New life for Fine Molds SW kits?

[astroboy]

I would imagine that if they are simply reproducing the fine molds kit then it will be devalued. However, I imagine that the main reason the FM kit was so inflated was because it was a japan only release.

Now that Revell is bringing it to these shores, we will have a lot more accessibility to it.

 

[blakeh1]

Don't believe that for a minute. It's just a promotional ticket made up for the display and NOT on the box itself. The title MASTER SERIES indicates a higher level of experience required as well as a more detailed kit. I'd bet anything that the Master Series kits are the Fine Molds kits.

I agree, I wouldn't get caught up in the parts count or anything since it was stated "These are only mock ups for the show."

It wouldn't make any sense money wise to do any modification of the Fine Molds original molds. The quickest return on investment is simply repackaging the existing kit.

Trying to tool it down to a more simplified kit seems to be a waste of time, money and resources.

Don't forget, the big price tag associated with the Falcon was mostly due to import/export fees and the "middle men" having to make some money as well since they weren't directly retailed to anyone outside of Japan.

I believe in Japan you could probably find them for anywhere from $100 to $150 US dollars or even less. Most wound up in the $200 to $250 range due to shipping costs, and middle man costs.

I could be wrong, but I could see see the Revell release probably winding up in the MSRP range of $100 to $150 dollar range as well.

Look at the Revell Shuttle Launch Tower complex for example. That is a huge kit, the box size is easily as big or bigger than the Fine Molds kit and it has a ton of parts as well. It typically retails for just shy of $100

 

[Haystack Hair]

Hmm that all makes a lot of sense. Not everybody is going to realise that though, so I guess now is the time to sell for Finemolds kits....a nice interim between the disappearence of Finemolds off the market and Revell entering their repackaged stuff

Interesting though about some saying that the Finemolds kits were becoming noticeably more worn out....will Revell replace the moulds with new ones built from FM spec? or restore them somehow? Or not even bother at all? Just curious on that front... still, good to see those excellent kits being revived already

 

[astroboy]

I remember talking to the guy who runs HLJ and he said that the biggest cost to the 1/72 falcon was the packaging.

I'm sure revell could get that cost significantly down

 

[newmagrathea]

Oh yes, the plastic kits costs pennies to make and only takes seconds. I've worked in the molding department of a plastics factory and have seen it first hand. The cost comes from packaging and licensing.

I'll be thrilled if they offer the 72nd scale Falcon that is the same as the Finemolds kit for much cheaper. It does suck for those who paid the price for the real Finemolds though.

 

[Timmythekid]

Hmmm...so then does that suggest that in essence we'd have the FM 1/72 XW going head to head against the Bandai 1/72 XW? That seems a bit weird, but I guess even though it's dirt cheap to ship the Bandai kits from HLJ internationally, technically they're covering different markets.

 

[Robiwon]

Oh yes, the plastic kits costs pennies to make and only takes seconds. I've worked in the molding department of a plastics factory and have seen it first hand. The cost comes from packaging and licensing.

I'll be thrilled if they offer the 72nd scale Falcon that is the same as the Finemolds kit for much cheaper. It does suck for those who paid the price for the real Finemolds though.

Poetic justice for the scalpers who were hording them and charging outlandish prices on the secondary market.

 

[Haystack Hair]

Hehe true true, a twist of fate. I think i've decided that I'm just gonna keep and enjoy my own Finemolds Falcon....still all boxed up but I paid a fair price for it and I can't wait to do it for myself

STILL, I wonder what the RRP for the new Revell Falcon will be....

 

[Robiwon]

There's still going to be a demand for the original FM kits and will likely retain high prices, but will probably dip some. Why? There will always be a market for the "original" product. The Revel version is just simply going to be a re-release and likely wont be as collectable.

 

[gyoung2993]

I still have my FineMolds 1/72 scale Millennium falcon...still in the box....contents never even been removed....I just wonder ...if I ever decide to sell it, after all the other Revells Millennium falcons are out , what will be , the true value ( selling point ,drop to ) , if I sold........ I would never want to loose the 300 paid for it !!! HMMMMMMMMMMM..............

 

[astroboy]

I have the new bandai x-wing and I have to say, if they release a falcon, my fine molds falcon will have to step aside and never get finished.

 

[Jaitea]

I have the new bandai x-wing and I have to say, if they release a falcon, my fine molds falcon will have to step aside and never get finished.

I agree, the kits they've produced so far and are on their way are very exciting,......in my head a Bandai 1/72 Falcon would be the most accurate & fun build of the ship that has ever been produced.....& I'd like to think it wouldn't be another based on the 32incher........dream......dream

J

 

[astroboy]

In a perfect (and very possible world) there would be two 1/72 kits. The five-footer (three landing gear) and a 32" ESB

Having seen the lengths that Japanese manufacturers go for fan service with Anime toys, it wouldn't be crazy to ask for two kits

 

[5792z]

I wish they (Revell or Bandai) would put out a 1/48 Y-wing!

 

[Hope4Sun]

Hehe true true, a twist of fate. I think i've decided that I'm just gonna keep and enjoy my own Finemolds Falcon....still all boxed up but I paid a fair price for it and I can't wait to do it for myself

STILL, I wonder what the RRP for the new Revell Falcon will be....

