Add me to the list of HAPPY CAMPERS with a new Photoclam Multiflex cube head, $985 plus $45 shipping to Arkansas. I placed the order on Thursday and had the head in my mailbox on Monday morning.
I've done quite a bit of research these past few weeks about this type of head and asked a lot of questions - both to customers and to the manufacturers of the two major brands of cube heads (AS and Photoclam) - there are no dealers in my part of the country for either head so there were no dealers to speak to directly. It seemed to me that both heads were pretty much the same - function and quality-wise - so that was a wash. The AS head is more expensive, needs the clamp replaced, and their bubble levels are not accurate (according to customers on the web), so those issues had to be factored in. Many folks had noted the black hole that seems to be the AS company when it comes to customer relations and communications as well. While price was not an issue with me I really could find no reason to buy the AS head, even if I could have found it in stock when I was ready to order, which I could not.
On the other hand the friendly folks at Photoclam in Korea were always happy to answer whatever questions I had, usually within an hour or two during business hours, and as I noted above - door to door to my cabin 60 miles deep in the woods was four days total, and that counted the weekend. Their head is everything I expected it to be, certainly no less quality than the AS cube and many would say a better head due to their clamp and level issues.
My own bottom line is that I could care less what brand is on the tools that I use or how much they cost as long as they are the best tool for the job - I think the Multiflex cube head is the best there is for me, and I won't hesitate to buy another one when I need yet another head (I already have six or seven - a tripod and head whore I guess!).
Thanks to everyone on this board who took the time to pass along their thoughts.
And by the way, I don't wear a watch...