Sideshow ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader

[banthafett]

Man, I wanted to order this for my sons collection for a xmas present, after they started shipping out. But with all these problems, not sure if I will or not.

How easy is it to tell if you have bad items? Would I have to unpack everything, or can you tell right away as soon as you open box? I imagine figure would have to be pulled out to see if you got a ****ty cape.

This **** is getting out of hand, getting tired of getting burned and jump through hoops to get what you paid for. SS does not have a good track record for the prices they are charging.

 

[Royce12]

For most of the problems you are looking for I think you will have to unpack it. On the positive side at least if you have a problem you can keep the figure while the replacement part is shipped to you. You won't have to take his gift away.


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[Wor-Gar]

But you will have to destroy Vader's head in front of your child... which could be traumatizing. And they specify, in front of your child. Sorry.

 

[Maglor]

He is so tall that I can't even bear to have him displayed on one of my shelves yet. Even when I have him out for a period of time, I think, this is pretty nice, but DAMN! I spent $250 for all these mistakes that could shave been so easily accounted for if there had been a little more attention to detail. Even the fact they used RED wire for the electrical hookups makes me sigh.

So is he shorter an the ANH Vader or not?

Hi Mag! I am pleased to meet you again, after all this time when I had to put aside my hobbies.
I'll have to come take a look at your "new" pieces of art in your menagerie!

Hello baloo!

You remind me that I need to update the Menagere. I have got a bunch of stuff that hasn't made it's way there yet.

It looks very good on its own apart from the space between the helmet and shoulders, even the skinny arms can be somewhat disguised/hidden by posing. But my shelves are all "top shelf" already and putting him on any of them would make him the low point. He would be a glaring sore-spot in that one cabinet along side DX07 Luke until I can fix his scale. And believe me, I absolutely loath to modify what should be a finished figure. With the exception of one single figure, all my other pre-packed/retail ones are stock.

Which is why I thought Hot Toys would make a Vader.

But you will have to destroy Vader's head in front of your child... which could be traumatizing. And they specify, in front of your child. Sorry.

 

[joebizz34]

So is he shorter an the ANH Vader or not?

Many have stated here who own both at this point that this new one is a tad shorter. Not by much though.

 

[Maglor]

Thanks. Maybe I'll wait for a sale. I got my ANH Vader cheap from Go Hastings.

 

[Pixelpiper]

So is he shorter an the ANH Vader or not?

Yes, technically and according to specs. But that's one of the issues. The spec says 13.75" for Deluxe Vader- the ANH version was 14" right? But people have been getting this Vader at anything from 13.5" to 14" tall. Mine was 14" out of the box. After a good amount of squishing I got him down by only 1/8"

Both this Deluxe Vader and ANH Vader need work. Someone else just mentioned a short list of the pros and cons of both releases, and I pretty much agree with them. Instead of a body swap, I'm likely to take a band-saw to the original body, but only after first performing the helmet repositioning mod (cutting down the top of the face mask). Then I'll know how much needs to be taken away from other parts like the thighs, torso, arms and neck.

 

[stevenmh]

Yes, technically and according to specs. But that's one of the issues. The spec says 13.75" for Deluxe Vader- the ANH version was 14" right? But people have been getting this Vader at anything from 13.5" to 14" tall. Mine was 14" out of the box. After a good amount of squishing I got him down by only 1/8"

I think my ANH was about 14-1/4" out of the box. After the torso mod he's 13-7/8". I recall being a little disappointed because I had read it would take 1/2-3/4" off the height and I had hoped to get closer to 13-1/2".

My ROTJ was also 14-1/4" out of the box. I pushed down on the shoulders and got some compression. Then I pushed some more and heard a pop. Now he's right at 14". I tried some more, tried pushing up the boots too, but it seems this is as much as he's going to compact.

Looks like lforigno is still selling custom capes and robes on eBay. Just need to decide whether I want to spend a couple hundred bucks on a pair of bodies and robes/capes.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think my ANH was about 14-1/4" out of the box. After the torso mod he's 13-7/8".

Yes, this is truth! Same for me on my ANH -- 14.25"

13.75" with torso mod - removing the center torso piece all together.

KP02 swap got me down to 13.5"... which feels and looks about right with HT Bespin Luke.



Easy fix would be to simply bend Vader's knees slightly and correct with ankles.

 

[stevenmh]

KP02 swap got me down to 13.5"... which feels and looks about right with HT Bespin Luke.

Any pics of that? And I assume you had to get a custom cape after taking it down 3/4"? Although given the stock ANH cape, the custom would be worth it even without a height mod.

 

[CaptnRex]

But my shelves are all "top shelf" already and putting him on any of them would make him the low point. He would be a glaring sore-spot

Yeah he's hideous, I put a blind fold on when I walk past my collection.

Give it a rest, every 5th post you mention the height issue.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Any pics of that? And I assume you had to get a custom cape after taking it down 3/4"? Although given the stock ANH cape, the custom would be worth it even without a height mod.

ilforigno is using my pics in his auction actually. Not great pics but its all I have...

 

[Pixelpiper]

Give it a rest, every 5th post you mention the height issue.

I'm hoping that eventually all the hammering will make him shrink. It's also kind of hard not to mention the height issue when you're directly replying to someone who was asking about height and shelf presence compared to the other Vader version. Not mentioning the height would have made for a pretty useless reply.

 

[joebizz34]

Ok guys...I just modded my Vader to be shorter but I might have gone a little overboard. What do you think?

 

[Lejuan]

Ok guys...I just modded my Vader to be shorter but I might have gone a little overboard. What do you think?

hard to tell without a side-by-side with DX Luke

 

[DEATHASYLUM]

Ok guys...I just modded my Vader to be shorter but I might have gone a little overboard. What do you think?

Way too tall.

 

[stevenmh]

ilforigno is using my pics in his auction actually. Not great pics but its all I have...

View attachment 92919

Oh, that's nice. Thanks very much!

 

[VinMan]

Ok guys...I just modded my Vader to be shorter but I might have gone a little overboard. What do you think?

Ha Ha ha!! Best laugh I have had today!!

 

[joebizz34]

hard to tell without a side-by-side with DX Luke

Way too tall.

Tough crowd,

 

[joebizz34]

Ha Ha ha!! Best laugh I have had today!!

Just trying to lighten the mood a bit.