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snowdragonusa
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/04/07
Posts: 1285
Loc: Denver, CO
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AHHH! Quick! Touch wood! 
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Adam
12" LX200R, AT80LE
Lunt 60mm Ha & CaK solar scopes
DMK41.AS, DSI Pro, DSI-C, LPI
Denver Astronomical Society
Brighton Astronomical Group
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JRF
member
Reged: 05/13/07
Posts: 48
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Promptness in customer service is a major prolem. Most add-ons (accessory port, electronic focuser, super wedge, etc.) have some type of defect to deal with. Usually something as simple as wrong screw size, but still aggravating.
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 4491
Loc: Ireland
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Quote:
I don't think it really matters whether you choose Meade or Celestron or whoever as a manufacturer. These days you're going to run into long hold times and generally less than desirable customer service....
Mark --
Not necessarily. I did something really stupid and damaged my AP1200GTO. Called Astro-Physics on the phone. A human (Alice) picked up on the third or fourth ring. I explained my problem. She put me through to Howard (as in right then and there, not said he'd call me back or had me leave a message). Howard turns out to know a thing or two about my mount (he built it), and we discussed the issue. He sent me some parts and said to call back when they came in and he'd lead me through doing the replacement. I did, and got through to Howard again, and took about half-an-hour of his time on the phone, and now my mount works like a charm again.
My Meade experience? Lots of on-hold, lots of messages, some support from folks who tried, but in the end didn't really know my scope well enough to figure out what was wrong with it. After 5 months I sold the fork mount on as a "lemon".
I do have another Meade scope, which after a couple of DIY repairs (to adjust the worm mesh and worm carrier stop screw), has performed flawlessly.
So, if you enjoy gambling (and clearly Las Vegas would suggest that many do), Meade is terrific value for money. Me, I don't like gambling (and I don't "get" Las Vegas). I'd rather pay (considerably) more, but know exactly what I was getting.
-- Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-125 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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Nick Cook
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/28/06
Posts: 1239
Loc: Somerset, England
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Ah but you see I have had a similar level of support in the UK, that you had with AP. I have had direct contact with the engineer (who I actually met when he came to me on-site to fix the original focus motor issue). Of course the UK isn't the US, but I have to say it's been the after-sales support has kept me a Meade customer. I have also been sent free replacements to fix problems. As I said before, I can't speak highly enough of the Meade team over here. 
Gambling it may be, but when you have a loaded dice, I'm reasonably comfortable. 
Nick
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Meade 14" RCX + Astro Physics 0.75 Reducer (27TVPH)
Meade 5000 ED80 APO (Guider/widefield)+ WO 0.8 Reducer
William Optics Zenithstar 66 Petzal
SBig STL11000M + AO-L + 3" Pyxis Rotator + 3" PDF Focuser
Canon 20Da + IDAS Filter
Pulsar 9ft Dome
www.nick-cook.net
www.cavebear.co.uk
Edited by Nick Cook (09/26/07 07:20 AM)
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4389
Loc: Bosham, UK
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I'd have no qualms about buying Meade in the UK now, if I did have a problem i'd have every confidence that Steve at TH could fix it.
But AP are truely exceptional, never dealt with another company with service like it.
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Observatory:- Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, Baader SkySurfer V, EQ6/pro
Outside:- TeleVue 76is/Vixen Porta II
Eyepieces:- 2-4mm Nagler zoom, 5mm & 6mm Radians, 9mm Nagler, 13mm Ethos, 24mm & 34mm Meade SWAs
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Nick Cook
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/28/06
Posts: 1239
Loc: Somerset, England
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Sounds like AP are the Rolls Royce of the industry. Certainly very pleased with the AP bits and pieces I already have.
