The Energon Pub

I've been on the hunt for the Takara MP-15 and MP-16 sets, the latter being seemingly much rarer and much more expensive on the secondary market. I looked around some of the Seibertron.com sponsor sites featured and finally found both sets, allegedly in stock, for a good price ($80 each), but not the sort of rock-bottom prices found with the knock offs on eBay. After searching around the internet for some more information about YaHobby's reputation, I've come up with some rather mixed reviews and feelings. Some people have said they've had no problems at all, others have had all sorts of issues with getting their orders properly fulfilled. My main concern is that what I will get from them is authentic and NOT just a knock off version at an inflated price. I think the site is based out of Hong Kong/China. Most of the knock off products sold on eBay seem to come out of China, so I am more hesitant because of that. However, I know YaHobby is a site sponsor here and featured pretty regularly in the news page when they get new product or preorders in. So, fellow Seibertronians, what say you about the reputation of YaHobby? Any information or advice will be very much appreciated!

Wolfman Jake wrote:I've been on the hunt for the Takara MP-15 and MP-16 sets, the latter being seemingly much rarer and much more expensive on the secondary market. I looked around some of the Seibertron.com sponsor sites featured and finally found both sets, allegedly in stock, for a good price ($80 each), but not the sort of rock-bottom prices found with the knock offs on eBay. After searching around the internet for some more information about YaHobby's reputation, I've come up with some rather mixed reviews and feelings. Some people have said they've had no problems at all, others have had all sorts of issues with getting their orders properly fulfilled. My main concern is that what I will get from them is authentic and NOT just a knock off version at an inflated price. I think the site is based out of Hong Kong/China. Most of the knock off products sold on eBay seem to come out of China, so I am more hesitant because of that. However, I know YaHobby is a site sponsor here and featured pretty regularly in the news page when they get new product or preorders in. So, fellow Seibertronians, what say you about the reputation of YaHobby? Any information or advice will be very much appreciated!

I'd like to opine in general.If you deal with HK/China, there's a 50/50 chance its a KO or real. I'd be much comfortable with a Japan based source.If it's an official sponsor like RK, the supplier is just as good as the source.

fenrir72 wrote:I'd like to opine in general.If you deal with HK/China, there's a 50/50 chance its a KO or real. I'd be much comfortable with a Japan based source.If it's an official sponsor like RK, the supplier is just as good as the source.

Okay, so YaHobby is based in Hong Kong/China, but I think they are an official sponsor of Seibertron.com, since I found them from the ads on the right sidebar, and they regularly get news posts on their inventory on the front page as well. So, does that make them reputable to you, or do you still advise caution because of the location of their operation?

Wolfman Jake wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:I'd like to opine in general.If you deal with HK/China, there's a 50/50 chance its a KO or real. I'd be much comfortable with a Japan based source.If it's an official sponsor like RK, the supplier is just as good as the source.

Okay, so YaHobby is based in Hong Kong/China, but I think they are an official sponsor of Seibertron.com, since I found them from the ads on the right sidebar, and they regularly get news posts on their inventory on the front page as well. So, does that make them reputable to you, or do you still advise caution because of the location of their operation?

Usually they'll get their "secondary" market source locally. And iirc, bbts got a batch of KO Metroplex before Encore was released a few years back. So the item is as good as it's source.

A Japan based source has a bit of a higher credibility over a non Japanese.

Unfortunately, the cassettes (I did some searching too)are not available in a certain site I usually get them.

Even here, they are not available.

http://jungle-scs.co.jp/sale_en/

Ryan iirc, posted some Japanese sites he has purchased from. Try pm him. Who knows you might get lucky.

fenrir72 wrote:Usually they'll get their "secondary" market source locally. And iirc, bbts got a batch of KO Metroplex before Encore was released a few years back. So the item is as good as it's source.

A Japan based source has a bit of a higher credibility over a non Japanese.

