"mcameron, bill" wrote in message
...
ok
here is the thing

searching for a lite fix

pretty open about it but that is not the issue

why in the f? do they cost so much????

(snip stream-of-conciousness wail about cost of light fixtures...)

You are partially right, in that there isn't much to most light fixtures,
and many of the fancy ones are (over)priced on the basis of what idiot
yuppies will pay for a particular style.
HOWEVER- there is a definite quality range between cheap big-box fixtures,
and custom-order top end goods. The thickness of the metal parts, the
quality of the plating or other coatings, how well it was fastened together
(and how easy it is to open up for service), the thickness and quality of
the glass globes, etc. And most importantly, of course, the quality of the
wiring and lamp bases in the fixture. (This so-called luxury apartment is
ten years old, and many of the fixtures are already brown and crumbly inside
when I change bulbs.)

I would never buy lights out of a catalog, unless the jobber had a sample of
the same or very similar style that I could eyeball to see the quality of
the guts they use. The junk lamps will feel flimsy and cheap in your hands,
and when you wiggle the socket and twist the whole assembly. And IMHO, look
for a 'classic' design that has been in production for many years, and isn't
likely to go out of style. That way, if one fails, you can probably get a
'close enough' match to replace it with.

aem sends...