Okay, I have to ask...These Olympos being sold on ebay...

G

galileo1

Guest
So, a friend of mind purchased one of these Olympos Microns 200C airbrushes from ebay (from someone who is actually a member here) and he really wants to know if these are legit products or knock-offs. There are some out there who insist these are knock-offs and others who state that they are not. I don't personally know as I don't own any Olympos brushes.

if possible, I'd like to hear ONLY from those who have purchased and used these airbrushes and find out whether, in their personal/professional opinion, these airbrushes are legit.

Depending on the answers here, I may even jump in and get one. I own lots of brushes so adding a Olympos was something I've always wanted to do.

Thanks!

Rob
 
Since you know @frank artale is a member here, why not contact him direct and put across your concerns, I don't know too much about these brushes but I do know that this guy gave customer a full refund after that same customer returned a brush to him but not before replacing some parts with master partso_O that would suggest honesty to me.

There are a few here that own and have success with Olympos airbrushes, many of them don't now frank (yet) but speak highly of the quality Olympos offers, also as far as I know the reduced prices are an effort to get sales moving, but as usual, such things tend to breed bad press which really is a shame, if you are concerned at all, just don't buy one, that's your right as a consumer :)
 
I purchased olympos micron 200C and i owned iwata custom micron cmc+, for me iwata have better finish, smooth inside cup and smooth marking, but olympos micron material are little better, nozzle and spring on olympos more thick and more durable, the needle are high quality too, olympos feel lighter than iwata, i like the trigger on olympos. I bought olympos straight from Japan, some of olympos airbrush being made manually by their senior employee (he's retired now), maybe thats why the marking on olympos not really good, maybe they doing it manually.

Because of Frank artale i bought olympos SP-B :) (i watched his youtube channel),SP-B really small,light and can spray at low air pressure. After testing it i never regret bought it, i love this airbrush.

Sorry for my bad english :)
 
Since you know @frank artale is a member here, why not contact him direct and put across your concerns, I don't know too much about these brushes but I do know that this guy gave customer a full refund after that same customer returned a brush to him but not before replacing some parts with master partso_O that would suggest honesty to me.

There are a few here that own and have success with Olympos airbrushes, many of them don't now frank (yet) but speak highly of the quality Olympos offers, also as far as I know the reduced prices are an effort to get sales moving, but as usual, such things tend to breed bad press which really is a shame, if you are concerned at all, just don't buy one, that's your right as a consumer :)

Why would I do that?? I want an unbiased opinion on the matter! It's like me calling McDonald's headquarters to ask if their McNuggets are good. I know what Frank's opinion is on the airbrushes he sells and I'm not questioning him either way. But like I said, I need the opinion of someone who has purchased and used one of these airbrushes. Please tell me, have you purchased one of his airbrushes? If so, what do you think? I don't need character witnesses here, I need unbiased opinions! I came here because most of you are airbrush professionals and I'm honestly interested in the opinions of those who have used these Olympos Microns.

Thanks for your reply non the less.
 
I purchased olympos micron 200C and i owned iwata custom micron cmc+, for me iwata have better finish, smooth inside cup and smooth marking, but olympos micron material are little better, nozzle and spring on olympos more thick and more durable, the needle are high quality too, olympos feel lighter than iwata, i like the trigger on olympos. I bought olympos straight from Japan, some of olympos airbrush being made manually by their senior employee (he's retired now), maybe thats why the marking on olympos not really good, maybe they doing it manually.

Because of Frank artale i bought olympos SP-B :) (i watched his youtube channel),SP-B really small,light and can spray at low air pressure. After testing it i never regret bought it, i love this airbrush.

Sorry for my bad english :)

Thank you very much for your honest and detailed feedback, So, in your opinion, the Olympos SP-B airbrush you purchased is a legitimate Olympos then?

Your English is fine, by the way :)

Thanks again!
 
