North West Lighting FX

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I have actually run major projects which were UL approved for a large high tek company.
My last UL required project had a budget for the UL safety testing/approval of approximately $250,000 in 1992 dollars.

UL is a "for profit" company...
 
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I am certain of seeing UL somewhere either on their site or in a quote i received, but these are the cerifications noted on the website.
 
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I am certain of seeing UL somewhere either on their site or in a quote i received, but these are the cerifications noted on the website.

Those are not enough some places. I know I wouldn't be allowed to buy them on my college campus. Here all electronics must be UL listed. The campus is "self insured" and they have some pretty strict rules about things like that.
 
Hello. I am the technical director of a performing arts center in WA state and I am here to say that NW Lighting FX has been great to work with. Yes, their lights are imported (as is nearly every other brand) and yes, as all mechanical/electrical equipment does, they sometimes have issues, but I have been to their warehouse on multiple occasions, have purchased many fixtures from them, and in one instance, on a show day when there was a problem with the light, they even DELIVERED a replacment, free - a 2 and 1/2 hour drive over a mountain pass, so I wouldn't have to be without a fixture for a show while the other was repaired. These lights are for those of us who don't have an unlimited budget but want something with a nice set of features. I was able to get 10 of the 575 watt PassSpot's (16 channel) and have been very satisfied with them - I would never have been able to afford Martins. Are they as good as a Martin - no. But they aren't pretending to be. They are an affordable, feature-rich fixture being sold buy a privately owned and operated company that cares about the growth of their business, their level of customer service, and their clients. The fixtures I bought from NW actually replaced 10 Chauvet Q-Spots that ALL had issues straight out of the box requiring me to ship them, immediately, at my own expense, back for repair - I was rarely able to get anyone from Chauvet on the phone, and wound up sending the entire order back in disgust. The Elation rep didn't even bother to return my call when I was shopping for replacements. I haven't had any of these problems with NW lights - and when I call - they either answer the phone immediately or call me back within a day. Remember, this is a small company with little overhead, and that price break shows up in the price you pay for the lights. So give them a chance. In my experience they are well worth your support! I gained a vendor I can trust to make it right when things go wrong. Chauvet, Elation, and American DJ certainly can't say that, and I can't afford to even try with High End or Martin... Thanks for listening.
 
Re: Northwest Lighting

Hi Jeff Lord-Alge here, I own 8 of the Pass spot MSD 250 moving heads from NW Lighting & FX . I was quite sceptical at first . I am completely convinced now . I have done 100s of national acts using these units. Somtimes I have used them side by side with martin and elation products with nothing but praise from outside lighting directors. Our company is in a very small market where budgets are low and we are able to keep costs down by using these lower priced units.
I have had nothing but great response from tech support and have been able to get parts promptly when ever needed. (I melted a case on one unit by placing it next to a heater ) . I have been using these units without incident for about 3 years now . At least 2 or 3 shows a week. Everything is in road cases and get set up from scratch for each show. These are very road worthy and have proven themselves over and over again. Check out my myspace link for some recent photos. I believe NW Lighting & FX will become a major player like Elation in the coming months and years . I recomend them very highly. There products are very reliable as is the service .
Cheers Jeff
 
what is with all the sudden new users all registering to sing the praises of this company... suspicious much?
 
Hey victor, crusty much? Feeling a little paranoid?
Is the world out to get you.:lol:
I have NOT purchased any of these lights myself YET.
I have referred others to them and I have heard nothing but good yet.

I will note that folks who have used their stuff and posted love it(with the exception of the led kits, they had universally bad reviews for durability.

I will also note that there are a lot of crusty old hoots on here who have no clue what they are trash talking talking about and they haven't even contacted the company to ask for any info.

This is just ignorant.
If you have no clue please do not muddy the post with your uninformed ramblings. You are not helping.:rolleyes:

Second I would like to say that I am going to buy 10 0f their scanners in a few weeks as I have been very impressed with their performance.
Bill has been very pleasant to deal with and his support is really great.
Did I mention that they do have year warranty and I have been told that they have "lot's of spare parts in bins" because they are "in this for the long haul"

Third I live in Asheville NC, I do not work for NW, so please don't get too paranoid Victor.
I set up small venues and I program other rigs for people who don't know how. Sometimes I run lights, at smaller venues.
I do not have the budget for expensive fixtures and if I bought them I would never be able to recoup the cost through rental.

That being said. If I pay $300 for a piece of crap that lasts me say a year past the warranty I am going to be very happy with all of the functions that I got for $300. Wen it breaks I am going to contact Bill and get a spare part for a bargain price.
I have faith that NW is still going to be here in a few years because the only competition they have IS AmericanDJ and Chauvet, both of which SUCK:evil:

I think it is about time someone with a touring rental background started a lighting company for us poor folk.
Why not try to support them instead of ragging on them. As you oviously have never had ANY experience with them.

I really dislike ignorant haters who act they have a clue:naughty:.
 
Hey Bear,
Victor is a long time CB member who is well known, well liked, and who's opinions are trusted. You are the new guy who just walked into a new room and criticized everyone.