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Meade 14" RCX + Astro Physics 0.75 Reducer (27TVPH)
Meade 5000 ED80 APO (Guider/widefield)+ WO 0.8 Reducer
William Optics Zenithstar 66 Petzal
SBig STL11000M + AO-L + 3" Pyxis Rotator + 3" PDF Focuser
Canon 20Da + IDAS Filter
Pulsar 9ft Dome
www.nick-cook.net
www.cavebear.co.uk
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Moggi1964
Vendor - Astro Laugh
Reged: 11/07/05
Posts: 3636
Loc: Madison. NJ. USA
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Rolls Royce ain't what it used to be
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Morris
www.astrolaugh.com
Astrosystems Telekit 10" with F/6 JC Wilkinson mirror
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Jeff Young
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/04/05
Posts: 4491
Loc: Ireland
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Nick and Ben --
I did actually talk to Steve at Telescope House during my travails. He was most helpful. I also got Chris Morrison in export in the States to send me a few bits to try and fix it. But I got the impression after a while that the design itself was right on the edge, and that all they could do was to keep tweaking various bits in the hope that something would cure the vibration. It didn't seem like there was anything definite that could be diagnosed and fixed.
In the end, I almost sent it in to Telescope House to get it fixed (even though it would have been on my dime since I bought the scope in the US before moving to Ireland). The other alternative would have been to ship it back to the States, which would have been very expensive, with no guarantee that it would come back any better than it left. Finally, my wife asked if this was a hobby or a source of stress, and I cut bait.
None of which is to suggest that others should follow my example. I know Jerry, at least, has a much higher pain threshold than I do, and Nick seems to be getting on well with his RCX. But the more informed one's expectations are, the more likely they are to be happy on whichever route they choose.
Cheers,
-- Jeff.
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Nikon 18x70s / UA Millennium Colorado:
Solarscope SF70 / TV Pronto / AP400QMD Coronado SolarMax40 DS / Bogen 055+3130
APM MC1610 / Tak FC-125 / AP1200GTO Tak Mewlon 250 / AP600EGTO
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JerryWise
Postmaster
Reged: 12/26/03
Posts: 9284
Loc: Lexington, SC
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Quote:
.........
I know Jerry, at least, has a much higher pain threshold than I do, ......
Jeff....... shhhhhh. Don't tell anyone but I understand the "is it a hobby or source of frustration" thing all too well too. My wife said pretty much the same thing. Might be why I'm putting in a spanking new AP-1200 tonight with her blessing. Seems quite a few here on CN are following your lead.
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Jerry
TOA 150, FS-152, 14" LX200R, AP-1200
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4389
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Jeff, my philosophy is very similar to yours (which is why I've got a 1200GTO on the way - currently somewhere between Newark and Birmingham, UPS tracking is surprisingly addictive ). Fundamentally I've had enough of spending clear nights doing other people's QC for them. I either want it to just work or be a no-hassle fix if it doesn't. I don't have a great confidence in Meade providing the former, but Steve's really gone out of his way recently to help out in a situation where he had no obligation to so i'd have every confidence in Telescope House to fix any problem I had. So I might well get a 12" LX200R OTA at some point to put on the 1200GTO.
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Observatory:- Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, Baader SkySurfer V, EQ6/pro
Outside:- TeleVue 76is/Vixen Porta II
Eyepieces:- 2-4mm Nagler zoom, 5mm & 6mm Radians, 9mm Nagler, 13mm Ethos, 24mm & 34mm Meade SWAs
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Nick Cook
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/28/06
Posts: 1239
Loc: Somerset, England
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Quote:
But the more informed one's expectations are, the more likely they are to be happy on whichever route they choose.
Cheers,
-- Jeff.
That's so true and I've said the same myself many times. This all helps to keep peoples' eyes open when making a decision so they can make an informed choice.
Roll on the OTA RCX I say!
Regards,
Nick
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Meade 14" RCX + Astro Physics 0.75 Reducer (27TVPH)
Meade 5000 ED80 APO (Guider/widefield)+ WO 0.8 Reducer
William Optics Zenithstar 66 Petzal
SBig STL11000M + AO-L + 3" Pyxis Rotator + 3" PDF Focuser
Canon 20Da + IDAS Filter
Pulsar 9ft Dome
www.nick-cook.net
www.cavebear.co.uk
Edited by Nick Cook (09/27/07 07:07 AM)
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4389
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Quote:
currently somewhere between Newark and Birmingham, UPS tracking is surprisingly addictive
D'oh, just noticed that four packages are between Newark and Birmingham, the mount head appears to be in Louisville, KY... 
