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Prices: E Gerber VS. Bill Cole

Started by Paul_Maul,

35 posts in this topic

Paul_Maul

Paul_Maul

Posted
Posted

Is there any reason why Bill Cole's prices are so much higher than Gerber's for basically

the same product?

 

For example, Cole's Time-X-Tenders are $415 per thousand compared to Gerber's $150

for Fullbacks.

 

Is there some difference in quality, or anything that explains this huge disparity?

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CKB

CKB

Posted
Posted

The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

edit: My bad: "life-x-tenders" are the higher level product. Fullbacks and Time-x-tenders are comparable. And it's very hard to justify buying BCE at that price. I have bought from Gerber (shipped from Maryland) for years even though I can go to Randolph and pick up from BCE.

 

 

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The Question?

The Question?

Posted
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, the Cole stuff IS better. The query becomes, at what price point is "better" still relevant?

 

I bought from Cole for YEARS...then tried Gerber. Different, not necessarily "better" however. My biggest complaint about Cole was in the inconsistent CUTS that their Silver Age boards tend to possess.

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Paul_Maul

Paul_Maul

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  • Author
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

Can someone expand on the difference? I thought the Cole Life-X-Tender had the extra

buffer you refer to, not the Time-X-Tender.

 

I've used the Cole stuff for a long time, but unless there is a difference in quality that can

be spelled out, I can't see paying 2.5x more.

 

Does anyone have a strong opinion on this?

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mschmidt

mschmidt

Posted
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, the Cole stuff IS better. The query becomes, at what price point is "better" still relevant?

 

I bought from Cole for YEARS...then tried Gerber. Different, not necessarily "better" however. My biggest complaint about Cole was in the inconsistent CUTS that their Silver Age boards tend to possess.

 

No, that is incorrect. Cole & Gerber share the same patent on mylars - there's no difference between their different mylar products. Well, apart from Cole charging about twice what Gerber charges (thumbs u

 

The BCE THIN-X-TENDERS are identical to the E Gerber Half-backs.

The BCE TIME-X-TENDERS are identical to the E Gerber Full-backs.

 

What I have noticed, however, is that when you're using the BCE thin or time-x-tenders, you often end up with cardboard shavings in the bag - which is never the case for the Gerber products. The BCE products also seem to be less consistent in their cut.

 

BCE does have the LIFE-X-TENDERS backing boards (which features a thin layer of activated charcoal), but using one of those is really no different than using a half-back/full-back with a couple of pieces of microchamber paper. Does the same thing - but at a much lesser price.

 

Saying that the BCE supplies are better has no basis in reality - they're exactly the same as the Gerber supplies, but with a much higher price tag.

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divad

divad

Posted
Posted
Is there any reason why Bill Cole's prices are so much higher than Gerber's for basically

the same product?

 

For example, Cole's Time-X-Tenders are $415 per thousand compared to Gerber's $150

for Fullbacks.

 

Is there some difference in quality, or anything that explains this huge disparity?

 

No. and No.

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divad

divad

Posted
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

ck,

with all due respect my friend, this is a load of horse manure. :foryou:

bestest,

d

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taro90

taro90

Posted
Posted

E. Gerber and Bill Cole products are the same. And if you own a copy of the Gerber Photo Journals, see the introduction, Gerber says he and Bill Cole were once partners in the mylar business.

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mschmidt

mschmidt

Posted
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

ck,

with all due respect my friend, this is a load of horse manure. :foryou:

bestest,

d

 

:gossip: He means the life-x-tenders which, yes, are exclusive to BCE. The time-x-tenders, however, are identical to the gerber full-backs.

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CKB

CKB

Posted
Posted
The time-x-tenders are a higher level of product. My memory tells me that they have some sort of charcoal internal buffer or something pretty over the top. The full-backs are just double thick high quality acid free boards. IIRC.

 

 

ck,

with all due respect my friend, this is a load of horse manure. :foryou:

bestest,

d

 

No, it was an honest mistake - I did not remember the super high end boards were the "life-x-tenders". If the price difference between the regular double thick boards from both places is $260/1K, that is definitely out of line. The quality control on the Gerber products has always been better.

 

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CKB

CKB

Posted
Posted
E. Gerber and Bill Cole products are the same. And if you own a copy of the Gerber Photo Journals, see the introduction, Gerber says he and Bill Cole were once partners in the mylar business.

 

This may be true on paper, but in my experience with both these products the seams on the Gerber mylar are stronger (especially on the 1 mil product) and the Gerber boards have much better quality control. I like the very slightly textured feel to the Gerber boards. And, the Gerber prduct is less expensive.

 

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taro90

taro90

Posted
Posted
E. Gerber and Bill Cole products are the same. And if you own a copy of the Gerber Photo Journals, see the introduction, Gerber says he and Bill Cole were once partners in the mylar business.

 

This may be true on paper, but in my experience with both these products the seams on the Gerber mylar are stronger (especially on the 1 mil product) and the Gerber boards have much better quality control. I like the very slightly textured feel to the Gerber boards. And, the Gerber prduct is less expensive.

 

That's why I only use E. Gerber stuff. (thumbs u

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ComicDoc

ComicDoc

Posted
Posted

I have bought thousands of books and boards from E. Gerber and would not use anyone else.

 

In the late seventies and early eighties I was one a few collectors using acid free boxes and boards and Mylar sleeves (In fact the guy who bought my collection still remembers It because it was rare back then to have 2000+ books all bagged and boarded in Mylars/Acid free boxes) So when I re-entered the hobby in 2000 I tried all the retailers and have been overwhelmed with the great service, quality product and great price that E. Gerber offers. I would not change!!

 

BTW the cheaper alternative to the LIFE-X-TENDERS is either the microchamber paper (which bagsunlimited now carries at 50 for $20) or BCW offers a comic book extender (200 / $8.20) which is also purported to slow the aging process. It also acts a stiffener for the book.

 

I use these (comic extenders) between the covers and put a microchamber in the middle, then use the full backs with Mylites2 and have been very happy with the results.

 

Bill Cole is in MA where I am but has always been cost prohibitive. He has the same product as E. Gerber. In fact most of the other retailers carry E. Gerber products at a markup. Even with shiping cost I cannot beat E. Gerber’s pricing, and they ship very very fast!!

 

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