Asmus Toys Lord of the Ring Gandalf Gray

[TheFiend]

Christ, look how goofy the old head is. And to think we were supposed to get this.

 

[Gipetto0812]

that original proto was pretty frickin amazing. While I still credit Asmus for really being the first to do the mass production rooted hair this way before InArt and Hot Toys, you can't ignore the fact that they dropped the ball during production.

 

[Sassafras]

Damn it. I’m a nurse by trade. Having to work 7-3 today and just now on my lunch break I see where they were up in stock and sold out. Asmus please can you put this up as a Pre-Order? That way you know how many the people want/need and how many you need to make and those of us that want one don’t feel like we’re going to miss out on him.

Missed it too, since it was a U.S. holiday weekend and at this point getting irritated. I'm past where I hang around E-bay auctions and that's what this feels like.

I get that these take a while to make and no-one likes unsold stock sitting around. Maybe open a limited PO period, at least, the way WETA does now.

Hopefully ASMUS will show up announcing wave 3 soon.

 

[Mazomaniac]

Missed it too, since it was a U.S. holiday weekend and at this point getting irritated. I'm past where I hang around E-bay auctions and that's what this feels like.

I get that these take a while to make and no-one likes unsold stock sitting around. Maybe open a limited PO period, at least, the way WETA does now.

Hopefully ASMUS will show up announcing wave 3 soon.

Double post...

I got the email notice around 6:30am CDST on Sunday morning of US (holiday) Labor Day weekend and when I checked my email at 8am CDST they were gone.
Asmus , how about putting them up for pre-order (mentioned before on this site) and then providing in order as produced?

Just thought...

 

[Jase25]

Agreed. PO is the best route for everyone involved. It allows collectors to get their order in and Asmus gets concrete order numbers because they have been paid in advance for them, instead hoping people buy what they put up.

Reminds me when my collectors friends would contact and ask if I was off on a certain day and would ask me to watch the Mezco site for them because they had to work and couldn’t be hovering over a website that day. Mezco would do these hot drops where exclusives figures would drop mid day and sell out almost immediately. If they missed out they were forced to buy the figure on eBay for 2-3 times retail on Evilbay. I always hated that for them because I think it’s disingenuous for companies to create false scarcity to drive sales, thankfully that’s not what Asmus is doing. At least we know there are more heads coming and being made….just patience is not a virtue I personally have.

 

[Sassafras]

Agreed. PO is the best route for everyone involved. It allows collectors to get their order in and Asmus gets concrete order numbers because they have been paid in advance for them, instead hoping people buy what they put up.

Reminds me when my collectors friends would contact and ask if I was off on a certain day and would ask me to watch the Mezco site for them because they had to work and couldn’t be hovering over a website that day. Mezco would do these hot drops where exclusives figures would drop mid day and sell out almost immediately. If they missed out they were forced to buy the figure on eBay for 2-3 times retail on Evilbay. I always hated that for them because I think it’s disingenuous for companies to create false scarcity to drive sales, thankfully that’s not what Asmus is doing. At least we know there are more heads coming and being made….just patience is not a virtue I personally have.

Well after Big Chief went down and the apparent roiling economics in China - and apparently everywhere, as well - and I AM NOT saying ASMUS will be like Big Chief - I'm less patient than otherwise. I know ASMUS doesn't even have to do this.

Still, it's the only thing I really wanted until Thranduil's release at the moment. And I'm not wild about any company, including WETA which has taken to these "timed preorders" essentially avoiding having stock on hand, at least for a reasonable period. I don't think, reading another board, for example, where folks missed out on getting the Thanos statue they wanted from Sideshow, or Anakin, is "fun". Not having a reasonable production run just gets fans angry.

Although for all I know, ASMUS is making lots of heads, and is just releasing what they have completed. I hope they comment soon.

 

[TheFiend]

that original proto was pretty frickin amazing. While I still credit Asmus for really being the first to do the mass production rooted hair this way before InArt and Hot Toys, you can't ignore the fact that they dropped the ball during production.

Yeah. The Asmus Gandalf is the first time I received a figure with rooted hair that actually felt like real hair. Like the company actually tried. There's a certain irony that it's Hot Toys to be the third in line to catch up to this. Maybe the leader is now the follower? Either way idc. Competition benefits us.

And yes, what a massive ball to drop. I may not be eyeing the INART if I received the above figure. I still love that sculpt.

 

[AricJorn]

Why is Asmus putting these up in tiny batches that are gone inside of an hour? They should be taking orders so that everyone who wants one can reserve one.

 

[AricJorn]

Missed it too, since it was a U.S. holiday weekend and at this point getting irritated. I'm past where I hang around E-bay auctions and that's what this feels like.

I get that these take a while to make and no-one likes unsold stock sitting around. Maybe open a limited PO period, at least, the way WETA does now.

Hopefully ASMUS will show up announcing wave 3 soon.

