BJD Quality Control Questions?

From experiance and heavily based in preferance, of course:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

As far as resin goes, I think my Dollshe boys win out for me- heavier resin with a textured surface almost like real skin! Iplehouse is nice, to, if alot smoother. Soom/CP seem okay, just not high in my preference list.

As for wigs, Luts and Monique Gold wigs are really quite superb- Luts wigs are smooth, with thicker strands of hair that stay in place and are true to the style in their pictures. Monique's fibers are lighter, more wispy [this varies between colours I think- my white-blond wig is alot more prone to flyaways than the black one] but very soft, comb well and tend not to kink. I'v had issue with the soom wigs I have had, though- may just be personal taste but the fibers tangled and kinked alot easier on the ones I had.

Dollshe urethane eyes are amazing. Only issue I have is that their size isn't consistant [i.e ordering a pair of 14mm and getting something closer to 12 or 10]. Soom silicones are decent enough, though I find them lacking depth they do catch the light nicely. Volks acrylics are not to bad at all, either.

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly! Never had a problem with poor elastics!

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?My delf and my Iplehouse kamau came with brilliantly detailed face-ups, filled with layers of subtle colour and fine linework- those are the only company defaults I've seen in person though.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?Well...my DSAM18's joints are awsome. Except at sitting down with an upright posture- he's just not made that way, all lanquidly leaning back, exuding casual laziness. Soom Mecha Angel boy leaves something to be desired- so hard to buy clothing for, to! The supergem body is pretty basic, it sits, it stands. Same for the delf bodies I have had. The E.I.D does not do anything without a fight- except lounge. But does it ever lounge -good-.

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby? If it was a fullset the quality of the outfit could be noted. My fullset from Luts has to be the best I got so far- everything was sublimely detailed and well-crafted. Dollshe and Iplehouse have the nicest presented boxes, though- just looking at those things makes me feel safe, nevermind the doll!

 

Do certain companies:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another?

*Yes, some of they do, and it's very related to the price of the doll, as higer the price, the better quality...

Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

*Yes, again, if you are after dolls "more resistant to yellowing" I had very good experiences whit "UV-Protect" resins from "IpleHouse" (like this doll) and some other factories, remember, this only delays the yellowing, if you expose the doll to the sun every day eventually it will come yellow, in that case, dark skin colors like tan, brown, or black are always better...

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!

*Normally I wold say you have to buy a REALLY cheap doll (or a used doll) to get a -bad elastic cord-, far as I know they are pretty much the same in quality since it's one of the cheapest components of the doll, the factories use almost the same regardless of the doll or the company producing it...

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?

*It depends on your tastes when it comes to chose the work of certain artist, but yes, as cheaper is the makeup then less elaborated and cheaper will be, it's not the same to pay US$ 10 for a makeup than pay US$50...if you know what I mean.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?

*Once again it depends on the house and your tastes, most of the most expensive houses have more articulations and more work on them, but, some people likes to have a nice "non-jointed" torso to show off in their dolls, so they look more real on the pictures, on the other hand, you have companies like DikaDoll ho have being making awesome jointed works not only on their "jointed hands" but on their "jointed-5-part-torso-body", and they are pretty much affordable, even if they are not the cheapest on the market.

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby?

*It all depends how "hard" are you going to "play" whit your doll, every owner has a different way to experience their own dolls, but that's for you to decided, just remember, mostly, like any rule in life, "you get what you pay for"...

 

Dolls from different companies can vary a lot -- whether those differences are perceived as good or bad often depends on the owner and what they like.

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

I've never had any dolls yellow at an unusually fast rate or break or crack, to be honest. French resin will yellow faster due to it's translucency, but it was still hardly over night with my Uni Limited, and IMO he still looks good even yellowed (he's four years old now). However, there are people who avoid French resin for this reason. BBB/Resin Soul colored resin holds up very well over time in terms of not discoloring, which had been a concern when I was looking to buy a dark tan doll. I like the feel of less toothy resin to the touch, but when it comes to holding a doll, I love how heavy and sturdy my SD Volks girls are. Toothier resin can be easier to do faceups on, as it holds the materials well. So there are sometimes pros and cons that have to be weighed depending on what you want.

Though lighter weight dolls can be easier to cart around at meetups, I have come to prefer weightier dolls, personally. My 58cm Serendipity boy hybrid (has a Chiwoo head), also has nice heft and sturdiness to him. My BBBs, and 60cm Sooms are the lightest weight of my resin dolls, though they haven't seemed to be any more prone to problems than my heavier dolls.

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!

