The Energon Pub

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

godzill216 wrote:I was actually curious how the connection was, especially to form Piranacon's left arm. Snaptrap holds it very loose, like if you turned it sideways, the left arm falls out. That was the only QC issue I ran into, back in 1988... well, that and the top fin on Overbite, refuses to stay up, but that might be due to old age...

The connections aren't as tight as they should be on my vintage one, but it's a good idea to slide the peg all the way into the socket.

I've tried that and it still falls out, eventually. The other three connections are fine, though.

They're Scramble City designed combiner figures (I.E. each one can be an arm or a leg and vice versa), so why not just keep switching the limbs around until you find a solid connection that works for you?

I'm all for accuracy, but if I can find a better way of making it all work, then I'll do it.

Autobot032 wrote:They're Scramble City designed combiner figures (I.E. each one can be an arm or a leg and vice versa), so why not just keep switching the limbs around until you find a solid connection that works for you?

I'm all for accuracy, but if I can find a better way of making it all work, then I'll do it.

The thing is, none of them do. That's what I'm getting at. If I just display him, they stay in fine, but if I move him around, if I'm not careful, Piranacon's left arm will eventually fall out. I'm sure it's an easy fix, though it's not my thing to fix old toys, but I was just curious if it was just mine, or not. Otherwise, mine doesn't have the QC issues that seem to be plaguing all the subsequent re-issues.

Though this report has got me to pull out my pre-order....not BBTS(I have my own local source.......chromed version). Big multinational companies releasing shoddy products aren't anything new.

1.Dell releasing PCs that have defects(heck even the law firm representing them got also shafted by their products.....talk about being fried in your own oil)

2.Toyota (well recent reports state that most were due to driver error)

3.Xbox360 version 1 to the present (the slim just came out so no clear verdict yet)

4.the latest Apple phone (transmission problems IIRC)

The trouble is, in the USA, there are mechanisms to ask for a change and refund, in other countries, unless your supplier is easy to talk to, is quite a bother to exchange a defective item

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Original G1 Piranicon: $250-300 complete.

Are you serious?! I got mine for $85, loose, priced down from $95 a year ago for helping the seller with assembling and cataloging the item. Sure, it was missing one small gun after closer examination, both me and the seller thought it was complete!

I may be a bit high on those prices, but that's what I was hearing people ask for in regards to a 100% Piranacon.

Even checking eBay, it's around $200 for a complete Seacon set. So...yea:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-G1-com ... 2eae0b1efd

I ain't selling mine, should you people get ideas.

It's true. I paid $300+ for mine when demand was apexing, and it was worth every dollar. Plus, mine's purdy with minty stickers, paint, and chrome (hells yeah I'm using a series comma!).

I need to think it through a bit here. I have bought enough online retailer GI JOE exclusives to know that that is not the issue. QC has not been the issue for me.

So this one. I wanted to keep this MISP.

I know it's not a straight up re-issue packaging and all, but the differences were endearing enough to me that I wanted to have one and keep it MISP. However, if it is going to be bad product, then I may not want to buy it because it will really not have any value besides my, "Look chrome sword, and variant Skalor (or whoever)!"

I have a mint complete set loose, plus the TFCC set loose and MISP. Why another? Hmm...

tigertracks 24 wrote:I need to think it through a bit here. I have bought enough online retailer GI JOE exclusives to know that that is not the issue. QC has not been the issue for me.

So this one. I wanted to keep this MISP.

I know it's not a straight up re-issue packaging and all, but the differences were endearing enough to me that I wanted to have one and keep it MISP. However, if it is going to be bad product, then I may not want to buy it because it will really not have any value besides my, "Look chrome sword, and variant Skalor (or whoever)!"

I have a mint complete set loose, plus the TFCC set loose and MISP. Why another? Hmm...

I wanted to keep mine MISB too, but with possible missing parts, I don't know if I will.

