Just starting to collect TFs, any thoughts?

[darthrage]

Hey guys,

Howzit going? Urban Samurai here, just wanted to hear feedback from fellow collectors and veteran collectors about how they feel about just getting into the TF collecting hobby.

I'm an 80s fanboy so I've rushed home from school to watch Transformers. My dad always went to Hong Kong back and forth for business so he always bought all kinds of robot toys including the original Takara transformers. And once in a while, my mom would take us (my brother and I) to Woodwards when they were around and Toys and Wheels (when they were around) and we would buy G1 TFs but they are all gone, probably given away or sold to antique toy shops for real cheap.

Anyways, back when RID was popular, I bought them all. But I re-sold them all!!! It was because I collected waaaaaaaay too many lines non-Transformer toys such Star Wars, anime figures, gashapons, Kubricks, busts, statues, McFarlane Toys, other movie related figures, 1/6 scale figures and other stuffs. And then it just got way out of hand so I sold almost everything just so that I can stick to only 1 line.

But anyways, with the movie coming out in just over a month from now, I can't help but feel the TF bug again. Right now I have MP of Prime, Megs and Starscream. I am getting Skywarp. I'm collecting the movie toys, I wanna buy back my RID collection, and I wanna get into Binaltechs/Alternators and MAYBE the re-issues of the re-issues. But unlike before, I'm just getting the ones I like. I'm not going to buy everything.

I remember how fun it was to visit TRU, Walmart and Superstore, etc. just to see if I find any treasures when I collected McFarlane and Star Wars. Now the fun is coming back now that I am into TFs again. I'm not going to get into G1 because its just too difficult to track them all down and plus I know what its like to deal with TF dealers (no offense to dealers). I just prefer to buy retail. Its more fun that way.

I have some TF collector friends and they tell me that I shouldn't get into it cuz its too addictive. But I already know that and I know what I'm getting into. Only problem right now is that I don't have any display space. So whatever I've bought so far is still in packages.

Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself and say hi to the community.

[Batman]

They are addictive and expensive, but they are so awesome!!!!! Try Alternators (if you care that much about diecast you can pay twice as much for the Binaltech), I like grimlock the best.

You are already doing great by getting the 3 greatest Transformers ever (The Masterpieces).

The Encore line is great if you missed out on these figures the first time around. G1 Optimus Prime is one of the greatest action figures of all time.

Well good luck fellow collector!

[jourdo]

Get out! Get out while you still can! Your wallet will thank you.

Seriously, they are damn addictive. I know with me it started out with "I'll just buy this one b/c it looks really cool" (Alt Smokescreen). Then it was "hey this looks like a really good take of a character I used to love" (Energon Rodimus). It was all downhill from there. I started wanted to re-accquire the toys I had as a kid. Then I wanted the toys I always wanted as a kid. Then the MP line came out and I had to get the Optimus Prime I always wanted.

BTW... I've loved every minute of that ride down the hill! Well worth it! You and your wallet will no longer be friends, but hey you will be buying new friends! Go for it!!!

[Shepp]

definitely look into the alternators and binaltech lines. they're great from a collector and fan standpoint. if you get in on that, buy nemesis prime as soon as you possibly can, since there's only so many of them out there. you'll pay through the nose for it too.

start with alts and binaltechs, get some of the reissues and classics and titaniums that appeal to you, and work your way up from there. check places like www.bwtf.com and www.seibertron.com for pics of figures before you consider them.

some look great in box, but crappy when out, and others are vice-versa. dont rely 100% on the pics though, titanium soundwave looks crappy in pics, but looks great in person.

as for other tf series, unless you have a ludicrous amount of funds and space, i'd suggest only picking up key characters and cool sculpts. sure, the RID spychangers are neat, but do they really display well next to classics figures?

set up some guidelines for what you want your transformers collection to consist of, and rarely venture away from that. but by all means feel free to revise what you want out of your collection every so often.

oh, and set aside some display and storage space. always designate more storage than you think you'll need, and rotate the figures on display every few months. that should also be the time that you clear off dust from the figures and shelf.

my biggest piece of advice would be to only pick up stuff you have a reason to. "i will buy this figure just so that i have it" is not a legitimate excuse. i ran into that problem a while ago, and i still have a big box of stuff to sell.

its an expensive hobby, but a cool one.

oh, if you're looking for stuff to cross over into your star wars collection, then look no further than the star wars transformers. and attactix

there are also gijoe transformers coming out within the next year or so.

as for related non-transformers series, the masterpiece brave figures fit in quite well.

good luck, and welcome back into the group.


edit: other advice, any accessories that arent required for the figure on display should be stored elsewhere with the instructions. this includes mssiles and weapons. i've been shot in the face many times while moving figures, and i've also had to move furniture to recover parts that fell behind them.

oh, and get some generic looking minimates to display with your alternators if you display them in vehicle mode.

and battle scenes make for exellent displays. i've had energon scorponok displayed frozen in time while throwing some of the energon basic figures. very dynamic.

[Aernaroth]

If you dont think you have the space or the wallet to be a completionist, consider collecting other things. Minicons/micromasters/world's smallest transformers, or non-transformer transformers items (statues, kabaya sets, etc). There's a lot of really cool stuff out there, and there's a lot of different ways to approach collecting.

[QuadESL63]

Try to limit yourself to the lines that you really wanted. I only do Gundams and Transformers, and I resisted temptations on some of the other anime figures, like Soul of Chogokin line, (I do have one... a Volts V but I try very hard not to continue), masked riders, Macross, etc. It is already too expensive to do TFs and Gundams and I'm running out of space. I have to be in control for a bit

And, don't be a completionist Again, ask yourself what you really want. Yes, I know it is easier to say than done

[GMfan]

If you want money and sanity turn around before its too late!

[darthrage]

Thanks for the feedback and welcome wagon guys, I really appreciate that. So far shelf space is the only problem. My wallet ain't so bad. Not that I'm rich but its definitely more cheaper than my resin bust and statue collecting habits which I don't really do any more.

I used to have EVERY SINGLE Transformers Bust and Statue made by Hard Hero except I stopped when they produced the Statue form of Optimus and Megs.

But yeah, I do plan to just collect what I like and not be a completist.

I really only like the TFs that Transform into what appears to be a realistic looking vehicle or something that I actually would think would exist. Even though that type of car doesn't exist, at least it looks somewhat realistic. I don't think I'll get into the really sci-fi lines like Armada.

But yeah, Binaltechs and Alternators for sure. G1 of course will be too hard and expensive to catch up with so i'll just get the re-issues i like.

Also if it looks too weird in the robot form, then I'm probably wouldn't get it. Some have really strange robot transformers and of course we all know that, as Transformers have definitely evolved since the mid 80s.

But I still love them and thanks again!

[Robimus]

Might I suggest the classics line? I recently got back into collecting myself and I love the classics. They are super accurate to the old cartoon, especially the Jets and Prime. The masterpeices are awesome but a little to expensive for me-the classics are what got me back into Transformers collecting. Have fun with your new collecting!

[Trans4mers]

Alex,

Welcome to the fandom. Welcome to transformers haha. Its going to be hell for you :P just kidding. If you need any insight, lmk.

Gabe