Gnass again

[Kirk Gittings]

FWIW. I know this is beating a dead horse, but it seems that Gnass is failing again. I made two separate orders on the 15th of last month. I got an email acknowledgement on the 15th for only one order and have not received a single responce since, no responce to my questions about the other order, nothing. My account was charged for both orders on the 17th. If you go into their website and track both orders they show up, but they will not respond to my emails about them.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

This is not uncommon, but the gear is fine quality. When I ordered mine, it took several weeks to get to me. In fact, after waiting for about 3 1/2 weeks I finally called and left a message, then called again and got him. I was told mine was next in line and it still took a couple more weeks.

I forgot to give you a heads up about this issue when we were discussing the Gnass products.

[Kirk Gittings]

The products looked great that you had on the Chaco trip and it was based on your reomendation that I bought them. I am not in a huge hurry. They just need to communicate better with their customers. I understand backlogs. I just don't understand the lack of communication if that is the case.

[Frank Petronio]

Sounds like another graduate of the aclaimed Wisner School of Business Management.

I bought one of his lens cases and film holder bags, it took 3 months. But it is nice gear and I knew they were flakes going in. Try ordering off that crappy website for example...

[squiress]

...I knew they were flakes going in. Try ordering off that crappy website for example...

I love these guys stuff. I ordered another 8x10 film holder case and a large lens case. It took awhile for my last order to show, but when two weeks went by and nothing showed up, I dropped an email to them. Got a voicemail from Justin Gnass (Ga-Nass) last Friday telling me I would have items on Tuesday of this week. And if I needed them sooner to give him a call and he would make it right. Tuesday they showed up.

Flakes don't make stuff like this and their website is fine for ordering in my opinion. Still your mileage has obviously varied. :( I am completely satisfied with their service, especially after this last voicemail.

Stew

[brian reed]

I ordered the 4x5 case and the 3 lens pouch a number of months ago and I think it took about a month to get. the wait was worth it, as the case and pouch are 1st rate.
they did double bill on my card but promptly returned credit when they realized the mistake.
BR

[brad martin]

Kirk,

I live within about a mile of the house (yes its a house) and picked up my stuff personally when I ordered it. They are kind of the free spirit types. And I think
you might do better with a phone call instead of email. I didn't have to wait very long for my stuff but then I could just go over and knock on the door. I work out of town but if you'd like next thur/fri if your not getting anywhere I can go over and ask them what's up. They were very nice and responsive when I dealt with them.

brad

[Ron Marshall]

It took a month when I ordered a year ago. The four lens case is first rate.

[Sheldon N]

I found a phone call expedited things as well. It took a second call, but when I explained a time sensitive situation they upgraded my shipping and made sure that they met their promises to get it to me in time.

Justin is good people, though not exactly tuned in to time pressures. His product is phenomenal, I love my 3 lens case and 3 pouch Readyload/Quickload holder.



BTW - Still waiting on my Satin Snow ground glass, 9 weeks since ordering it. Perhaps I might call them too. :)

[Charles Hohenstein]

I wish that Gnass offered a larger 4x5 bag--one with enough room for film holders, a dark cloth, a lens or two and maybe a changing bag.

[Eric James]

Are they anywhere near Humbolt County;)

Seriously - they are as friendly as can be, and the lens cases are great, but WTF!

I like my Gnass lens cases but both a web and a phone order went way less than okay.

JG, you wanna know how to do business: place a phone order with Really Right Stuff - then send one of the items back. No misery, no grief, no repeated phone calls.

[Keith Pitman]

I ordered a lens case recently and it shipped very fast. My guess is that they don't carry a lot of inventory, and frequently have to make products as the orders come in. Sounds like they could work on communication though.

[Richard Wasserman]

I too have had very good service from them. I have 2 lens cases that I purchased at separate times and they were shipped promptly and are of excellent quality. I called Justin to order an additional divider for one of the cases and he sent it to me immediately at no charge- made me very happy. Now to order that Quickload holder...

[Herb Cunningham]

Kirk, I have several of their lens bags, and I seem to remember I had to call Justin and ask about one of the orders.

He makes some stuff for firefighters as well, I think, and the web site is primitive by
Freestyle standards, but his gear is really good.

Seems also he subcontracts the manufacture? Or is that the darkcloth guy?

