beandip]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

As long as the halogen dosnt overheat a guitar too much, to cause warping of plastic or finish checking, you should be ok. I'm pretty sure that it'd be fine. Maybe get a UV bulb and "age" your guitars while they're up there looking pretty

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

could you actually do that? hmmmmmm.....maybe i can age my unageable poly finish on the strat

 

[beandip]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

Quencho, you could age the finish by sitting it outside in the sun. It works really really well down here in Tx.

 

[rinse_master]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

Bet you get some damn hot sun in Tx, would age that finish quicktime....

 

[aleclee]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

could you actually do that? hmmmmmm.....maybe i can age my unageable poly finish on the strat

UV won't do much to a poly finish but it has been known to fade guitars with transparent (dyed) finishes.

 

[beandip]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

Oooh, good cover Al. I forgot about that, blue, green, stuff like that wont age with a poly finish. Oly white, sunburst, ect will.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

With lights, my concern is always electrical hum, not the brightness or UV.

I put red rope light around the perimeter of the ceiling in my music room.
The rehearsal studio has blue rope light. No brightness, just a nice vibe.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

The finishing touch will be a lava lamp... cool!

 

[DanteG]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

The type of lighting in your room will have no effect whatsoever if you put the guitar back in the case when not using it ....which will also protect the gutar from dust, bumps, and who-knows-what else.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

I would be more concerned with the "bzzzzzzzzzz' associated with said lighting than anything else.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

Good points with the buzz. I'd have to turn them off then. I've tried the case thing, but I have this sort of "out of sight, out of mind" problem, so I have them hanging on the wall... like a Thomas Kinkaid painting... you wanna light 'em up. I'm thinking halogens, lava lamp, "lasers" and a fog machine.

If I'm gonna be a poseur, might as well go all out!

Know where I can get a groupie?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

I agree with the guitar stand idea: keeping a guitar out where you can see it is much more motivating than looking at a sealed case. I suffer from the same malady!!

 

[Bludave]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

The type of lighting in your room will have no effect whatsoever if you put the guitar back in the case when not using it ....which will also protect the gutar from dust, bumps, and who-knows-what else.

I agree 100%. The safest place for your guitar is in its case. Hanging them, placing them on stands..... Its an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

its sunburst, what finishes do am deluxe strats come with?

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

i figure i can age it outside too, florida has super high UV levels too!

 

[stratsandaks]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

Does indirect sunlight have the same effect on finishes as direct sunlight?

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Lighting and your Axe

I would be more concerned with the "bzzzzzzzzzz' associated with said lighting than anything else.

Same here. But I use Duncans and EMGs excludsively and know how to shield a guitar. So It only bothers me when using Single coils