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Anyone on the Astro-Physics Waiting List?

AndrewP

By AndrewP
in The Astro Lounge

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DougieP

DougieP

Posted
Posted

I put my name on the list in July of 2004.

Last week I got  "the letter"  from AP telling me that I was now at the top of the waiting list and could order an AP 130 EDF GT.

A wait of almost 10 years !

Today I phoned and ordered the telescope and a few accessories and expect delivery in December.

I now have to source a mount and some decent eyepieces to do this justice. I don't think a Meade Go-To with a dodgy cable or a Bresser Giro are really the way to go on this scope. Also my collection of Meade Super Plossls and Revelation Plossls might just struggle slightly to keep up with the AP optics at the other end of the tube.

So now I have the situation of do I spend another few thousand on a mount and eyepieces, or dare I say it, think about letting somebody else have the scope.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be welcome.

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Nakedgun

Nakedgun

Posted
Posted

I put my name on the list in July of 2004.

Last week I got  "the letter"  from AP telling me that I was now at the top of the waiting list and could order an AP 130 EDF GT.

A wait of almost 10 years !

Today I phoned and ordered the telescope and a few accessories and expect delivery in December.

I now have to source a mount and some decent eyepieces to do this justice. I don't think a Meade Go-To with a dodgy cable or a Bresser Giro are really the way to go on this scope. Also my collection of Meade Super Plossls and Revelation Plossls might just struggle slightly to keep up with the AP optics at the other end of the tube.

So now I have the situation of do I spend another few thousand on a mount and eyepieces, or dare I say it, think about letting somebody else have the scope.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be welcome.

Dougie, I was on the list for a 130 since about the time you signed up, as well. Got my letter last May, then gave up my position in line as I no longer desired this model. I'm confident you will not be displeased with the product if decide to proceed, but it's a tough call I'll grant you.

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HD-AP

HD-AP

Posted
Posted

I put my name on the list in July of 2004.

Last week I got  "the letter"  from AP telling me that I was now at the top of the waiting list and could order an AP 130 EDF GT.

A wait of almost 10 years !

Today I phoned and ordered the telescope and a few accessories and expect delivery in December.

I now have to source a mount and some decent eyepieces to do this justice. I don't think a Meade Go-To with a dodgy cable or a Bresser Giro are really the way to go on this scope. Also my collection of Meade Super Plossls and Revelation Plossls might just struggle slightly to keep up with the AP optics at the other end of the tube.

So now I have the situation of do I spend another few thousand on a mount and eyepieces, or dare I say it, think about letting somebody else have the scope.

Your thoughts and suggestions would be welcome.

Hi

i put my name om the AP 155 waiting list in 2001 which became the AP 160 waiting list which i'm still on ,i think our sun will turn into a red giant before i get one of these .

However i have an AP 180 EDT AND A VIXEN 152 ATLUX REFRACTORS so i'm happy with what iv'e got i did it to see if i was ever offered one seems i went on the wrong lists as if i'd been on the 130 GT list or the old 180 list i may have been offered a scope ,but i have one so i'm happy, but know it's a frustration to be on the list and have no scope .Most high end refractors from tak tmb tec all have very simular performance anyway ,but the are not an astrophysics figured by mr christian who does figure a mean lens objective,and for some no other scope will do ,but they are not magic and i have reflectors costing a fraction of the cost that will outperform them.

Enough rambling to the dilemma above i would purchase the scope and aqiure a suitable mount later as high end mounts are plentiful new and second hand with new ones appering all of the time but as i have pointed out getting a new AP scope is a chance of a lifetime that is hard to pass on ,and if you resell it you will likely make money on it rather than suffer the vertical depreciation af most other astro gear.  

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cathalferris

cathalferris

Posted
Posted

Currently the 130 list is working through 2007 orders, according to a confirmation mail I got today from AP.

I had added my name in 2013, so maybe another 7-8 years..  ( I thought I had added my name back in the early noughties but I was wrong.)

Of course by 2023 I might have enough cash saved to actually pay for it, and a mount to do it justice!

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ollypenrice

ollypenrice

Posted
Posted
19 minutes ago, cathalferris said:

Currently the 130 list is working through 2007 orders, according to a confirmation mail I got today from AP.

I had added my name in 2013, so maybe another 7-8 years..  ( I thought I had added my name back in the early noughties but I was wrong.)

Of course by 2023 I might have enough cash saved to actually pay for it, and a mount to do it justice!

You must be younger than I am! I'm not into 'instant gratification' but 'pre-mortal gratification' has obvious advantages to an atheist...

:Dlly

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mikeDnight

mikeDnight

Posted
Posted

Pride of ownership is a wonderful thing and can really help in keeping the flames of enthusiasm burning. There comes a point in life however, when having it NOW outweighs the dream. Ordering an AP refractor in your fifties when there's a ten year waiting list is really not the sensible thing to do, unless you're a collector or wish to leave it for a family member when you pop your clogs. There are many world class refractors out there that can match those made by AP, some are even better optically, and you can have them NOW! Buying an AP refractor though is akin to buying a Clarke, so I can really see the appeal, and if you want one go for it! After all, passion for the instruments is just as much a part of our hobby as looking through them.

Mike ?

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mikeDnight

mikeDnight

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, TheMightyKong said:

I know there are scopes out there which are meant to be visually indistinguishable from an AP through the eyepiece, but I know of none which are actually optically better.  Which specifically were you thinking of?

I suppose  it depends on how someone would define better. AP scopes are figured to the highest possible level, so in that sense they are certainly among the finest refractors in the world. Air spaces triplets however offer greater aberration control than oil spaced, so in this sense they could be considered better, but are harder to manufacture and so a top end air spaced triplet will be more costly.

For my money, I'd say today Takahashi's TSA is arguably the finest air spaced triplet on the market. 

Mike

 

 

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

Interesting thread, and spread over 6 years too. just shows how quality scopes can grab lots of attention :D.
I wouldn't have the patience to wait more than 3 months, although demand far exceeds the supply capability. 

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GavStar

GavStar

Posted
Posted

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but I thought it was worth giving an update. Although the waiting lists for ordering direct from AP are still around 9 years, you can get them much much quicker from the AP European dealers...For once an advantage of not being based in the US.

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