I actually feel bad for BBTS because I'm sure they were set to gain some sales from this exclusive. And while I did cancel my preorder for the set, it does not mean in any way shape or form that I will not shop with BBTS, as I still will shop with them.

bvzxa wrote:I actually feel bad for BBTS because I'm sure they were set to gain some sales from this exclusive. And while I did cancel my preorder for the set, it does not mean in any way shape or form that I will not shop with BBTS, as I still will shop with them.

Not every set will be bad. Granted, the track record hasn't been perfect, I agree, but I haven't canceled my preorder because I know BBTS will make it right by me.

They always have.

I'm not going to let them lose a sale over this.

Autobot032 wrote:

bvzxa wrote:I actually feel bad for BBTS because I'm sure they were set to gain some sales from this exclusive. And while I did cancel my preorder for the set, it does not mean in any way shape or form that I will not shop with BBTS, as I still will shop with them.

Not every set will be bad. Granted, the track record hasn't been perfect, I agree, but I haven't canceled my preorder because I know BBTS will make it right by me.

They always have.

I'm not going to let them lose a sale over this.

Yup.

Autobot032 wrote:

Roadbuster wrote:after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder.

You're being unreasonable.
Heck, if 5 of the 6 figures are fine, they'll replace just the one robot!

Seriously, canceling the preorder and depriving them of business is just bad form. Especially when they'll bend over backwards to help you.

Seriously, you'll regret canceling that preorder.

Pretty sure he wont regret it, I just cancelled mine as well, and I sold my TFCC set at botcon. The mold degradation, the pre applied stickers, the missing parts, the misapplied factory parts...all unacceptable, since when do transformers fans have to hope for the best when buying retail items?

I will stick with my c10 vintage Piranacon, no one should have to search out parts for a retail set that was just released. This is a botched reissue plain and simple.

BBTS also does millions in revenue, I think they will survive without Roadbuster and I's $60. They "bend over backwards" to generate more revenue, not because they are a mom and pop shop desperate for support.

Sid Burn wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:

Roadbuster wrote:after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder.

You're being unreasonable.
Heck, if 5 of the 6 figures are fine, they'll replace just the one robot!

Seriously, canceling the preorder and depriving them of business is just bad form. Especially when they'll bend over backwards to help you.

Seriously, you'll regret canceling that preorder.

Pretty sure he wont regret it, I just cancelled mine as well, and I sold my TFCC set at botcon. The mold degradation, the pre applied stickers, the missing parts, the misapplied factory parts...all unacceptable, since when do transformers fans have to hope for the best when buying retail items?

I will stick with my c10 vintage Piranacon, no one should have to search out parts for a retail set that was just released. This is a botched reissue plain and simple.

BBTS also does millions in revenue, I think they will survive without Roadbuster and I's $60. They "bend over backwards" to generate more revenue, not because they are a mom and pop shop desperate for support.

From what I hear, the original molds had problems, so the degradation isn't so much a matter of time and over usage, just bad design from the get go.

Preapplied stickers suck, but they're not enough to cancel. The missing parts, yeah, that's crappy, but it's easily fixable.

And we've had to hope for the best with retail figures for a while now. QC has dropped considerably since the early 2000's. Why is it that this reissue makes people take notice all of a sudden?

If you have a vintage Piranicon, great. Not all of us do. In fact, most of us don't, so we'll take the affordable option and a great deal of us will end up happy.

And no one's ever claimed that BBTS was a Mom N' Pop shop, but it's actually kind of true. I Googled BBTS and checked on their BBB status, and through that, I found an article on MSNBC that mentioned them. In 2005 they made over three million, but Joel's parents went nearly broke to help him get started and from what the article said, the father's still in it to some extent. Considering they used their own home, levied everything they had, I'd say they are somewhat a mom and pop shop. Yes, they're in it to make money, and they make a great deal of it, but it was started with the best intentions, and they do make sure the customer is pleased. Wal-Mart would never go to the lengths that Joel and his crew do.

