bashing kits and their companies

I wonder who the 3 are? Why won't they say? My guess is they are little players in the field.

Read the whole article and the comments.

I understand where it is coming from and I too do not like the "in the box" reviews. I always try to find an actual reviewer who built the kit.

OMG, are you serious?  I blush for the guy who wrote that pathetic little piece of pandering fiction...another one of those people who think we should be grateful there are companies willing to sell products and make a buck off of plastic model consumers...If any company ever really does feel like throwing a tantrum and decides not to make a buck from us, good riddance...

tigerman

I wonder who the 3 are? Why won't they say? My guess is they are little players in the field.

 

i was thinking the same. well, i guess they will make more $$ producing for the auto industry. 

Tamiya, Dragon, Revell

Or you could read the article and find out the truth.

I'm in agreement with Hawkeye's editorial...there seems to be more "bashin'and bitchin'" on certain kits before they are released.  Basing your sum total of whether you would buy a kit based on one pre-pre-pre production CAD drawing is, frankly, kind of dumb. 

"In-Box" reviews are not all bad...I like to see the "plastic on the sprue", the decals, any etch or resin bits (etc); that said I will not make my buying decision solely based on that kind of review.  My buying decision will be based on a full-build review in the model press (print or electronic), combined with any feedback modelers I respect and know ....and of course, is the subject and scale something I'm interested in at a price I can afford.  Just my humble opine....

I doubt in reality that a company would change their focus because their feelings were hurt.  It's all money driven, so if sales were down that's one thing, but that's like saying Ford would give up on the auto industry because of bad reviews.

I get the point about complaining before the kit comes out, but companies have to realize that if you're charging $50 for plastic I have to put together I do expect it to be good.

Interesting fiction.

Complaining about products from manufacturers in any segment of industry (auto, electronics, etc...) is common practice and helps to keep them honest and in conformance to what the customer wants and expects for his hard earned money...if a manufacturer doesn't have thick enough skin to take the opinions of their customers they need to get out of the game...Anyways, I frankly belive that the "editorial" is more of one overly-sensitive modeler's opinion more than the industrys' perception of such things...they are interested in making money, period...

I thought the whole purpose of showing the CAD was to get feedback so that a company could correct any errors before they cut metal

Also, an "in the box review" would have saved me $46 on two model kits a while back, just a look at the sprues would have been enough to see that the kits I wanted were just scaled down from the two larger scales, with none of the shape issues addressed (that was the very last time I will be an "early customer", from now on, I will wait and read)

If a company foists a "blue Sabre shaped thing" off as a Fury, I would like to know it before I give them $30 for a kit ,,,,,it might "look like a Fury" to some guy on the internet,,,,,but, it is supposed to look like a Fury to everyone that sees it,,,,,not just the guys that think a Fury is just a Blue or Gray Sabre (In the Fury's case, I very well know that *I* couldn't get away with trying to pass off a Blue Sabre as a Fury, as a modeler,,,,,maybe we should try not to have a company foist the same off on the customer?)

The piece I wrote was to make one think about this very thing happening and what impact it would have on this hobby and the reasons for the departure of a company or companies from the market. If this scenario actually did happen can you imagine the real shock and awe it would produce? I can imagine the conversations on the various forums!

There are model companies currently that have gone into a self imposed hiatus, others have closed their doors with no explanation (publicly) and there are those who simply failed as a business. When these do happen it sends a ripple through the hobby, on both sides of the counter...consumer and retailer.

It is probably true that a small cottage mfr producing esoteric subjects won't shake up the entire industry, but it does send a ripple a small ripple but one none the less.

Sure it gives someone else an opportunity, but fewer and fewer are taking up those so called opportunities and the challenges that come with them.

We've all probably experienced using a product that once gone from the market and we really missed having it. Even those who stepped up to replace it with something else, well it just wasn't the same as the original.

You can push and demand a mfr improve their products quality, but don't be surprised that what they are doing is just all that they are capable of, or its what they are willing to do because it is their niche in the market.

If a product doesn't meet your standards, then express how they are not. But before you do, have first hand knowledge, not just speculation. I've read where some have judged a kit based on the box art!

Yep, it sure does put a "shudder in my shoulders" if this would ever become a "reality"-based piece of news...

Yep, model kit producers are in the biz to make money, but I do not think any are so arrogant to believe they can foist off a POS and call it good.  Like any other business, it is a balance of factors that will make up the product and it is up to us as rational, informed consumers to make the choice.  If a company continues to produce garbage, and arrogantly does not listen to consumer feedback, then yes, that company probably deserves to twist in the wind.  However I would bet 99.9999% of the companies still on the scene are not like that.  Again, just my humble...

