Why do really expensive scopes sell and what attracts us to them ?

[neil phillips]

6 hours ago, Franklin said:

 

Is it just me or is there a connection between musical abilities/aspirations and an interest in astronomy? My mum was a piano teacher and I was brought up playing music, though never took it further. There are many famous astronomers who were/are also musicians. William Herschel, Brian May, Brian Cox and even Sir Patrick Moore played the zylophone. I think the connection is something to do with numbers. Astronomy is a science that is made up essentially of numerical data and musical composition is completely mathematical as well.

As regards learning to play an instrument @John, I've seen a photo of you when holding that huge 6" refractor you had and you're quite a big chap, so it may be due to sausage fingers.🤣

Its not just you. Ive noticed that. 

Me playing guitar. Ive never shared  any on here before. i have loads. Kind  of sounds like a best telescope got broke or something a rather sad affair. 

 

for p.zip

Edited November 30, 2021 by neil phillips

[Franklin]

4 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Me playing guitar

Is there anything you're NOT good at Neil?🤣

Seriously though, that's really good. I come from a musical family, my mum was a piano teacher, my daughter is a piano teacher and my son is a wannabe rock star.

Jimmy Page is MY hero. 

[neil phillips]

11 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Is there anything you're NOT good at Neil?🤣

Seriously though, that's really good. I come from a musical family, my mum was a piano teacher, my daughter is a piano teacher and my son is a wannabe rock star.

Jimmy Page is MY hero. 

We have a lot in common it seems Franklin. Saw Mr page at Knebworth as a young man. Was a big zep fan in the good ole days. Cool your son is trying to make it in music. 

I only present my good side. I am rubbish at pretty much everything else 🤔

[scotty38]

11 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

 Saw Mr page at Knebworth as a young man.

 

August 4th 1979? If so I was there too!

[John]

"Stairway to Heaven" would be a decent name for a scope

[neil phillips]

19 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

August 4th 1979? If so I was there too!

Wanted the 4th. Got the 11th. Two friends i knew well. i had no idea were going. At kings cross station ( if i remember correctly ) among hundreds of denim jackets i look over just befor boarding the train. I see them. Spent the rest of the gig with them, i was going on my own. Always thought wow lifes synchronicity. Apologies going off topic. I have a habit of that. 

[neil phillips]

4 minutes ago, John said:

"Stairway to Heaven" would be a decent name for a scope

Totally John 👌

[Macavity]

Honestly - you (fellow) Old Wrinkly Rockers? LOL! But mention of GUITARS (Even
Bass ones!) caused me to prick up my ears? These days every KID own a "Gibson
Les Paul" or some "Super Strat" thing? "When I wor a lad", you "made do" with a
a horrid "Five Quid" Guitar and / or  some shop-bought 30x30 Refractor? 🥳

Got me thinking though. Owning (talking about) expensive Guitars might have a
PARALLEL with Telescopes? If you substitute "Low Action" by "Optical Quality?"
Either way (Bad choice of Hobby) these things are "annoyingly expensive"! 🤣

Edited November 30, 2021 by Macavity

[scotty38]

4 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Wanted the 4th. Got the 11th. Two friends i knew well. i had no idea were going. At kings cross station ( if i remember correctly ) among hundreds of denim jackets i look over just befor boarding the train. I see them. Spent the rest of the gig with them, i was going on my own. Always thought wow lifes synchronicity. Apologies going off topic. I have a habit of that. 

Yep they put on two dates that year. I queued for hours for 4 tickets outside Virgin Records in Nottingham.  It was a cruddy little back street shop then 🙂

[neil phillips]

5 minutes ago, Macavity said:

Honestly - you (fellow) Old Wrinkly Rockers? LOL! But mention of GUITARS (Even
Bass ones!) caused me to prick up my ears? These days every KID own a "Gibson
Les Paul" or some "Super Strat" thing? "When I wor a lad", you "made do" with a
a horrid "Five Quid" Guitar and / or  some shop-bought 30x30 Refractor? 🥳

Got me thinking though. Owning (talking about) expensive Guitars might have a
PARALLEL with Telescopes? If you substitute "Low Action" by "Optical Quality?"
Either way (Bad choice of Hobby) these things are "annoyingly expensive"! 🤣

But as with skywatcher we do have quality low cost options now. Classic vibe strats and teles china 

[neil phillips]

5 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Yep they put on two dates that year. I queued for hours for 4 tickets outside Virgin Records in Nottingham.  It was a cruddy little back street shop then 🙂

Great memories Eh 

[Franklin]

17 minutes ago, Macavity said:

Owning (talking about) expensive Guitars might have a
PARALLEL with Telescopes?

