Custom Gobos

Profile fixtures have a slot for holding a gobo, typically in the middle of the fixture, and can project a well defined beam.  Also known as an ellipsoidal, ERS, or Leko®.

Wash fixtures, such as fresnels or PAR cans, are not optically designed for gobo projection and can't be used for this purpose.

We can turn orders around as quickly as 24 hours, however additional shipping charges and rush fees may apply.

Our deadline for placing orders is 10am (Pacific).  Orders placed after 10am will be processed the following business day.

For steel gobos, it is normal to see a slight discoloration or warping.  This usually has no effect on the projected image, but may be unsightly as a souvenir.  It's possible to damage a gobo in a poorly-focused fixture.

Glass gobos are designed to reflect heat, so while they will get hot, they should last for years.  We recommend using glass gobos in installations where the same image will be projected for extended periods.

Plastic gobos are intended to be used with LEDs only.  While they give similar short-term results as glass gobos, they generally degrade after 50-100 hours of use.

We normally make custom gobos in "A" or "B" size, which fit theatrical fixtures including the popular Source Four ERS.  However, there are literally hundreds of different sizes to match the range of fixtures sold.  Gobo size rarely changes the price of a custom gobo, but it is critical to make sure it's sized correctly for your fixture.

Not sure what size you need?  Let us know the fixture you're using it in and we'll track down the dimensions!

Steel gobos are basically a stencil which light shines through.  This keeps cost down, but requires "bridging" on closed loop letters and artwork (red circles below).  You can request a proof with your order to see a sample of the gobo before it gets made.

You can add a single color wash to steel gobos, but detailed color changes require a glass gobo.

Glass gobos are super high-resolution images (up to 20k DPI) printed on a piece of high-temp glass.  Treated with care, glass gobos can be used for years with little to no degradation in quality.

Unlike steel gobos, glass gobos have different prices depending on the number of colors you require.  White light doesn't count as a color, but the black blocking plate does.  We don't recommend skipping the black blocking plate, since it will cause a washed out logo.

We do not recommend the use of glass gobos in older fixtures, such as the Altman 360Q, Altman 3.5, and Colortran 5-50

Plastic gobos can be used as a temporary DIY solution, and are great for users who have frequent one-off designs.  However for demanding users/clientele, we've found the detail and blacks to be lacking compared to the full-color glass versions.

Rosco's iPro system (above) allows many traditional tungsten ERS fixtures to use plastic gobos.  If you have a compatible LED fixture, then you can use special LED versions to get the glass look at a fraction of the price.