Statue Gandalf the Grey Maquette - Order NOW, Link in 1st post!.

[FrodoEyes]

Also i think the PF is far superior, and i don't own any PF's! But i will be getting the GTG PF as it's just so brilliant and will look great on its own.

Also i don't get the need for the exclusive on this statue. or the PF for that. Move his arms and you get an exclusive??? Seems a bit like milking the collectors to me

 

[The Craw]

they should have had a hatless head for the exclusive.

 

[Amanaman]

I like the 1/6 figure better. I don't like the look of sculpted robes.

 

[The Ween]

Ordered th Ex. though I'm not crazy about Gandalf's skintone or the way the hat is sitting on his head, but then it could be like that to show that's it's moved back on the head a bit because of the wind.

 

[Hecubus]

I much prefer the Weta one to this. Yes, he's more detailed, but looks cartoony and stiff. His arms make him look like a posed action figure...

 

[FrodoEyes]

I much prefer the Weta one to this. Yes, he's more detailed, but looks cartoony and stiff. His arms make him look like a posed action figure...

I don't think this reflects gandalf's character at all. When did we ever see him make this kind of pose in any way? It looks like he's about to burst into song: "I am what i am!"

 

[Agent0028]

Also i think the PF is far superior, and i don't own any PF's! But i will be getting the GTG PF as it's just so brilliant and will look great on its own.

Also i don't get the need for the exclusive on this statue. or the PF for that. Move his arms and you get an exclusive??? Seems a bit like milking the collectors to me

It is hardly milking collectors, it is just the way exclusives work, you pay a little extra and get a little more.

 

[Buzzie]

 

[FrodoEyes]

It is hardly milking collectors, it is just the way exclusives work, you pay a little extra and get a little more.

VERY little. The exclusive is just his arm turned the other way. And they ask more money for that!

 

[traylorc]

VERY little. The exclusive is just his arm turned the other way. And they ask more money for that!

In your opinion it's very little...to others it's a sufficient item for the EX. Personally I would rather have the arm than another print as the EX. Different strokes, for different folks.

 

[Seaward]

The staffs are markedly different as well, as the Exclusive one has the crystal he used when the fellowship enters the mines of Moria. The pose straddles a fine line for both versions, but it looks like it works much better to the exclusive IMHO

 

[blue_rogue]

Ordered the exclusive. I'm very excited about this line!

 

[Agent0028]

VERY little. The exclusive is just his arm turned the other way. And they ask more money for that!

So you'll get to save ten bucks, or even more if you get it from an e-tailer. Sounds like it works out well for you.

 

[woodsy]

Re: Gandalf the Grey Maquette - July 5 preorder

The thing is I understand the wanting of these items to be cheaper. Who doesn't? Thats just not the market anymore no matter how much folks complain about it. Weta who I think are great people having met them at the Con several times put out that really cool D9 statue at a higher price than Aragorn. Its actually a bit smaller than Aragorn but equal in price to this piece.

Good point. Nothing against the Prawn statue, it looks really good, but it's smaller and more expensive than Aragorn....so where's all the outrage? Where are all the people taking shots at SS for their price hikes while simultaneously giving Weta a pass for doing the exact same thing? I'd be pissed, but this brand of blatant hypocrisy is actually pretty funny to watch.

Like you said even the price of the enviros have gone up. They came in at around $100 back in the day but now are around $200. Things change thats just how it goes. Can't expect to pay yesterday's prices today.

Both the Weta enviro's and SS's new maquette's are almost double the price of their SSW counterparts, with the maquettes being slightly higher percentage wise. So what are you getting extra to warrant the huge price hike of the enviro's? If your answer is nothing, you're correct. There's nothing different, same sizing, same bases. And to make matters even worse, Weta's charging $200 for a Prancing Pony environment where all the groundwork was done on this statue eight years ago! The design, the molds, and the statue itself right up to the painted prototype, were done years ago....this piece is nothing but pure gravy for Weta.

