cheaper models (read less exp.)

Sure, there needs to be entry-level products in any hobby. Take music, for example. I started on a cheap $300 drum kit when I first got into drums, and now the kit I use costs well over $5,000. No way I could have bought a $5,000 drumkit when I was just getting started!

Conversely, neither would I want to use that $300 drumkit on stage.

The hobby indeed needs cheap kits for beginners to get started with, but at the same time we cannot lie to ourselves and consider such kits to be on the same level as the more modern, more expensive, higher quality kits. That said, some talented modellers can take any kit and turn it into a gem.

I suppose the point of this reply is to agree with the point that we need cheap and accessible kits for youngsters to get involved in the hobby, but at the same time to defend people's opinions of low-quality kits (such as those offered by Lindberg).

One point about price, though: those same kids who can't seem to find the 45 bucks for a good kit don't seem to have any trouble finding 50 bucks for the latest PS2 game...

I agree totally with Brian. I personally have no trouble finsing the money for some middle end (read 50-60$ kits) kits, but I am no beginner to the hobby. Also occasionally I can find the cash to spend 200 bucks on a superdetailing project. I am onyl 15 years old but if you want something bad enough you'll find a way of getting it.

I agree that there should be entry level kits but IMO monogram takes care of that very well. Lindbergh kits I hate because 1) They aren't beginner kits really because the fit is horrible and 2) Because they are atrociously inaccurate. If I were to give a beginenr advice I would say go with the 25 buck Tamiya P-51 rather than the 7 buck Monogram P-51, because evn for a beginner, the Tamiya kti will turn out better quality.

I'm not disagreeing with the general theme here. Things are relative. When I was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's I remember most model kits went for $1.00. A kit of a large model, say a B-17 or something like that may of been $2.00. I think my dad made $1.00 per hour or a little less. Coming up with one or two bucks was probably just as hard for me then as kids today trying to come with $30-$50. I now make over $23 per hour. My dad never made that kind of money. Heck my wife, as a nurse, makes more per hour than I do. Interesting how things are relative? BTW I'm now 51 with 4 kids of my own, ages 23 thru 9! I model AFV's.

Glenn

on the lindberg kits i was just using their's as an example because when it comes to crappy kits they probably come to many people's minds first

Remember that 1/72 scale kits and 1/48 are substantively cheaper than the bigger scales and thus much more affordable to individuals on a tight budget. However I agree with Brian, youngsters nowadays find ways to get what they want by means unknown to the naked eye.

Edit: Remember also that if you fork out that 40-50$ for a top quality model, that is exacly what you pay for, quality. The plastic, instruction sheet and the box do not cost the 40-50$ dollars, its the work that went into the kit that you pay for. When buying a audo CD that costs around 12-18$ its not the plastic disc that you pay for but the audio on the CD.

Lindberg! are the still in business?

Anyhoo, I hate to spend more then € 15/20,- an a kit. And for that money I expect something good an big!
There are very nice cheap kits, which are also good quality.
Revell (the german branche) makes nice 1/72 fighter which are cheap. Same goes for some Italeri kits.

Let's put our hands together for Academy!
Ultra cheap(1/144 for € 2,-)(1/72 for € 6 or € 7)
and a nice quality to go with it... even the aircraft that they probably like, for instance F16, spit and mustang go for these prices.
Although certainly not best quality (we do hear good things about the larger birds...F16/18), probably the best kits for price related to quality!

For me, although my wallet has increased over the years, I still refuse to pay more than a little bit for a model... well, except or those to tempting or special to resist. I have paid 80 guilders (35 euro's/40 bucks) for a1/32 Monogram Patton tank, but over half was spend on shipping and payment fees... a once in a lifetime...

I would say that the relative price of a kit today is comparable to a brand-new video game. Granted, video games depreciate in prices, while models generally do not. However, in todays "bigger, better, faster" way of life, video and audio entertainment definitely take most of the cake when it comes to the user demographic. For that reason, cheaper, entry level kits SHOULD be manufactured, simply because the average pre-teen/teen will not equate a model to the same level/amount of entertainment as a video game, or something similar. Thus some other incentive, and why not price, should be introduced to get more people into the hobby. It'll be interesting to see where this hobby goes, especially in the far future, in a decade or two, when the majority of the modelling masses depart. Who will the void be filled by.?

