Jump to content

puxlavoix

Politely Nefarious

AnnaNeko

Xiongmao

Mandie

BeyondTime

DesertPhantom51

F-15

sunlightandtea

ateliervanilla

The Ecchizonans

Zoom Meetup

Tierparkzone

Frollywog

Veravey

MagicalRozen

Baldylox

Sign in to follow this  
laglitterbomb

If you knew then what you know now....

Recommended Posts

laglitterbomb

So, it's a new year and it looks like everyone has a bunch of new plans to go with. I'm no different. I'm currently planning on getting my first dollfie this year! I'm super excited but I kind of a bit nervous about it as well....

 

But, long story short, I was wondering what things people have learned about the hobby from collecting. Is there anything that you wished you knew then that you know now?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thespian

When I started collecting, I was so afraid I would never be able to afford the dolls I really wanted that I jumped the gun and bought a couple I liked, but not ones that I loved. This made the journey much harder for me overall.

 

I ended up selling/storing the ones I liked and getting Mariko, who had easily been a grail of mine since her initial release, and I'm floored by how much happier I am having her than I was having the others. I also wish I had understood how much time and effort goes into "building your own" DD. It almost seems like it should be easier, but for me, it has been so much harder building up one from scratch than finding one I adore and building off of that.


Kiyomi DDS DDH-06 🧡 Miyuki DDS DDH-06 🧡 Shiori DDS Mariko Summer Festival 🧡 Kanade DDDy DDH-07 🧡 Honoka DD DDH-09 🧡 Priyanka DDS Anthy Himemiya

Any pronouns are fine

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Monty

Honestly I just wish I'd started paying attention to DDs sooner. I never really bothered until mid-late 2015 because I just assumed I'd never be able to afford one anyway. I got to see Miku in person back before she was released and was on display in Akihabara, and I remember thinking "Wow, that's nice. Good thing I'm not interested in dolls bigger than 1/6 scale, otherwise I'd -have- to have her!''

Flash forward a few years and I'm sitting here wishing I preordered her because I can't find one under $1000AUD anymore. Such is life.

 

Oh well, I'm still hoping there will be a Sakura miku and I wont let Kagamine Rin slip through my fingers!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
FinalGear
So, it's a new year and it looks like everyone has a bunch of new plans to go with. I'm no different. I'm currently planning on getting my first dollfie this year! I'm super excited but I kind of a bit nervous about it as well....

 

But, long story short, I was wondering what things people have learned about the hobby from collecting. Is there anything that you wished you knew then that you know now?

 

Your on the right track (asking questions) .

 

Get a body-suit

DSC02226_zpstddliqlg.jpg

I would recommend for all beginner

 

If I could do it all over again, I shouldn't have order any of those "PRE-ORDER" dolls. Instead, get a Volks starter doll for half the price of a PRE-ORDER one. I seem some amazing custom DD!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Poofiemus

 

If I could do it all over again, I shouldn't have order any of those "PRE-ORDER" dolls. Instead, get a Volks starter doll for half the price of a PRE-ORDER one. I seem some amazing custom DD!

 

Sounds like you had a bad experience there, FinalGear. o.o I don't have any regrets regarding pre-orders, personally, but then again, I already had two DDs when I placed my orders for both Miku and Homura--one of which is my never-ending custom. =P (That's the trouble with customs; if you're a DIY addict, then they're never done, they're just presentable. XD)

 

I don't have too many *major* regrets, honestly, but that's because I spent literally a YEAR saving up and researching before I bought my first--it was vexing, but worth it in the end, in part because of how much I learned before Agatha even wound up for sale on DoA. It leads me to give this advice to newbies: Have some patience, don't rush, enjoy the process even when it's slow and savor it. The big regrets I see people having are often because they were in such a big hurry they didn't really think (or sometimes even price-check) before getting something.

 

My main newb regret: not paying enough attention to shoes. Yeah, I know, weird. Agatha spent around 10 months without shoes at all. And twice now I've lost dolly shoes at a con. >.< Think I'd rather just take them barefoot or in stocking feet than lose another pair, seriously. . .


In this household, sanity is considered a tresspasser.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
galatia9

I did a lot of research before I bought my first DD. Her body was an inexpensive purchase from a friend, so I didn't have to worry about breaking and staining her as much as I would have a new fullset DD. I love my two fullsets, but I love my customs just as much. My only regret might be not doing enough research on faceup styles, but luckily I can always get those changed if they really bother me.

