Is Bandai's Star Trek light up model worth it?

Depends on how you define worth it. If you want a quick build with reasonable lighting effect go with the Bandai kit. I built one for a friend in 4 evenings with a slight modification to the base to clean up a seam. The kit was bought at a local HobbyTown store for around $90. However I did glue it together for greater strength. I would also suggest replacing the kit supplied switch with a more robust one as after a few times of use it needed replacing. Granted it is a smaller scale model than the Polar Lights 1/350 kit I am also building, it has also proven to be cheaper than the lighting I am planning to use although the Bandai kit is not as potentially impressive as the Polar Lights kit.                                                             

warhorse3 wrote:

Depends on how you define worth it. If you want a quick build with reasonable lighting effect go with the Bandai kit. I built one for a friend in 4 evenings with a slight modification to the base to clean up a seam. The kit was bought at a local HobbyTown store for around $90. However I did glue it together for greater strength. I would also suggest replacing the kit supplied switch with a more robust one as after a few times of use it needed replacing. Granted it is a smaller scale model than the Polar Lights 1/350 kit I am also building, it has also proven to be cheaper than the lighting I am planning to use although the Bandai kit is not as potentially impressive as the Polar Lights kit.

Four evenings? That long? I thought it was a snap fit. Could you post any picture on the Bandai's model perhaps with comparison with the Polar build? US$90.00 Gosh it does cost somethin

Any suggestion which model i should go for? Is each model comparable in quality or there's a must have model from Bandai?

$90-$110 hey?.. I have a brand new NX-01 sitting since the day I bought it (I got 2 when they came out).. I have been trying to sell it for $60 + shipping, but no one wants it.. I get an email saying that they are interested in it, and then nothing..

4 days is if you really are taking your time. But they are able to be built in an afternoon.. Its not that they are lit, and snap together. Its that they have an A1 paintjob.. Not many people can replicate the NX-01 painjob and so this is about as perfect as it gets.. I love mine, and I have all of them..

 Chris

Chris how about some pics of your Bandai's Trek model? I prefer new one though. You actually repainted the model? The box says no painting and glue required. does the box lie or the stock paint job(finish) is poorly done.

The stock or your repainted models have an A1 paintjob? which means what top notch finish? or pretty basic paintjob. . I've heard you have a superbly done Polar's Trek model. Care to share its  pic aswell just to compare...

Hi Michael, just saw your message.. Yes I have got all of them (except Voyager), but the one I was talking about was an unbuilt NX-01 that I have sitting doing nothing.. Still in its original plastic and all. Never been opened..

As for the paintwork, what I was trying to say was, that these Bandai models come pre painted and the paintwork by Bandai is A1.. I wasn't being rude about people painting the NX-01, but it is a very difficult scheme to complete, and so the Bandai one is as good as it gets.. That goes for its other offerings aswell.. 

As for hearing about my work, I am happy to hear that someone has liked what I have done... I have built 2 Polar Lights Refits with one being sold to a collector, and the second still sitting half finished a year or more after I started it.. As for pics, are you looking for pics of the Bandai NX-01?.. I will clean my built one up and post a few pics for you...

Cheers,
Chris

It took me that long for putty and paint to dry on the base. The ship only took two evenings assembling and touching up. I wish I could post pics for you but I don't have that capability at this time. I glued it together beause there were noticable gaps at some of seams that the pins couldn't close by themselves. This is very minor compared to the fun and games required on the PL kit at the nacelle strut to hull seams. To me the Bandai kit when lit has a slightly toylike apperance due to the nacelle lighting being uneven along their length. On the PL kit yu have the room to engineer in a more realistic looking system using l.e.d.'s or electroluminesent sheeting. The Bandai would be the way to go if display space is limited being a little more than 1/3rd the size of the PL kit. Otherwise, the PL offers greater potential detailing oppotunity even with it's greater building challenges. My any way. Hope this helps.                                 

