I recently purchased a micron dg(by recently I really mean in early April) from aqua lab tech. Got it on the small 15% discount and let me tell you guys, not so great experience. I think because there was a sale and partly the fact I am on east coast these "professionals" figured they could pass off a second.
This was my 1st "high end" piece and spending 300$ on something like glass on the internet was very nerve wracking. My advice, pay a little extra and go to your local glass shop.
They sent me what was obviously a second. TONS of bubbles throughout the piece. If you're buying a DG the only bubbles you should be looking for are the ones stacking. Not all over the mouth piece, all over the base, and a good amount on the bulb. There was a black blemish on the bulb, shit when I first opened the package it looked like there was a piece of frit stuck on the bulb too(it eventually washed off but at 1st glance it looked like a piece of frit was fused into the bulb).
I sent it back.
ALT never did refund me the money for return ground shipping like they say on their return policy. But they did send me a decent piece 2nd go around. The difference? Night and day. Only imperfection is a slightly off centered glass joint which I actually prefer because it easier for me to pull my Enano gong to clear it.
Hindsight is 20/20.
Looking back I should have just went to my local glass shop, payed a little extra and all the problems I experienced would have never came up.
BUT I will say, I love my little rooster. All the bubbles and the style of perc are amazing. I can take monster rips with my nano(green screen dabs) and LOL at how smooth it is. Like breathing in air.
I'm am very glad I got to experience the rooster but like a lot of people have mentioned, customer service is crap. David doesn't even come to these forums anymore, this dead thread is evidence of that. His site is horrendous! When he has a sale for his seconds they are stupidly high prices for shitty pieces that he or a learner fucked up on. Ummm nty. Especially when there are tons of amazing American glass blowers willing to sell you their perfect art for the same price or much cheaper. The quality is definitely going down and the price doesn't reflect that.
All in all, love my rooster, making tons of memories, but i should have got a möbius
.
Peace, love, and
Radiant chipmunk