back lighting with electroluminescent tape

[guitarmike2107]

I am thinking about trying some faceplate and logo backlighting with electroluminescent tape, it will be more simple compared to using multiple LED’s which is how I have done it in the past.

Anybody ever used this stuff with audio applications, my main concern is the fact that’s it works off AC at midrange frequencies, one website said 700hz, so well in the audible range.


thanks

[jrfrond]

You wouldn't be the first to use EL panels for backlighting in audio gear. They are all over the place! Your best bet is to get yourself a pre-fab inverter to power it from a place like All Electronics, Jameco, etc. Just keep it away from the high-gain areas, and you might need to shield it and find the right grounding point as well.

Ampeg was really good at doing this in the old days.

A very cool approach that I've seen is the use of a thin Lexan front panel that has high-brightness white LED's glued into the ends, and a thin aluminum mask with laser-cut letters laminated over the acrylic panel, to take advantage of the plastics' optical transmission properties.

[guitarmike2107]

Thanks John, Guess I will get a sample to test and see how well it works.

Cheers

[Sweetfinger]

At one time I offhandedly wondered what an amp would sound like using that stuff as coupling caps. The green panel nightlight I measured was right in the range you'd use IIRC.