Of all the kits currently in my stash, only one or two were purchased at full price. While buying kits on sale may limit my options a little, I still have a pile of kits that I want to build. A lot of younger shoppers are either unaware that there are deals to be found out there or are to impatient to wait for them. And I was one of them. My LHS runs 4-6 major sales a year and Hobby Lobby runs specials almost monthly. Of course there is probably nothing that can be done about the impatience of youth...

Who will the gap be filed by? Me, and other kids like me. However, there are evry few of us, so I forsee a definite shrink in modeling in a decade or 2.

Price is also a relativity of location. When I visited Japan (Tokyo and Fukuoka)earlier this year I came back with a stash of Hasegawa and Tamiya kits due to the good deal on the exchange rate and prices. The Revell-Monogram (though relatively cheap in the U.S.) was more expensive than the Hasegawa or Tamiya kits. Reason, it's a "local" company. Same applies to Revell-Monogram in the U.S.

As for "bridging the gap", I can't remember what company manufactured the first kit I built (I do know it was a 1/48 F-8 Crusader) and I botched that kit all up (too much glue, painted over decals...what the hey, I was seven and it was my Dad that got me started), but it got me on the right path. If that kit was a cheap 1/48 model or a top of the line Hasegawa, either way it would have been botched up, but I was learning. I still practice my skills on smaller or "cheaper" kits; it makes one appreciate the higher quality kits (and cost) later on. We've been teaching and helping each other and the next generation of modelers through this forum as well. There have been a few in this forum that have shared stories of their sons, daughters, grandkids, etc...getting into the hobby. There are also a few that have "come back/rediscovered" the hobby as well (I being one of them). I guess that there will always be some sort of "gap" in the hobby, but from what I've seen, it's alive, well, and growing pretty strong.

Cheers!

Svankreijl is right on about academy!

My first kit since I was a little guy was the 1/72 F4F-4, and though it didn't have any cockpit detail (actually, you can see the inside of the cockpit by looking through the gear wells!), external detail was great, assembly was utterly idiot-proof, and the kit only cost around three dollars.

We really do need more kits like that, inexpensive, easy to assemble, and build into a great-looking model with minimal effort.

Oh that reminds me, has anyone seen the Testors SNJ recently? I can't seem to find it anymore. Oh man I love that kit!

I'm confused?

There seems to be plenty of inexpensive kits out there. My kids are using their meager allowence (I know it is, 'cause I pay'em meagerly!) to buy kits. And they haven't bought a kit over $20CDN yet. Mind you I'm buying all the paint, and that can be every bit as expensive.

And before anybody sniffs and derides Revell and AMT, sure the kits are simple but my boys are having a blast putting them together, and that's what counts.

And yeah, they also spend $40-$60 on computer games, so do I. We have lots of hobbies/passions we share.

I agree that it is important to have less expensive kits, but I disagree that they are not available. I remember when I was a kid, I dreamed of having a big enough allowance to afford a model per week. I never did achieve it and still haven't (with a wife, three kids and a cat, my allowance is still pretty pathetic) but I can find lots of great projects (I'm not a superdetailer - yet). My 12 year old son is just getting interested and he wanted something fairly splashy. He bought an 1/72 Italeri F-14 that went together pretty well despite his limited skill, and with some help from me on the painting, he is pretty pleased with the result. Cost, not including paint (supplied by Dad) $14 Canadian, bought half-price at Great Models Webstore.

Sadly,I am a victim of these over priced models.Being 12, I dont make an allowence,so I mainly build in the revell monogram line,but still have much fun.Recently my dad suprised me by taking me to a hobby shop.My first trip to one.I was blown away,but not by the amount of models and or paint they had,but the price.My dad was kind enough to buy me a 36.00$ kit.Thats very expensive to me.The kit was Tamiyas 1/48 scale Corsair w/mototug.I just wish those kind of awesome quality kits were less expensive.SO now in my stash I have 1 tamiya kit,2 revell kits,a testors kit,and a minicraft 1/144 scale kit.Just my

Not to sound rude or harsh or anything, but you get what you pay for.