It's your opinion and you're entitled to it, but you're being unfair to BBTS at least. Be angry with Hasbro and their handling of it all, but BBTS? They're making sure the collectors get it, all they're doing is being an access point for Hasbro's product. I think you're being a bit unfair to them.

Get mad at Hasbro, they deserve it.

Sid Burn wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:

Roadbuster wrote:after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder.

You're being unreasonable.
Heck, if 5 of the 6 figures are fine, they'll replace just the one robot!

Seriously, canceling the preorder and depriving them of business is just bad form. Especially when they'll bend over backwards to help you.

Seriously, you'll regret canceling that preorder.

Pretty sure he wont regret it, I just cancelled mine as well, and I sold my TFCC set at botcon. The mold degradation, the pre applied stickers, the missing parts, the misapplied factory parts...all unacceptable, since when do transformers fans have to hope for the best when buying retail items?

I will stick with my c10 vintage Piranacon, no one should have to search out parts for a retail set that was just released. This is a botched reissue plain and simple.

BBTS also does millions in revenue, I think they will survive without Roadbuster and I's $60. They "bend over backwards" to generate more revenue, not because they are a mom and pop shop desperate for support.

Actually I just put that $60 and some more towards the GI JOE Resolute 7-packs they're selling.

Also, Autobto032, I don't hold it against BBTS. The situation is by no means their fault. xNever once did I say it was their fault. It's hasbro's. I simply said that BBTA should be notified of the problems so they could hopefully communicate with hasbro to get the issue resolved so they don't have to go through the hassle of replacing bad figs or missing parts.

Roadbuster wrote:

Sid Burn wrote:

Autobot032 wrote:

Roadbuster wrote:after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder.

You're being unreasonable.
Heck, if 5 of the 6 figures are fine, they'll replace just the one robot!

Seriously, canceling the preorder and depriving them of business is just bad form. Especially when they'll bend over backwards to help you.

Seriously, you'll regret canceling that preorder.

Pretty sure he wont regret it, I just cancelled mine as well, and I sold my TFCC set at botcon. The mold degradation, the pre applied stickers, the missing parts, the misapplied factory parts...all unacceptable, since when do transformers fans have to hope for the best when buying retail items?

I will stick with my c10 vintage Piranacon, no one should have to search out parts for a retail set that was just released. This is a botched reissue plain and simple.

BBTS also does millions in revenue, I think they will survive without Roadbuster and I's $60. They "bend over backwards" to generate more revenue, not because they are a mom and pop shop desperate for support.

Actually I just put that $60 and some more towards the GI JOE Resolute 7-packs they're selling.

Also, Autobto032, I don't hold it against BBTS. The situation is by no means their fault. xNever once did I say it was their fault. It's hasbro's. I simply said that BBTA should be notified of the problems so they could hopefully communicate with hasbro to get the issue resolved so they don't have to go through the hassle of replacing bad figs or missing parts.

Oh, no no. That wasn't aimed at you. Sid was the one I directed my comment towards.

Screw it, I'm leaving my pre-order in place now just to see what I come out with. If it's completely jacked they take it back anyway.

Autobot032 wrote:Oh, no no. That wasn't aimed at you. Sid was the one I directed my comment towards.

I never once blamed BBTS for this shoddy reissue, how could it possibly be their fault? They are simply the middle man, what I did say was that no one should feel bad about canceling their preorders as this reissue is botched.

Feeling bad about canceling an order with a business the size of BBTS is silly. They will be fine. Should I feel obligated to give them money because their family put money into driving the business? absolutely not, that was their decision made to hopefully ensure later success.

it did, congrats to them, I am not responsible for Joel's dad's mortgage. I am a transformer collector who likes his bots complete and in working order, this set does not meet that criteria.

You keep forgetting that this is not just exclusive to BBTS, but also to Robotkingdom and Kapow toys, the later literally just a guy who started not too long ago, the quality will not only affect BBTS but these guys too.

