TNG Cricket phasers: Were they different???

[Funky]

Okay, so I'm an idiot. I was always under the impression that in ST TNG, they had three diffent versions of the cricket phasers but I just assumed that it was the same mold just different paint jobs. Is this true or was the actual design different? :confused
Any pics or info would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[SurferGeek]

As far as I know they were only one model of the TNG crickets, with of course the variation of a static and the hero. Here's a few images.

First season the crickets were grey/silver and I believe that from the second season on they were painted as in the second image.

Screencap:

 

[Jedi Lawja]

I've been under the impression there were at least two - one with front vents and one without. I remember part of a story about a prop-maker realizing he could just paint 'em on..

Jay

 

[firstmark]

The one with the yellow sticker is from the Art of Star Trek book. I believe that is a replica could be an obscure screen used one but I really do doubt it. I also think the klingon disruptor from that book with the emblem on the side also might be a replica, not sure though. The pilot episode cricket was also different with stickers for buttons.

Variations I am aware of

Pilot episode (stickers)
working
Other two styles nonworking featured below from Shins site
Possibly another paint scheme nonworking used with golden trigger button


http://www.movieprop.com/cricketphasermine.jpg is my Encounter at Far Point cricket. Profiles had one of this style up for auction a few auctions back just like this also.

 

[simonwaters]

there were origionally two styles. the pilot version and the refined version used in every episode after until season 3. in season three all past models were lost and new mold was made. this marked the first apearence of the new dark colored one with three colors. the hull was dark charcol, the nose black and a gold band separating the two. Also the pilot and all first season ones had the vents cut into it and filled with red liquid wood. The secound thorgh season five were opque red liquid wood noses with the vents masked off.

In season 4 they found one of the last remaining heroes from season one. it was given the new paint, and can be seen being held by Levar when he shoots o'brien. It was lost before molds could be taken of it though. But they had made a new mold when it was lost so it made no real difference.

PS. it was Roddenberry, and Rick Sternbach's faverite until the phaser rifle.
Also very few went to auction because crew and set visitors liked to take them all the time. Serriously the were constantly being stolen.

 

[StarTrek101]

As I recall, there were only two versions. The first season one had the less painted tip, while the later season one had the painted tip.

 

[phase pistol]

So is the first season version painted dove gray, or is it silver?

 

[simonwaters]

Silver is the proper color for the season one phaser. a few were painted dove grey but those were mostly background units. besides the silver just pops more and looks nicer imho.

 

[Hiddenevil]

Hi there

I dont want to hijack this thread, but i've found the info pretty interesting. Simonwaters- How where all the props lost in season 3?

 

[Apollo]

Can't blame me even though I was on Set that year! :lol

Hi there

I dont want to hijack this thread, but i've found the info pretty interesting. Simonwaters- How where all the props lost in season 3?

 

[Hiddenevil]

LOL I was just interested, it's little trivia like this, which makes coming on here all the more fun

 

[phase pistol]

Paging Vaderman, aka Guy Vardeman....

K

 

[Hiddenevil]

Who? lol

 

[YenChih Lin]

Guy Vardaman was the stand in of Data, as well as an extra of Lt. Darien Wallace in the background of TNG… Don't say, you didn't knew that? http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Guy_Vardaman

 

[phase pistol]

Yeh he used to post here as "Vaderman", not sure if he's around lately.

 

[Apollo]

He's still around I'm sure he will chime in when he sees this

 

[simonwaters]

it was before season three and not all the props just the crickets. Some were kept by suits and the rest were taken by folks over the years. There were a hero and two dummies in a mislabled box that was not found until season four. but they had made new molds for dummies by that point. so they repainted the found hero and made a hero mold off it. But by the time of auction there were like four dummies and three heroes that went to auction. In short they were small, portable and POPULAR.

 

[simonwaters]

it is theft that took captain picards chair and theft that caused the producers on star trek five and six to destroy nearly all the combat phasers made for the production. It was a some what hush hush problem in the early to mid 90's

 

[Hiddenevil]

How the heck do you steal a chair!? that really does stretch the definition of "light fingered"

 

[simonwaters]

Here is some of the info i have gathered on the cricket phaser.

1. between 14 and 16 ring light slots are accurate.
2. gold set in buttons were late season one or begining of season two. Before that they were stickers on all of them.
3. after season two background ones would have sticker buttons
4. the three color scheme started in season three
5. season 4 the minds eye was the first extreme close up of a hero
6. The game was the 2nd and last extreme close up of a hero
7. Rick Sternbach and Gene roddenberry loved it. (So do if you can't tell. LOL)
8. On some models the middle side ring slot is angled at the back. i have a pic if someone can tell me how to post.
9. it has a gentle slope from the center where the gold buttons are to the nose, and then slopes downward slightly from the same point to the but of the gun. it is not as straight as some copies wind up being.
10. there were two types of heroes. one with a switch hidden under the left gold button that activated the bar greaph lights. and the trigger activated the nose light. The secound one as long as the unit was on the bar graph is on and acts like a battery meter. the trigger again activates the nose light. (Video of both of these are on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFC6y74G5fA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESGgjBuZHQs

11. all cricket phaser hero props had ten led segments in them.(Even though in "Real Life" it only had eight settings.) P.s except the hero that was lent to stapleton which is the only hero i have ever seen with nine instead of ten.