HawkeyeHobbies

...fewer and fewer are taking up those so called opportunities and the challenges that come with them.

I would just about "bet the stash" that right about now Fujimi wishes they had posted a ruler up next to their latest F-15 kit, before they cut metal and released the kits

I don't remember the scale it turned out to actually be,,,,,,,,but,,,,,,when an "in-scale" kit gets put over the top of your new parts, and your's sticks out a bunch on all sides,,,,,that has got to be awkward, at the very least

It looks to be perfect in proportion, just too big all around

And yes, it is getting negative comments,,,,,mostly because it won't sit on the shelf next to any other Eagle and be in the same scale

TarnShip

I would just about "bet the stash" that right about now Fujimi wishes they had posted a ruler up next to their latest F-15 kit, before they cut metal and released the kits

I don't remember the scale it turned out to actually be,,,,,,,,but,,,,,,when an "in-scale" kit gets put over the top of your new parts, and your's sticks out a bunch on all sides,,,,,that has got to be awkward, at the very least

It looks to be perfect in proportion, just too big all around

And yes, it is getting negative comments,,,,,mostly because it won't sit on the shelf next to any other Eagle and be in the same scale

Manstein's revenge

HawkeyeHobbies:

...fewer and fewer are taking up those so called opportunities and the challenges that come with them.

 

Do you have any data that backs that up?  From my point of view I've never seen so many companies competing for our modeling dollar...

Could it be that some of the perceived void in model company presence is due to the global economic situation?

Reasoned

Manstein's revenge:

HawkeyeHobbies:

...fewer and fewer are taking up those so called opportunities and the challenges that come with them.

 

Do you have any data that backs that up?  From my point of view I've never seen so many companies competing for our modeling dollar...

 

Could it be that some of the perceived void in model company presence is due to the global economic situation?

I am sure many of us know one company at least doesn't like anything negative. Recall the problems PMMS had a while back which almost shut it down. Just because we are only glueing pieces of plastic together doesn't mean we shouldn't pipe up when something is incorrect.

[quote user="Bish"]

Just because we are only glueing pieces of plastic together shouldn't mean we should pipe up when something is in correct.

[/quote...]"should" or "shouldn't" ?

Reasoned

 

Manstein's revenge:

 

 

HawkeyeHobbies:

...fewer and fewer are taking up those so called opportunities and the challenges that come with them.

 

Do you have any data that backs that up?  From my point of view I've never seen so many companies competing for our modeling dollar...

 

 

 

Could it be that some of the perceived void in model company presence is due to the global economic situation?

I would agree.  Hobby companies supply to a somewhat niche market.  While the members of this forum are all in support of modelling we don't represent the mass majority.  Just look at the wide variety of hobby shops available in each city.  As we often discuss the shrinking supply of kits in michaels and hobby lobby, closure of another LHS or that places like Walmart don't even stock crap kits to spark interest in kids.

It's all economics.

If a company closes or goes into hiatus yes it's never good and does send that ripple through the industry but I'd be interested to see any proof that it's over a temper tantrum.

[quote user="Manstein's revenge"]

[quote user="Bish"]

Just because we are only gluing pieces of plastic together shouldn't mean we should pipe up when something is in correct.

[/quote...]"should" or "shouldn't" ?

[/quote]

taking English lessons from a Yank how embarrassing

Don't let von Manstein's question escape here.  I have no data either but we do seem to be enjoying a flood of new kits featuring new models, variants, and even types.  I concentrate usually in 1/48 WWII aircraft, and even in that small slice of the hobby there is a lot of exciting stuff going on.  Throw in the whole realm of the hobby and it looks like manufacturers old and new are churning out plastic at a breakneck pace.  Maybe manufacturers are monitoring forums, utube, twitter and the rest of the internet and saying that there is a sophisticated clientele out there that will pay good money for plastic and all the related paraphernalia.  Maybe they realize that there is a high  and low end that customers will patronize.  And maybe, just maybe the bashing and bitchin is influencing them in a manner that will create an urgency to excel in accuracy and quality, raising the industry to a new level.  

