Telescope Retailers - Where to buy?

Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

Errol
www.pasnola.org

On Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:54:19 -0600, Starboard wrote:

Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

Errol
www.pasnola.org

I've had nothing but good experience with Astronomics and Orion,
although it has been many years since I've dealt with either.
My personal preference it with Astronomics because I perceive they
are more intent on delivering what the customer needs, rather
than just what they will buy.

Cheers,
Larry G.



--
Your mind is a terrible thing to waste - TURN OFF YOUR TV!

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Read the Telescope Buyers FAQ, it has a section dealing with just that
subject.


--
There are those who believe that life here, began out there, far across the
universe, with tribes of humans, who may have been the forefathers of the
Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that they may yet be
brothers of man, who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the
heavens.


The Lone Sidewalk Astronomer of Rosamond
Telescope Buyers FAQ
http://home.inreach.com/starlord
Sidewalk Astronomy
www.sidewalkastronomy.info
The Church of Eternity
http://home.inreach.com/starlord/church/Eternity.html


"Starboard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

Errol
www.pasnola.org

"Larry G." wrote in message
news
On Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:54:19 -0600, Starboard
wrote:

Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

Errol
www.pasnola.org

I've had nothing but good experience with Astronomics and Orion,
although it has been many years since I've dealt with either.
My personal preference it with Astronomics because I perceive they
are more intent on delivering what the customer needs, rather
than just what they will buy.

Cheers,
Larry G.

I'll second that...

Been dealing with Astronomics and Orion for decades, and have NEVER had a
bad experience with either... Nuff' said...

And in the believe it or not category, I've also bought telescopes from
Adorama without a hitch, and accessories as well, at quite friendly
prices... But I still would choose the previous two first... Probably
mostly a matter of how the sales folks interface with customers...

--
Jan Owen

To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.6
Longitude: -112.3
http://community.webshots.com/user/janowen21

Starlord wrote:
Read the Telescope Buyers FAQ, it has a section dealing with just that
subject.

Dennis, I need to remember to skim over your page from time to time.


I checked out the Obssesion link (www.obsessiontelescopes.com). Talk
about some fine scopes! If I fail to post with any regularity, you'll
now why: I bought the Obsession and Tammy got the 9 and blew the
moonlight clean through my head. One day. One day....

Errol
Pasnola

Starboard wrote:
Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

buytelescopes.com


Errol
www.pasnola.org

Rich wrote:

buytelescopes.com


Yep. ;-)

Actually, we're lucky to have quite a few good scope retailers around
these days. What I remember from the "good old days" of the 60s - 70s
is a lot of snakeoil merchants only too happy to separate you from your
$$$ while giving little in return.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of:
Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
and
The Urban Astronomer's Guide
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland

Starboard wrote:

Hope all the fine folks here on SAA are blessed (if you believe in
that sort of thing) with health and wealth in the new year.

That said, I'd like to know from the average Joe (not the folks who own
stock) the credibility of some of these telescope retailers. Customer
support, return policy, exchange, etc...

1) ORION: (www.telescope.com)
I have first hand experience with Orion. Most agree they're top notch.

2) ASTRONOMICS: (www.astronomics.com)
A friend in my club (PASNOLA) warned me against Astronomics. His bad
experience was probably just an isolated event because Jan stated a few
days ago that he had a long history of good service with Astronomics.

3) TELESCOPES: (www.telescopes.com)
???????

4) OPT: (www.optcorp.com)
???????

Others?

http://www.company7.com is my hands-down winner. Nearly all dealers
drop-ship orders. Company Seven is staffed by astro-optics experts who,
among other things, participated in the first Hubble optics repair
program. They receive your merchandise from the vendor, unpack it,
inspect it for completeness, quality, collimation, etc., and when it
meets their high standards it is shipped to you. And the Company Seven
showroom/museum in Laurel, MD, is very much worth a visit if you find
yourself in the Baltimore-Washington area.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

www.astromart.com
all my astro buddies use them. Just gotta be careful what they put up on there....

Jan Owen wrote:
And in the believe it or not category, I've also bought telescopes from
Adorama without a hitch, and accessories as well, at quite friendly
prices... But I still would choose the previous two first... Probably
mostly a matter of how the sales folks interface with customers...

I've found that Adorama, like any of the New York photo outlets, gives
you a reasonably pleasant purchasing experience provided you've done
your research and give the impression you don't need your hand held
throughout the process. I bought my C5+ from Adorama with nary a
hitch. However, I've never had to return anything to a New York photo
outlet, and these days, I do all my purchasing locally. Usually from
Woodland Hills, but I've been known to shop elsewhere.

--
Brian Tung
The Astronomy Corner at http://astro.isi.edu/
Unofficial C5+ Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/c5plus/
The PleiadAtlas Home Page at http://astro.isi.edu/pleiadatlas/
My Own Personal FAQ (SAA) at http://astro.isi.edu/reference/faq.html