Local watchmakers, local glasses maker lol, they don’t exist any more! The UK (for the most part) has had all this type of thing stripped from our towns, they can’t survive - who has watches mended nowadays?? 0.5%?.
There are shops, but they only put batteries in, change straps etc and the glasses shops will do slight adjusting to arms etc, but the rest is ‘sent off’ and it comes back in a week or so fixed.
Thee would be a ‘proper’ watch shop in the county no doubt, but they would charge you an arm and a leg as they do Rolexes etc!
In small town I live in, there are 3 or 4 glass maker shops and 3 watch repair stores afaik.
Mike
Don’t forget the guy that repairs battery packs for hassleblad cameras from scratch
ive a raymond weil i take to get maintance every year
my brother in law has over 10 watches, brietlings,omegas,bell ross etc (yes hes rich) they just love his yearly visits!
Neal has been involved in BLF for at least 5 years now, since the BLF-A6 or possibly even earlier. I’ve seen a lot of that up close, since I was involved in some of those projects too. (though thankfully not the Cometa)
Based on those 5 years, I can’t really say people’s complaints are inaccurate.
I don’t think he deserves to be thrown under a bus, but I also don’t think it’s helpful to downplay complaints about real issues. So when the topic comes up, I generally say nothing. Plenty of other people already say what needs to be said.
Toykeeper so when someone says they have been waiting for an order for months thats inaccurate how ? or a wrong flashlight or missing items how is this inaccurate ? Dont defend him because he has been here doesnt change things, those that are happy are ofc happy, but there are many complaints for a reason, if people just got the goods and response in timely manner this kind of threads would never pop up dont u think ? Its just he has a little too much over his head running a shop u cant just do on your spare time on weekends its a full-time job last i checked if u want happy customers in the long run.
I myself the orders i got have nothing bad to say but i can understand frustration when u wait for order and its been weeks maybe months and still its unsolved….
It’s not. Maybe re-read my comment?
Well, an order I had placed on February 15th now has a tracking number. The banner on Neal’s site is down also, so it does seem like it’s back to business.
I have not had a problem with Neal's orders, Chinese orders are just sit back and wait.
He has always answered any message, email etc.
Even when some thing was wrong (D4s loose glass, sent me a new bezel)it was corrected.
Maybe some of you guy's are unlucky.
I have waited 3 1/2 months for 2x26650 Golisi cells from Aliexpress.
YMMV.
I’m not saying you’re lying or anything, but most people’s problem with Neal seems to be precisely total lack of communication.
We are aware that sh1t happens in the mail service, especially from China, but as customers we expect at least an answer. Not answering on every possible platform is very annoying.
I'm not saying there are not problem.
Just never had any problems with him, changed orders, asked many questions always answered.
I’ve made 9 orders from Nealsgadget. Two of them were close to $300. All of them shipped immediately except the most recent one made on January 29, 2020. I haven’t tried contacting him because I understand the whole country is in lockdown.
I placed an order on January 31st and still nothing. Hit and miss, curious.
Damn I kept hearing of Neil’s Gadgets and it was the the only place I could find what I was looking for and made my first order a few days ago. Before I saw this. 
Guess I caught some of this silence and being ignored from neal now too…. So heres my story in tow, Order placed on January 5th, was shipped but later the tracking changed to “returned to sender” I waited an excess of 20~ days from that point assuming it could be automated as per other messages due to contracting DHL and assured previously most updates as that time was due to holiday celebration extension due to virus, but I contacted DHL once again and was “ASSURED” after being escalated by there investigation “team” that it was sent back to sender and they haven’t had it for a while. I contacted neal over the last few days as per the removal of his banner on site and assume he was back, no answer BUT messenger indicates he had “READ” my messages from previous days and current. SO neal KNOWS of the issues and my contacting him as messenger indicates he had read the messages but is refraining on replying or updating IF or when my package will be resent……
REALLY considering taking it to paypal for a dispute cause all I wanted was acknowledgement or a message of ANY kind of knowing the situation…
I just got messages on two orders from Neal, looks like he’s sorting through things again.
Remember, some items he will have more ready access to than others, be patient, I’m sure he’s doing what he can. The entire country is in turmoil, that doesn’t just suddenly clear up and go back to normal.
I’m not sure your first statement is true.
About the second sentence - yes, that’s a fact we’re all aware of. Problem is, issues with Neal started long before anybody heard of a coronavirus.
Ventsi, I’ve dealt with Neal for years. I’ve had more than my share of problems with him, but even I can see he means well. Like Toykeeper I too was in the group buys that included doing business with Neal, he sent me countless prototypes of lights and drivers for testing. I probably know his ways better than anyone here, and again even I can see that he tries to get it right. FWIW, I have bought over $5000 in lights through Banggood, most of which in the time Neal worked with them. Yes, I have a great deal of experience with the man in question.
Say what you will about him, he DOES try!
Maybe he tries in certain situations or with certain customers but has he tried with myself or others airing their concerns in this thread? Nope.
Maybe you get better service from him because of what you do for him and what that means for himself in the future…
Lol, that’s funny! I have been mad at him just like many others. I finally realized he spreads himself so thin we all catch the flak at some point.
Most of the complaints are recent, when he had no access because of the virus situation. Stores were shut down, even if they had what you ordered he couldn’t get it. And the infamous wall has been blocking more than ever. Patience is key. Only on old wagons does the squeaky wheel get the grease…