Visiting the mouse, saber purchase advice?

[Paul Andrew]

Next week we're doing a trip to disneyland and I'm probably leaving with a new hilt. I'm undecided if I'm going to visit Savi's and get a custom hilt or visit Dok Ondar's and get a legacy hilt. Regarding the legacy hilts, are any of them particularly well done in regards to accuracy? I'm only after a display piece here, so I'm not planning on getting a blade for a legacy hilt. That being said, it looks like the dimensions on some are a bit off? Take the thick neck on the Luke ROTJ for example. I've already got a Vader ESB, graflex conversion, and Obi TPM so I guess what I'm looking at are Maul, Windu, Kylo? On second look the Luke ROTJ has swappable emitters for display, but I'm still not sure how it compares to more accurate versions.
If anyone has an opinion, I'm all ears

 

[vader45]

The proportions on the thin neck piece is way off from the grenade section and down. All of that is the same size yet scaling the neck and emitter closer to screen size leaving it with a huge body and tiny emitter.

The Vader is the closest imo. It's identical to R1 which is a carbon copy of the ESB/ROTJ hero but with the addition of the t-track screws as seen on the hero today. Only thing is the clamp lever, it broke off on the hero leaving the stud and pin. That could easily be fixed.

Mace, Maul and Obi-TPM are still oversized in places.

 

[OdiWan72]

My advice...buy from the well known saber vendors such as Roman, Anakin Starkiller, Phoenix Props etc.

 

[benhs1898]

Or just do the classic, see how you feel when you hold each one. Either you’ll fall in love or leave it.

 

[Dr Jones Sr]

I'm a newbie and the only sabre I've done a load of looking at is Old Ben ANH. (I know nothing about any other sabre.)

I've looked over the Savi parts and cant's see how a sabre remotely like Ben's could be assembled: there appears to be no thin neck option, no grenade. (I realise that the purpose of the Savi sabres isn't to copy ones seen in the films.)

This guy compares a Savi to a Legacy.

Seems like they use the same blade? Thing is, I was in Batuu yesterday and I saw a guy turning on and off what I thought was a Legacy (indoors) and I didn't care for the scrolling, but I've seen Guests do the same with their Savis (outdoors) and they looked good to me. Perhaps an indoor/outdoor thing?

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Next week we're doing a trip to disneyland and I'm probably leaving with a new hilt. I'm undecided if I'm going to visit Savi's and get a custom hilt or visit Dok Ondar's and get a legacy hilt. Regarding the legacy hilts, are any of them particularly well done in regards to accuracy? I'm only after a display piece here, so I'm not planning on getting a blade for a legacy hilt. That being said, it looks like the dimensions on some are a bit off? Take the thick neck on the Luke ROTJ for example. I've already got a Vader ESB, graflex conversion, and Obi TPM so I guess what I'm looking at are Maul, Windu, Kylo? On second look the Luke ROTJ has swappable emitters for display, but I'm still not sure how it compares to more accurate versions.
If anyone has an opinion, I'm all ears

The Return of the Jedi Luke has two neck/emitter pieces, a thick neck used for the blade and a skinny neck for display. If you are not using a blade, then you just use the skinny neck.

 

[Paul Andrew]

The Return of the Jedi Luke has two neck/emitter pieces, a thick neck used for the blade and a skinny neck for display. If you are not using a blade, then you just use the skinny neck.

Right. After I saw that I was just concerned with the overall dimensions. These sabers all look pretty good on screen but something seems vaguely 'toylike' about them, I can't really put my finger on it. Anyway, with the tri-ring it looks as though they're aping the TLJ version of that saber instead of RotJ. For the price it seems like a pretty decent display hilt?

 

[tubachris85x]

I'm not going to pretend that the sabers are incredibly accurate (or not) but I personally felt they're decent pieces for the price point. Another collector on Rebelscum did a better analysis which shows that these sabers all have more unique sound profiles than currently provided by black series versions. My personal favorite is the Temple Guard

 

[Jennigirl]

Although I have yet to go, the Savi's is just too oversized to me. Like the old Master Replicas FX sabers when they first came out. I'm just not a fan of the bulkiness of the hilts. I'd rather get a custom hilt from one of the many saber companies out there.

 

[vader45]

If you only want display the higher end fan made hilt's are really only a few dollars more and look tons better. Empty hilts are typically $150-200.

 

[Paul Andrew]

If you only want display the higher end fan made hilt's are really only a few dollars more and look tons better. Empty hilts are typically $150-200.

So, maybe go with the custom saber from Savi's and keep buying my replica display hilts elsewhere. That seems like the direction I'm leaning.

 

[thd9791]

Yea, I'd say that's your best bet.

Personally, the Savi's look like motorcycle handles and nothing remotely like a lightsaber. Legacy hilt-wise... the Vader is decent - but the Luke ROTJ is really unique. It's the first commercial replica with a gold neck, and it has the wide emitter plate of the stunt sabers. The pommel cubes are nicer than i've seen from hasbro or disney. it's not screen accurate but its a fresh replica that has some accurate details that are a first for me.

 

[vader45]

If the thin insert was proportioned better I'd buy it for display.

 

[Shinchu]

I have a savi saber and its fun to swap crystals out and spin around. Its a HEAVY and T H I C C B O Y
but it's still neat. And tjere are some 3rd party sections out there so you can further customize. I plan on replacing at least one upper grip on mine. And maybe a longer blade but not decided yet.

If nothing else, savi sabers are best for the building experience. If you get into it, it can be pretty emotional.

Pic of my savi next to an old MHS project

 

[SethS]

Yeah-- the experience itself is fun, but the sabers themselves are awful in my opinion. The replicas of actual sabers aren't much better. Like people have said, the Vader one isn't too far off. I'm not an expert, but the Ben Solo also seems relatively close-- the rest are miles off if you are even remotely a stickler for detail. For not much of a price difference you can get a Korbanth of most models. They are generally a little off as well, but not as much. A little bit more than those, and you can go with Roman and have something nearly spot on.

I know there are people who like specifically collecting official offerings from Disney and or Lucasfilm, but if you want screen accuracy, the only way to go is a fan build.

 

[kermet]

I like the Ray reforged saber also the Luke and Ray graflex type but I think they are sold out the graflex has always been a fav of mine the Obiwan TPM is cool as well Happy choosing and ENJOY

 

[Paul Andrew]

Well, here is my custom hilt from Savi's workshop.
These things have HEFT. I'm not sure exactly what material they're made from, but the thing feels super solid after you put it all together. The process is pretty simple, but it was fun to do. Makes me wish you could purchase swappable pieces to play with at home, besides more kyber crystals.
Also, the experience itself is very artfully done, and though you might think it cheesy or childish, the way they weave the music cues into the whole thing can be really impactful, assuming you're not dead inside.

Probably because I'd recently gone through the process of removing the blade from my Force FX Vader, I was feeling a dark sidey vibe and went with the power and control theme. They have a hilt section for that theme that is pretty clearly meant to evoke t-tracks, but I didn't go with that because it felt aesthetically wrong. I chose sections that I thought didn't look like they were aping real world greeblies and doodads, excepting the d-ring pommel cap. The only thing that doesn't jive with me is how the middle clamp section is recessed when it 'ought' to feel like it's holding a bottom and top half together. The width of these sabers is a little thick, but makes sense given what they are. Overall, I dug the whole deal quite a bit.