My last A-2 (hopefully) - Good Wear

[Lorenzo_l]

Ok, gents, I am late to this thread (as almost always). I have been lusting after a GW A-2 for quite some time now and have tried contacting Mr Chapman innumerable times without a response. The reason I have not put down a deposit for a GW A-2 is because I do not know what to expect, communications-wise, if I am unable to establish a dialogue with the vendor before pulling the trigger. I understand that John Chapman seems to be an honorable man and also a very busy one as well, but I could not make up my mind after over a year of trying to contact him without receiving a response.
Tim, Brett, did you guys just paid a deposit for your jackets without first establishing contact with JC for that particular order? Is that the way it works, i.e. you first put your deposit down and then JC talks to you? If that is the way it works, then I might jump on the bandwagon too....

Cheers,


L.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

And btw, congratulations Brett and Tim on your new orders!

 

[mulceber]

Tim, Brett, did you guys just paid a deposit for your jackets without first establishing contact with JC for that particular order? Is that the way it works, i.e. you first put your deposit down and then JC talks to you? If that is the way it works, then I might jump on the bandwagon too....

More like, first fill out the order form on his website with as many details as you know, then send the deposit. At some point in the few days after that, JC should send you a confirmation email telling you he got the deposit. In my case, he also sent along pics of a recent version of the jacket I was ordering that he'd made, and pics of WW2 pilots wearing originals so I could think about fit. He'll contact you about nailing down the details right before he's going to make the jacket, so you'll have plenty of time to think about it.

 

[Brettafett]

Yes, only once form filled out and deposit was made, did John make contact (in my case). He sent a very personal, relatively long email, but is understandably busy like everyone else.
btw I had also sent a couple of emails prior, without response. Not making excuses, but assume he receives dozens of emails daily and just cant do everything.

Personally, I am not going to worry. Theres a couple of years to wait here, and I am sure I will change my mind a dozen times.
When my turn comes around, I will request samples and make a decision.

 

[Brettafett]

Jan, would love to see those pics!!!

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Thanks Jan and Brett, that's most useful information!

 

[Brettafett]

If you decide not to proceed down the line, Im sure John will return your deposit.
But I am rather chuffed to know that in two years (or thereabouts), I will have another GW on the way.
I was thinking I should have done this 2 years ago lol

 

[Smithy]

Tim, Brett, did you guys just paid a deposit for your jackets without first establishing contact with JC for that particular order? Is that the way it works, i.e. you first put your deposit down and then JC talks to you? If that is the way it works, then I might jump on the bandwagon too....

Hi Lorenzo,

I just filled out the form and then sent the deposit. I didn't contact him first. Although I have been in contact with him several times in the past. He's a lovely chap, one of the nicest but he's a one man band so pretty busy!

 

[Smithy]

Actually just checked my email and just got an email from John saying he'd received everything and that he will send me a longer email in a bit

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Hi Lorenzo,

I just filled out the form and then sent the deposit. I didn't contact him first. Although I have been in contact with him several times in the past. He's a lovely chap, one of the nicest but he's a one man band so pretty busy!

Cheers, Tim. I will proceed in a similar manner then. I am on the bandwagon then! Looking at seal brown, non-collar stand A-2s. Leaning towards either a Star Sportswear or an Aero 18775.

 

[Brettafett]

John makes a killer Star... Consider Bronco also...

 

[mulceber]

Yeah, of the two, I'd recommend Star. You'll have a more accurate label, since John doesn't have the rights to use "Aero" anymore.

My other reason for suggesting the Star is that John's told me in the past that the companies that made the nicest A-2 jackets were the ones that specialized in garment manufacturing when they weren't supplying the military. Monarch, Fried-Ostermann, Star, and Rough Wear (all clothing manufacturers) produced beautifully constructed jackets. Dubow (baseball gloves) and Aero (flight gear, I think? Technically clothing, but pretty niche) less so. My thinking is, if you buy a Star from John, not only will the reproduction be top notch, but it'll be reproducing an original that was top notch too.

Just my thoughts on the topic.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Thanks for your input Jan, much appreciated. I've always liked the look of the Star A-2, fairly trim and smart-looking. And I can vouch for Star Sportwear's G-1. A beautiful and very well made jacket too.

 

[blackrat2]

To be fair John doesn’t rest on his laurels, the RW and Star patterns have all been tweaked to get them nailed and I am sure the aren’t the only two makers he has done this to

 

[entertainment]

This is just speculation: I have a feeling that JC has probably spent too much time answering emails from people who weren't really serious, so unless he receives a deposit he doesn't want to waste time answering the email. I bought my first jacket in 2009, and he has always been very responsive when necessary.

 

[AlexLutov]

Gentlemen, how much % is the deposit?

 

[Smithy]

Gentlemen, how much % is the deposit?

Hi Alex,

The deposit is $US200 with the remainder upon completion of the jacket.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

It's funny the course things take sometimes. After the input I got from Tim, Brett and Jan in this thread, I decided that I was going to pay a deposit for a GW jacket today and wait for JC to get in touch. Back in early May, I had filled out a jacket order form on the GW website *without paying a deposit* in the hope that that would get the communication process going, but I received no reply either (I had sent JC a number of emails this and lat year). So imagine my surpirse when I opened my email this morning and found a lengthy email from Mr Chapman himself regarding said order! It was very nice and detailed email explaining how busy he is and giving me his take on my proposed choices of A-2 contract (the Star is not his favourite contract, btw) . I was told that my the lead time for jackets is in the 12-14-month range and that in my case the clock started ticking when I placed my order in early May. Some things happen when you least expect them! Or should it rather be, good things happen to those who wait. Now off to pay the deposit!

 

[blackrat2]

No Star isn’t his favourite , he is fond of Aeros for sure...shame he can’t get time to post up on here from time to time, truly a gent and such a nice guy to chat to

 

[mulceber]

My mistake then. I definitely recall him saying the original Aeros often weren’t well constructed though. I surmised from that that he wasn’t a fan, wrongly I guess.