NW lighting FX is a manufacturer with a completely unknown track record in the industry. Are they using quality manufacturing process and parts? Do they last long? Are they strong enough to survive touring? A year or two from now will they be there to support you if you need parts? What happens if they go out of business in 3 or 4 years and you want parts? We just don't know the answers to any of these questions. We do know they are selling Chinese made products... but that's about all we as an industry know.

Victor was pointing out (and he's right) that only one well known CB member has used the product. Other than that a bunch of new people seem to be appearing out of nowhere to support the product... then never post again. That IS suspicious. I would hardly call it being paranoid, I would call that being wise to the ways of internet spam.

Furthermore, I would say that this thread in general has been quite fair to NW FX. This company has no known track record. Are they good or bad? We don't know. We have pointed out over and over that it may be a great product but there is a large amount of risk involved in purchasing from them. If I buy AMDJ or Chauvet I'm not getting Martin quality but I know what I am getting and I know they will be around next year if I need parts. You on the other hand have been unfair to AMDJ and Chauvet by saying they "suck".

Finally, you called a room full of pros with a combined hundreds of years of experience "Crusty" because they haven't immediately purchased and embraced an unknown product. There are probably a hundred new lighting companies that open each year... and probably 99 go out of business. Over time you learn that there is safety in numbers and it's better to not throw away $300 at all. It's better to save up $600 and buy something from a trusted manufacturer that you know will work for years to come.

All this venom Bear and you haven't purchased the product but you are on a first name basis with the owner? That sounds suspicious to me. "Their LED's are universally reviewed as bad"... by WHO? Take a chill pill Bear. It may be a fine product but there's no reason to walk into a room and insult everyone at the party.
 
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I was not being venomous. What are you talking about? You guys are mean.
Oh, because I don't like trash talkers?

Just to turn it around on you :
Seeing as how I have never even heard of your forum before today, i am going to have to take your word for it that you are an indepentent "expert" and not a sales representative for some highend lighting manufactururer on the side.

I was just pointing out, rightly I might add that none of you have had any experience with these guys.
Not even to call them.
If you did you wold know Bills' name because not only does he own the company he does most of the sales and tech. I guess I should feel bad for remembering the people who I deal with who treat me right. I guess this makes me bad. If this is suspicious to you then you are paranoid.

In the time that I have been buying stuff from NW
Bill has beeen courtious professional and overly helpful.

I have not bought any of their intelligent lights yet..... only because I have been saving to buy. I do know someopne who bought some of his scanners and they worked really well and had a lot of functions for the money. The bulbs suck, so I will replace them when I recieve them. The fixture are for rent so they see some abuse and have doen really well so far(2yrs and counting 2 shows a week more on a busy week) and the par cans hold up well.

This company has been around for at least three years. That is how long I have been in contact with them.

As far as the LED kits go they have gotten a universally bad reception on ebay.(thats where I found them)
This is not the same as "thier leds have been universaly reviewed as bad"
Thier cans are great, the kits had a power issue or dmx board or something.
I don't think they carry them any more.
Just the cans. And some old stuff on ebay.

As far as Chauvet and American dj go they do suck.
My rig is entirly ADJ and Chauvet and I can tell you that thier customer service and quality control both suck. Period. Especially the newer stuff.

Yes NW uses a Chinese manufacturer but so does Chauvet and ADJ.
THE SAME ONE. Guanzhou Longman.
They manufacture almost everybodies lights there and if they don't they manufacture their parts and they are engineered and assemled somewhere else,
like say.... Denmark.

Here is a link to another discussion forum talking about thier stuff
PSW Sound Reinforcement Forums: Lighting => problems with Northwest LED kit

I was not trying to be a jerk, I was jsut tryiong to get all these people, who may be experts in thier field, to give answers that are based on some kind of real world experience. With the subject at hand, which is North West lighting FX.
I was not trying to imply that these "experts" were not "experts in thier field". No where did I say that. that they did not even know that there is a warrantee on these products.

All that takes is reading thier site. Not hard.
P.s. someone reffered to Robe as quality, FYI Guanzhou Longman manufactures thier equipment too.
I think you should "take a chill pill" and dig what I am saying here.
I was not insulting every one in the room only the ones who are talking out thier @$$'s about this subject.
 
Alright, Healingbear has shown me the light, I'm going into work first thing tomorrow, telling them to sell off our VL3000's and fullsize MA to get on the NWLFX bandwagon!

I've done lighting on many levels. I've done gigs with 8 $100 leds, $100 scanners and no name dimmers on a $120 light board. On the other side I've done shows with VL3K's and DL2's on an MA and I've done different levels of all things in between, so don't go labeling me as some jaded "I only touch name brand gear guy."

If I want low cost, decent quality gear, I will buy Irradiant/Neo-Neon gear as they are large enough that they won't go anywhere, and they are a great price. Why is there any incentive at all to buy lights from a one man operation? What does he do better than anyone else?

Why shouldn't I be suspicious of you, this is the only thread you have posted in. If that doesn't seem suspicious I have some dmx controlled rain covers you might be interested in.
 
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