okay, thanks!
House of Staunton Review
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As stated earlier in the thread I have a HoS Grandmaster set that I was very happy with. 7 years later, it has held up very well, and I'm still very happy with the purchase. It looks great to my eyes for the money.
I do have a plastic set for more "enthusiastic" use.
Well here is a link to pics of my new chess set that I got for Christmas. (I had too much difficulty posting then in the original posts in the other thread to try to repost them here).
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/post-youre-chess-sets?page=155#comment-123451062
I have to get it is a nice set. All the piece feel nice moving around on the board. They about as nice as you would expect for under $300 chess set that includes a board and box. I don't detect any weights being loose or anything, No broken pieces. I did notice a mark on the top of one of the white pawns that looks like where is might have been held in place in a lath. But it is very minor. I don't think I will be sending that piece back. I have not noticed any cracks or anything. Everything is good so far.
Expectations, suppositions, and occasional defects - and that all starts before you climb out of bed in the morning. There will always be unevenness in experiences. By now, I’ve purchased around 50 sets and sold about 20, either due to changing taste or interest, disappointment (mild, usually), or duplication.
I’ve purchased quite a few sets from House of Staunton. The quality of their sets has been reliable, but more importantly, their service has always been exceptional. One set did have some defects and they replaced the pieces within a week (fortunately, they had them in stock). In another case, I had ordered something through them from another maker. The wrong item arrived and they were quick to manage an [expensive] exchange at no cost to me (someone lost money).
That said, we have to be aware to that designs and manufacture will change over time. I had an older HoS Cambridge Springs set - not at all a faithful ‘reproduction’, but Frank Camaratta’s design. A beautiful set. At some point over years, a knight developed a crack. The set is no longer available. I found one on eBay and purchased it thinking to swap the knights and sell the extra set. Over time, the design has subtly changed. The fine snout of the original knight had become slightly thicker and, to my eye at least, slightly less refined. I couldn’t swap the pieces. I’ve since had similar experiences with other sets where the newer version didn’t match the older set with the same name from the same vendor.
The lesson to me has been to make sure my expectations and suppositions match what I see and read online. Due diligence. As for the occasional defects, try to use reputable vendors and check reviews regarding private sellers. Enjoy the few scars earned along the way! Lastly, I’ve picked up a few skills in the process, learning to repair and refurbish things that have not met expectations, but exceed them with just a little effort (especially older sets and boards).
So the question is, is the modern iteration of HOS still a reputable vender? As for ordering replacement pieces if any are defective, I would think since I am getting them now, replacement pieces ordered in the near future should still match. Hopefully, the design doesn’t change that fast. Also hopefully, I won’t have to replace any pieces due to defect. We shall see.
Warbler, I’d rest easy. In the many sets purchased from HoS, just one had defects, and a remedy was immediate and without objection. The other set I mention had been out of production for years, and one of the two sets was easily a decade older. The quality - and quality control - of HoS sets is reliably high. You’re in good hands. Be sure to post pictures of your set! We’ll all be anxious to see it.