Did I screw up in my choice of lighting? I like them and they're pretty inexpensive as far as lighting goes. I thought they were a good choice for someone on a budget but I never see them plugged here.

Did I buy a photographic paraiah? Are experienced models gonna look at my lights and laugh all the way to the exit?

Help me out here pros!

The put out decent light, but the quality of the mounting hardware is Horrid.  I had one break literally a week after receiving it at the locking mechanism, and the tilt will never tighten sufficiently to hold the light in place, regardless of whether a modifier is on it or not. Return wasn't an option due to the need for it.  So it gets wedged and bunged and taped and strapped and, well, let's just say it is the last light out of the box, and the first one back in.

So yeah, if you are not having these issues, they seem pretty consistent light wise as long as you don't have them turned down low.  So you should be in good shape.

If the work do not worry.

When they break -- then replace them one by one.

If you think that is bad try explaining - a Martian Pink Alienbee light.

While I'm a firm Bee advocate, I have to agree with a post I saw earlier today in another thread.  As long as you use them properly no one should notice. 

No body I've ever heard has looked at  a shot, commented on the lighting and said, "That's cool, but it would have been so much better had the photographer used XYZ lights".

As for what people say about your lights when they see them....I don't think anything will be said by a model.  Not that some of them don't know, mind you, but because they care about results.  There are many that make fun of AlienBees and talk a lot of smack about them, but I've not once had someone comment on my lights, only my lighting.

I should add that I've not heard a model talk about Bees, just other photographers...I realize my last statement might not be too clear.

I miss the edit button.

I've got a pair if Interfit Stellar 600's. I would certainly have loved to get some Hensels or Calumet Travelite 750's, but my budget could only stretch so far with my medical bills.

The Stellars work just fine - my only complaint is just the pain in the ass that it is to assemble the stupid softboxes. It literally takes me 3x as long to get the softboxes together as the lights themselves. I'm considering getting some collapsable softboxes, or modifying mine to make them work better for assembly/disassembly.

The lights work pretty well though for the money.  I wish they had an auto-dump feature, but really that's not critical for me.

I use two 300s and started with two 150s.

The stands were TOTAL crap, but I've gotten by so far.  I just ordered two stacker 8' Manfroto stands.

Apparently the lights are inconsistent with power and color, but I've never noticed and I photoshop all my pictures anyways so wtv.  lol