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Star Wars - starting down a slippery slope

MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
edited November 2011 in Collecting
Oh dear! for those of you who don't know me, I'm not a Star Wars fan. I haven't seen the films since I was too young to remember them. Until this weekend that is. I got hubby the Blu-rays and the Millenium Falcon. We've watched Ep IV - VI already...and built the falcon.
I'm loathe to admit it, but I'm impressed. The films were fun, the falcon is cool, and I'd like a pet Ewok please.
So what now? Resist the sets (because it's going to get expensive), save up for the death star and try and leave it at that? Or jump on the good deals that are going round right now???
ARGHHHHH!

Comments

  • iadamsiadams Member Posts: 34
    These are not the sets you're looking for...
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    Yay, you are learning the ways of the Force! Embrace it!
    You don't have to get all the sets, just do as I do and get the ones that interest you. Death Star is super smashing great by the way :)
  • johnsbricksjohnsbricks Member Posts: 210
    Resist the force....it is a BIG slippery slope considering you need to play catchup with all the old sets as well...
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    Unless you have lots of patience and perhaps £10K+ to spare I'd probably not go down the road of trying to collect the back catalogue....

    I would however urge everybody with even a passing interest in Star Wars to buy the Death Star (10188) which is IMHO one of the greatest sets that LEGO have ever produced.
  • OdinduskOdindusk Member Posts: 763
    SW Lego is a door that you do not want to open unless you're loaded, heh.

    Or, unless you have an iron Lego will and can truly ONLY purchase those SW that really interest you instead of gobbling up everything in sight with a SW logo on the box.
  • DuchessaDuchessa Member Posts: 287
    SW is the theme that got me back into Lego around 2000. I have almost all of the sets from 1999 to 2007. But then something happened.

    Clone Wars? Not interested.
    Remakes? How many x-wings do I really need?

    During the last years I've bought just a few sets, like the Battle of Endor (8038), Echo Base (7749) and of course the Death Star (10188). The rest.. nah.

    The flipside is that I've had time and money to catch up on some older stuff that I really want for my old castle and pirate collection. So the slippery slope of SW Lego isn't just a negative thing for me :)
  • Si_UKNZSi_UKNZ Member Posts: 4,179
    So what now? Resist the sets (because it's going to get expensive), save up for the death star and try and leave it at that?
    For those of us that know you, 'resist the sets' is not an option! :o)

  • bluemoosebluemoose Member Posts: 1,716
    edited November 2011
    You've got the Falcon already ... I'd suggest getting the Death Star (a truly superb set), an X-Wing & a TIE Fighter, & then quit ;-)
  • JasenJasen Member Posts: 283
    edited November 2011
    These are not the sets you're looking for...
    lmao. Reminds me of the Robot Chicken skit.
    I have not seen the original SW since they were released and I watched in the cinema. In fact I have only seen all in the cinema.
    Recently I bought all the Robot Chicken Star Wars DVDs and pist myself laughing.
    Please do yourselves a favour.
    I just bought the "Empire Strikes Back" and wow.

    I don't care for or have Blue-Ray so to buy DVD SW is almost impossible in Australia now, I just lucked out in a Cash Convertors and got Empire for $5.

    I refused the force but as an animator I have not only been sucked in but find myself scouring BrinkLink now.

    What the hell!?! haha. I just paid $25 for the Palpatine minifig and I'm scouring for Boba and damit I need SWCA (SW Counselling Anon) haha.
    Turns out it next door to reforming crack addicts and AA....
    All because I decied to bow down to pressure and do a SW stop-mo.

    I cannot decide if it is me or the surrounding world that is weird - or the fact my head is melting over the cost of previous sets missed at a higher cost or the new that will also cost or the fact that Batman is gonna cost me a life in a house I could have owned without selling a kidney to Lego....
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,788
    edited November 2011
    Resist the force....it is a BIG slippery slope considering you need to play catchup with all the old sets as well...
    'Needing' the old sets is subjective.... It depends if you want to be a die-hard collector, or someone who likes LEGO SW..
    I decided long ago to get out of LEGO SW as it is too expensive, and they almost always remake a set (Although not sure why LEGO has something against Jengo Fett)
    I presume there will be another Jabba's palace and Sail barge at some point... You may have to wait a bit though.
  • yys4uyys4u Member Posts: 1,093
    Watch Episodes 1-3 and maybe it will rid you of the urge to get SW sets....
  • Rollo_TomassiRollo_Tomassi Member Posts: 113
    The way George Lucas' licensing jacks up the price on the SW Legos, no thank you. The hobby is already expensive enough without tacking a 25% gratuity for the 'privilege' of buying his imagination. George can get stuffed.
  • StuBoyStuBoy Member Posts: 623
    I resisted until late last year, then I went on a binge for 6 months till I'd got all the sets I was interested in, only Original Trilogy ones. That's the key point I think - if you don't 'need' to collect every set then I think you'll be fine just grabbing the odd one that interests you. I will say this though, once you get a few Stormtroopers its pretty hard to stop! I'm looking forward to the Endor Battlepack, then I can collect Stormies and Scouts at the same time.
  • jwsmartjwsmart Member Posts: 298
    @yys4u - I agree completely!
    From Jar Jar Binks to "Darth Vader, Teen Angst Edition", there's plenty in those movies to make you less enthusiastic about Star Wars, and by extension, Star Wars LEGO.

