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First scope from Orion directly or Amazon?


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Hi everyone!

I'm brand new to the forum, but have read a lot from here and have gained some really good information.

Well, after years of wanting, weeks of research, and many nights hunting down stars with binoculars, I am going to buy my first telescope. I've pretty much settled on the Orion Starblast 4.5 on the tabletop Dobsonian mount. (I lusted after the Starblast 6, but as I'm a 5'4" scrawny female in a tiny apartment, the 4.5 seemed a more sensible option. I'll get a big ol' Dob when I buy a house out in the country!)

Anyway, I'm just considering where exactly to purchase it from. I see that on Amazon, it says ships from/sold by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, but I just wanted to know if anybody had any shipping/billing trouble from any of their options. I'm thinking of just going through the Orion site directly. Anyone have suggestions/comments as to where the best place is to purchase a telescope?

Thank you all, and so excited to join this fascinating hobby! 

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Orion has a rep for poor customer service. I'd suggest buying from a re-seller. They will handle customer issues quickly and professionally, and offer real tech support. I've had a good experience buying an Orion OAG from OPT corp. Highly recommend.

http://www.optcorp.com/orion-starblast-4-5-reflector-telescope-10015.html

And welcome to SGL from Thailand.--Jack

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Orion has a rep for poor customer service. I'd suggest buying from a re-seller. They will handle customer issues quickly and professionally, and offer real tech support. I've had a good experience buying an Orion OAG from OPT corp. Highly recommend.

http://www.optcorp.com/orion-starblast-4-5-reflector-telescope-10015.html

And welcome to SGL from Thailand.--Jack

Hmm, good to know! Although I have, in the past, heard that Celestron has poor customer service, while Orion's was actually quite decent. I have also used the chat feature to speak with an Orion salesperson and they were fairly helpful. But this is good to know. :)

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Probably a little easier, possibly safer, to go through a retailer, hopefully one close to you.

That way you deal with them for any problems and they sort whatever out with the manufacturer.

Not sure if NY is state or city in your case.

If you want a club this site seems to list the US ones:

http://www.go-astronomy.com/astro-clubs-state.php?State=NY

Suppose you didn't make it to NEAF at Suffern about 2 months back?

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Yep I'm in New York City! Not ideal for stargazing, clearly, but my boyfriend has a car and we drive out to Long Island for some decent skies.

Surprisingly, in a city with zillions of restaurants and specialty stores of all kinds, I've not been able to find a single shop that specializes in telescopes. (I think the fear is that pervs will use them to become peeping toms. An actual thing that happens here!) So I think I'll have to go through an online option. :)

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Haha! I think our neighbour in the house adjacent to me got worried last night when I was setting up my new scope only to realise the scope was pointing in her window. Made very brief eye contact before she walked away from the window... The eyecontact may have only been brief but it felt like it went on for years! I felt like a rabbit in headlights when I realised it looked like I was looking through her windows!!! 


 

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Bought both my Starblasts from Orion Europe via Amazon UK - no problem at all and very fast service. However, buying from an astro retailer may well be good, if only in starting a 'relationship' with them. Any good brick stores/Orion dealers in New York?

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One company in NYC that I've dealt with a long time is B&H photo. They do have a large telescope department. I don't see Orion stuff, but they carry some Skywatcher, and they are so professional. I'm confident they could order something for you. Extremely good company and worth a visit.  http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Reflector-Newtonian-Dobsonian/ci/3390/N/4100994428/origSearch/telescopes

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