 

Poofiemus, you could try putting a clear rubber band around your doll's foot and shoe so you don't lose any more. I've done that before, but not with expensive shoes that could get creased easily by the rubber bands.

 

Linda S.

galatia9


DDH03 girl DDH07 x2 boys DDH06 girl DDH-05 x2 boys

DDH01 mod girl Saber Alter SqLab Tsubaki boy DDH-02 girl

Mio Honda Youmu Konpaku x2 boy twins

Also: DDS Lagla, Sheryl Nome, SmD Melody, SmD Eiji x2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Poofiemus

Poofiemus, you could try putting a clear rubber band around your doll's foot and shoe so you don't lose any more. I've done that before, but not with expensive shoes that could get creased easily by the rubber bands.

 

Linda S.

galatia9

 

That's actually pretty ingenious! I'll probably still avoid certain shoes at Phoenix ComiCon altogether--both times I lost shoes were in the dealer hall there, when I was either browsing or paying for stuff--but it'd probably work a treat at mellower events.


In this household, sanity is considered a tresspasser.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
BeyondTime

If I have a regret it's not learning to use Yahoo Japan Auctions earlier. I paid ebay markups on a few of my earlier dolls, and I could have saved hundreds on each one of them.


The difference between Dollfie Dreams and Heroin? Heroin is illegal, Dollfie Dreams probably should be.

“Empty wallets, full hearts.” That’s probably an apt description for the effects of DD addiction

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
FinalGear

Sounds like you had a bad experience there, FinalGear. o.o

 

Bad Experience? It’s more stu•pid•i•ty on me and in the-end it was a costly mistake.

(speaking from my 1/6 scale action/dolls days. I don’t want those mistake on my DD)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Minuette

 

I don't have too many *major* regrets, honestly, but that's because I spent literally a YEAR saving up and researching before I bought my first--it was vexing, but worth it in the end, in part because of how much I learned before Agatha even wound up for sale on DoA. It leads me to give this advice to newbies: Have some patience, don't rush, enjoy the process even when it's slow and savor it. The big regrets I see people having are often because they were in such a big hurry they didn't really think (or sometimes even price-check) before getting something.

 

I agree with this, be patient! The girls you're meant to have will come to you when the time is right. Don't rush it just because you really want a girl now. There are a lot of girls out there who need loving homes, find the one you're meant to have. I'm not the type to really believe in this kind of thing either, and it holds true! These girls have a mind of their own.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
laglitterbomb
When I started collecting, I was so afraid I would never be able to afford the dolls I really wanted that I jumped the gun and bought a couple I liked, but not ones that I loved. This made the journey much harder for me overall.

 

I ended up selling/storing the ones I liked and getting Mariko, who had easily been a grail of mine since her initial release, and I'm floored by how much happier I am having her than I was having the others.

 

I think that is where I think I will have the most problem, to be honest. I like plenty the ones that I have seen for sale but the one that I love is a bit pricier than I am wanting to pay when I am just joining the hobby.... I like lots of the other ones and I just sort of want to began collecting... It's been a bit hard fighting that urge to get one now rather than save up a bit.

 

Honestly I just wish I'd started paying attention to DDs sooner. I never really bothered until mid-late 2015 because I just assumed I'd never be able to afford one anyway. I got to see Miku in person back before she was released and was on display in Akihabara, and I remember thinking "Wow, that's nice. Good thing I'm not interested in dolls bigger than 1/6 scale, otherwise I'd -have- to have her!''

Flash forward a few years and I'm sitting here wishing I preordered her because I can't find one under $1000AUD anymore. Such is life.

 

Oh well, I'm still hoping there will be a Sakura miku and I wont let Kagamine Rin slip through my fingers!

 

Oh no! That sucks! I hope that you will be able to find one for a good price! Miku is so cute.... I can't wait to see if they come out with a Sakura version. It would be to die for!

 

I get that regret about joining the hobby too late, though. I'd seen DD's around on tumblr and lovd them but it wasn't until Sheryl and Ranka that I decided that I definitely wanted to start collecting.... Only it was right after their ordering period that I found them! Oh well, c'es la vie, I suppose. XD

 

 

 

I don't have too many *major* regrets, honestly, but that's because I spent literally a YEAR saving up and researching before I bought my first--it was vexing, but worth it in the end, in part because of how much I learned before Agatha even wound up for sale on DoA. It leads me to give this advice to newbies: Have some patience, don't rush, enjoy the process even when it's slow and savor it. The big regrets I see people having are often because they were in such a big hurry they didn't really think (or sometimes even price-check) before getting something.

