Bountyhunter Niko
Well-Known Member
I would buy an ESB. But not an ROTJ.
Master Replicas announces Boba Fett Blaster
- Thread starter Montagar
- Start date
I would buy an ESB. But not an ROTJ.
Hell, you can get a Jeremy Bulloch autograph put on it in person for $ 20 bucks... Why pay all that much for a signed edition then? Jeremy is at almost every show I go to.
Lukes Roommate
Well-Known Member
What are you basing your statement on?
Go and price everything you would need for a Fett blaster with the build materials MR is talking about...
It always amazes me when terms like "ridiculous pricing" are used without ANY factual info to back it up. Like when someone wrote over on Rebelscum "I think the MR AT-AT should be in the same price bracket as the lightsabers". :confused
Props are EXPENSIVE. That's the bottom line.
They are not action figures, or collector plates.
When a Han blaster can sell for $400+ (fan made or MR) well, for the work involved in a Fett blaster, $579 is a great price. Especially considering a single custom display case for something that large would probably run you $100 bucks just by itself.
rad1701
Sr Member
Lukes Roommate - here's how I judge pricing. First, this isn't one guy making this from parts in his basement. This is overseas mass production = lower cost. And the other way I judge pricing on these is when I see so many props drop in price both by MR themselves and on eBay, etc. When you can pick up a Han Blaster for $100 - $200 less than it went for initially I'd say it's overpriced. Remember how MR has discounted items basically in half before? Now granted they might be taking some loss then, but I'd say if you can sell at half off you must have a bit of a mark up in there.
Lukes Roommate
Well-Known Member
I understand that point of view. However, the basement prop guy would still charge a hell of a lot more than $500 bucks for a Fett blaster (with case etc.). Plus he doesn't have to pay the licensing fees to LFL (or have access to the archives), nor does he have the overhead of a large company full of employees. Or have to worry about overseas production and mass QC.
Those are realities that are rarely taken into account when people slam their pricing.
I don't personally remember when a Fett blaster was widely available as a finished run on the RPF...
MR is a business and their purpose is to make money (an obvious fact), that they have to drop prices is a reality that affects the whole retail sector. How many times have you bought something from Home Depot etc. only to see it on sale the next week for way less? Why should MR be any different from any other business?
Those are realities that are rarely taken into account when people slam their pricing.
I don't personally remember when a Fett blaster was widely available as a finished run on the RPF...
MR is a business and their purpose is to make money (an obvious fact), that they have to drop prices is a reality that affects the whole retail sector. How many times have you bought something from Home Depot etc. only to see it on sale the next week for way less? Why should MR be any different from any other business?
From a price stand point this will be an interesting product to watch. I say that because this is the first product that the LE version is available only directly through MR, but the SE version is available through resellers.
This all could create a situation where the higher priced SE version might end up selling in the reseller/aftermarket for less than the lower priced LE.
It would have been even more interesting if the CE version had not been "postponed".
This all could create a situation where the higher priced SE version might end up selling in the reseller/aftermarket for less than the lower priced LE.
It would have been even more interesting if the CE version had not been "postponed".
rigormortis
Sr Member
At that price, they can keep it. :thumbsdown
What's the deal with overpriced plastic guns costing almost as much as the real things? Sure it's got SOME metal in it - but at that price point, it better be all metal and able to be stripped apart.
What's the deal with overpriced plastic guns costing almost as much as the real things? Sure it's got SOME metal in it - but at that price point, it better be all metal and able to be stripped apart.
Sidewinder
Sr Member
I would guess that they choose the ROTJ 'cos the ESB looks a bit too much like a parts bin special.
I actually now prefer the ESB myself, but used to hate it and like the ROTJ. :wacko
SAS
I actually now prefer the ESB myself, but used to hate it and like the ROTJ. :wacko
SAS
Yikes . . .
That's frinckin' pricey.
That's frinckin' pricey.
The Manlet
Sr Member
not suprizing everything is over priced now a days
Lukes Roommate
Well-Known Member
Apparently my thoughts fell on deaf ears.
I would say they went RotJ because it was there to be scanned. They had direct access to a screen used gun where with the ESB... has ANYONE seen that blaster since filming?
rigormortis
Sr Member
No - it's relative (like the theory of relativity). My view of ridiculous pricing may be completely different from yours.
Unlike most people here who can seemingly drop insane money on "replica" props, I don't have that much disposable income to drop on this when I have a perfectly good resin copy that I paid much less for.
I may have considered a lower-priced model, but even then, it's a STATIC gun that does nothing but look good.
So to me, unless it cocks and can be broken down like military replica guns, it's ridiculous for ME to spend that kind of money for looks.
Unlike most people here who can seemingly drop insane money on "replica" props, I don't have that much disposable income to drop on this when I have a perfectly good resin copy that I paid much less for.
I may have considered a lower-priced model, but even then, it's a STATIC gun that does nothing but look good.
So to me, unless it cocks and can be broken down like military replica guns, it's ridiculous for ME to spend that kind of money for looks.
Noeland
Master Member
OR, people just don't agree with you. It happens.
From my point of view, gathering the parts yourself, and building one yourself is what this hobby is all about. In that case you may spend $1200, but you're doing it $50 here, $100 there, so on and so forth, and over time you stock what you need. It's a more managable way to get the prop you want, and to be able to spend that kind of money on a prop. So, your point really doesn't hold much water.
