Asmus Toys Lord of the Ring Gandalf Gray

[agonistes86]

I got a new base for Gandalf (from an aquarium store) and tried a new pose today.
I haven't done anything to Gandalf yet other than minor futzing and using the V1 hat (with some tin foil inside to shape it). I'm still planning on weathering him up and maybe wiring up the inner robes, but he's already looking great as is I think.
I'm very curious what the Queen Studios version will look like, but he really needs to blow me away in order to convince me that I need to upgrade.

 

[hoodonit00]

Wow looks great. Love the base

 

[satanatos]

Wow.. V1 hat looks so much better than the "crown" version. So much it that it feels like a huge downgrade. Now I have to see if I can find it for my crown Gandalf!

 

[BagginsOfBagEnd]

Awesome pics, I love the base too it looks fantastic!

 

[Tolkien Nerd]

Very impressive indeed. One of the best poses I have seen. Simple but so effective. Congrats agonistes86.

 

[agonistes86]

Thanks, guys.
To make it a bit more secure (since he's standing on top of Detolfs), I also dremeled a square slot on top for a HT stand to fit in there. Now he won't be able to topple over, and the clothing completely hides it.

 

[Sixth Scale Man]

Thanks, guys.
To make it a bit more secure (since he's standing on top of Detolfs), I also dremeled a square slot on top for a HT stand to fit in there. Now he won't be able to topple over, and the clothing completely hides it.

Nice work!

 

[matrix69]

I got a new base for Gandalf (from an aquarium store) and tried a new pose today.
I haven't done anything to Gandalf yet other than minor futzing and using the V1 hat (with some tin foil inside to shape it). I'm still planning on weathering him up and maybe wiring up the inner robes, but he's already looking great as is I think.
I'm very curious what the Queen Studios version will look like, but he really needs to blow me away in order to convince me that I need to upgrade.

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View attachment 567155

They should have reused that V1 hat on the new figure...it looks great there. Nice base too!

 

[TheFiend]

The upgraded heads for the V1, are they going to be the Crown series head? Sorry. Don't follow the thread much.

 

[RandomHero]

The upgraded heads for the V1, are they going to be the Crown series head? Sorry. Don't follow the thread much.

They're supposed to be.

 

[PersonOfTheYear]

By the time the heads get released everyone would have lost interested and moved onto InArt Gandalf

 

[Sassafras]

By the time the heads get released everyone would have lost interested and moved onto InArt Gandalf

Well, no. For one thing I desperately need the head for my V1 Gandalf.

And having read this entire thread, pros and cons, finally took the time to futz with my Crown Gandalf. Overall, tho the hair is a delicate thing, this is a beautiful Gandalf, and I wouldn't mind owning a second one; except I have the fully loaded V1.

As for the hair thing, after spraying the head with a lot of water and picking away with a bamboo skewer (I prefer "picking" to actual brushing for Thorin and Gandalf) IMO this Tibetan lambs give a great effect. However the movies are, I wanted piecey, a bit greasy, waves and curls; for me it's always about the journey when characters get grungy - depending on the character. (A forum member once pointed out to me that even human hair is off scale on a 1/6 fig; you need very fine fiber to be scale accurate. Human hair is too thick. Once the hair got sprayed a lot and pieced out, I was pretty happy. It's delicate work tho.)

Since this head isn't gonna wear the hat, IMO the hat itself is beautiful, love the fabric. Also love the cloak; with spattered weathering and ASMUS never skimps on materials. I love a full cloak.
The rest of the costume has the usual attention to detail - I quite like the staffs, even tho, yes, I will need to dremel the holes. My pipe was in a small box with the eye tool (my Gandalf is from SSC. So assume I got a later batch release). I also like the moss used on the base - I haven't messed with the gate and mailbox yet; but sure if there are problems some E6000 epoxy will take care of it. I will probably give the base to young Bilbo and use a Phicen base for Gandalf. Luv the boots.

I've got a few nits, probably the same as most; while it's a beautiful expressive sculpt and I want another, the movable eyes I don't think were successful and nothing I needed; and the apparent differences in hair and beard length make me uneasy. Production should stay consistent. I don't think the staff holes are big deal, but it's sloppy to miss something like that. That hat thing - I don't get, tho it's fixable.

