Yeah... AFIK it's really only 1 1/2 people, one being Andy. Not sure if Clarisa is still handling CS & shipping, but she was always awesome. Might be somebody new. My latest order just had a hand-written "Thank you" on the invoice, and Clarisa used to sign her name, too. Might just be she is really busy with annual 420 delays. Keep in mind, 420 delays don't just happen at Epic. Happens with all of the smaller "boutique" vape companies and with most of the larger vape retailers online, too.
Hope you don't run into the same problems with glass
@UnevenPizza - especially with your long ship time! If it is a "recurring" problem, I'm sure Andy will get it all worked out so it won't be recurring much longer. Again, shit happens - even more so with such a small operation producing such a quality vape. If it gets corrected as it has in the past, I'm sure Andy is trying to make it work so there won't be any issues for new nanoers, or us long time fans. He's a pretty smart guy - and not just with vaporizor design!
Since I'm using a lot of this page to defend and back up Andy and Epic, I feel like full disclosure is necessary. I pre-ordered my first nano soon after this thread started. When things got backed up with initial production, I was a total dick about it. Delays weren't really that bad compared to many other vape introductions (See: Zion - paid 22 months ago and still waiting! But, that's another story
), but things got pushed back a month or 6 weeks from expected delivery. I eventually chilled out, and have loved my nano since the day it arrived.
There have been many regulars here in this thread that have come and gone. Think I'm the only one still left from that initial run, though every once in a while another will roll through. I think most have moved to other vapes or are no longer on FC much - if at all. But, after trying several other vapes the nano is still my absolute favorite! I'll spare you all the reasons why for now - as if it isn't posted regularly many times throughout this thread!
Anyway.... I've had my issues with Andy in the past, mostly because of my own unrealistic expectations. I've also had orders that were mixed up or wrong, though it is less than 5% out of all of them. When things have been wrong, they were corrected ASAP - usually with a small token gift to make up for it, though not always. Nothing big... an extra E-pik, some screens, a couple of Epic stickers. Whatever, I always appreciated the thought when this was done, and always felt better with whatever handwritten note (on order fixes and initial orders).
So, I've become quite the fanboy of Epic, Andy and of course my beloved nanos. I've always tried to offer worthwhile advice on nanoing and dealing with Epic. I've probably got more loads on a nano than anyone else around here at this point, so I kind of feel like I owe it to FC and to Epic. And, as you see, Andy doesn't come on and post very much. I don't think that's really his thing, and am sure he's busy enough with producing nanos without popping on here an hour or 3 every week. So, I try to help out where I can - although this is nothing that has ever been arranged between us or that he has ever requested. On occasion - but not for a very long time - he would send an email with a quick "thanks for the help", but that's about it. We even talked on the phone a couple times wayyyy back (3 years or more now I think).
Because of this I assume, he has sent me a few cool toys - usually included with an order. I have the nano I mentioned above with a prototype heater that he offered me to beta test. The wood has all kinds of crappy tool marks on it - that I think were intentional so I didn't resell it! But, whatever. Still like that one and use it often. It lives at my girlfriends, so gets a lot of weekend use. Anyway, I gave my reports on it and think that heater became the new standard some time ago.
I've also got a few pieces of one off glass. Prototypes or things that were special ordered for someone and he got a few instead of just the one needed. Recently he sent me a super long stem that is really fun to use! Hope to see that one go into production once he gets this issue worked out. Not quite as cooling as my j-hook, but close. And, there is this cool Victorian Era feeling I get from using it. Not sure why, but it is fun. I digress.... back to the story.
Hope Andy doesn't mind me sharing all that, or this next part... He's not really a stoner, like many of us here. Unless he's changed up, he does a load every once in a while (couple times a week?) with a little piece of nug in an old school glass screened stem! Now I really doubt he uses anymore than that, or any other method (like another vape or smoking or whatever). He's got really great ideas and seems to be good at implementing them, but I think he relies on me and a few other people he knows - and probably input from here in the thread - to determine what people may or may not like. And, I know he likes to keep things simple while the nano evolves based on parts availability, changes to make people happier, and all the rest. Maybe a little fawning based on my nano love, but I think the guy is a fucking genius!
And, hope no one here thinks it unfair that I receive preferential treatment or that I'm some sort of paid off shill for Epic. I've spent a good deal of money with Epic with everything from my custom nano (my true love!), to I don't even know how many glass orders, other nanos for friends, referenced others for orders, t-shirts, you name it.
Whatever the case, I can say with no doubts that whatever issues, Andy will do all he can to make it right. And, that's not from him or anyone who has worked with him. That is what I've seen myself from participating in this thread for the past 4 1/2 years. Sometimes things go smoothly for a year or two at a time. Other times there are hiccups - like this latest issue. But, at the end of the day it is all made right. I kind of agree that Andy isn't always the best businessman. Hell, look at the stable prices of nanos and glass over the whole time they've been available! I think he gets way too personally frustrated and is anxious to make customers as happy as possible when shit like bad components throws a wrench in the works.
Is Epic perfect? No. I don't know how any small company like this could be - especially with all the hands on involved in production. Is Epic as good as, or better than most? I'd say so with two exceptions. DynaVap, that is growing in leaps and bounds and probably adding employees at the rate of 1 or 2 per month. And, Alan with the Hi, but you'll wait a good long while for his perfection. Not a bad thing IMO, but that's what I think it takes sometimes. Does Epic do ALL it can to make things right while offering a solid vape at a great price? They certainly do.
And sorry, I kind of take personal offense when I see people beating them up here. Probably shouldn't, but I know Andy isn't going to come on here and defend himself or Epic. Don't think I've seen that here since things got straightened out with initial production delays and I go my first nano, some 4 years and 2 months ago. So, I'll continue to answer for Andy & Epic when things pop up if I think I can do it reasonably, until he asks me not to. I will say, he has never, ever requested that I do - and I'd be kind of bummed out if he did ask me not to. I feel like it is the least I can do for an awesome company that has always done right by me, and for FC that is surely an incredible place that has taught me more about vapes than I could ever remember, and more about weed than I learned in the previous 30 years of smoking.
Rant over - please enjoy the regularly scheduled programming. I really gotta get to the shit I'm supposed to be doing on my day off instead of trying to fill whole pages of this thread!
nano, nano.... and nano some more my brothers & sisters. Much love to all of you.
It doesn't look as brown as a walnut, but doesn't look as red as a cherry either! Thanks!