Not to mention, if you pay Bob the basement prop guy $400 for a prop, this is somehtihng he made with his own hands, and for the love of doing it. That really means a lot to some people. For example, I'd give Richard Coyle $400 over MR any day.
Dropping $600 on anything is for most people EXPENSIVE. Whatever the item is. And the other point of MR items depreciating quickly is also VERY valid, and the company needs to start recognizing that - for example - people can pick up one of their motion trackers for about $100 now, and that debuted at $500 not very long ago.
While I love the work MR does, I do think it's over priced. So I don't buy it. Doesn't mean I don't like it a whole lot though.
Lord_Gita
Sr Member
Also worth considering is that to most people this is a prop, not the holy grail. Most people, including me, would be satisfied with a solid hunk of resin weathered with paint and good enough to look good. To me a 100% accurate piece made from all original pieces isn't worth much more than that painted resin that looks good, I could paint myself, and I could get for significantly less.
The argument that "they are there to make money" does not even remotely translate to "they are not overpriced. " Plenty of companies that are for profit over-price. I'd say more for profits overprice than hobby artists or not-for-profit companies. Now if you had argued that as a for profit they price to what they think the market will pay, that's a different story. That's the American Way and thus far the market has always paid what they asked... Honestly, what each item gets on the secondary market isn't their concern.
The argument that "they are there to make money" does not even remotely translate to "they are not overpriced. " Plenty of companies that are for profit over-price. I'd say more for profits overprice than hobby artists or not-for-profit companies. Now if you had argued that as a for profit they price to what they think the market will pay, that's a different story. That's the American Way and thus far the market has always paid what they asked... Honestly, what each item gets on the secondary market isn't their concern.
Spiker
Sr Member
I could not say it better
Handcrafted items mean much more to me and they are most of the time even less expensive. These items are pieces of art and have been made with heart and much sweat.
MR products are mass-produced which isn't bad either but not for these prices (my opinion).
I can justify some prices but some clearly not. The price of the SS AT-AT (1200$) is in my eyes absolutly alright. You can't make yourself one for that price (think of all the parts, materials, built-up and development in that thing). The price is unbeatable.
On the other hand you have the Y-Wing... nearly the complete research has been done by Steve Neisen (because MR bought his kit). The model has not so much more mass than the Snowspeeder, has NO displaycase but costs 250$ more. The super-complex AT-AT was only 400$ more, wtf ?
Lukes Roommate
Well-Known Member
How so? How many people here made their own Han hero blasters as opposed to buying one of Boba Debt's excellent build-ups?
The number of collectors here as opposed to builders is probably pretty close to even. So my point is still valid.
Kits are offered here, as are full build ups. Sure the kit's save you coin, but they aren't always that cheap depending on the project.
I'm not saying people should say "This is the prop for me", nor am I disparaging anyone who can't afford it (I can't right now
)The discussion of price too often comes down to people confusing what a good price is because THEY can/can't afford it, and what a good price is based on market value/quality level.
Saying a Porsche should cost the same as a Cavalier because they are both cars and do the same thing is pretty silly when you break down the facts.
MR's site says the motion tracker is $250, I don't remember it starting at $500 (not slamming you, just curious as to MR's own drop in price).
Riv
Well-Known Member
I think it comes down to how badly people want this item.
I don't really want it, therefore $579 is too much. I could afford it if I really wanted it, but I don't.
A cheaper CE might have tempted me as an impulse buy, but $579 is not an impulse price point.
It may be a reasonable price given the cost of producing it, I don't know. But for me, it's still more than I'd want to pay for this item. Also, given MR's recent QC issues, it's a big leap of faith for that $$.
I don't really want it, therefore $579 is too much. I could afford it if I really wanted it, but I don't.
A cheaper CE might have tempted me as an impulse buy, but $579 is not an impulse price point.
It may be a reasonable price given the cost of producing it, I don't know. But for me, it's still more than I'd want to pay for this item. Also, given MR's recent QC issues, it's a big leap of faith for that $$.
in my opinion, the distinction here is "more than i want to pay" vs "charging more than the item is worth".
my fan-made rotj ee3 was nearly $400, which is not all that much of a stretch compared to their pricing.
every time i've tried to get my hands on one of those infamous HS bronze webleys, i've been knocked out at around $500. and that's just for the gun, nevermind the scope, greeblies, etc... i could easily see myself spending over $1000 on building one up myself.
so i think the price is reasonable, given the (theoretical) materials being used. this is assuming that it's build like the e-11: mostly metal. a demilled sterling would cost just about as much as the mr gun
now, on the note of "would i pay $600 for a fett gun", it will really come down to what it looks like in person. if it's built like the stormie gun, then yeah, i probably will.
my fan-made rotj ee3 was nearly $400, which is not all that much of a stretch compared to their pricing.
every time i've tried to get my hands on one of those infamous HS bronze webleys, i've been knocked out at around $500. and that's just for the gun, nevermind the scope, greeblies, etc... i could easily see myself spending over $1000 on building one up myself.
so i think the price is reasonable, given the (theoretical) materials being used. this is assuming that it's build like the e-11: mostly metal. a demilled sterling would cost just about as much as the mr gun
now, on the note of "would i pay $600 for a fett gun", it will really come down to what it looks like in person. if it's built like the stormie gun, then yeah, i probably will.
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