Good Wear-abouts

Dudleydoright · Jun 21, 2019

jonbuilder said:
If you can't do the time don't go with john

Not sure why you are addressing that to my comment specifically as i am neither on the list nor complaining....
But If you don’t know how long the time is, only that it went from 2 to an indefinite time, your comment is insulting to all those waiting with no info. You certainly don’t understand the frustration.
But that is why i’d never buy from John directly ! Never pre-ordered because i don’t like the pain and uncertainty. I buy second hand GW and other makers. I don’t need a custom sized jacket, i’m not that tall/short. I’m not that fussy .

So many other makers now make good jackets. ELC is on a par with GW for quality and cost and you get your jacket quickly & Rob is awesome in replying fast. You pay a lot of overheads for a factory, for non producing customer service staff, holding stock etc but get bulk purchase discounts from Suppliers who want to serve you well because you buy so much rather than from someone who makes maybe 150-200 jackets per year depending on weekends off, sickness etc....

And when you buy a GW, almost no-one knows who he is, everyone knows Eastman ;-)

Benny Holiday · Jun 21, 2019

Big J said:
He doesn't need an assistant, he needs a supervisor.

Still, it's an interesting comment on our luxurious 'life of plenty' times that white collar professionals can use their specific and hard learned skill sets to earn enough money that they can give it all up and do blue collar manual work of their grandparents era, for the 'personal satisfaction' of it.
Somewhere in the third world there are kids searching barefoot through trash for things they can sell for scrap so they can eat, all the while knowing they will never get enough education to be a doctor or a lawyer.
Feeling dissatisfied with your life?
First world problems indeed.

It is healthy for the Western mindset to ponder on such sad truths on a regular basis. We have so much when others have so little. Excellent post Big J.

jacketjunkie · Jun 21, 2019

Benny Holiday said:
It is healthy for the Western mindset to ponder on such sad truths on a regular basis. We have so much when others have so little. Excellent post Big J.

A friend of mine is from Syria. He studied in Germany and stayed here to work after, but his family still lives there. His brother makes 130 USD a month working two jobs, drives a 25 years old Hyundai and that is considered upper middle class in Syria. He has a house and can supply for two children. With a third child on its way, he's now searching for a third job. His brother (my friend here in Germany) told him not to and now sends him 25€ each month which covers for all costs to raise a child. I'm telling you we live in a castle so high, we cannot even see the ground anymore. The better educated of our society may grasp the tiniest edge of how privileged we are and therefore have some self-awareness about it but I don't think any of our minds can comprehend the full extent of it.

Dudleydoright · Jun 21, 2019

jacketjunkie said:
A friend of mine is from Syria. He studied in Germany and stayed here to work after, but his family still lives there. His brother makes 130 USD a month working two jobs, drives a 25 years old Hyundai and that is considered upper middle class in Syria. He has a house and can supply for two children. With a third child on its way, he's now searching for a third job. His brother (my friend here in Germany) told him not to and now sends him 25€ each month which covers for all costs to raise a child. I'm telling you we live in a castle so high, we cannot even see the ground anymore. The better educated of our society may grasp the tiniest edge of how privileged we are and therefore have some self-awareness but I don't think any of our minds can comprehend the full extent of it.

Give away all your wealth. Swap places...... whatever makes you feel best. I’m sure most Hollywood A-listers or Saudi princes don’t keep awake at night on this. And as for virtue signallers, I don’t see Bono or Sting relinquishing their wealth or giving up Carbon heavy private jets or doing virtual concerts to stop 30k of fans driving to gigs......
if this frippery makes you angry, stop coming on here and go do some charity work

jacketjunkie · Jun 21, 2019

Dudleydoright said:
Give away all your wealth. Swap places...... whatever makes you feel best. I’m sure most Hollywood A-listers or Saudi princes don’t keep awake at night on this. And as for virtue signallers, I don’t see Bono or Sting relinquishing their wealth or giving up Carbon heavy private jets or doing virtual concerts to stop 30k of fans driving to gigs......
if this frippery makes you angry, stop coming on here and go do some charity work

I'm not angry nor telling anyone to change their behaviour or blame anyone, I'm merely ovserving. Not sure why you are trying to pick a fight by trying to twist my words in my mouth and on top of that with such lowball arguments as "give away your wealth", lol. Must have tickled a nerve, I guess.

zebedee · Jun 21, 2019

It's oddest when you see exceptional wealth and poverty co-exist in the same city. Shanghai was particularly stark in this respect (see Greg Girard's 'Phantom Shanghai' for some striking photographs of intersections between poor and rich and old and new), although nothing I've seen can compare to parts of northern India. I've done charity work in some of the poorest parts of China- the only way to relieve poverty on that scale is intervention from above.