Absolutely. Back in the day when I used to play a bit, I had a Gibson SG Custom 1968 with a Bigsby tremelo and 3 Dimarzio Humbuckers. That was some guitar, proper Angus Young style. All just memories now.

[neil phillips]

9 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Absolutely. Back in the day when I used to play a bit, I had a Gibson SG Custom 1968 with a Bigsby tremelo and 3 Dimarzio Humbuckers. That was some guitar, proper Angus Young style. All just memories now.

Very cool Franklin though Angus might take the bigsby off

[John]

Nearest I got to seeing Led Zeppelin was seeing Robert Plant and the Honeydrippers at the Bristol Granary in May 1981. Their gear took up about half the dance floor. Grainy pic of the atmospheric but cramped gig:

I guess we better get back to expensive telescopes - I certainly could not have afforded one back then !

Aries is a manufacturer that is not much heard about. They are probably best known for the Chromacor CA / SA corrector but also produced some fine scopes such as this fluorite doublet 178mm. Unusual to get a doublet of this spec:

Edited November 30, 2021 by John

[Franklin]

2 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Angus might take the bigsby off

He just folded his back I think.

[neil phillips]

Did you take that plant photo John ? 

[Franklin]

2 minutes ago, John said:

They are probably best known for the Chromacor CA / SA corrector

Didn't you use one of those? I've read that they really worked well with achros.

[neil phillips]

Just now, Franklin said:

He just folded his back I think.

Oh ok. Liked them when i was at school. lost interest as i got older. When i started listening to Free paul rodgers. fleetwood mac. Peter green. Robin trower on and on Floyd saw david G at hammersmith 

[neil phillips]

Make a interesting thread on the lounge. But yes back on topic. 

[F15Rules]

Here's my pair..

1995 Fender Strat '57 Reissue Made in Japan (like the best scopes, LOL😂). Bought for my 40th birthday by my wife, and my family bought a matching Fender hardshell case. Cost £300 in a sale (down from £400), and a fraction of the US built ones..I love it. Has maple neck and interesting "Fuji Flame" photoflame finish to mimick Flame Maple top (which never actually was part of the original 1957 Strat line!).

2004 Marlique (Indonesia) Reborn Series "Broken Wings" model.

This was my SGL avatar for a good few years..

Gibson SG style, twin Plasma II humbuckers. Again, a photoflame type finish on a solid mahogany body and rosewood fingerboard. Cost me £400 with hard case in 2004. This one has coil tap and rocks like a Gibson.

I just wish I could play them both much better!😂

Dave

Edited November 30, 2021 by F15Rules

[vlaiv]

Can we break down why are expensive telescopes expensive?

- Optical performance

- Mechanical fit&finish

- Value depreciation over time?

- "Lust factor" / "availability" / "status" ?

Any other point?

Could we compare two scopes - say 4" refractor - pick expensive one (Tak will do )  and put it against say Starfield 4" F/7 ED in each of above categories both quantitatively and qualitatively?

By quantitatively I mean also assessment of "worth" - or colloquially known as "but is it x10 better".

[John]

6 minutes ago, neil phillips said:

Did you take that plant photo John ? 

No, it was a chap called Chris Morris. Wishbone Ash were playing the Bristol Colston Hall on that night and apparently came over to watch Robert as well.

This thread will be modded soon, I'm sure

Thanks to @vlaiv for getting it back on track - I'll have a think about his questions 

 

[neil phillips]

Just now, John said:

No, it was a chap called Chris Morris. Wishbone Ash were playing the Bristol Colston Hall on that night and apparently came over to watch Robert as well.

This thread will be modded soon, I'm sure

Thanks to @vlaiv for getting it back on track - I'll have a think about his questions 

 

Watch out the bouncers are coming 🤣

[neil phillips]

5 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Can we break down why are expensive telescopes expensive?

- Optical performance

- Mechanical fit&finish

- Value depreciation over time?

- "Lust factor" / "availability" / "status" ?

Any other point?

Could we compare two scopes - say 4" refractor - pick expensive one (Tak will do )  and put it against say Starfield 4" F/7 ED in each of above categories both quantitatively and qualitatively?

By quantitatively I mean also assessment of "worth" - or colloquially known as "but is it x10 better".

They are expensive i think because it cost more to produce better quality, and here is a big one manufacturers can charge what they like. If people will buy. And they know they will

[Franklin]

OK, we're a bunch of old hippies. Lets get back to scopes.

@vlaiv's question is relevant. I think the Tak will win on 1st point Optical Quality. It is fluorite as opposed to FPL-53. The Tak will be more apochromatic.