Littlite-Which one to buy?

Doug, what is the size of the base on the L-18-LED gooseneck? I'm trying to figure out if it would fit on my stand. (sorry for the interruption, Mark)

No Problem Zargon, I'd like to learn as much as I can before I make a purchase, and would be interested too, in the Base's dimensions.If you goto the Littlitestore.com site, and click on any of the Lampsets, they do show the numerous available options for mounting. No doubt the standard base is probably most versatile, as one could use it on any table for doing close up meticulous work.A Clamp version, Velcro-Double Face Tape, or Magnetic Base are the other options.The Littlite Store has about the best prices I've seen so far, as it appears others are charging a minimum $20 more for the basic L3-18 Lampset. Mark

My experience with various Littlite mounting systems is they all suck, that is if you're planning to yank the gooseneck around a lot (trust me you will!)

Other than the panel mount (BNC plug) the weighted base is your best bet. However, there's a DIY alternative which I hit upon and it works the better than all the other attachment methods. You just need to plan where you're going to want it:

Take the chassis apart (that's the little box at the other end of the goosenck with the rheostat) by removing the two screws on the top (either side of the rheostat knob) That will release the subchassis on the bottom. (This has nothing on it, it's just a piece of metal.) Screw the subchassis down to your shelf (it's predrilled) and then slide the main chassis with goodseneck over it, secure the two top screws and you're done. Really solid, and it doesn't matter where you position the gooseneck.

The reason I mention this, is because although you can get the 18" gooseneck with the weighted base, it can tip over if you're not watching the position of the gooseneck relative to the base. Plus the base may limit placement.

I bought my Littlite from Northern Sound. Best price I found and excellent service. I use the spring clamp which I attach to a rolling cart I have my RCM on.

http://northernsound.net/Sales/hardware/littlite/lampsets.html

For turntable illumination, I use a nifty battery powered LED unit from Garrett Wade (great company). I attached it to the wall above the turntable with heavy duty velcro tape.

http://www.garrettwade.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=106922&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iProductID=106922

I agree with Dougdeacon re: the Littlelite LED version, no rheostat (even though I never had any issues with the dimmer on my older incandescant version), but less is more. The red beam is OK, but for the night vision purposes only. The white LED is a different white than the incandescant, but less beam-y, more like a flood light. Just fine for illuminating the arm/platter. I do use the weighted base, but it is a tight fit on my TT shelf to avoid touching any part of the table, and plugged into an electrical circuit not occupied by electronics