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Neon and glass are just one of those technologies that will not go away. There is a reason they find glass artifacts from thousands of years ago - glass is designed to last. As far as not driving a BMW and driving a Toyota instead...do you think there is any reason why you are not driving a Chinese car yet? They are so much less money. When I ask the question above I always get the same answers: 1) Chinese cars are probably not reliable, 2) I wouldnt put my kids in a Chinese car - they are probably not as safe. And then we have these lovely global issues like Melamine contaminated milk and lead in children's toys, etc as Chinese vendors try to make products less expensive. So if the world continues to look for "cheap" products as opposed to "high quality" products - dont you think there will be some reprecussions? Also - another question - your significant other is usually by law in the USA considered to be yours - right? Well if Mr X down the street decided to walk in your house and take your spouse and use them for their purposes without paying you money or respect for "using" something that is yours - how would you feel? For those Americans on this board - we are all proud to be Americans - if that is the case why dont we respect the US Government office that protects things that legally ties things that you invent to be your technology? Will we selectively decide when we want to be American - if we can get a "cheaper" illegal product? In New Zealand there are a bunch of Chinese companies trying to bring in "cheap" flat panel TVs - the government does not allow technologies in that "infringe patents". They have a bit more respect for honoring what a person legally claimed as their own.

It's all in good fun. I know this is only opinion & that's why I enjoy this website so much. But I don't think it's sad to see shops changing out to only LED. Times are changing. I only know a handful of shops in my area that offer in house neon services. There are plenty of people saying they can fix neon but they get they're neon from those other shops. TO ME Neon is a pain! Every single sign installer I know would rather install a LED sign over a neon sign anyday of the week ESPECIALLY ME! I remember when we started using double back neon & we stopped using PK's. We would never go back to installing PK's just for fun or nostalgia same thing with neon. This is why neon is a PAIN: You have to drill two 1 1/8" holes sometimes in concrete tilt up walls (sure you still have to drill a hole with led but it's usually no bigger than 1/2" & only one per letter. No more bloody knuckles tying in glass in narrow letters. No more calls to the office explaining how you broke a neon unit bringing it up the ladder or tying it in. No more crawling into the soffit to make your jumps to the next letter. No need to pre-wire half your set. No need for 1/2" flexible conduit. No more carrying 30 lbs transformers up soffits. God the more I talk about it, reminds me of the good old days (woulda been better with LED, those days were hot in sunny so cal). You cut your installation time by half. Also you cut your go-backs to replace broken units by 100%. The installers keep red & white leds in the truck in case something doesn't light up when they test it before they leave. Any installer knows the positives of installing LED to neon. Neon looks great... always will. I love Vegas I love old americana signs, but the truth in my shop is that neon is a specialty item. Sure we can get it & install it but I could focus my energy in other products & other services & save myself the neon headache. As far as brightness goes, that's not an issue with me wanting to provide it or not provide it. It comes down to educating a customer, I can push a product to my customers all I want, but it comes down to cost & the question 75% of my customers ask me..... "you're the sign guy, what would you use?" I use JT led. It's bright enough it get's your point accross & it's cost efficient. I can't afford to drive a BMW I drive a Toyota but it gets me from A to B just as well & it's dependable. Just not as flashy.