    My advice would be to take it easy, and restrict yourself to the currently available stuff. Retroactively becoming a completist is very expensive, because you're competing against Star Wars collectors and LEGO collectors. Also, some of those old sets are really, really terrible. This article is probably a good example: http://www.fbtb.net/2011/07/30/review-7961-darth-mauls-sith-infiltrator/
  • dimefielddimefield Member Posts: 314
    Orginal Trilogy for me too. I recently (in the same month) bought X-wing 6212, Darth Vaders Tie fighter 8017, Lukes Landspeeder 8092 and Millenium Falcon 7965 and besides the Death Star have no real urge to buy anything else. I have bought a few other SW sets on impulse but the force didnt drag me to the store looking for them. Getting C3PO with Lukes landspeeder was the icing on the cake for me. Done...for now
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    Anything before about 5 years ago is generally terrible, but don't toss them all out.

    8002 - http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=8002-1

    That is a pretty cool set from 2000, worth building if you can find a deal on one. It works... most of the time. :)

    Anything pre-2006 is mostly bad however, but stuff from that year and beyond is nice like 6211 and 10179 of course is amazing...
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    To the OP...

    Get the Death Star, it is worth every penny. It also won't be around much longer.

    If you like large sets, the Imperial Shuttle is pretty amazing once built, but not very playable, just a display piece (the DS is VERY playable)

    For smaller current sets, there are a lot of good ones... The Republic Frigate is pretty cool, the Droid Tri-Fighter is interesting to build... The Clone Turbo Tank is also good.

    If you want to go back into the back catalog, there are some bargains to be had. 10186 is a steal, it has been gone a long time, and on Amazon is downright cheap. Totally worth building in my opinion. Home One is also a steal, below MSRP, even a year retired.

    The other posters are right however, it gets expensive fast trying to buy them all. I have well over $10K invested in retired sets, it is painful to the pocket book. :)
  • Farmer_JohnFarmer_John Member Posts: 2,405
    Actually, I think my lego minifigures can act better than the actors in Episodes I-III. I do know my kids make up better story lines playing with their star wars sets than George Lucas did with Episodes I-III. Sad, but true.
  • korkor Member Posts: 392
    I don't have the room or money to collect all the sets. I have a few but mainly collect the minifigs. I have no interest in Clone Wars or ep. I-III.
  • macmonmacmon Member Posts: 80
    You are now part of the Dark Side... hahahaha... Wow that would be a lot of catching up... but I guess this tips wont hurt to say.
    1. What is your goal for getting a set? For display... for investment (MISB), or for the figs
    2. How much space do you have to display the set.
    3. Is this for long term keep or just buy, build, display a while and then sell in the future?
  • drdavewatforddrdavewatford Administrator Posts: 6,754
    Anything before about 5 years ago is generally terrible, but don't toss them all out.
    Can't agree with that....UCS X-Wing ? UCS TIE Interceptor ? Mos Espa Pod Race ? UCS Blockade Runner ? UCS Imperial Star Destroyer ? Special Edition Naboo Starfighter (much better than the recent version) ? etc. etc. etc..... I'd agree that the quality is patchy in the early years, but there wouldn't be so much demand for some of these older sets if they were really that bad - speaking as someone who has all the Star Wars sets back to 1999, I certainly wouldn't have spent all that time and money otherwise.

  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    You guys are so funny! I appreciate all the advice. Despite @Si_Dorking_Surrey_UK's assumptions, ;-) I don't think I'll be collecting them all. I think I can even resist the current sets.
    I think for the most part I'll let Nick guide me. If he's really interested in a set and I agree, then I might get it. But otherwise just stick to a few essentials (eg the death star). I definitely like the minifigs best. I really want a stormtrooper or two. They're so cute. I want some in my city. (I built city corner while nick was doing the millenium flacon, it pleased me no end to have Darth eating pizza and Chewie skateboarding. But otherwise, if I can get a good spread of the best figures that might be enough for me.

