Glass or no Glass? - need help deciding

[loosetoe]

Over the past few days I have been building some display cabinets for my guitars. I built these to give my preferred instruments a proper/impressive way of being displayed.
When i started building these, my intent was to mount a 1/4" glass door using the blum glass door hinges.
Now that i get closer to completion it occurs to me that glass might actually detract. It may provide too much glare thereby obstructing the view. The cases are internally lit with Hafele LED pucks activated by a motion sensor. My primary goal is to display them so they look their best. Protection is a secondary concern. I do have two little girls, but i don't think they are really a worry (when it comes to this)

I fear that i may be adding work and cost. The glass IS expensive, but that is a secondary concern. I already have the hinges and hardware.

Here is how they would look without the glass. There are 5 cases in total..and yes, I am un-apologetically a fan of heavy metal in case it wasn't blatantly obvious.



I promise to post a completed project thread once i have decided and executed all 5.


Your thoughts?

-Wayne

[iublue]

I vote glass. I guess, IMO, it finishes the cabinet. Otherwise you might as well just built wall plaques. As far as glare, do they make 1/4" non glare?

[MsNomer]

Nothing wrong with wall plaques. I vote leave as-is. In my house, I'd need the glass to protect from cat hair and Oklahoma dust.

[stav]

I vote no glass. I think the open and careless vibe goes better with heavy metal than fully protected and sterile. Besides, the display looks great the way it is.

[Cooler]

I googled "displaying guitars" [images] and I see more images without glass than with glass.

I was a picture framer and we put glass over art that would be damaged by exposure to the air. Oil paintings were not put under glass.

Needle work would get dirty and was put under glass.

Do guitars do well in an open environment? I think guitars need to be waxed on occasion but other than that and dust they do fine in the open.

I would leave it open. It makes the guitar seem more intimate.

[John Mihich]

I would put glass on it because I will protect them from any dust; dust = cleaning = more work for someone; and protects them from people touching them. Although they would look nice w/o glass in a home.

[Bill Holt]

Your displays look great as is. IMHO glass is cold and un-inviting.

[TucsonLawrence]

It is more expensive, but there is low-glare glass out that looks really nice and doesn't detract from the items below.

I've used it for some shadow boxes.

There is one "flaw" though and that is that the low-reflective glass sometimes doesn't function perfectly if the items are a distance away from the glass (there is a visual distortion that sometimes happens) At a couple of inches though, I don't think it would be a problem and it almost looks like the glass isn't there at all after you use it.

Your local framing shop should be able to help you source it

Lawrence

[Robert Adams]

John Mihich said:

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I would put glass on it because I will protect them from any dust; dust = cleaning = more work for someone; and protects them from people touching them. Although they would look nice w/o glass in a home.

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Same here. Dust and pet hair will be an issue without glass.

[BobbtheEE]

I would think that Fort Collins is a fairly dusty environment and that might be factor. Why not try one with a non glare glass for a while, and see how you like it?
Bob