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[Solarsailor]

I'm not too worried about Sauron selling out even it it comes out flawless. Regardless of the quality, 1500 pieces at $900.00 ea. is not going to fly off the shelves. I'm not going to complain about the ES though, because the fact that they made so many is probably the main reason that this guy doesn't have the LSF price tag. Sideshow knows that it'll sell out eventually and they stand to profit much more by selling 1500 at $900.00 ea. than if they sold 200 at $2000.00 ea. As far as I'm concerned it's a win - win.

Yeah , I think $900 is inside the realms of a realistic price for a good quality collectible, especially if you can flex it. That's about my upper limit personally.

Life size stuff is cool but you'd have to have a dedicated collection room (at a fair size) and fairly hefty salary to cover your other pieces.

If anything I think it's the size, not the price, that works against it myself. A lot of folk are probably scratching their heads at the prospect of placing a 3 foot figure in their collection and this bad boy is fairly wide too.

Wouldn't have it any other way though.

 

[Mr Fell Beast]

I'm not too worried about Sauron selling out even it it comes out flawless. Regardless of the quality, 1500 pieces at $900.00 ea. is not going to fly off the shelves. I'm not going to complain about the ES though, because the fact that they made so many is probably the main reason that this guy doesn't have the LSF price tag. Sideshow knows that it'll sell out eventually and they stand to profit much more by selling 1500 at $900.00 ea. than if they sold 200 at $2000.00 ea. As far as I'm concerned it's a win - win.

Agreed as with the WETA's Barad-dûr at 1000 it is still on the market and look like it will for some time, when you are pushing $500+ on a single item, that is almost all collectors over the top price range. Very few will have that kind of $$$$ to pop on a single item. I do believe that Sauron will be around from SS for at least this year.......

 

[choopie]

Just for comparison's sake, the Alien Big Chap maquette (ES of 1250 at $800) came out in March of last year and within six months it was sold out. Not even a waitlist option. And with a piece that size, with that big of an ES and the price, you'd think it would have stuck around for a while. Is Alien more popular than LOTR? I don't know, but I wouldn't assume that Sauron will be sticking around for a long time.

 

[The Josh]

That is something to think about. Pieces like this seem to maybe just sit around and give off the idea they will be around for a while. However, they usually tend to just sell out while everyone who was thinking waited and then they're pissed because they missed it.

 

[Bullseye]

I think with this one people will wait to see if SS succeeds in the production paint application. This is the first piece to have this experimental paint scheme.

 

[joblain]

I think with this one people will wait to see if SS succeeds in the production paint application. This is the first piece to have this experimental paint scheme.

What do you mean by experimental paint scheme?

 

[The Josh]

I think with this one people will wait to see if SS succeeds in the production paint application. This is the first piece to have this experimental paint scheme.

I can understand I guess. Its a lot of money and the shading is something to think about but I believe SS will knock this out. Its one of the most important The Lord of the Rings pieces they've ever done.

 

[Bullseye]

What do you mean by experimental paint scheme?

The orange paint on the figure which represents reflection of the lava on the ground instead of a light up base. It's also employed on the new Mythos Darth Vader statue. I think it works well but I've read alot of posts feom people who like the figure but they are unsure if the paint scheme will work.

 

[Stormcrow]

The orange paint on the figure which represents reflection of the lava on the ground instead of a light up base. It's also employed on the new Mythos Darth Vader statue. I think it works well but I've read alot of posts feom people who like the figure but they are unsure if the paint scheme will work.

I am not buying one because of the orange paint. I think the effect will only work from certain angles, fair play to Sideshow for trying something new but this went from a can't wait must buy to a oh er no.

 

[Solarsailor]

I am not buying one because of the orange paint. I think the effect will only work from certain angles, fair play to Sideshow for trying something new but this went from a can't wait must buy to a oh er no.

I must admit I'm not really that fond of the orange paint either. Since the Dark Lord can't really be displayed....Dark.

I light up feature would surely have been the way to go.

It would be understandable on something like the Balrog but I don't think the flame effect would have got any extra sales as opposed to just regular paint, if anything like you say Stormcrow, it probably put a few people off.

Most of the LOTR stuff has a very gritty dark feel to it anyway.

 

[The Josh]

In person it worked at comic-con. Will it come out in production? We don't know but I believe it will. The light up feature would have only made it more exspensive.

 

[Solarsailor]

In person it worked at comic-con. Will it come out in production? We don't know but I believe it will. The light up feature would have only made it more exspensive.

True but not by much you would think. They could have just went with no light up effect at all making it potentially cheaper...

I think if I were displaying him, I would put some kind of black or very dark background behind him. With the cape being material and the armour having the shine effect I don't think he'll look right in a bright environment. The contrast will look a little strange.

I still love this piece though and might still get it if I can dig up the funds!

 

[The Josh]

I wouldn't think a lot but I have no idea. They could have skipped both but I think the price would be roughly the same as it is now.

I don't know about that. I saw it at comic-con and in natural light it looked fine. Ill display mine in a normal collection set up and I'm sure it will look fine. You could play with the amount of light or set up similar to what you're talking about. Though going too dark IMO would be more of an issue.

 

[cstojano]

Dont these light up effects just add problems to the piece down the line. Seems like an endless issue with various SW releases.

 

[Solarsailor]

Dont these light up effects just add problems to the piece down the line. Seems like an endless issue with various SW releases.

Not sure. Have there been any other figures in the past with this paint job?? I only know of this one and the Mythos Darth Vader.

 

[odb]

I'm planning on displaying the Dark Rider PF, Sauron PF, and Weta Barad-Dur on a horizontal surface with the Olly Moss Mondo LOTR Variant and Jerry Vanderstelt's Sauron (that the statue is based on) hanging on the wall behind them. I have everything either in-hand or ordered for it, well as soon as I order Sauron PF.

 

[odb]

Not sure. Have there been any other figures in the past with this paint job?? I only know of this one and the Mythos Darth Vader.

I think maybe he was countering the post about having a light-up feature instead of the "molten paint" by saying that statues with embedded lights have been problematic in the past.

 

[cstojano]

Yes that's what I was saying, from personal experience I find light up features a ticking time bomb and only partially effective.

 

[Solarsailor]

Yes that's what I was saying, from personal experience I find light up features a ticking time bomb and only partially effective.

At least though it's optional and to be honest most light up features don't get used.

With the paint, your going to have to hope the guy you get has a good day because that sort of paint application is really tricky to get good. It has to give the impression that the light source is coming from the bottom up and is getting lighter as you get further away.

Like I say I hope it works. It just seems awfully risky for something that wouldn't have mattered to any fans.

Anyway I'm sure this convo has reared it's head enough times!

 

[Deedzy]

At least though it's optional and to be honest most light up features don't get used.

With the paint, your going to have to hope the guy you get has a good day because that sort of paint application is really tricky to get good. It has to give the impression that the light source is coming from the bottom up and is getting lighter as you get further away.

Like I say I hope it works. It just seems awfully risky for something that wouldn't have mattered to any fans.

Anyway I'm sure this convo has reared it's head enough times!

I agree mate, I've only ever lit mine up to check it works and then the batteries come before I put it in the display cabinet.

Still months out from it being shipped, maybe SSC will decide to save themselves the headache and just not go with a lava effect at all