So... after learning some years ago about the Graflex 3-Cell being a super old camera flash, and being the core piece of the Skywalker Lightsaber prop, I had begun my search for a vintage one. Unable to afford a vintage, I stumbled upon the Lightsaber Discord, which led me to The Graflex Shop (TGS). Excited to have finally found a place that sells THE most accurate Graflex replica around, I jumped in and after saving a bit, put in an order for a TFA/TLJ Graflex Saber Kit. But oh boy was this anything but a good experience.
Before I begin, I will say that one of the two big things that would have made my experience with TGS better is if their website had more specific, clear information regarding lead times. The other being literally any improvement on their effectively non-existent customer service.
Anyways... I placed my order mid-March for the TFA/TLJ Saber Kit, with "Partial Assembly" option selected. At the time, the "Graflex Saber Kit" page had a line of text reading "PREORDER / April 1st" above another body of text indicating a lead time of "2 to 5 days." It also did not explain how assembled "Partial Assembly" was (and my multiple attempts to get an answer never got an answer). Keep in mind that NOWHERE on the site is it explained what the "PREORDER / Date" line means, nor is their shipping and refund policy actually accessible. Just a dead link that goes nowhere. At most, I got a short version of it from their Etsy page, which says something about a "restock fee" for refunds (a practice I firmly believe to be extremely predatory for any business to have, especially when it gets applied to an order that you haven't even received yet).
So I placed my order, and expected it would be processed by April 1st, and ship out a week later, as anyone would expect reading what was on the item's page. So multiple times through April, I attempted to contact TGS through email and Facebook, being met overwhelmingly by bot responses, brief, unhelpful replies and estimates on ship dates that were ultimately false (multiple times) when someone actually got back to me. This continued through May as well, as I saw the page update to say "PREORDER / May 1st", and then finally in late-May, update to "Limited Stock".
Then after giving up on asking for updates, on April 29th, I get a shop app notification showing a USPS tracking number originating in Center, Missouri (TGS' location). Four days later, USPS still has not received my order from TGS.
Now, looking at the item's page, it now reads "Limited Stock" and a lead time of "20 days to ship your order." Also, it now reads that the Saber Kit comes completely unassembled.
With all that said, here's what I think:
Product Quality: 8/10 (loss of 2 point for extremely minor inaccuracies, particularly the bunny ear rivet being a well-hidden, reverse-head screw, and the GRAFLEX stamping being ever so slightly off, which is most likely to prevent them from being passed off as genuine vintage clamps).
Product Descriptions: 4/10: While every item's page does a great job of explaining what it is, TGS is extremely bad at clearly relaying accurate or understandable information regarding lead times and shipping times.
Customer Service: 1/10: Honestly deserves a 0/10, but at least they responded (eventually), and answered (some) of my questions (and not very well at that).
For a company claiming to have been around, and in continuous operation, focusing on making and selling ONE thing, for 25 years, you would think they would have become MUCH, MUCH better at doing business by now.
So I will leave you with this: DO NOT BUY FROM THE GRAFLEX SHOP. And if you have, and experience the same infuriating things that I have, just save your time and money and cancel, or do a chargeback if they try to steal a "restocking fee" from you. You're better off grabbing the new 2024 Graflex from Korbanth, or from 89Sabers.