I'm with prglogic about Olympos finish. But I hate their airvalve springs!:) Toooo stiff! After changing to soft spring it becomes much better airbrush.
I own a couple of their microns and also other models. Airbrushes are real Japan made, you can buy with confidence. My purchases were straight from Japan. I like EMS fast delivery, a week and Olympos is at my door:thumbsup:
 
So, a friend of mind purchased one of these Olympos Microns 200C airbrushes from ebay (from someone who is actually a member here) and he really wants to know if these are legit products or knock-offs. There are some out there who insist these are knock-offs and others who state that they are not. I don't personally know as I don't own any Olympos brushes.

if possible, I'd like to hear ONLY from those who have purchased and used these airbrushes and find out whether, in their personal/professional opinion, these airbrushes are legit.

Depending on the answers here, I may even jump in and get one. I own lots of brushes so adding a Olympos was something I've always wanted to do.

Thanks!

Rob
Hello, Frank here. I am one of the people selling the Olympos Micron & Special SP-B on & off ebay. These are REAL . I am not some scam artist.
I have been selling them since march. I post my email & phone # right on youtube for everyone to see. I will continue to sell them as long as they are available. I offer everyone 100% moneyback with no questions. I have only had one comeback and it was a defective one. And that was my fault. because i did not open it and check it. I have & still do answer questions by phone until around 2:00 in the morning. I don't think anyone in there right mind would do that if they were junk.
The micron is an arguable conversation. They are so similar to iwata its arguable :)
BUT the SP-B is a better design than anything else out, period. That i feel strongly about because i have tested the way it works against everything on the market . I personally can easily get the sp-b to spray at lower pressure . Heck I even cut one open :). It's a sin that Olympos does not hold its rightful place.
I cannot wait to see what Mitch thinks of the Micron & SP-B i sent him. He should have it soon :)
 
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Hello, Frank here. I am one of the people selling the Olympos Micron & Special SP-B on & off ebay. These are REAL . I am not some scam artist.
I have been selling them since march. I post my email & phone # right on youtube for everyone to see. I will continue to sell them as long as they are available. The micron is an arguable conversation. They are so similar its argueable :)
BUT the SP-B is a better design than anything else out, period. It's a sin that Olympos does not hold its rightful place.
I cannot wait to see what Mitch thinks of the Micron & SP-B i sent him. He should have it soon :)
 
There is no reason to think these are fakes/knock offs or whatever you choose to call them. The sides are stamped with the brand. I doubt anyone would want a copyright battle !
I'm hoping to spray with mine this weekend but initial test spray shows good atomization
 
It looks OK but may not want my thoughts as I don't own one or have used one..I look at it this way, I type in Badger and quickly find athe Badger manufacturer website, same with paasche, iwata, grex etc. Did do some looking into them but struggle to find much info personally, may just be my search descriptions but besides a FB page I couldn't find much out..Without looking far mind you but like any brush the proof will be in the pudding, not all brushes suit all hands either so it may be a fantastic brush and yet you may not like it and someone else does..Only way to try is to try..Most airbrushes are in some way knockoffs of original models coming before, The bigger name brands have years of this behind them and likely have occasionally borrowed from others idea's so as to knock off or not, who cares, what I care about is if it works, feels comfortable and does what I need....No harm to ask of course and some may say its great, some may say its not like every other brush under the sun. If its half as good as Frank claims, then it may be worth the try and who knows it may be or may not be the next "in" brush or not, but I don't doubt some will like the pricing point compared to others if the quality is there in the brand..If not will disappear into the depths of Ebay LOL :)
 
Well noted @RebelAir Malky brought that up in a recent discussion as well. The profile of the company is woeful in todays electronic media. Frank himself has wondered why they don't seem to sell. If the company is resting on it's reputation alone it will go the way of many companies... that would be sad because they are a good product.

@frank artale what contact do you have with the company that you could suggest they re do their marketing strategy? Is that something we could help with?
 