Overall it's obvious ASMUS worked hard on this release, and with some futzing it's a beautiful Gandalf. I do hope they offer the heads. Will I invest in another Gandalf? Dunno, if I already have one I am happy with who also has a great, un-skimped costume. There's other figures to spend on. On the shelf from a foot away, this looks like something really perfect and uber high end. Not sure I'd spend more for essentially a duplicate. I just want the replacement sculpt.

 

[satanatos]

For a "Crown" naming, they failed for sure. Boasting titles such as ultimate, ultra, hyperreal, crown, diamond and the like means you really need to strive to deliver the quality that most people associate with those words. The eyes, the hat, the color of the hear and beard, the gloved sleeves, the book that does not open. Basically everything the prod defers from the proto. Still I too find it a beautiful figure once you futz with it. And personally, I will not be getting the QS Gandalf as I am satisfied with the Asmus one. But the rest of their releases are not to my liking excluding Gimli, which is hard to get now. Frodo's eyes are inaccurate, Bilbo (old) looks good but the expression they chose I do not find fitting for him, too stern. I may still pick him up to put next to GtG so both can smoke a pipe together.

 

[Lejuan]

Well, no. For one thing I desperately need the head for my V1 Gandalf.

... I just want the replacement sculpt.

yup, that's all I want and all I've been waiting for. I'm pretty excited that this is still on the cards, whenever it might be arriving.

 

[Sassafras]

For a "Crown" naming, they failed for sure. Boasting titles such as ultimate, ultra, hyperreal, crown, diamond and the like means you really need to strive to deliver the quality that most people associate with those words. The eyes, the hat, the color of the hear and beard, the gloved sleeves, the book that does not open. Basically everything the prod defers from the proto. Still I too find it a beautiful figure once you futz with it. And personally, I will not be getting the QS Gandalf as I am satisfied with the Asmus one. But the rest of their releases are not to my liking excluding Gimli, which is hard to get now. Frodo's eyes are inaccurate, Bilbo (old) looks good but the expression they chose I do not find fitting for him, too stern. I may still pick him up to put next to GtG so both can smoke a pipe together.

I get that. For one thing, I probably ought to be able to set up the mailbox without rigging with putty.

But then, you get a mailbox that opens and a rather clever dual stand. A diecast sword. Two beautiful staffs. He does look amazing on the shelf. A shame about the book, EVERYONE was gonna go look for that last page of Ori's words, and I actually think it's there, but I wasn't gonna force the book open to really find out.

Still luv ASMUS. Will luv them even more if they deliver on some DWARVES and Thranduil. And the separate Gandalf head. Be nice if they threw in a hat upgrade.

 

[Someperson]

I get that. For one thing, I probably ought to be able to set up the mailbox without rigging with putty.

But then, you get a mailbox that opens and a rather clever dual stand. A diecast sword. Two beautiful staffs. He does look amazing on the shelf. A shame about the book, EVERYONE was gonna go look for that last page of Ori's words, and I actually think it's there, but I wasn't gonna force the book open to really find out.

Still luv ASMUS. Will luv them even more if they deliver on some DWARVES and Thranduil. And the separate Gandalf head. Be nice if they threw in a hat upgrade.

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This is one mystery i can solve! The book does have those last words. Pardon my finger, it was hard to keep the book open and take a pic!

 

[Sassafras]

This is one mystery i can solve! The book does have those last words. Pardon my finger, it was hard to keep the book open and take a pic!

Oh cool! I tried and maybe heavy steaming would help, but can't get mine open without damaging it. That's a great detail from Asmus....a shame someone didn't think OPENING the book would be something fans would want. Thanx for posting!

 

[satanatos]

This is one mystery i can solve! The book does have those last words. Pardon my finger, it was hard to keep the book open and take a pic!

Jee.. now I have to think of a way to crack it open. Prob will end up breaking and gluing it open

 

[satanatos]

Be nice if they threw in a hat upgrade.

Yes, please!

 

[Sassafras]

Jee.. now I have to think of a way to crack it open. Prob will end up breaking and gluing it open

Well with mine, it's the end pages being glued to the cover. &^%$ assembly really. I could open the cover but would have to rip the end pages. And it looks like a staple was used to hold the pages together. ASMUS should sell the book separately so folks could make an open, permanently glued version for Gandalf.

For now I just store the book. There's ASMUS accessory pack they could sell - the sculpt, another book, and an upgraded hat. I wouldn't mind having an extra pipe too.