I have a very limited knowledge of the model industry, but I do work in the compression and injection plastic industry.  The machines that design and manufacture the tooling/molds for injection parts are a quantum leap from the early days.  Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I guess with equipment like that in house a manufacturer would have a lot more ability to design and produce molds faster and at a lower cost from all the hand work of the old days.  But for one reason or another, Manny is right, there seems to be a lot going on these days.  Rick

[quote user="Bish"]

Manstein's revenge:

 

[quote user="Bish"]

Just because we are only gluing pieces of plastic together shouldn't mean we should pipe up when something is in correct.

[/quote...]"should" or "shouldn't" ?

 

taking English lessons from a Yank how embarrassing

[/quote]

Manny a Yank?

...maybe...........

just sayin'...............

If that happens and two of the names are 'Academy' and 'Trumpeter' I wont be sad at all, never had a good experience with those kits.

Personally if you make something its going to be bashed.  Heck, Frederick the Great and CPE Bach maliciously set out to humiliate his father, JS Bach, and he is one of the titans of music.  It is ALWAYS going to happen.  If you cant take it just get out now, honestly.

With the CAD stuff, I dont mind it if they do it early but I dont want to look at photos on a store, or on the box and see CAD drawings instead of images of the actual kit, that is a serious no go for me, same as if the box doesn't have any images of it besides artwork.

Honestly, for people that build gundam kits there is a certain site or two that open the box and put up images of every single sprue, the instructions, and how the kit looks built so we can know,  open box reviews are almost a necessity. 

Also, Bandai is a good example, they CONSTANTLY strive to make their products better and better.  The only complaint you can have is that the price is going up and up with the quality.  Other companies though... they just seem to stagnate and keep doing stuff the same way they have been for years just with more advanced tools.

don't know why people bash on trumpeter. I've built one of their kits with no problems. most people that bash never scene or built the kit. just want to believe everything and they read. all companies have good N bad kits. I've got two hasegawa kits that turned into trash. i don't base my review of the company over one bad kit. it happens. 

First, a fictional tale as stated by the author.

Second, perhaps I am sheltered as I do not see / read the bashing and bitching that is professed.

I've been purchasing for 50+ years and, for the most part, know what I am getting into prior to monies being exchanged.     If I would "bash" or otherwise, it would be with my poor retail judgement.

I think the whole article is total malarkey.

I very much enjoy in box and / or build reviews from sites and individuals on the Web. To be honest, I trust some reviewers opinion more than others. If they mention a kit that isn't up to snuff, I'll take it off my want list even if it's a subject I'm interested in. If they praise a kit but I realize it requires a higher skill level than mine, again I'll pass.

I haven't seen much actual bashing of products but do appreciate when the trusted reviewers point out a kit's deficiency. Thanks to these reviewers, I've saved time, money and frustration!

There is one in particular I like to read, Tom Cleaver. I think his reviews are unbiased and contain good information, not to mention that he also builds very well! I've also received very good advice here on FSM.

So while bashing kits serves no purpose, a well written review, be it positive or negative, is a great help-.

randypandy831

don't know why people bash on trumpeter. I've built one of their kits with no problems. most people that bash never scene or built the kit. just want to believe everything and they read. all companies have good N bad kits. I've got two hasegawa kits that turned into trash. i don't base my review of the company over one bad kit. it happens. 

To a point i would totally agree, i try and take each company one kit at a time. But there are some things you can take as a given. I haven't built an Academy kit yet, though i have a few. But i have read so many time that their decals are poor. And of course, i have to take account of this and prepair to use AM decals for their kits. And there are other things you can almost count on with a certain brand.

maybe i just don't visit the right modelling site, to be honest i only regular visit 3, well 2 now PMMS has gone quiet. But i can't say i have seen company bashing, just people pointing out errors in kits. And as long as these companies are makeing money, they will carry on produceing kits, good and bad.

smeagol the vile

If that happens and two of the names are 'Academy' and 'Trumpeter' I wont be sad at all, never had a good experience with those kits.

That's your loss man, since both companies, like every other company on the market, have some fantastic products, and some that are less so. I built, from both companies, very early, to very recent offerings, and I don't understand what the crying is about.

As to the topic at hand, I think its a little bit of a waste of breath. The fact remains that large-scale manufacturing is performed for the sole purpose of financial gain. If a company REALLY went under due to negative feedback, doesn't that say something about the products they release at large?

Also, considering the plethora of manufacturers available today, it seems only a logical assumption, just as in every other industry, that not all of those companies are going to survive forever.

Reading comments from various modelers for about ten years on the internet now has led me to believe that most individuals don't really make purchases based on reviews, but rather based on their interests in a given subject matter.