Light Sets - Question From a Newbie

jlaibson

Hey there - brand new to LEGO.  Never had them as a kid.  Now have a small kid who loves them, and after helping her with some sets and spending time on their website, I’m kind of thinking I want the Millennium Falcon - yeah, the big one (sounds like it may not be available let alone in on sale for May the Fourth, but hey...). Will likely be my only set so I’m going big (i don’t see myself collecting - there are enough pieces all over from my kid).  But I have a place to display this one awesome set.  So, my question - I see there are light sets available for some of the sets, including this one.  I’m curious - what do hardcore LEGO fans think about light sets?  Seems like they add a cool feature, but the purist in me feels like that’s too much of a change to the original design - like if it didn’t come with lights, there shouldn’t be lights.  Thoughts?

bandit778

There are a lot of light sets available with varying degrees of complication and effectiveness, but as it sounds like this will be a one and done deal and you want a permanant display peice the best I've seem is this one.

https://www.brickstuff.com/store/p109/lightmyfalcon.html 

It's not cheap but the full on kit is something else.

you can watch the videos here. http://www.lightmyfalcon.com/

bandit778

Meant to add ( but forgot) if it's just for display and you've not got a whole lot of history with the product, add the lights.

If you were a long term collector, I could understand the purist attitude but as you said you're new to LEGO, there's no real affiliation with the product.

While your at it, have a look at the Falcons printed parts from https://steindrucker.com/

As I said in the previous post, if this is the only 'one and done' set your planning on getting and displaying, may as well make it the best it can be.

CCC

Go for it, and don't worry about being purist. Loads of people that display their sets are not purist anyway in that they use third party stands, cases, shelving, etc. All stuff that LEGO do not make, just like lighting kits.

If LEGO made a lighting kit, then I'd say go with that rather than with a third party one. But as they don't, then go third party (or DIY).

drdavewatford

Each to his/her own - do what you feel comfortable with.

Personally I won't damage an official set to include lighting - my 'rule' is that I need to be able to return the set to its original state - but I'm happy to temporarily integrate a 3rd party lighting kit even if it uses modified elements.

jlaibson

Thanks everyone for your comments!  I'm still waiting for the set to become available again - was hoping I could get it during May 4th for double points so i could apply them to a small set for my kid, but still not there, and I'm not paying an extra $200 on Amazon (with Lego as the seller!).  I'm seriously considering a light set, but didn't even think about damaging anything.  I definitely wouldn't want to do that for the sake of lights!  Too bad Lego doesn't sell their own kit that can be purchases with our without the set.

Cyberdragon

CCC said:

Go for it, and don't worry about being purist. Loads of people that display their sets are not purist anyway in that they use third party stands, cases, shelving, etc. All stuff that LEGO do not make, just like lighting kits.

If LEGO made a lighting kit, then I'd say go with that rather than with a third party one. But as they don't, then go third party (or DIY).

They used to with the old incandescant light blocks, originally the clear 2x4 and later 2x2s, signs, and bricks with bulbs sticking out, and still do to an extent with the white Technic LEDs. But they've never been good enough for really intricate stuff.

Even if they were to make a modern LED light brick system, it would either use thick wires like the Technic ones or conductor bricks/plates (like one of the old systems) as fiddly litte wires are not something LEGO would do due to concerns for durability and ease of use. So you would still be limited with an official modern system.

CCC

Yeah, even the modern PF lights are not very good, and incredibly expensive for what they are. So I'd expect a decent modern set to light up a particular set would be incredibly expensive.