[Paul Hamann]

This could be his busy season!

http://www.firefightinggear.net/

[Hans Berkhout]

Comparing him with Wisner is an uncalled for insult. From previous threads/posts we know that production time is long and communication by email not very good. No use to expect a change, because people don't change. The products are great and he delivers. Your lenses will be very safe in Gnass cases, and the Readyload holder is great.

[brad martin]

first off their products are first rate. i was just looking at my 4x5 camera case and i'll bet it out lives me...... and i'm not that old.

but ...... i've been to the house twice. i waited 4 days for my camera case. i place an online order at night and the next morning i get a call saying that if i will pick it up they we can save the shipping charges and give me a little discount. so i pick it up and they take off 5 or 10 bucks off the purchase price. great, whatever. i just liked the case. it was terrific. camera fits perfectly with my dark cloth wrapped around it.

a few weeks later i call to order a lens case and they say they have one there. so i drop by the house and they don't know what i'm talking about. but they invite me in again and after a short search sure enough there is a lens case sitting on a bookshelf in one of the back bedrooms. probably meant for someone else which would explain the long lead times............

the house is small ....probably a two bedroom... in an old part of town a couple blocks from where my great grandparents moved to from illinios in 1923. when you walk in the house you'll see about a half dozen sowing machines in various locations and piles of raw materials....cloth and padding in stacks everywhere........... doesn't look like anyone actually lives there.......i don't know.

during two visits i didn't see anyone actually working. and at no time i saw more than two people there. there was a computer on a table and it was on but to me it looked really old......

they also have some funky metal (large) sculptures in the front yard. i guess it helps
to find the place. as opposed to their neighbors who don't have large funky metal sculptures in theire front yards.

so like i said they are kind of the free spirit types.......

but with that said and given the quality of what they produce i wouldn't hesitate to order from them.

just requires patience............

and.......its my understanding that justin gnass lives in alaska and his brother (name escapes me) is in charge of the manufacturing here in chico.

brad

ps. come to think of it humbolt county is only a few counties away.

[brad martin]

and also ......just my experience.......

sort of like buying backpacking tents..............a two man tent only
shelters two people if your really, really........ like each other.

if your ordering a lens case.........

the three lens case really only holds two lenses.....i took one of the dividers
out of mine and it holds two lenses perfectly.

i suspect the four lens case only holds three.

others might have a different opinion.

brad

[Tom Westbrook]

I've had the same frustrating experience with Mr. Gnass. I just kept sending polite nag emails every week or so. It would be much better for his reputation if he gave a realistic time estimate, like "delivery within 4-6 weeks" or similar.

Anyway, the product is very well made and well worth the annoyance getting it.

[Tom Westbrook]

the three lens case really only holds two lenses.....i took one of the dividers
out of mine and it holds two lenses perfectly.

i suspect the four lens case only holds three.

others might have a different opinion.

brad

It's going to depend on the lenses and lens boards used, of course, but my experience has been that 4 normal (55mm-450mm) 4x5 lenses fit the 4 lens case fine. I use 110mm square (Arca) lens boards which is just about perfect for Gnass cases. They fit in my Redwing 3100 pack great, too.

[Rakesh Malik]

the three lens case really only holds two lenses.....i took one of the dividers
out of mine and it holds two lenses perfectly.

i suspect the four lens case only holds three.


The 3-lens case that I got from them is comfortably holding a Schnieder 80mm, a Rodenstock 135mm, and a Fujinon 300mm. Maybe you just have bigger lenses than mine :)

[Frank Petronio]

FWIW, the large lens cases holds Sinar boards OK but 171mm Arca boards are a wee too snug...

[Kirk Gittings]

The order arrived today. Two 4-lens cases and the quick-load pouch. Superbly well made and well worth the wait.

[Frank Petronio]

Humboldt's finest!

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Glad to hear it!

[Hans Berkhout]

Great. It's always a joy to use superb equipment. Lesser quality would do but...

[Kirk Gittings]

Now if we could just get them to work on their communication skills. They went 6 weeks without communicating with me, not answering some 8 emails.

[naturephoto1]

I really like my Gnass Gear- 4 X 5 Field Camera Case, Short (3 Lens) Lens Case, and 3 Pouch Rapid Load File. They are perhaps my favorite cases made by any maker. From experience, it is best to speak with Justin directly on the phone for placing orders, making any changes, and checking on expected time for delivery. Yes they take time, but definitely are worth the wait. Their products come out of Chico, CA. But, large format equipment cases is not their main busines. This came about due to his brother Jeff, who is a well known landscape photographer who lives in Alaska. I accidently called Jeff in Alaska. I spoke to Jeff for a short time and apologized for calling him instead of his brother. Jeff indicated that their contact page is a bit confusing and understood.