Big J · Jun 21, 2019

@Benny Holiday, thanks Benny, I appreciate that.
I mean, I'm probably just as bad as anyone else; I got more jackets than I need. And yes, I did work hard and I can spend my money how I like, but at the end of the day I guess I was lucky to be born somewhere where I had that chance. When I obsess over some detail on a jacket or a patch that isn't 'just right', sure, I've got every right to do so, but for the sake of my blood pressure, I try to put it all in perspective; it doesn't really matter. I've got a good life.
I did some volunteer teaching in poor parts of Asia before I got married, and it helped me understand how nice things are nice, but they are still just things, and how good my life is. I'm always encouraging my kids to do something like that when they are a little older- traveling is good.
@zebedee is right. In societies where pretty much everyone is poor, at least I can tell myself that they can build a better society for everyone, but in places like China and India, when I see the poverty next to the immense personal extravagant wealth of others, I think that they haven't got a chance of changing that.

I guess we're pretty lucky really.

Sloan1874 · Jun 21, 2019

I personally love my GW A-2. There was no sense of anticlimax when it arrived - it fits like a glove, the craftsmanship is A1 and it looks better with every wear, of which there are many. I’m in the queue for a second now, which may seem mental but what John produces is very special - I’m not persuaded by the ELC-are-just-as-good chat. I’ve handled a few of their A-2s and their finish and construction are not of the same quality, imho.

jacketjunkie · Jun 21, 2019

I apologize. You are right. I was a snowflake for thinking your personal attacks on me were an attempt to pick a fight. My judgement clearly was completly off considering your next reply consisted yet again mostly of a list of further personal attacks against me and further allegations of things I never did or said. Sorry again, my bad!

As for all these enlightening details about your persona and life which clearly is superior to mine, my apologies again for not realizing earlier, I truly wish to someday be as smart and tough as you are.

Back on topic, I agree with @Sloan1874 ; I have owned a Eastman A2 and their A1 (the version with the wool body) and my Good Wear beat both on them in regards to hide (Shinki on the Good Wear) and eye to detail. Nevertheless, Eastman is still outstanding and I would probably rather get a new Eastman than wait 5 years for a Good Wear. Buying second hand with no waiting time involved, it would be Good Wear 9 out of 10 time though.

Dudleydoright said:
Not picking a fight though find it interesting that so many people are snowflakes and sensitive they assume any response to a post is looking for a fight.... it’s a very poor default answer by the unsmart.... You pontificated on the unjustness of the world with absolutely no answers or actions by yourself to effect change. I’ve lived and worked in several “Third World” countries so have seen poverty first hand. The good and the bad. Do you even hold a passport ? And not just for your expensive hokiday to Mexico..
I’m not wealthy and work hard to buy stuff and make informed decisions on what i don’t buy in order to buy what i want. I am only at that stage in life because my kids have flown the nest and not financially needing me.
What i find frankly ridiculous is that you think everyone in the world should enjoy your “lavish” lifestyle when it us blindingly obvious there are too many people for the resources the globe has. And i’m sure you would’nt want to see your kids standard of living drip massively to raise others up to a similarly low level.
Toughen up dude . Now over to you coz you obviously like to have the last word and cannot resist ....LMAO

El Marro · Jun 21, 2019

zebedee said:
If you're waiting 2-5 years for a jacket, the arrival must feel like an anticlimax, no? How good can a jacket be? At the price, the wait isn't worth it. Must be galling.

I got my GW after a three year wait and it was everything I had hoped it would be. Working with John on all of the little details was a real pleasure end it made the jacket that much more special when it arrived.
What wasn’t so cool about the whole experience was knowing that other people here had been waiting in the queue longer than I had and some are still waiting for their jackets.

jonbuilder · Jun 21, 2019

@Dudleydoright I did not intend to direct my comment at you personally. I intended to add to your post without taking the time and effort to develop my own thoughts to base my one-liner. I apologize to you. No, I did not have to wait for my Goodwear jacket. I did have a multiple year wait for a pair of boots and I drove to Redmond Oregon on my way back from Yellowstone to get personally fitted. I glad I did. The bootmaker spent his time making boots and teach a class on boot making, not email. His wife might respond a couple of weeks after an inquiring email.

Boyo · Jun 21, 2019

ton312 said:
Has there been any update on the current queue? Even communication updates?

jonbuilder said:
Has anyone request a return of their deposit and still waiting on a return after a suitable length of time? There other options for those that require a jacket more quickly. I have not noticed anyone who has not been made whole, refund issued or jacket received. People who already have five plus jacket don't need another jacket to wear next year.

No Jacket, no update, no emails, I have not asked for my deposit back.. Oh and April 2019 was the 5 year mark.. I am also probably due a tie clip or a coffee mug to mark the anniversary

ton312 · Jun 21, 2019

Boyo said:
No Jacket, no email, I have not asked for my deposit back.. Oh and April 2019 was the 5 year mark.. I am also probably due a tie clip or a coffee mug to mark the anniversary

Actually I think the five year is a letter opener.