There is no reason to think these are fakes/knock offs or whatever you choose to call them. The sides are stamped with the brand. I doubt anyone would want a copyright battle !
I'm hoping to spray with mine this weekend but initial test spray shows good atomization

I'm sorry but I disagree. There are plenty of reasons why people should question the legitimacy of equipment, particularly airbrushes. How many times have we seen copies of Microns and others pop-up all over eBay? Why would eBay sellers in Japan go to great lengths to state in their ads that "THIS IS A LEGITIMATE ITEM" and so forth? Chinese airbrush knock-offs are all over the place so you simply can't assume that whatever you get on eBay or wherever is an original item. I mean, come on, why would Iwata even need a hologram sticker on every single item they produce if airbrush counterfeiting wasn't an issue?

Again, I'm not implying, by any stretch, that Frank sells counterfeit items. By the same token, I'm not just going to "go with the flow" because people think he's a nice guy and because they think the prices are great. All I'm looking for here is for some unbiased responses to my question. If you own an Olympos or if you purchased one from Frank, then, if you feel like sharing, it would be nice to hear what you think.

I own multitude of airbrushes (Iwatas, Harder and Steenbecks, Grex, Badger, Gunze, Tamiya, etc) so I know what to look for. Others, however, may be fooled into thinking that these Olympos (or whatever other name brand) are what people say they are. In my friend's case, I'm trying to help him determine if the purchased he made was the correct one.

I do sincerely appreciate the feedback I have received thus far though so, if you can, please keep them coming.

Thanks!
 
I honestly wish I knew alot more about the whole situation. But I do not. I do know it was and still is an excellent product. I'm not mr. fussypants. I have to be honest the 16117 model that was sent back to me by spraygunner was actually really nice. Yeah the inside of the cups are a little .. eh , but the paint cleans right out with no problem.
Like alot of people have said. What matters is how it sprays. And it definitely sprays well. Price not being a factor. Just gun for gun, My honest no sale pitch opinion is the SP-B is the most comfortable gun I have ever used. Those I would put up against anything. there are zero quality issues with that model or the hp-100sb. the micron obviously has its very subtle issues that i would have never given a second thought. but everyone is not me :)

So if I have to say it, then for the price. It is the best detail gun on the market dollar for dollar.
 
ALSO, I just purchased 5 iwata hp-c & hp-b plus brand new never opened. For $34 a piece... yes you read that right . still sealed from japan. they came in 2 days. I thought it was a scam or else I would have bought every one he had. I opened one of each and they were flawless and i sprayed with each model . They were defenitely not fake. But i can't figure out why he would sell them so cheap. Should I investigate ?? Because at the end of the day it does not change what they were REAL Brand New in the box still sealed. go figure. And I sold them all already sorry.
 
I honestly wish I knew alot more about the whole situation. But I do not. I do know it was and still is an excellent product. I'm not mr. fussypants. I have to be honest the 16117 model that was sent back to me by spraygunner was actually really nice. Yeah the inside of the cups are a little .. eh , but the paint cleans right out with no problem.
Like alot of people have said. What matters is how it sprays. And it definitely sprays well. Price not being a factor. Just gun for gun, My honest no sale pitch opinion is the SP-B is the most comfortable gun I have ever used. Those I would put up against anything. there are zero quality issues with that model or the hp-100sb. the micron obviously has its very subtle issues that i would have never given a second thought. but everyone is not me :)

So if I have to say it, then for the price. It is the best detail gun on the market dollar for dollar.

I appreciate your feedback, Frank, and please know that I am NOT questioning your honesty. However, you, yourself, could have been duped into thinking these are legitimate products when they may not be. I've seen just too many cases where people, lots of people, got taken by thinking they were buying original Iwatas, etc, to then realize that what they purchased was complete crap. Yes, I would concede that, at the end of the day, if an airbrush works for you then that is what really matters. However, such recognizable brands like Olympos, Iwata, etc, carry a huge weight and do, more often than not, sway people into automatically thinking quality. So, what do they do, they go with the brand they know just because it's recognizable.

I am too eager to hear with Mitch thinks about the brush you sent him.

Thanks again for the feedback.
 
