notchy

That's very disappointing to hear, TxOliver. Given the situation you've described, I'm rather surprised that Berlebach has taken this position. Like many in this thread I suspect, I use one of their tripods (a Uni-28) with my AZ100 to hold my 100mm refractor and complementary reflector. I'm finding the combo to be excellent and am thoroughly enjoying it. The Rowan and the Berlebach are a perfect match and the antidote to my growing dismay at the often shoddy build quality and laughable customer service that's been a feature of much of the mass-produced astro kit I'd bought prior to this. Anyway, I'm so pleased with my setup now that I've been telling anyone who will listen, forcing visitors to the house who have little interest in star gazing to check out the engineering on the AZ100, as well as the quality of its sweet wooden undercarriage. Your story has put a bit of a dampener on the warm and fuzzy feeling I've had. C'mon Berlebach, you've got a very disappointed state-side customer here and their story is hardly going to encourage other overseas customers to place orders with you!