The larger BBBs could use thicker elastic, though it's a very easy fix. When I got my Soul Doll Paris (this was years ago, so it might not be the same now) his arms were strung with a thinner elastic than the rest of him, and it was difficult to get the tension right. Other than that I don't see much difference in elastic. All dolls will need to be tightened and/or restrung at some point depending on how much play they get. Some times you have to tweak a doll to your liking out of the box, because some people prefer dolls strung tighter, some looser etc. Some companies ship strung loose to help prevent breakages during travel.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?

My favorite default faceup is my Uni Limited. I got him when they were still being released in French resin, and they came with faceups. I was expecting for it not to work for his character and having to wipe it and do my own, but I was very pleasantly surprised when I opened his box.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?

Some people are really into double jointed/more complex jointing systems. It's not something that I find all that important, to be honest. A lot of single jointed dolls actually pose quite well, and a doll who is a mediocre poser can be greatly improved through very easy means such as wiring. Some posability issues are down to the owner -- if you look at thread in GD about dolls who can't sit up, you'll see several people say "I have X doll and I can't get him to sit" and then several people disagree and say "I have that same doll and he sits fine for me."

I tend to like the look of single joints more than double joints, though there are some companies that do make some very complex yet elegant bodies. I can't compare so well here, since most of my dolls are single jointed, and dolls that other people complain about sometimes I don't have trouble with. Fairyland, however, has a very good reputation in this regard.

Where you get into the skeletons is with the vinyl obitsus and dolfie dreams -- those are two dolls that are amazing posers, since the skeletal systems allow them to easily hold just about anything. The nice thing about obitsus is that you can buy replacement parts for the skeleton pieces should a breakage occur (the parts aren't expensive either). It's very easy to swap out a part -- easier than restringing a resin doll, actually. However, vinyl dolls have a very different feel to them that's not for everybody. The vinyl bodies can be used for resin heads -- I currently have a B&G Sandra head on a 60cm obitsu body.

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby?

My favorite wigs are Monique, Volks, and Leeke World -- they have very nice textures.
My favorite eyes are the glass one's that Ginarolo sells here on DoA.

 

Well, not sure what my opinion's worth, but here it is.

Do certain companies:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

I don't believe that higher price always equals better quality. Some people paid up to $1K for their tan Soom Chalcos and the resin was mottled.(Bear in mind that Chalco was also limited and Soom is notorious for production and customer service problems. The point still stands.)

On the other hand, my dark tan Resinsoul Bei, one of the "cheap" dolls, has consistent color and has held up very well for almost one year I've had her.

Having not handled a Volks in person, I can't say anything about the Volks resin. However, the resin quality is tertiary concern when I buy dolls. The first thing I consider always is whether or not I like the sculpt. I tend to favor realistic sculpts for my SDs and slim mature minis, and Volks just does not cater to my taste in that department. The second thing I consider before buying a doll is the price point, and sculpt + price point is what will make or break a purchase for me.

As far as yellowing goes, the only dolls I have that have visibly changed are my Dollzones and for the better. My Felian came to me eraser pink! She's mellowed out considerably to a more natural tone. Dollzone white skin also tends to age "relatively" quickly, but often takes on a light ivory color, which is just lovely, imo.

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!

The worst quality string is probably Bobobie. I had to restring my Bei almost immediately and make her s-hooks for her wrists and hands out of jewerly wire. As I understand it some owners work with their Bobobies out of the box for posability anyway. Not that this necessarily makes Bobobie a bad company, and I love their rainbow of resins.

Sometimes companies will also string their dolls supertight out of the box. My B&G Sapphira has absolutely no slack in her string, and I had to fight with her to get her to stand and pose. Her string was so tight that attempting to restring her I lost my grip on her hand, causing it to snap back and break a finger.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?

The only default faceups I've kept is my Soom Lazule's, because it's just perfect for him and my Resinsoul Bei since she's my "go everywhere doll" and has a tendency to jostle for space in my bag. Why get a more professionally done faceup when it'd probably be scratched by my car keys or other crap that's in my bag? My Dollzones did come with default faceups but my tastes changed.

I do believe that some default faceups are more professionally executed. Bobobie/Resinsoul has some very very basic no-frills faceups and it doesn't hold a candle to my Soom boy's.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?

Again, higher price doesn't equal better posing. My Dollzones outpose my Soom Lazule any day of the week.

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby?

I really can't think of anything at the moment either, and I may edit this post later if it comes to me. I just woke up.Hope that helps you in your quest to find a doll that's just for you!

