I've been on Team Swash since 2006 and I can attest that getting a response from them has become spotty. I love my Swashdrives, but I am inclined to think that IP theft and piracy might have a lot to do with lack of support in some cases, I mean these days, ebay is posting up clones that have "SWASHDRIVE" emblazoned right on them, no respect at all. If a person buys this, do you think they're gonna get support from some dude in a hut by some chinese waterfall? No. So they run to the originator of said design for support. I wouldn't answer half the dam calls and emails either unless I knew for sure some kind of way your swash is authentic, if you buy the clone, you don't really respect the innovator. On the flipside of that same coin, these new rotaries hitting the market for an average of $550USD + are getting out of control. It's as if the technical minded consumer can't look at these things and tell right off that we're being taken to the bank on a nominal 15% design variation with each iteration. We all know the same song they're all singing:
-Maxon motor
-Japanese bearings
-Adjustable give spring/cam/piston mechanism
These parts can be had wholesale for less than 25% of the asking price of the unit. So the remaining factor is the machined frame, which really, they are all starting to fit the same geometric profile for needle handling. I'm not paying $500+ USD for a machine, even if there is a new era of rotaries in place, it's crazy now. I'll just say I'm glad I racked up on Swashes and can use them effectively to my satisfaction, and even then I spent $1600 collectively for all of them over time.