Grayland · Jun 21, 2019

Boyo said:
No Jacket, no update, no emails, I have not asked for my deposit back.. Oh and April 2019 was the 5 year mark.. I am also probably due a tie clip or a coffee mug to mark the anniversary

Wow!

Back when I ordered and received my jacket (2013), he had an assistant named Vicky who took care of email correspondence. I really like his Arcadia and would love one in veg-tanned goatskin, but I can't take the lack of communication. Hell, I'd wait 5 years, but I'd need to hear from JC every once and a while with an update.

Graemsay · Jun 21, 2019

I'm also lost in the queue along with @Boyo, and have probably had a similar (if not slightly longer) wait.

I last heard from John about 20 months ago, when he said he should be able to work on my order in the next few months. I chased him up six months later, didn't hear back, and then things went a bit sideways in my life. I probably should follow things up again.

Carlos840 · Jun 21, 2019

Graemsay said:
I'm also lost in the queue along with @Boyo, and have probably had a similar (if not slightly longer) wait.

I last heard from John about 20 months ago, when he said he should be able to work on my order in the next few months. I chased him up six months later, didn't hear back, and then things went a bit sideways in my life. I probably should follow things up again.

You are wasting your time, he will ignore you up to the point where you ask for your money back.
You will then receive your money back within 24 hours, with a gigantic apology email blaming the world for all that went wrong...
And whilst all this is going on, deposits keep coming in...

Dudleydoright · Jun 21, 2019

jonbuilder said:
@Dudleydoright I did not intend to direct my comment at you personally. I intended to add to your post without taking the time and effort to develop my own thoughts to base my one-liner. I apologize to you. No, I did not have to wait for my Goodwear jacket. I did have a multiple year wait for a pair of boots and I drove to Redmond Oregon on my way back from Yellowstone to get personally fitted. I glad I did. The bootmaker spent his time making boots and teach a class on boot making, not email. His wife might respond a couple of weeks after an inquiring email.

No worries mate. No need to apologise.

ton312 · Jun 21, 2019

Carlos840 said:
You are wasting your time, he will ignore you up to the point where you ask for your money back.
You will then receive your money back within 24 hours, with a gigantic apology email blaming the world for all that went wrong...
And whilst all this is going on, deposits keep coming in...

That’s almost like operating on a payday loan system (albeit interest free). LOL.

ProteinNerd · Jun 21, 2019

Graemsay said:
I'm also lost in the queue along with @Boyo, and have probably had a similar (if not slightly longer) wait.

Looks like you and @Boyo are a couple of months ahead of me! At least I will get some advance warning lol.

I’m trying to remain Zen about it but at this stage honestly couldn’t tell you if the whole situation has soured me to the point where I don’t even want a GW anymore, I won’t know until I get THE email I guess.

So I figure I’ve got nothing to lose, after 4 1/2 years the deposit has been long forgotten (was it $300? I can’t even remember now) and it’s not like getting it back will make any sort of difference to my life, I may as well wait it out....if I cancelled today and heard next week that @Boyo or @Graemsay were having theirs made now....well that would be something [emoji23]

I might send another email and see if I get a response this time....

I’m assuming the 3 of us are waiting for a half belt design? It seems like people ordering A2s are skipping ahead of us?

Seb Lucas · Jun 21, 2019

ProteinNerd said:
Looks like you and @Boyo are a couple of months ahead of me! At least I will get some advance warning lol.

I’m trying to remain Zen about it but at this stage honestly couldn’t tell you if the whole situation has soured me to the point where I don’t even want a GW anymore, I won’t know until I get THE email I guess.

So I figure I’ve got nothing to lose, after 4 1/2 years the deposit has been long forgotten (was it $300? I can’t even remember now) and it’s not like getting it back will make any sort of difference to my life, I may as well wait it out....if I cancelled today and heard next week that @Boyo or @Graemsay were having theirs made now....well that would be something [emoji23]

I might send another email and see if I get a response this time....

I’m assuming the 3 of us are waiting for a half belt design? It seems like people ordering A2s are skipping ahead of us?

That's not a bad way of looking at it.

I wonder how many deposits he has taken and how many people are on the waiting list - 100? 500?

The problem with a silent approach is that people will fill that silence with speculation, often malevolent.

Why wouldn't JC simply send out a couple of well-worded generic emails a year about his waiting list, the process he is following and what do do it this makes you unhappy? There seems to be a fundamental business competence deficit.

Good Wear-abouts

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One Too Many

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I'll Lock Up

Call Me a Cab

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My Mail is Forwarded Here

Call Me a Cab

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Practically Family

I'll Lock Up

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