I've always been a fan. And thought I knew some little bit of their past history.
I had owned a HGM-200 for a few years, monster mount. I was the red headed step sister at any star party. When I let Fred Mrozek check it out, and I tossed "my"Apomax Scope on top, and all was wired up, the first question he asked me as he eyeballed everything, "How much did I pay for the Mount?" And when I told him, he said it was worth every penny!
Sure, I tuned it! Blood sweat and tears I also remember, but got it done. Ever crack you head wide open on a Counterweight Shaft's end? I did. I had an Egg on my head for two weeks, cried, and cussed 2000 bad words to help relieve the crazy pain that afternoon during a shakedown assemble in house. Yeah there was blood. You live, you learn, and that day was the worst of the hard ways with a Mount. The other is dropping a Counterweight on your foot!
I remember the earlier GM-100, and GM-200. I recall my old friend Bob Luffel owning a GM-200, and the sophisticated, masterful mods and improvements he did to his mount. Wish I could still read, and enjoy his documentation and letters of such that he did. Such beauties these mounts were, with their choice of Anodized colors, that pretty Blue!
With today's photographic tools and methods, does one really need GOTO, and tracking from horizon to horizon? One doesn't need it for visual. Unless for convenience. Let's say your at a Messier Marathon Star Party like I once was. And trying to see as many as humanly possible through that particular night's viewing. I been to one once. I brought my AP 105mm Traveler on my Byers 58.
My next move for a large mount, was the AP 1200GTO. And a nice C-14 sitting on top.
Getting back to Losmandy though, and without a large mount at present, I had thought of the G-11T. (Titan) I basically know the costs involved.
One thing I am unsure of? Was the Titan always based on the G-11 Platform? Or, was there an earlier Titan "first version" that more mimicked a slimmed down HGM-200? Does anyone here know of any-all changes if there were?
I know there are some mod and upgrade options with Losmandy. Does it ease the final costs, and provides a good upgrade path?
My next scope of maybe two I'd like to acquire, is a larger Mak-Newt. I think 10" would be my magic number. (Markus, where are you?! LOL)
And I'd never turn down a mint Orange Tube, or a bit newer American made Grey-Black C-14. Such is not really so cost prohibitive at current day.
You can spend more on a Marantz-McIntosh Receiver-Amp-etc. And ten times more. Hobbies! We love them!
