Where o Where is my M2

Athos6

Athos6

Tao Master
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Sep 15, 2006
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I sent it to DAG to be CLA'd over 2 months ago... I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever see it again :( I've tried to email him to buy some stuff for my IIIc and inquire about my M2 and he hasn't responded...sigh Thanks for reading my vent...
 
I'm in the same boat. I've been waiting for nearly five months for a lens repair. He won't reply to my emails (I've sent six) except once, three weeks ago, to say he'd have the job finised two weeks ago... Pretty poor, in my opinion....
 
I understand that he's busy, and that he probably gets lots of email, but I just wish he'd spend a bit at the end of the day to answer emails. Heck I even wanted to buy something from him, I ended up buying something on ebay instead.
 
Phone calls are always the best way to go to get a hold of somebody.
So stop beating around the bush and call him up.

[FONT=trebuchet ms, arial, helvetica]608-835-3342[/FONT]
 
i agree.. he' s only answered one of my many emails. but he's always picked up the phone. nice guy... and super busy. i think he needs to hire an assistant.
 
I would give him a call..... I actually had a lens that I needed repaired quickly and called him through the whole process and was able to get it back fairly quickly... Really nice guy...
 
I can understand not returning emails for whatever half-ass reasons, but two months after sending in a body for a CLA, you hear nothing? My M6 needs a CLA, and after reading this, I'm considering Sherry or Youxin. That's a disappointment. I only have one Leica, and I prefer having it in my hands.
 
When I bought some IIIc parts from him last year, Mr. Goldberg was prompt in answering e-mail. I have seen, though, on RFF and other forums, that he takes a relatively long time to finish repair work.
 
multiples

multiples

a good reason to have more than one body, two or three works nicely.
if one has to go away for a cla, you always have a backup...and when they all are in use, it is nice not to have to reload on an active shoot, or you could use one body for b&w another for color, or, you could dedicate your favorite lens to the favorite body and use the other for various lenses...
 
It's my understanding that Don A) is not good about replying to emails, but will pick up the phone B) is ridiculously busy, and probably frankly swamped C) seems to be better at dealing with and helping people who call and talk with him a lot.

He is so highly regarded for his work (and rightly so) that it seems he can pick and choose whom he helps and how fast. I imagine he works at a pace that is sane and functional for him first, and his clamoring customers second. I suspect he works faster for folks with whom he has a good relationship- be-it personal friendship or heavy return customers- or else for people whom he wants to get out of his hair. I fall into neither category. Last year I sent him a lens which had been dropped. The helical was frozen, and it might have become a paperweight. To my surprise DAG fixed it; it took three months from start to finish. Most of my emails went unanswered- but he always spoke with me when I called on the phone. I was hesitant to take up his time with phone calls, but my impression was that if I'd called him regularly, one way or another it might have returned faster.

Sherry does fine work, and I'd happily send her my gear. I've had lenses and bodies that she has worked on, and never a problem with her. But Youxin Ye is the first person I'd deal with for work on older bodies. He does excellent work, is very fast, provides excellent communication, and is VERY reasonable in terms of cost; he's down-right cheap, in fact. Leica work is a side project for him, not his main job, so his overhead is lower, I presume. However, it's my understanding that he only works on older classic gear, and won't touch cameras with electronics.
 
You're not alone. It took about three months for my Canon body and lens to return from DAG. He does pick up the phone, though, and he's a good guy to deal with.

The M2 I just purchased had been CLA'd by Youxin Ye and it seems to be a first rate job. It has new shutter curtains and the winding is smooth like butter. He only works on screwmount and meterless M Leicas, though. No Canon RF or M6's need inquire...:bang::)
 
Thats the beauty of capitalism. If you don't make your customers happy, eventually the market will respond and you will be out of business.

It can be a slow thing however. E.G. I would not send DAG a thing to work on
and will give others a try!

Ray
 
I am disappointed at the tone of this post. I believe most of you don't know what it takes to run a buisness by ones self. I am a self employed one man shop that makes custom fire arms. I have a back log of over 150 guns to make and repair( need a break). The biggest issue Dag must face is parts and how to priotize the work flow. His part sourcing must be hard due to the fact that alot of stuff is out of mfg for a long time, so he must scrounge. Then he has to answer the phone with the same questions time and time again. Usually from the same person. Its not easy to bring someone on board and they start off running. I did last year still answering fotr their mistakes. Like him I must bill order parts and build and bid and deal with walk ins. And the I want it yesterday types. I hate those people. I remember when he went on a small vacation and some people went crazy. I haven't had a a week off since 911. I get behind people let me know real bad. Yes I will tell a customer his wait is up to 1.5 years for a rifle other people are in front of you with a reason and they understand. He gives you a due date and he has some issues and you want immediate email responce if he does it you will never get anything done. My words to you is lighten up and wait for the man to finish and you will be suprised when you have an issue and the responce is rather positive.
 
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Thud said:
I am disappointed at the tone of this post. I believe most of you don't know what it takes to run a buisness by ones self. I am a self employed one man shop that makes custom fire arms. I have a back log of over 150 guns to make and repair( need a break). The biggest issue Dag must face is parts and how to priotize the work flow. His part sourcing must be hard due to the fact that alot of stuff is out of mfg for a long time, so he must scrounge. Then he has to answer the phone with the same questions time and time again. Usually from the same person. Its not easy to bring someone on board and they start off running. I did last year still answering fotr their mistakes. Like him I must bill order parts and build and bid and deal with walk ins. And the I want it yesterday types. I hate those people. I remember when he went on a small vacation and some people went crazy. I haven't had a a week off since 911. I get behind people let me know real bad. Yes I will tell a customer his wait is up to 1.5 years for a rifle other people are in front of you with a reason and they understand. He gives you a due date and he has some issues and you want immediate email responce if he does it you will never get anything done. My words to you is lighten up and wait for the man to finish and you will be suprised when you have an issue and the responce is rather positive.
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Thud- I run a small one man shop, too; I know how hard it is. I can't speak for the rest of the thread, but my assessment of Don does not judge him for the way he operates, merely lays out my impressions, with the hope of possibly helping others make decisions about what to expect from him.
 
Fixing cameras is not easy but it ain't brain surgery either. You do want someone skilled and with experience with your particular camera. Plenty of alternatives to a place known to take along time. I use Sherry and have been extremely satisfied with her excellent and fast service. Essex is another alternative.
 
I understand he's busy, and I appreciate that. It's a bit difficult for me to ring from the other side of the world. It could be done, granted, but I'd have to call from work and things get complicated. I have faith he'll do a good job when he get around to it but at nearly six months turn around I'd sure hope so.
 
RITskellar, You sound like a spoiled brat. You are the type that wants everything now. But you don't understand how things are made and repaired and made to work correctly. I have not had a reapir done by Dag in a while because my stuff doesn't need it. I understand what a craftsman must go through to do the work correctly and reliabily(thats the key). I have sent items back to customers because they were constrantly changing their minds on what to and then telling me how to do it. I to give preference to professional customers because they deserve it. Other repair people I would not give the time of day to, Sherry is one of them because of self serving ways and the way she talks to others who don't agree with her.. If you find someone you are comfortable with stay with them don't shop around and tell others that the guy is bad. I do tell my customers yes and no about jobs but camera repairmen don't like to turn aqway work.

TJV Yes repairing items takes a large amount of skill but you are insulting many who are the best in their fields. A someone who works on metal and many small parts you need to see in many levels and in 3D to see how compllex the issue is and what is reacting with what to cause the problem and how to fix it.
 
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