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Observatory:- Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, Baader SkySurfer V, EQ6/pro
Outside:- TeleVue 76is/Vixen Porta II
Eyepieces:- 2-4mm Nagler zoom, 5mm & 6mm Radians, 9mm Nagler, 13mm Ethos, 24mm & 34mm Meade SWAs
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Nick Cook
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/28/06
Posts: 1239
Loc: Somerset, England
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Quote:
Quote:
currently somewhere between Newark and Birmingham, UPS tracking is surprisingly addictive
D'oh, just noticed that four packages are between Newark and Birmingham, the mount head appears to be in Louisville, KY...
It must be like waiting for Santa to arrive! Mind you I know what it's like. My SBig camera is currently back in the states being fixed (some strange failure with the main chip). Have missed a lot of good clear imaging nights -typical!
That mount is a great one. If I ever do get my RCX OTA wish, I will be torn between the AP1200 and a Paramount.
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Meade 14" RCX + Astro Physics 0.75 Reducer (27TVPH)
Meade 5000 ED80 APO (Guider/widefield)+ WO 0.8 Reducer
William Optics Zenithstar 66 Petzal
SBig STL11000M + AO-L + 3" Pyxis Rotator + 3" PDF Focuser
Canon 20Da + IDAS Filter
Pulsar 9ft Dome
www.nick-cook.net
www.cavebear.co.uk
Edited by Nick Cook (09/27/07 07:07 AM)
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Ben Ritchie
Lost in Space
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 4389
Loc: Bosham, UK
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Quote:
It must be like waiting for Santa to arrive!
Sadly Santa is going to turn up with a large bill for VAT/import duty 
Quote:
Have missed a lot of good clear imaging nights -typical!
Me too - sold my G11 so i'm without a mount. The weather has, of course, responded by being gin clear for a few nights...
edit: and apologies to Joad for drifting wildly off-topic (as usual...)
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Observatory:- Astro-Physics 130EDT StarFire, Baader SkySurfer V, EQ6/pro
Outside:- TeleVue 76is/Vixen Porta II
Eyepieces:- 2-4mm Nagler zoom, 5mm & 6mm Radians, 9mm Nagler, 13mm Ethos, 24mm & 34mm Meade SWAs
Edited by Ben Ritchie (09/27/07 03:59 AM)
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Joad
Wordsmith
Reged: 03/22/05
Posts: 18002
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Topic? We don't need no stinkin' topics!
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Zoomster
Vendor - Clear Sky Adventures
Reged: 01/30/05
Posts: 1038
Loc: Tampa FL
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Bought my C8 20 yrs ago and it has not so much as hiccupped since then, not once, and I dragged that thing all around the world, literally. I remember watching Haleys comet through it while it was set up on the beach...man, beautiful.
The two Meades in the museum collection both have creaks and groans and one has major wiring issues and they are less tha ten years old.
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Celestron CPC 1100 aka "The Marino"
Moonlite Dual Rate Focuser
WO Dielecric Diagonal
Denkmeier "Big Easy" Binos and assorted eyepieces.
Coranado PST
SPC900NC...not modded...yet. (eh-eh)
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Epicurus
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CHASLX200
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/29/07
Posts: 3153
Loc: Tampa area Florida
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I've owned around 40 Meade scopes over the years, most all were bought used. Most all of the scopes worked very well, minus three 2045's with soft optics and a 7" ED that could never be collimated.
Back in 1999 i bought a 7" ED- APO with the 750 LXD mount from a local vendor, the scope was sent to Meade three times for collimation issues, everytime it came back it was out of collimation! Make a long story short, i got my money back and found out years later it was the cells in the 7" ED's that was the problem.
All of the many LX-200's i have owned were just flat out great scopes!
Chas
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