 

My main newb regret: not paying enough attention to shoes. Yeah, I know, weird. Agatha spent around 10 months without shoes at all. And twice now I've lost dolly shoes at a con. >.< Think I'd rather just take them barefoot or in stocking feet than lose another pair, seriously. . .

 

 

Oh wow, a year?! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to last that long.... As it is, I've already begun to ddraft out pattern pieces and plan where I am going to set up space for whoever she ends up being. Is it weird that I've already begun to make a room for her?

 

...As for shoes, that is really good advice. It might be worth investing in some 'basics' before she gets here. Shoes and the body suit that FinalGear suggested might be worth having on hand.

 

 

I agree with this, be patient! The girls you're meant to have will come to you when the time is right. Don't rush it just because you really want a girl now. There are a lot of girls out there who need loving homes, find the one you're meant to have. I'm not the type to really believe in this kind of thing either, and it holds true! These girls have a mind of their own.

 

 

Thanks, Minuette! It's kind of nice to hear this. They all are dolls, I know, but they all seem to have their own spark and personality... I just need to calm myself down and be patient. XD

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Poofiemus
Oh wow, a year?! I'm not sure I'm going to be able to last that long.... As it is, I've already begun to ddraft out pattern pieces and plan where I am going to set up space for whoever she ends up being. Is it weird that I've already begun to make a room for her?

 

...As for shoes, that is really good advice. It might be worth investing in some 'basics' before she gets here. Shoes and the body suit that FinalGear suggested might be worth having on hand.

 

Yes, a year. . . .and there was another I think three months or so of researching before deciding to actually start that year-long saving process. I was a college student, so I wanted to be sure that not only this was a hobby I'd stick with, but that DDs were what I wanted rather than resins. (I still sometimes will look at resins in hope of shelling a couple of OCs, but no dice even after hunting since 2009. I'm honestly giving 3D printing custom heads some consideration. ^^; ) Beyond not finding matches for those OCs, I don't regret getting into this hobby, or going the DD route.

 

And yeah, a few basics that you can't or don't want to make on your own are probably a good idea. Maybe a pair of sensible black shoes (so they go with lots of stuff), and a stand would be things I recommend. (Personally, I've never bothered with body stockings, but I'm also not bothered by having my girls sit around bald and naked while they get their stains treated. )

 

Oh, if your camera has a tripod mount, and you don't have a tripod already, GET ONE. Seriously. They're great even for normal-person photography, but with DDs (which don't squirm) they're basically MAGIC.

 

I agree with this, be patient! The girls you're meant to have will come to you when the time is right. Don't rush it just because you really want a girl now. There are a lot of girls out there who need loving homes, find the one you're meant to have. I'm not the type to really believe in this kind of thing either, and it holds true! These girls have a mind of their own.

 

 

Thanks, Minuette! It's kind of nice to hear this. They all are dolls, I know, but they all seem to have their own spark and personality... I just need to calm myself down and be patient. XD

 

Minuette, it's so true that there seems to be a sort of "dolly destiny" afoot. I also don't really believe in fate. . . except when it comes to dolls. XD Eventually the stars will align, and a girl will make your home her forever home--and it may not be who you expected, either. (Ags was meant to be like, my second doll at the absolute earliest. Hah. She was my first instead and set the tone for the rest of the Coterie.)

 

They do all have their own beauty and personality, but not all those personalities may fit with you long-term. For me, Mariko comes in mind for this case--she's a lovely sculpt, I enjoy looking at her in photos and at meets, but she's just too demure to really work with myself or my other girls. Having some patience, and taking a moment for a deep breath, will help you sort out which category a girl fits in. (Well, that and owner photos. Volks, why you no take good shots of your own stuff?)


In this household, sanity is considered a tresspasser.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
SakuraSylph

One thing I have learned is to be careful about how you approach the pre-order dolls.

 

Because the waiting period is 1 whole year between order placement and final delivery, it becomes easy to gorge yourself by accident on the promo pictures Volks puts out during the year. You're excited, so of course you look at them. By the time the physical doll arrives, though, and looks just like the pictures, she feels same-old same-old because you've already been seeing her daily for a year. Instead of being that excited, you're kinda bored by the new arrival - no matter how pretty she actually is.