    I have a couple of sets put to one side already, as they were too cheap to resist, including Luke's landspeeder as the minifigs in it are ace. And I have 7131 lurking around from a bulk buy...

    I'd love a motorised set, these things need light and movement!

    Also, clearly my friends are more nerdy than you lot, when I said I wanted a pet ewok, they pointed out that they were sentient beings and having one as a pet would be like having a native american as a pet. I was suitably chastised. :)

  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    If you want motorized, get the Walking AT-AT. Expensive, since it is retired, but much better than the current AT-AT.

    Whatever else you do, buy the Death Star soon, it will retire this year and you won't like the prices...
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @drdavewatford - you're right, for UCS stuff, but those are the exceptions. Most of the "kids" sets were terrible, compared to current production.

    Just my opinion of course... :)
  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    Don't shoot me. But I liked Ep II...The Jedis are actually good!! ;)

    (Ep I was clearly ruined by Jar Jar)
  • macmonmacmon Member Posts: 80
    The Death Star will retire this year? Is that confirmed?
  • Lego_Lord_MayorcaLego_Lord_Mayorca Member Posts: 619
    Congratulations, you've taken your first step into a larger world! My advice? Get only what you really, really want and think is only the coolest of the cool. It will save money and leave you way more satisfied in the end with your collection. For example, I really want the Super Star Destroyer in spite of what many say about it. *I* think it is a very cool and iconic ship, and that's all the justification I need. Also, embrace the remakes; you don't have to suffer the blocky period early SW Lego went through when the theme was new and we all didn't know any better; we just gushed like fanboys and fangirls because it was freaking Star Wars in Lego form.
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Administrator, Moderator Posts: 5,234
    Must Have Star Wars sets IMHO:

    -The newer Republic Gunship 7676
    - Imperial Procession 7264
    - The newer MTT 7662
    - Minifigure scale Tantive IV 10198
    - UCS Falcon 10179
    - Motorized At-At 10178
    - The Battle of Endoor 8038
    - Separatist Shuttle 8036
    - Rebel Scout Speeder 7668
    - Minifigure scale Imperial Star Destroyer 6211
    - Tusken Raider Encounter 7113
  • madforLEGOmadforLEGO Member Posts: 10,788
    ^-- no Sandcrawler 10144?
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    10144 is a great set, and a great value considering how old it is and the part count, it hasn't gone up like other retired sets (Jabba's Sail Barge, I'm looking at YOU!)

    7676 is now too expensive in my opinion, over $300 for that set, over 30 cents a part, that is pricey.

    10178 is still a fair deal, if you can snag it around $200, but that is getting harder.

    6211 is nice, but now expensive at over $300.

    7662 is insanely expensive...

    10179 - If you can afford it, yes... otherwise...

    10198 - Nice, but needs a display stand, and WAY too fragile!!!

    Just my opinions...
  • JasenJasen Member Posts: 283
    Lukes Landspeeder is cool too :D
  • YellowcastleYellowcastle Administrator, Moderator Posts: 5,234
    I have the sandcrawler but just don't care for it. I like the sail barge only slightly more. Here's hoping we get new versions. The 7676, however, is just spectacular in nearly every way and I can't say enough about the little Separatist Shuttle. I'm an OT guy but these sets just grab me in a way the Tie Bomber, Sandcrawler, and Cloud City never did. The newer X-Wings, however, should also be on my list as they are great builds, look good, really get the S foils right, and have great playability.
  • dimefielddimefield Member Posts: 314
    I have the 1999 X-wing and hummed and hawed about getting the most recent one because i didnt want a repeat model... what a difference! Highly recommended!
  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    Motorised AT-AT purchased. Oops! (only £20 over RRP and displayed only)
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,827
    ^ You've done it now!! ;o)
  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    Gah! was just talking about star wars sets with a guy at work (he's getting the MF for xmas) and we were looking at the current sets, I said I wanted the AT AT - went on ebay and there was one at 90 ending in 3 mins in sheffield (ie collection) - turns out the guy did the same thing and we bid against each other! lol. there was a third in there too, as my mate stopped at £100 and I went to £111
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,827
    ^ I can't beleive you allowed your mate to bid against you? Should have pulled the lead from his pc!! :o)
  • MinifigsMeMinifigsMe Member Posts: 2,844
    lol! I didn't know he was doing it!
    Went looking after our convo, it had 3 mins left when I saw it, jumped on it in the last few secs then told him afterwards, and he said he was bidding too. just one of those things.
    forgot to say the death star is in my house too.
    So for xmas hubby is getting an AT-AT, Peril in Peru (coz he likes planes), fire temple, plus a bunch of atlantis (might sit on that) and we're sharing the death star. Bloody expensive Christmas eh?
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,827
    ^ But a fun one! Hohoho!
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