Thanks guys! It's great to hear when my work inspires others to try working on their figures to improve them. I tend to lose interest in the few figures I buy and display out of the box, no matter how nice. But the ones I customize or build are the ones I take pride in and enjoy the most!
Gruff Old Bear, that looks pretty good! Remember to put the head back on the body as you're working to test hair length so you don't go too far. I always cut with the head attached to a spare nude so I get a sense of where the shoulders are. Also, you're braver than me to attempt a full repaint. I'm content to tinker with beards and hair and shade the skin tone with an airbrush, but a total repaint is something I've yet to do.
Neko, thanks for your very kind words! In fact it was you and your analysis from several pages back almost a year ago about the body that made me realize a new body would only improve it. So when I found a good replacement for a good price (the COO; I don't like spending $50-$80 on just a nude body) I quickly upgraded. So, you might say I owe you one!
Yes, I like the ACI head better too, but the Asmus is not bad once you fix the head. Neither is perfect, but they are both good in different ways. The Asmus has a very bland but contemplative expression, and is more accurate in the jawline. It's great for posing Aragorn at rest. The ACI has a very determined expression with those upward looking eyes and is more accurate in the cheekbones and wider-set eyes. It's awesome for dynamic poses. They clearly meant for the head to be tilted forward for the eyes to look straight ahead.