I've been following, but resisting contributing, to this thread from the start. First, because I don't do spinny stuff so I felt I should not be offering an opinion on a lathe. Second because I was a bit timid having seen where conversations about this company have gone on other forums. Now that the thread has opened up to include more than the lathe (i.e.: customer service) I'm going to put in my 2 cents. All that follows is simply my opinion based on observation. I have not personally experienced any contact with the folks at Laguna.
A while ago I frequented the Fine Woodworking Knots forum. One of the members there was having a hard time with Laguna customer service as well. There was a virtual firestorm of comments posted, both for and against, though the ‘fors’ were greatly outnumbered, up to and including several posts by the wife of the owner of Laguna. She was not pleasant, considerate, or polite in her assessment of the persons having issues with her customer service/sales people and inferred (IMHO) that those complaining were not worthy of owning her machines or lacked the skills to operate them correctly.
Lots of nasty things were said. As for me, I was turned off by the comments (from both sides) and made a personal decision to leave the Knots forum and to avoid ever buying a tool from Laguna regardless of the often gleaming reviews given them in the various WW magazines.
Again, all this is opinion based on observation rather than experience. However, as the stories of poor customer service and high pressure sales come up with such frequency, one has to assume there is something behind it. The little I spend on my hobby is still a lot and my cash does not come easy to me. I usually research a purchase to death long before I plop down my cash. I would not buy what is considered a premium machine, at an equally premium price, if I had any inkling that I would be treated poorly after the purchase.
Mods: If I’ve stepped over any lines here I have no problem with my post being edited or removed.