Anyone wish they had got into the hobby sooner ?

I've been interested in the hobby since 2011 (I'm 24 now) and only got my first doll in 2014.

The hobby was incredible then, but now its insane how many different people there are creating and selling things! I took a two year break and im blown away because everything I wished was real in the hobby is now.

Realistic clothes, replica sneakers, lace front wigs, realistic small iris eyes, independent sculptors making really unique heads and bodies-- I think you've come into the hobby at a great time. Its never too soon or too late

 

I definitely felt this way at first too. When I first started out in the hobby, I would think "ahh if only I was around 3 years sooner, I could've been around when [sculpt name] was available for preorder or before [sculpt name] was discontinued!" but I find that I don't really ever feel that way anymore! My tastes keep changing with the more time I've spent in the hobby, there's always new things catching my attention, and I'm discovering so many more lovely dolls each day. The feeling you have when you finally have something you've been searching after for a long time is also a really fun part of the experience! In the mean time, there's plenty of time to shower your first doll with lots of attention, I've found that it becomes more difficult with the more dolls you own ^^;;

I also relate to with spending a lot in a short amount of time, it's easy to get super excited while planning a new doll! Congratulations. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you have the easiest time finding the dolls you want, and that all of your shipments arrive quickly and safely

 

I joined DoA in 2004 but was using Yahoo Groups back in the day. Weirdly enough, even though I've been around for quite awhile, I have found that I want more things now than in the past. I think there's been a lot of good changes in the BJD hobby (and some bad), but the most "reassuring" thing is that there will always be a lot of new stuff that I'll like and want to buy. Doll companies have changed quite a bit, and the things they do now is so impressive to me compared to the very beginning.

By the way, I think it's great that you still focus on making sure you can afford the hobby without sacrificing your financial security. I've seen a lot of of people who do, and it's not worth going into debt for dolls. Welcome to the hobby!

 

I officially joined the hobby with my first doll in 2008, but I had been interested since about 2002. I’m glad I was forced to wait, I never would have been able to afford clothes and accessories back then!

 

I like double jointed BJDs, so I feel fortunate to be a part of the hobby now when they are more common than they used to be. But it would have been nice to be in the hobby just a couple years earlier, as many sculpts I like are discontinued and will be harder to find.

 

So much. I just got into the hobby this year, and I missed my two grail dolls by about a year. And the more I research the different companies, the more I find dolls that I wish I had had a chance at. I'm glad I'm here now, with so many sculpts and outfits that I love, and being able to afford them, but part of me will probably always be kicking myself for not looking into this a little earlier. At least until I get my hands on my precious bois.

 

Definitely. I got into various other things over the years that were not nearly as entertaining and are now collecting dust.

 

I've been active in the hobby for over eleven years, and I kind of regret not getting into it later. I still love my older dolls, several of which are no longer available. BUT...there have been exponential improvements, from the variety and realism of sculpts, clothing and accessories to the quality of engineering and the resin itself, so I find more of interest than I did back then. Now I have to ask myself, just how many dolls are too many? I have about thirty, and while I know that there are people who have over a hundred, I don't think I want to be in that category - but the great sculpts are coming out so fast that it's hard not to buy, buy, buy...on top of all the ones that I already own.

Personally, I think you picked a great time to get into it. Plus, dolls from years back often show up on the secondhand market, frequently with their fullsets or partial fullsets - so it's not though you've definitely completely missed your chance on something you may wish that you had been able to buy new.

 

I started in 2007 and although I still am drawn to a lot of older/discontinued face sculpts, almost everything else is now available with vastly better quality at a lower price. I have nostalgia for Luts Delfs and Dream of Doll, but NOT $35 shiny thick synthetic wigs, $20 acrylic eyes and $30 chunky out-of-scale shoes. The other thing is that a lot of my old coveted dolls have either become available in an alternate form (1/4 scale Soony and Saint) or are simply much less expensive on the secondhand market now (most older Volks dolls). Now is a great time to start! You have so many more options than spending $100 on three pairs of glass eyes.

 

I joined the hobby five years ago, and my first doll came home two years later. Almost a year later my second boy came home, and he is my only doll yet. In these years my taste changed so much, that I not feel bad about the sculpts, I not or can't buoght earlier. So it's ok for me, that I miss some Soom and Loong Soul Limited. They just not fit in my future crew...

 

there’s also the fact that weren’t many companies in 2002, my first doll was an Angel of Dream Chen and I’m pretty sure he didn’t exist then. I’ve had him for 12 years and have no regrets!

 

The secret is to get your partner completely obsessed with them.

 

Ah, thank you!

 

I've been interested in the hobby for a couple of years, and just joined in late August of this year because I turned 16 and got my first job. I'm happy with the point that I entered the hobby. At 10 I didn't have the money or maturity to handle a BJD, and at the age I am now, the hobby has really forced me to organize and plan what I am spending my money on. I appreciate that it's taught me a little of money management. I also enjoy that I got to join the hobby now that there are a lot more people in it. There are more companies, tons of different sculpts, and lots of resources for BJDs.
On the topic of limited release dolls, the dolls that I really liked over the last couple of years have not been limited. Many of them are still available today, so I never went through that pain of missing a doll release. Most of my tastes have changed as well, so I've lost complete interest in some dolls I wish I could have gotten.

 

I totally understand! I felt the same way when I first joined, there's so much to look at only to realize it's no longer available haha... Everything comes and goes in this hobby so quickly, I've only been in the hobby for two years and it already feels like so much time has gone by xD;; Sculpts get discontinued, companies and dealers go out of business, artists retire and/or leave the hobby, if anything I think if anything it's taught me to appreciate living in the moment though, there are some sculpts that I miss (looking at you, Universedoll Blanc....) or artists I wish I could've been around to see active, but now it's made me appreciate everything that is here now.