I'm sorry but I disagree. There are plenty of reasons why people should question the legitimacy of equipment, particularly airbrushes. How many times have we seen copies of Microns and others pop-up all over eBay? Why would eBay sellers in Japan go to great lengths to state in their ads that "THIS IS A LEGITIMATE ITEM" and so forth? Chinese airbrush knock-offs are all over the place so you simply can't assume that whatever you get on eBay or wherever is an original item. I mean, come on, why would Iwata even need a hologram sticker on every single item they produce if airbrush counterfeiting wasn't an issue?"

Yes, we all agree. What we are saying is while some may be knock offs, the one Frank is selling are not. To be perfectly honest, you are beginning to sound a lot on the paranoid side. You may not be able to resolve your question for your friend. In that case, tell him to get learning... :) Get him joined up on the forum.
 
Little confused which isnt hard LOL. Still don't understand your questioning if its a knock off or not..Knock off of what? Are you suggesting its a knock of by say a chinese company that does a similar brand to say a Japanese or American company like most would use that term, ie a copy of a brush, branded with name that's NOT made by that manufacturer IE Olympus, or do you use that term if you feel or desire to know if the Olympus is just an inferior copy of an iwata micron or similar..If the later, its clear that it is likely a knock off of a micron or at least made for a similar purpose but knock of is not the correct term, perhaps even similar design made it seems by someone in Japan (As much as I can find out anyway) and with I'll guarantee likely inferior materials and or machining, quality of finish etc etc..But you cant compare it so, pricing suggests of course it is likely inferior in some aspects or the iwata micron is just way overpriced in comparison LOL..Its like saying a patriot is a knock off , no its a cheaper made gun to allow peeps into the market, want better quality from Badger you go up in price, same as Iwata and all manufacturers otherwise all guns would cost pretty much the same? Why they don't comes down to generally materials used in its manufactur as most use the same casting techniques and CNC's for all their models no doubt, mostly automated also no doubt so generally it comes down to quality of materials used.

And honestly no offence to Mitch or any initial reviews but who cares whats thought first use by someone else. A review on how good or how bad it sprays has nothing to do with it being a legit airbrush or not. As mentioned above we all have our faves and some just fit one person better or worse than another,The airbrush likely like any $100-$150 gun will likely spray beautifully on its first few uses, if its still doing so 5 years later you have a good airbrush for a good price..My anthem is only about 15 years old and sprays like it did day 1 and that's a $150 airbrush but many dislike them..So I suggest maybe waiting 5 years or at least a few months and then see what the reviews suggest across a larger range of users LOL. Obviously its not yet a common gun, nor fair to compare from the likes of other airbrush manufacturers eg Olupus doesn't yet deserve to be placed next to Badger or iwata as a reputable companies, (my concern for most will be spares but again wouldn't have a clue as cant be bothered looking into them atm) if it ever will be, not many reviews and the like out there yet anyway besides some from Frank himself it seems and no doubt a few coming soon from those he's handed a few guns too, but no company website is concerning but doesn't mean its a dodgy company, maybe it does and the future no doubt will tell.

I also don't understand that you say your friend bought one, well why not give us YOUR review and his/hers, pull it apart a few times, but it back together, try different pressures, different reductions and tell US what YOU think..Thats like someone buying a gun and rather than actually using it asking others how good or bad that gun is that likely many won't own yet..Your m8 does own one LOL..Go use it and find out if its an inferior knock off or not.....and then let us know your honest opinion from your perspective rather than question something you may be able to actually test.
 
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I have purchased several on eBay from frank as well as other sellers. They are legit and comparable in performance to an iwata micron, they just need a much thinner mix to spray well and the needles are easily bent as they have an insanely long taper. I have noticed small visual defects from brush to brush and some rough finished parts but most of us polish and modify everything we get our hands on so to me its a great deal. Maybe not so much for a beginner. The only issue I have is the cup placement. I have big sausage fingers and I cannot get a comfy grip on it so I don't really use it that much. I do own some olympos HP series guns from the 80's and I think the overall quality was better. But an hp100 still costs the 100 dollars it did in 1985.
 
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