Hands On Optics

Ratings:Top:Astronomy:Places To Buy:Hands On Optics

 Info  Votes  Messages  More Stats  Up One Level
Vote
Page 1 of 2 Next

Hands On Optics
I've dealt with Gary Hand since I got into the hobby. He's helpful, doesn't try to talk you into stuff you don't need, and has a good selection. When I had a warranty problem with the scope I bought, he took care of sending it back to the factory. The only problem I've had is that he sometimes doesn't answer his email. One has to be persistent.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=65850

Hands On Optics
I have worked with Gary for several years and enjoy his service and overall care he takes with his supplies. I would recommend his availability and quick service. His prices are as good as on can find and the quality is excellent. We need this kind of dealer to answer our needs and I highly recommend him. Maury Childs

Overall Rating: 9
Price:9 Service:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=65878

Hands On Optics
I have bought several scopes form Gary and have allways have good price and great service after sale, I would say to anyone you can"t go wrong with dealing at Hands on Optics, I have bought a next star 8, nextstar 80, meade LX200 10" and a meade LX90, great to deal with!!!!!!!!!

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=65894

Hands On Optics
Excellent company to deal with.

Overall Rating: 9
Price:9 Service:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=65897

Hands On Optics
This guy is a con-artist. Once he screwed me with an eyepiece and about a year later I ordered a scope from him at a very low price. I wondered why it was so cheap, I found out when the scope arrived. He send me a Used telescope that was made in 1999 and said it was new. I called the company that made the scope and gave them the serial number and told me the scope was almost Two years old! Stay away folks it can hppen to you too.

Overall Rating: 0
Weight: 2 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=66101

Hands On Optics
I traded my LX200 10 to Gary for a Nexstar 11.
I received good advice, good price and no
decent cautionary notes regarding alternatives
I was considering. I have bought several
eyepieces over time and have always felt
that the price/performance ratio was
exceptional.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=66252

Hands On Optics
Sold me an adaptor for $15 more than what it is priced elsewhere at a fair where I did not have a chance to compare prices on th web. I met him in person. I got the feeling that he's a nice person, but that he's also a very greedy person (which isn't necessarily a bad things, since a lot of us have some greed in us.. ;)). He does have some of the better prices on some things that I personally want (unless you want to go on astromart).

Overall Rating: 7
Price:6 Service:7
Weight: 4 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=67731

Hands On Optics
Just purchased a 4.25" f/4 mirror and 1.5" diagonal set for a RFT project, and it is excellent -- unbelievable, really, for the price! Crisp planetary images and pinpoint star images -- wow! Allowing for the inevitable variation in quality of mass produced optical goods, I am still blown away by how good this one is -- and I have seen a lot of really BAD stuff of late. Milt Hays, Jr., Jacksonville, FL

Overall Rating: 10
Price:9 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=67869

Hands On Optics
I've purchase several lenses from Hands On Optics and I have never been disappointed.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=68423

Hands On Optics
see my message post, great guys to deal with.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=68430

Hands On Optics
Great product for reasonable price.

Overall Rating: No Vote
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=68537

Hands On Optics
What a great dealer. Very fast shipping. I am forever greatful for companies like Hands on Optics. Thanks again. I hope to do business with you again SOON.. :)

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=69664

Hands On Optics
I have been doing bussiness with Gary Hand for over 8 years. He is always honest and forthcoming in his salesmanship. He has always gone out of his way to insure that my purchases were exactly what I wanted and needed. And his price was the same if not better than other vendors I had done bussiness with. Since Gary has become a full line dealer his service and prices have gotten even better.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=70517

Hands On Optics
Even though this was a trans-Atlantic deal, service was excellent. Will definitely use again.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=71138

Hands On Optics
I was having trouble with a telescope that I did not even buy at his store. Regardless, one of his salespeople spent 1 hour figuring out and correcting the problem at no charge. I was overwhelmed by the service. He will recommend what he sells, very vigorously, just like every other dealer I have ever dealt with.

Overall Rating: 9
Price:9 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=73513

Hands On Optics
I've bought or sold telescopes and parts from Gary Hand for the last 15 years. I've never had a bad transaction. In his year old store he does things for customers others want to charge a fee for. Bottom line is the only items I buy from somebody else are items from venders Gary doesn't carry. I currently have 5 optical tubes and 2 equatorial mounts bought new or used from him.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=74172

Hands On Optics
First of all - this is an unsolicited review of Hands On Optics. You can e-mail me direct at electricgolf@abac.com. I live in KY. I have owned a Celestron G8, an Orion ST80 refractor, and a Meade 90EC. I have submitted great reviews of OPT in California and Orion, and a bad review of Woodland Hills (although the reviews appear to have been purged when this site was modified). So - I am not new to this and Gary is not paying me!

I do not understand what is going on here. Gary is well known for excellent service - check out http://www.cloudynights.com/reviews/skywatcher102f5.htm
Cloudy Nights scope reviews. There the author says: "When I got home, I opened the box. My first impression was that Gary Hand does a very careful job packing. The scope was inside the large cardboard box, in it's own smaller box surrounded by packing, bubble wrap, etc. Gary obviously understands the tender mercies of UPS all too well :-)".

I am posting this review based on his price and service. I e-mailed him late Friday night with questions, and he sent 2 e-mails back Saturday. He also discussed my purchase with me for an hour on Monday on his dime (his toll-free number) before I decided to purchase. He was very honest and helpful in spite of being sick with a cold and the flu. His price was great for a Russian Mak Astele Lomo 133.5 I called back later to order wooden tripod legs for a CG-5 (a wise investment) and talked to his wife - she is a nice lady. She was also helpful and expects to ship it all to me this week so I can use it this weekend. I will post another review once I receive the merchandise, but I thought a fair and unbiased comment was required immediately based on what I see going on here. If it all goes to he_ _ when I receive it, believe me I will let you know, but I seriously doubt that will happen. These guys are sincere and run a nice family-owned business that is dependent on good customer service to compete against the big guys out there.

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=75956

Hands On Optics
After having all previous votes erased and starting from scratch, this outfit is at it again, it would appear. Look at the dates and carefully read the wording. A 10 vote from within your store and he basically says "Trust me"?

I attempted to purchase scopes in the past but to no avail(didn't return phone messages). Another time he trash talked all the other dealers. Very professional. The last call I made, I left a message, "I want to buy a scope". Selling doesn't get any easier than that. No return call.

Based on that I left a vote summarizing the same. It was followed by 10 votes of 10 in one day. Scrolling down the old list I saw other evidence of the same.

Please Mr. Hand, don't skew the voting here. Mention this site with a sale, that's fair enough. Just let folks vote in private so that candor is not influenced,

**I've been contacted via the mail at this site and may indeed give Gary another try. His reply was quite professional and no-nonsense. He even regretted and apologized for missing the opportunity to sell me a scope. With what I went through with the schmuck on the West Coast, so am I.**

Overall Rating: No Vote
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=72587

Hands On Optics
Great service

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=81422

Hands On Optics
product is as advertized, shipping is prompt, customer service and attitude towards helping is great. price unbeatable. I will not hessitate to do business with Hands on Optics...

Overall Rating: 10
Price:10 Service:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=81429

Page 1 of 2 Next

[Click Here to Login]
Don't have a login? Register!

Starting out in Amateur Astronomy
 
How to use This Site
Why Register?
Voting Guide