Dead Metal wrote:You keep forgetting that this is not just exclusive to BBTS, but also to Robotkingdom and Kapow toys, the later literally just a guy who started not too long ago, the quality will not only affect BBTS but these guys too.

not sure why that would inspire me to lay down my cash for a botched reissue. impossible toys is a small operation too, but I am not going to buy their botched arcee either, looks like a dollar store TF knockoff.

the quality is hasbro's issue, in terms of the online stores supplying this thing...buyer beware.

Hasbro have got to realize that using cheap low quality factories in China is a big risk. I know these things are usually made in China but if the quality is universally this bad then they need to do something quick.

My Seacons are waiting for me to pick them up from the post office tomorrow morning. Hope I'm luckier that some of you guys have been with your sets.

Sid Burn wrote:the quality is hasbro's issue, in terms of the online stores supplying this thing...buyer beware.

Technically, the quality issue is a Takara-Tomy problem.

Hasbro can be blamed for deco choices, but TakTomy manages the daily interaction and QC for asian factory production.

Even still, in this regard, it's difficult to blame them. What they could be yelled at for is not retooling the mold to correct the fist issue.

Regarding the other stuff...

-I'm not sure what the deal is with the stickers. There's really no need for them to be bad.
-Missing or swapped parts is always an issue with production line toys. This is compounded by there being a couple hundred mold pieces in this set. Is it a modern problem? I don't think so. I have/had several childhood toys that had swapped fists or problems out of package. Does this issue suck? Yes. Will BBTS undoubtedly take care of it? Yes.
-Overbite...I think the plastic color choices were limited. Overbite was essentially a separate toy for one of the original markets. (can't remember if it was us or the Japanese that only got 5 Seacons at first) So, it was originally done with a plastic color not otherwise in the set. Now that they're being done at one time...I'm sure that a management decision was made on the matter.
-Snaptrap...I think this was a bad call. This was one deco or mold move that could have been salvaged. I'm sure the thought was that he'll be in Piranicon and no one will see, but since we're all obsessive compulsive, we know better and have anxiety attacks over the problem.

I really do thank Diem for posting the review. It's a good warning that these sets should be checked upon arrival. I can't say that any of the above should surprise anyone in the slightest. All the modern reissues have had problems or changes and we're all hyper sensitive to them because everyone treats their collection like a museum. (Please note, I'm not directing this at the person I quoted)

I'm not advocating for BBTS. I'm not saying there shouldn't be concern.

I'm advocating for reissues. This is a big deal. Supporting this product will support other obscure characters in the future. If you get a set with no QC issues, you still have some choices to make. Get replacement Overkill and Snaptrap toys? Get replacement stickers from Reprolabels?

Those decisions are more fun than, "search eBay for Seacons under $200 + shipping".

Counterpunch wrote:
I really do thank Diem for posting the review. It's a good warning that these sets should be checked upon arrival.

Glad to be of help.

I'm not trying to be a harbinger of doom or anything. And I'm absolutely not saying you should cancel your orders with reputable online firms or anything. If you can get a refund or a return without too much bother then this is a very worthy set.

I'm worried for the people who are buying this from eBay or from hobby shops that won't be able to return it. People who buy it as a gift. People who have to buy through an intermediary who won't be able to check it in person.

I'm grateful that this set got made and I hope it does pave the way for more post-Season 3 reissues.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Counterpunch, about the Seacon giftsets:

For the US market, Nautilator was left out of the gift set, not Overbite even though he is the main weapon for Piranacon. The Japanese release, King Poseidon had all six Seacons. Overbite did have a plastic color that was unique to him: purple. That may have been changed to make him fit better.

Right, you're right.

I still think that there's some kind of issue with the grouping of the molds. They may have decided originally to include Overbite instead of Nautilator, but that doesn't preclude Overbite from being a separate production piece.

I'm not sure if I'm making sense...