At least where SS is concerned were getting more complex sculpts, with terrific likenesses [they actually resemble the people they're supposed to look like ], excl. options, and the addition of great looking bases that not only don't take away from the characters....they actually compliment them. So no, I'm not thrilled by the price hikes. but at least were getting more bang for the buck with these new maquettes, enough to at least justify some of the increased costs.

 

[Agent23]

Gandalf didn't have his hat on in that scene. Sorry.

 

[Radagaster]

All I know is I ordered this, and I'll get to check it out at SDCC to see for myself. It is a different representation of GTG, and reminds me more of the SS/W Bronze version. Would've been nice of his staff was raised higher, as people can more easily associate it to the confrontation with the Balrog.

Ultimately, what will worry me is if this sculpt will stand the test of time, and the paint app on the production matches the proto. We know how we were disappointed by the paint app from the LSB on GTG.

 

[The Ween]

All I know is I ordered this, and I'll get to check it out at SDCC to see for myself. It is a different representation of GTG, and reminds me more of the SS/W Bronze version. Would've been nice of his staff was raised higher, as people can more easily associate it to the confrontation with the Balrog.

Ultimately, what will worry me is if this sculpt will stand the test of time, and the paint app on the production matches the proto. We know how we were disappointed by the paint app from the LSB on GTG.

I didn't know it had paint problems. I've heard of other things having them. I'd hate to have it be on these too.

 

[The Josh]

Re: Gandalf the Grey Maquette - July 5 preorder

Good point. Nothing against the Prawn statue, it looks really good, but it's smaller and more expensive than Aragorn....so where's all the outrage? Where are all the people taking shots at SS for their price hikes while simultaneously giving Weta a pass for doing the exact same thing? I'd be pissed, but this brand of blatant hypocrisy is actually pretty funny to watch.

Nah, the Prawn piece is really really good. One of the best pieces from Weta I've seen. Detail is quite amazing! If I didn't have enough on my plate as is I'd very much consider getting it. The thing about the piece is that its price is what I had been talking about with folks. It showed that pieces of this size and material come in at about this price range.

Both the Weta enviro's and SS's new maquette's are almost double the price of their SSW counterparts, with the maquettes being slightly higher percentage wise. So what are you getting extra to warrant the huge price hike of the enviro's? If your answer is nothing, you're correct. There's nothing different, same sizing, same bases. And to make matters even worse, Weta's charging $200 for a Prancing Pony environment where all the groundwork was done on this statue eight years ago! The design, the molds, and the statue itself right up to the painted prototype, were done years ago....this piece is nothing but pure gravy for Weta.

Yeah, they are. Its one of those I've been around long enough now. That I've seen mid one hundreds and under to where things are at now. Its just part of the way things change. Like I pointed out someplace else look at stuff like the Iron Man figures from HT the Mark III was $160 the Mark IV is $180. A $20 difference in 2 years.

I agree somewhat on the Enviroments. Not a lot different from what we can see or have seen. The price has gone up which again just shows the market has changed. They where kick ass items then and now just the price has changed.

At least where SS is concerned were getting more complex sculpts, with terrific likenesses [they actually resemble the people they're supposed to look like ], excl. options, and the addition of great looking bases that not only don't take away from the characters....they actually compliment them. So no, I'm not thrilled by the price hikes. but at least were getting more bang for the buck with these new maquettes, enough to at least justify some of the increased costs.

The new statues are a bit more than the SSW pieces but I think both will compliement each other quite nicely. Allowing you to show different aspects to the character. Take GTG the SSW piece shows the leader, highly intelligent, caring side of GTG while this one shows a bit of the power the character has during the Battle at Khazad-Dum. The Exclusive I guess really more so than the regular. That pose I have some issues with being a bit odd but thats why I went with the Ex.

 

[Valarauko]

Regarding the increase in prices on SS and Weta collectibles, here's something to think about. Are you earning the same amount of $$ now as you were earning years ago? More than likely, you're paid more now. So why would anybody expect for wages/salaries/benefits to increase while prices stay the same? That's just one facet; factor in the increases from every quadrant of the business pie and you've got a certain reality staring back at you.

The only thing constant in this universe is CHANGE. Roll wit' it.

 

[galactiboy]

This looks great... so far the maquette line is shaping up to be a winner