Same here!! Lucky a friend in Japan got me a great deal and I ended up with three of them and looking forward to building the lot (well practicing enough on two the other will be perfect, I hope )

 

[Yorkie Fett]

Does this mean they will eventually release the whole range?
Currently trying to get the FM 1/48 scale snowspeeder, but they are going for crazy prices- anyone know why?

 

[Dedalus5550]

Oh yes, the plastic kits costs pennies to make and only takes seconds. I've worked in the molding department of a plastics factory and have seen it first hand. The cost comes from packaging and licensing.

R&D, CAD, cutting molds, etc. When companies consider which subject to kit, they probably don't think about the cost styrene pellets. But I can't think they get too concerned about the going price of cardboard and printing. Licensing is an issue, but oftentimes it's more about whether you even have the right. Hasegawa can't even contemplate a Land Speeder. So that plays some part. Yet the price between a 72nd scale FM MF and a 32nd scale Academy Hornet (similar size, similar parts count, similar plastic needed, reasonably similar packaging--unless you buy into the packaging idea above), the price is not that dissimilar--especially when you consider the larger market for the Hornet (a market limited only somewhat by the scale). The difference of these two kits (and there are other non-scifi kits that correlate to the Academy kit if that needs to be discussed) would make me think that $50 is most paid, per kit, as licensing for the MF. And I'm being very generous to go that high. This brings me back to what makes up the price of a FM kit. The styrene pellets might be pennies (well, a few bucks) but the packaging ain't but a few bucks (for the larger MF), and licensing might be $50.

Or consider the line of 32nd scale kits from Tamiya, to even get the prices almost exactly the same.

Mike Todd

 

[Dedalus5550]

Does this mean they will eventually release the whole range?
Currently trying to get the FM 1/48 scale snowspeeder, but they are going for crazy prices- anyone know why?

I'm one of the bad guys, but not by design. Over the years, I collected kits like many modelers, and when I found decent deals on kits I expected to actually build, I dropped coin. I always thought I'd build everything. But I lost my mojo, all urge to build, a few years ago. (Yeah, I'm still hanging out at the forums. And I still have a subscription to Ride BMX magazine and haven't been on a BMX bike in over ten years. I don't get it either.) I waited a good year or more before I decided to start selling the stash. I went through almost all of my modern jets, which was easy. I figured if i ever got back into it, I'd be able to get those kits again--or better kits of the same subject. When I heard about the FM license issue, I looked into it and decided to sell some kits. My feeling about scifi was that I might sell stuff now and later find it's out of production and crazy priced on ebay. So I originally wanted to keep it all. I let some of the SS resin stuff go. So I sold some of my Y-wings and Snow Speeders because the prices seemed crazy. Yet I kept all of the 72nd scale x-wings and TIE fighters as the ebay prices are pretty close to retail. I guess since Speeder and the Y were never available in good numbers on ebay and sold pretty close to or over retail, they were going to be higher later. Sold several Ys, all at around $80. Sold a few Speeders at around $70. And I'm sitting on a few squadrons of Xs and TIEs, and if I never build again, I won't care.

So I took the scenic route to say, supply and demand. The most basic economic principal.

And do I wish I'd sold a few 72nd FM MFs? A little. But not too much to lose sleep over. And the modeling world is a better place if people can continue to get that MF at a (relatively--always relatively) low price.

Mike Todd

 

[blakeh1]

But I can't think they get too concerned about the going price of cardboard and printing.

The guys from Fine Molds said the most prohibitive part of producing the 1/72 Falcon was the cost related to packaging/artwork and booklets.

Also, that is probably why companies like Revell stick with a box scale for predefined box sizes. Having to get a custom size box for the model is most likely not an effective cost saving option.

That may also be why certain FM models were undersized for 1/72. If they tweak the sprues a bit, they can fit it into there standard box size which might compromise getting a truely 1/72 scale Y-wing for example

Also don't forget, they are typically getting half or less of the MSRP being a wholesaler, so that $20 kit, in the end they see $10 from it, which then partly has to pay for production costs

 

[Jaitea]

As reported by Yorkie over at Starship Modeller,....Revell's New 'Force Awakens' Star Wars kits get a price & date of release (Oct 2015)

Yorkie said:




Well, they're not announcing what the kits will actually be but it looks like Revell are releasing 9 kits for the Force Awakens (plus two larger packs for retailers containing multiple models).


Just called 'Easykit Items A to E' and 'Items Build & Play A to D' at the moment.


These are more expensive than the Easy kit pocket models so I would assume they are larger models and the build and play are the snap together kits with lights and sounds.


http://www.cmc-versand.de/en/suchliste.html?suche=star+wars
and -
Item A
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06694
Price £59.95 =$92
Item B
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06693
£34.95 = $54
Item C
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06692
£24.95 = $38
Item D
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06696
£24.95 = $38
Item E
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06695
£34.95 = $54


Build & Play A
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06750
Build & Play B
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06751
Build & Play C
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06752
Build & Play D
http://www.airfix-shop.com/item_details.asp?code=RL06753
All at £16.95 = $26

....The one at 60 quid?......could that be?......A Falcon?.......It is to be the Star of the film.....after all

....Also in the production paintings for the movie there was aRebel Blockade Runner.......hmmmm????

J