This is what I've been saying as well - Why announce in small batches that are sold out within an hour? They should take pre-orders so everyone who wants one will know they have one reserved. I don't care how long I need to wait - I just want to know it's secured.

 

[MarkKing]

I can't understand why companies are leaving money on the table. I understand you do not WANT to oversaturate the market, but be damned if I left money on the table.

 

[satanatos]

Sorry guys, but its funny how I could have bought two of these the two times they were up and I do not want them. Same time you missed the two windows. RLRNG is a b****h

 

[MarkKing]

love mine so much happy to oblige!
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Late to the party, but what is this head? I have the crown series Gandalf....is this the same head?

 

[Alatar]

Late to the party, but what is this head? I have the crown series Gandalf....is this the same head?

Asmus is offering an upgrade to Crown Gandalf the Gray by using the head sculpt from Gandalf the White and putting GtG hair on it instead. It also gets a repaint I believe so that it’s not as tanned as Crown GtW.

They’ve been offering the upgraded sculpt on a limited basis in small batches thus far. If you want one the best strategy is to select the option to be notified by email when the item is in stock. Hopefully Asmus will put it up as a preorder though. That way everyone that wants one can get one!

 

[Alatar]

Just thinking outloud, but I wonder if Asmus is first honoring the “notify me by email when in stock” feature first, and giving those who chose that option a reasonable number of days to buy their sculpts. And maybe if folks that opted to be notified don‘t respond in a timely manner they will make the rest of the batch available then?

 

[nexus]

Waiting for more of these to pop up. A handful at a time is kind of ridiculous, but maybe they'll drop more the next time. I had planned to sell the Crown because I have the InArt version coming, but will now just upgrade the head. Good to see Asmus upping its game. Maybe they will revisit sculpts like Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Galadriel and Eowyn rather than waiting for pressure from InArt.

 

[Jase25]

Well working in general 58-72hrs a week is a b#**h but missing a collectible or in this case a piece of one seems more frustrating and annoying. Do I want one, yes….will I plan my day around the next drop….absolutely not.

I just find these windows of “opportunity” to be a joke. I’m sure Asmus isn’t thinking they are “Creating Scarcity and Demand” they are just posting what they have. I’m 53, so the idea of me stand in line to get a phone on launch day, or a cro-nut doughnut, or hovering over a website on a certain day at a certain time to buy a better head for my figure is lost on me.

That’s why I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just do a pre-order for the item.

 

[Xman1990]

Got my email from asmus to say my Gandalf upgraded head is posted.
will get pictures as soon as it arrives.

I do agree it should have been a pre order so they know how many to do ect… would make so much more sens.

I suppose I was just lucky, but I did have a tab open constantly on asmus website and kept checking my emails like a crazy person.

 

[Sassafras]

Well working in general 58-72hrs a week is a b#**h but missing a collectible or in this case a piece of one seems more frustrating and annoying. Do I want one, yes….will I plan my day around the next drop….absolutely not.

I just find these windows of “opportunity” to be a joke. I’m sure Asmus isn’t thinking they are “Creating Scarcity and Demand” they are just posting what they have. I’m 53, so the idea of me stand in line to get a phone on launch day, or a cro-nut doughnut, or hovering over a website on a certain day at a certain time to buy a better head for my figure is lost on me.

That’s why I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just do a pre-order for the item.

Weeellll - someplace ASMUS mentioned that BBTS was helping them out with "cancelled preorders" which is why I got a great deal on the Nazgul (awesome fig too!).

This wasn't 'coz of InArt, but the economy or something. I just watched a vid on China that more or less sez the Chinese people are cutting back on spending a lot, due to a lot of factors.

Even HT supposedly is cutting back on the number of figs they make, per run. Also ASMUS said these heads take a while to make, and I don't know how big their team is.

No, I don't think ASMUS is trying to create "scarcity and demand" but yeah, I don't spend all my time online, or checking what's available, or even e-mail.

I suppose I was just lucky, but I did have a tab open constantly on asmus website and kept checking my emails like a crazy person.

Guess I will have to start doing that, sux, I got tired of tracking auctions and sales a while ago.

 

[Sassafras]

Sorry guys, but its funny how I could have bought two of these the two times they were up and I do not want them. Same time you missed the two windows. RLRNG is a b****h

Yep. I remember the whole Sideshow Thanos grinning portrait thing, think they only made 700 of that statue with the EX, I happened to be online and could have easily snagged one.

The EX sold out real fast and it was sad, there were some really angry folks who felt burned pretty badly.
Like, what. Why not just make the statue with 2 portraits to begin with, there was clearly a market. Then of course fake grinning portraits showed up from those busy people who smell opportunity.

 

[hoodonit00]

Late to the party, but what is this head? I have the crown series Gandalf....is this the same head?

It’s the GTW sculpt with the GTG hair and styling.