Unfortunately, the cassettes (I did some searching too)are not available in a certain site I usually get them.

Even here, they are not available.

http://jungle-scs.co.jp/sale_en/

Ryan iirc, posted some Japanese sites he has purchased from. Try pm him. Who knows you might get lucky.

Just for clarification, by "as good as it's source," you mean to say that if the source is a Japanese retailer, it's far more likely that it's genuine and not a knock-off/bootleg than would be from a Chinese or Hong Kong store? Or are you saying something about the quality of the knock offs themselves? I'm a bit confused.

Also, is there any way to readily tell the knock off Masterpiece cassettes from the real deal?

Wolfman Jake wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Usually they'll get their "secondary" market source locally. And iirc, bbts got a batch of KO Metroplex before Encore was released a few years back. So the item is as good as it's source.

A Japan based source has a bit of a higher credibility over a non Japanese.

Unfortunately, the cassettes (I did some searching too)are not available in a certain site I usually get them.

Even here, they are not available.

http://jungle-scs.co.jp/sale_en/

Ryan iirc, posted some Japanese sites he has purchased from. Try pm him. Who knows you might get lucky.

Just for clarification, by "as good as it's source," you mean to say that if the source is a Japanese retailer, it's far more likely that it's genuine and not a knock-off/bootleg than would be from a Chinese or Hong Kong store? Or are you saying something about the quality of the knock offs themselves? I'm a bit confused.

Also, is there any way to readily tell the knock off Masterpiece cassettes from the real deal?

I trust the Japanese more unfortunately. Language barriers aside. (Nothing against the Chinese as I too had great dealings with them (aliexpress vendors for example tells you they actually sell the KOs), in ebay, well you are taking a risk. So if its from Japan, the source would also be their local collectors. In HK or China, the risk is much higher they maybe KOs. (Btw, this isn't "racial profiling" but simple triangulation )

QC of KO MPs? To use Lambor as an example, I got mine from RK. It's like the 3rd pressing if you count the first 2 for the JP market. So mine is legit.

But the KO Lambor are soo good that even the hologram looks real. You'll only find out if you open them and check their ugly mugs I'm afraid.

I was also contemplating at buying a KO MP Ratbat as I can't justify buying Soundblaster just for him. But based on feedback, there are some paint apps missing.Unless the little details will bug you, a KO is indeed an alternative.

Well, I've taken the plunge with YaHobby. I might be taking a big risk, but after digging through the boards here, I'm going to trust some of the other Seibertorn.com members who have reported good dealings with YaHobby, or at least seem to promote them as a reputable source. Paying through PayPal, I can at least have some added assurance that, should there be a problem, I can get my money back. Of course, I still welcome ANY feedback others may have between now and when my order from YaHobby (hopefully) arrives.

did you get a legit or KO from yahobby? just having that second thoughts?

What I got seems to be legit, but I'm certainly no expert. I tried to look for some telltale signs from the information I gathered from various YouTube reviewers. Without going into great and gory detail, most of what I saw in the items I received from YaHobby seemed to line up with the genuine article. Unfortunately, the Buzzsaw I got broke right out of the package. They gave me a replacement, but it was the Hasbro version of Buzzsaw, not the Takara Tomy version, as evidenced by the different color yellow paint used. I alerted them to this mixup on the replacement, but they haven't returned my inquires about it. Looks like I'm stuck with the Hasbro version (assuming it's not a knock off, as it game without a package) for now.

They are great I recommend them x

Does anyone have recent experience with them? I thought as a site sponsor they would be legit but my order has been pending for two weeks now

ubertenorman wrote:Does anyone have recent experience with them? I thought as a site sponsor they would be legit but my order has been pending for two weeks now

Your wait may just be a matter of timing with Chinese New Year.

I thought that might be it but I've emailed a couple times without response. Does pending mean they've done any processing? I'm not necessarily sure they even have it in stock--I've heard stories like that with them.