However, it is Justin and not Jeff who runs Gnass Gear. By the way, both brothers are very nice, friendly, and very helpful.

Rich

[roteague]

Check out Kevis Saitta's bags. They aren't the same bags as Gnass, but Kev is a first rate guy, makes great products, and is both an LF and APUG member.

http://www.kjsphotography.com/products/index.php

[Eric James]

Great. It's always a joy to use superb equipment. Lesser quality would do but...

Yup, the quality is great, but I worried a bit about the materials degasing optic-unfriendly pollutants, given their on-demand production.

The lens cases have a design feature that bugs me - that snap-closure pocket on the back is difficult to snap shut without opposing pressure on the inside; do you really want to open the main zippered compartment just to snap the outer pocket closed? NO!

Others here had recommended the Outdoor Research padded cells. These cases are a good value but do not offer the protection that the Gnass cases offer - the OR cases do have a nice zippered pocket (on the inside) that the Gnass cases lack. I would like to see the disfunkytional outer snap pocket of the Gnass lens cases changed over to a zippered pocket - a pocket suitable for rubber lens hoods or cable releases, or whatever. As is, I think that the snap pocket is a waste.

[Frank Petronio]

I had a Gnass case and think it would be fine for backpacking with multiple smaller cases if you have exactly the right volume of lenses to fill it properly. But lenswraps and Tupperware type containers seem to be even better suited to what I do (banging around inside a Pelican Case).

Now the film holder bag, if you use Readyloads or Quickloads is brilliant. You can carry a session's worth of film and the holder in one convenient, easy to work from package. But if you use regular film holders... not so much, it's more trouble than its worth.

[naturephoto1]

Check out Kevis Saitta's bags. They aren't the same bags as Gnass, but Kev is a first rate guy, makes great products, and is both an LF and APUG member.

http://www.kjsphotography.com/products/index.php

Robert is quite right about Kev. Kev does make very nice products and custom orders to boot.


Yup, the quality is great, but I worried a bit about the materials degasing optic-unfriendly pollutants, given their on-demand production.

The lens cases have a design feature that bugs me - that snap-closure pocket on the back is difficult to snap shut without opposing pressure on the inside; do you really want to open the main zippered compartment just to snap the outer pocket closed? NO!

Others here had recommended the Outdoor Research padded cells. These cases are a good value but do not offer the protection that the Gnass cases offer - the OR cases do have a nice zippered pocket (on the inside) that the Gnass cases lack. I would like to see the disfunkytional outer snap pocket of the Gnass lens cases changed over to a zippered pocket - a pocket suitable for rubber lens hoods or cable releases, or whatever. As is, I think that the snap pocket is a waste.

I find that the snap on my 3 lens case works fine when the case is open or closed (at least when gear is in the main compartment). I may prefer the zipper, however. I carry an extra cable release and the Rodenstock (Linos) spanner wrench in this pocket. From discussions with Justin I later found that the snap is used for the pocket on their 3 lens cases while a zipper is used on their 4 lens cases.

Rich

[Capocheny]

This was posted on APUG:

====================================================

Member: StreetShooter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 16

I've been defending their products to a friend of mine who has had one of their cases on order for well over a month. I was lucky enough to have won mine off of the bay!

But, regardless of whether they're a small company or not, there really is NO excuse for them not answering their emails, if only to let their clients know what is happening with their orders. After all, their purchasers have already paid for the goods ordered.

I don't want to include them in the class of companies that accompany Ron Wisner et al but I'm afraid it's probably happening in more photographers' minds than people care to admit.

Dave Parker, of SatinSnow, even in his most challenging situation, at least had the courtesy of informing his customers either via email or on this forum of production and delivery issues. THAT, IMHO, demonstrates respect and courtesy toward the people who support him through the purchase of his goods.

Lastly, I think we all know that the products Gnass produces is good. If it weren't, their company name likely wouldn't even hit the radar screen on forums like this. And, as an example, there was a Gnass lens case on the auction block a couple of days ago. Including the cost of shipping, it sold for close to the retail pricing. Why? Most likely because the buyer didn't want to go through what some of the other buyers are experiencing.

Anyway, I do wish Jeff and Justin well in their endeavors but I'm afraid I wouldn't order their products UNLESS I really didn't need it for months in advance!

====================================================

Cheers