All the Bandai Kits are worth their weight in gold. I have all of them and they look great. They are for a very experienced modeler though. And you must follow the directions to the letter,or you can mess up real easy. The NX-01 is the easiest out of all the Bandai Kits which are now discontinued,but still available from Ebay.If I were to start out on a Bandai kit,the NX would be the one I would do first.

Admiral Grasshopper1 wrote:

All the Bandai Kits are worth their weight in gold. I have all of them and they look great. They are for a very experienced modeler though. And you must follow the directions to the letter,or you can mess up real easy. The NX-01 is the easiest out of all the Bandai Kits which are now discontinued,but still available from Ebay.If I were to start out on a Bandai kit,the NX would be the one I would do first.

They don't requite glue and painting so how come they are for a very experienced modeler? Are we talkin the same kit? Why did bandai discontinue NX-01? That makes it practically a collectible item.

Michael Withstand wrote:

Admiral Grasshopper1 wrote: All the Bandai Kits are worth their weight in gold. I have all of them and they look great. They are for a very experienced modeler though. And you must follow the directions to the letter,or you can mess up real easy. The NX-01 is the easiest out of all the Bandai Kits which are now discontinued,but still available from Ebay.If I were to start out on a Bandai kit,the NX would be the one I would do first. They don't requite glue and painting so how come they are for a very experienced modeler? Are we talkin the same kit? Why did bandai discontinue NX-01? That makes it practically a collectible item.

Yes we are talkin about the same kit,They require experience because of the lighting and wiring that is involved in doing one of them. And Bandai discontinued them cause I guess they weren't selling or they just decided to discontinue making them. And Yes they are collectors items now. I would not part with my set though,as they are to valuable to me and my collection of models.

And if you do not have one of these,I would buy Chris In Japan's kit if he still has it for sale. Ebay has been chargin folks well over $100.00 for these.

Interesting. One last question. Should i opt for NCC-1701 or NX-01? I have the tendency to pick NX-01 but which one prettier? NCC-1701(The original series) has a classic aura abt it. Those two are the only option i got. I know this depends on personal taste but what would you recommend/prefer one than the other and why? Don't want to spend $100 then be dissapointed.

An idiot can build them...

These models are great, and for myself I think worth the money for a replica.. I state the word replica..

If you want a professionally built and lit model, than you need to see a professional model builder.. 

These Bandai models are tricky , but simply kids play with a bit of know how.. Its just a matter of getting all the wires to stuff in there and getting the parts to fit.. Follow the instructions and you wont have a problem.. They are not for people with high modeling skills at all and so why they are released by a Gundam kit manufacturer.. 

Anyone can build them, and they look nice when completed.. I dont work for Bandai, nor care less if you get one.. But I just wanted you to be given the correct information before you ran out and bought a few.. 

Chris 

Michael Withstand wrote:

Interesting. One last question. Should i opt for NCC-1701 or NX-01? I have the tendency to pick NX-01 but which one prettier? NCC-1701(The original series) has a classic aura abt it. Those two are the only option i got. I know this depends on personal taste but what would you recommend/prefer one than the other and why? Don't want to spend $100 then be dissapointed.

I would start with the NX-01 first,that is the one I started out with,it was pretty easy enough of a build.Then after you get the gest of how they work,you could move on to the Refit Enterprise model. As I said before I have all 4 of these great model kits,and I would not part with mine. They are worth their weight in gold to me. But this is my opinion. My suggestion would be to try the NX-01 and if you like how it turns out move on to the next kit if you like it.

There are plenty still on sale in Japan, and people have to realise that these models were infact designed for the Japanese market.. Meaning they were designed as replica's to be built by children and the average collector.

All of these are fine kits that can be built by anyone.  Experienced modelers can address the few seam issues that are inevitable with a snap together kit. Pay close attention to the wire routing and insertion into the little channels for the wires to lay in. These build up into beautiful models that look great on a shelf or desk and don't take 6 months to build, light, and paint.  (I wired my Enterprise A through an AC/DC converter and stepdown transformer and use it as a nightlight for my son.).

Well I thought so, I bought the whole range, I absolutely love them. They are much nicer in the flesh than photos.

Terry.