2 questions about Tiltall tripods. 1st are they still in business?

[chase]

Hi,

I have a Tiltall 4602, been using for over 14yrs now for both my MF and LF cameras. It was my first tripod.

I just happened to wonder if they had any accessories made for it. Did a search and yes, listed is a New headless center column. (pictured below)

Second run of 200 to be released June of 2016 according to the Tiltall support blog.

Okay, I want one.
Called Tiltall, got some ladies house.
Called a second number got Midas.
Who happens to be at the same address provided on the site. They know nothing of Tiltall...

Tiltall tripods are still listed on B&H and several other sites for sale.

Their site still up, but... All incorrect contact info.

So first question, have they gone out of business?

Second question, has anyone used this "New" Headless Center column on their Tiltall.

Here's the info page on it...

http://tiltallsupport.blogspot.com/2013/02/designing-new-options.html

Thanks
- chase -

 

[plummerl]

The guy behind the blog (Gary Regester) is still out there, his company is Plume Ltd.: http://www.plumeltd.com/index2.html#

 

[brofkand]

The company that now owns the Tiltall name and manufacturing has nothing to do with Gary Regester, the man that runs that blog and runs the after-manufacture replacement parts business.

The blog you linked to has order forms and instructions for placing an order - start there.

Tiltall is now owned by a Hong Kong-based company (I forget the name) - they do nothing but build the new redesigned classic tripod (of which parts are not interchangeable with previous iterations), and release new tripods, heads, etc., under the Tiltall name.

 

[John Koehrer]

If you're just looking for the headless column, see if the diameter is the same as the one
you have. How badly can they screw it up?
BUT! The versions after Leitz branded ones weren't thought well of.

 

[chase]

Tiltall has Gary's blog linked as their support.

Here's Tiltall website support page. Follow the link at the bottom, it redirects you to Gary's blog.
http://tiltalltripod.com/Support.html

The address and phone number is actually to Midas as I mentioned.

I did send a info request to Gary. The response I received back was broken English. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, though I did my best to understand the broken sentences.

I sent an email back asking the same questions as here.... And speak of the Devil... I've got mail.

Ok... He's ["Gary"] is saying the Midas number is correct...? The other number, which how he doesn't know what his other number is... since he wanted me to give it to him... He'll try and remove from the site.

And to top it off, the "New" telescoping column will fit the Lietz version and "might fit" the Marchioni version of the 4602.

So it's a new column that may or may not fit from a company claiming to be Tiltall that resides in back in the corner in the dark of a company called Midas Muffler that is completely unaware of not only the product name but that back in the corner in the dark within their building is a company manufacturing and selling not only Tiltall tripod columns but is the Tiltall support team as well.
Strange way to market a product, that's for sure. Too strange for my blood.

I did hear that one of the Gitzo column's would fit the Tiltall 4602. I'm looking into that as well. If I can find a headless center column, I'm going to keep my Tiltall as a back up. Maybe use it for pano's or something.

I broke it down for an annual cleaning/lube job today. It's still sweet as ever. I'll give it that...
And what spured me on looking for accessories. Otherwise I was just gong to pass the torch so to speak to the next MF/LF enthusiast and sell it. Give someone else a go with it...

Kinda makes you wonder just how long or how many generations this tripod will pass from one photographer hand to another... And be in this nice of condition. Aside from some surface scratches.. it looks and feels brand new.

 

[Jim Jones]

The original American made Tiltall tripod was sold under the Leitz, Star D, and perhaps one other brand after the Marchioni people quit selling them. I've used versions by the three named here, and found all of them good. I have no experience or interest in the ones imported now. A 40-year-old American made Tiltall should still be a good lifetime investment for most APUG photographers.

 

[chase]

The original American made Tiltall tripod was sold under the Leitz, Star D, and perhaps one other brand after the Marchioni people quit selling them. I've used versions by the three named here, and found all of them good. I have no experience or interest in the ones imported now. A 40-year-old American made Tiltall should still be a good lifetime investment for most APUG photographers.

I don't think where they're made has relevance on quality. If the Marchioni brothers went somewhere else and made them... ?? You get the picture.

But I would agree that any time a company or brand has a change of hands, there's the question mark as to whether the quality will be the same, diminished or improved upon. Only time will tell.

At any rate the one I have is an original Marchioni branded Tiltall.

Is there a way to tell what year it was made? Just curious...

 

[removed account4]

here is the whois info on the tiltall domain you posted here
http://www.whois.com/whois/tiltalltripod.com
maybe you can contact the person whois listed as the contact &c
and find out what's what..

good luck !
john

ps it was last updated / registered january 2016
to someone in taiwan ...

 

[chase]

here is the whois info on the tiltall domain you posted here
http://www.whois.com/whois/tiltalltripod.com
maybe you can contact the person whois listed as the contact &c
and find out what's what..

good luck !
john

ps it was last updated / registered january 2016
to someone in taiwan ...

Yeah, there's definitely something screwy going on.

I recieved another email from "Gary".
In that email whomever stated they needed to work on their English.

The real Gary is a 65 year old photographer raised and went to college in California.

Once i put this to whomever is responding asking who I was actually talking to. Direct emails ended

Next I recieved an email response from the Tiltall site.

The header states
CC:
garyregester@gmail.com
Oliver oliver@kinghomephoto.com

The body of the email is stating the phone numbers on the Tiltall site are no longer available and the distribution of Tiltall tripod and other products has moved to PhotekUSA.
Signed: Best Regards, Aechromz Lighting Inc.

To purchase it states via PayPal direct to Garys' G-mail account. Being "informal" no invoice or receipt will be sent out.

Either the email accounts have been hijacked or whomever is responding is completely miss representing themselves.

Given these communications and the number of company names being tossed out. The use of other companies that are in business and have no knowledge of Tiltall yet their address and phone numbers are being used.... As far as I'm concerned, this sends up all kind of red flags and Tiltall USA is out of business. And the new company, if this is them responding to my emails under the guise of others email and using other people's names. It's not only a blatant disregard for US business laws and practices, but US laws in general.

Personally, I'd stay away from buying new Tiltall products.. and definitely stay away from the companies mentioned in these emails I've recieved from someone claiming to be "Gary" from California, who needs, and I quote, " to work on their english".

Just my 2 cents.

Oh and apparently it's not Midas Muffler.. it's just Midas.. some company that sells thousands of products. And again I quote.. "the wrong girl answered the phone" as the reason they, her and her boss, never heard of Tiltall.

Gosh, I don't know what got into me, I should be jumping at the chance to send money via PayPal to someone pretending to be someone else claiming to be a business located at someone else's business knowing I'm not going to get a invoice or receipt. As top it off with the cherry of three other company names being tossed in the mix... I don't know what I was thinking...
Lol...
Unfreaking believable...
You all do what you want, but... I'd look elsewhere for a while. Something just ain't right with all this, though I can't put my finger on it. Hmmm
Cheers.

 

[removed account4]

they might be legit, and the us rep from the parent company in taiwan.
it is easy to jump to conclusions when you don't know all the facts ..

good luck with your tripod.

btw why don't you just buy it thorugh amazon or off of ebay ?

 

[mwdake]

If remember correctly I bought something from Gary R on his site and he just sent it to me and told me to pay after I got it.
I was just a bushing thing for my Tiltal but I was pleased with his response and don't recall his English being bad.
I think his website even says something like that for his method of being paid. I bought the part using his web form to which he responded quickly.

I still have the emails between Gary and myself regarding the part and he was a pleasure to deal with.
The email address Gary used is garyregester@gmail.com

If you are needing parts I don't see there is anything to loose by inquiring on his web form and seeing the response.