 

That's happened to me on a couple of my preorder dolls. I learned therefore to either 1) skip preorder dolls, or 2) to start ignoring most coverage once the decision to order was finalized, so that she's fresh and new when she finally arrives.

 

It's all psychological, but it might make a difference in your hobby enjoyment as you get into DD.


SakuraSylph

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
galatia9

Poofiemus, I will second your advice about tripods! I couldn't imagine taking photos without mine.

 

SakuraSylph, that is good advice about preorder DDs! I have never bought one, but I have reserved and bought figures that I had to wait 3-4 months for. I actually don't mind the wait too much, but I don't look at the pictures much while I'm waiting. I can see how someone could get bored of seeing them (and reading the hype) over and over.

 

I'm sure I will buy a preorder someday. The advantages of them can't be beat -- they're a sure thing, and they have the best price! I'm waiting for the right one to come along. I sort of wish I had bought Sheryl, but I didn't care for her outfit, and her potential character in my DD family might have been too similar to my Saber's.

 

Linda S.

galatia9


DDH03 girl DDH07 x2 boys DDH06 girl DDH-05 x2 boys

DDH01 mod girl Saber Alter SqLab Tsubaki boy DDH-02 girl

Mio Honda Youmu Konpaku x2 boy twins

Also: DDS Lagla, Sheryl Nome, SmD Melody, SmD Eiji x2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
jazijaz

I just got into these dolls until mid-2015! and I knew nothing about them, I just saw a few pictures of them years ago on DoA but never got interested in them. I'm a BJD collector who collects boys mainly so this is probably the reason why I never got interested in them before...

 

But one day, I was browsing ebay and I came upon a DD Hatsune Miku head only and it was really cheap. Seeing only the head without the wig, clothes or female body made me realize that I could make a DD boy out of it and I purchased the head.

 

BEST DECISION EVER.

 

I love my dear boy, and I started to do a lot of research on DDs afterwards because I wanted to get him a body. While doing my research, I came upon DDH-07 and Obitsu male bodies (I purchased them of course haha). Then I found DDS Momo and I fell in love with the face (I thought it was perfect for another boy!) this one I purchased the fullset (got it from Mandarake at a cheap price, I was also able to sell the clothes and wig so my Momo was cheaper than retail price). I customized the body into a boy body and realized the DDS body was perfect for my Miku head so I got a DDS body in semi-white skin and customized it for my Miku boy. Perfect!

 

I think I got into DDs at the right time because everything turned out smoothly and I didn't have to spend a fortune to put together my 3 DD boys (or wait a whole year for the preorders). I don't do fullsets and I'm not interested in any DD fullset....I'm keeping my eyes open for DD Kagamine Len, though. I know I won't have any use for the clothes, wigs and eyes but those can be sold so this is the only DD I'm waiting for!

 

What have I learned? I have learned that they can stain easily but other than that, they are no different than my BJDs in terms of care and customization.


 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
katnaper
One thing I have learned is to be careful about how you approach the pre-order dolls.

 

Because the waiting period is 1 whole year between order placement and final delivery, it becomes easy to gorge yourself by accident on the promo pictures Volks puts out during the year. You're excited, so of course you look at them. By the time the physical doll arrives, though, and looks just like the pictures, she feels same-old same-old because you've already been seeing her daily for a year. Instead of being that excited, you're kinda bored by the new arrival - no matter how pretty she actually is.

 

That's happened to me on a couple of my preorder dolls. I learned therefore to either 1) skip preorder dolls, or 2) to start ignoring most coverage once the decision to order was finalized, so that she's fresh and new when she finally arrives.

 

It's all psychological, but it might make a difference in your hobby enjoyment as you get into DD.

 

That is excellent advise. I find that I also didn't bond with the doll as much as if I had either gotten her aftermarket or won in a lottery. Its like you said, you look and look at them and you soon lose the excitement so that by the time they arrive its not as big a deal as it was. I've had that happen to me wit my pre-orders which is why its easier to part with them in a way.


35627757593_19f2b2cd8a_n.jpg

 

We have our own BLOG. Please visit us at the House of Nyan by clicking this link or our sig above. See you there. Or, come see what Nyanko-sensei is up to at the Katnaper's Den

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.