 

Remember, mileage varies so keep it to YOUR experiences! - They "can" turn green if left in the sun. I happen to have 6 tan Iplehouse men who haven't turned green, and some of them are 5 years old. (Also, you're thinking of the Realskin resin, not the brown & tan, that some people had those problems with.) I don't want people to be left with that kind of misinformation.

What is true, is that if you're going to buy tans or any other colored resin (grey, pink, blue, etc.), from *any* company, you do have to watch your doll's sun intake! They will discolor more quickly if they get too much UV light. There are a zillion threads here already that discuss ways people approach it: keep the doll dressed, put up drapes in the room, whether or not to bother with UV-cut spray, etc.

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

Again, you just cannot beat that Volks resin. It's luscious. It's a bitch to carry on your arm all day at a meetup if you haven't been working out, but it's sturdy and silky and smooth and beautiful, and its coloring is extremely consistent.

Soom uses nice enough resin, but it feels feather-weight to me & its coloring is inconsistent. I've got 2 white Soom dolls who yellowed surprisingly quickly (my dolls live behind drapes, so yellowing is usually very slow). But I love their brown tan resin & wish they'd use it more often. $.02 = My Chalco was not mottled.

Iplehouse's tan resin is absolutely the bomb-- I don't own any of their normalskin or white dolls, but their resin quality has felt fairly high to me too.


- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.)

I haven't encountered any real difference in the actual materials for any of the elastics, at least between Volks & the Korean companies. Some of the stringing systems are slightly different, but they're mostly the same sort of set-up too. Head strings to feet, arm-elastic strings across top in back, etc.

Elastic is pretty far down on the list of stuff I worry about, because if you don't like what you've got, a replacement is easy to come by. May just take a little experimenting.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?

Iplehouse's & Soom's faceups are absolutely knockout (especially the LEs). Detail, nuance, strength, complex layers of color, and fabulous eyebrows. They both have a wonderful touch with bodyblushing, too.

And I don't know what kind of sealant Soom used to use, but I wish they'd use it again; my old Namu once took a faceplant down some brick stairs, and his faceup surface is still somehow flawless.

You should see Iplehouse's hand-blushing & manicure jobs... painted veins and ittybitty half-moons under the fingernails!...

Dollmore also does stunning faceups, more dramatic, excellent quality that lasts (my Amos's faceup is 5 years old).

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?

This would be a matter of preference that varies for each doll, not just for each owner. The dolls I have are all suited to the bodies they happened to come with. ^^ It also depends on whether you prize poseability over aesthetics, because that'll affect how you react to any given body type.

I love the Volks SDC Boy body because it stands and poses like a little action figure; but I also love the Soom Super Gem body for its sculpture, even though it's terrible at posing and always wants to undo whatever gestures I've just given it. Volks SD13 is sturdy, easy to care for, & easy to shop for. Volks SD17 poses like a dream and has gorgeous sculpture, even though his knee-joints are downright cryptic. Iplehouse EIDs are museum-quality sculptures, but handling them drives me crazy.

Some companies do have more intricate engineering & more flush-fitting joints, though. I compared a friend's Bobo Sprite to an Iple YID and they were like two different art forms completely.

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby?

Seams mean nothing to me. Seam removal isn't considered part of the package, you do that at home.
Volks's new style of eye putty: a fine investment. It's like glorified fun-tak, so it sticks like crazy and you only need a little bit of it.
Soom silicone eyes, which come in every realistic or fantasy color you could want.
JPopdolls & Monique Gold Label wigs have mega-stretchy headcaps and fit everybody, and the extra-fine fiber looks incredibly natural.
Dollmore for accessories. Those people are afraid of nothing.
Seven words: Volks powder-spray sealant, UV Cut, matte.

 

Amy J - Rinon is a really cute girl. I sincerely hope you enjoy her.

 

Do certain companies:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?
As far as I know, yes. Cheaper doll, cheaper resin. Therefore I wasn't expecting my DZ parts to turn nicotine yellow after 12 hours of sunlight and heat. My Infinitidoll is much heavier and has nicer resin then my Delf. The same with my little IH girl to my MNFs

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!
My SD boy from Infinitidoll is so tight I have to us a clothes hanger and pull with all my power to get the head off. Other then that issue, all the stringing in my dolls are good.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?
Only have one default, from IH, and it is marvelous! The photos they have do not do them justice. I have seen some other cheaper dolls that have a bit wonky colours in them, but they still look good.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?
Fairyland wins this for me. Their joints don't look all too natural, but boy can they pose! I have a puki, MNF and LTF and all of them can do amazing stuff. The IH girl can't even sit and I have to tug a bit to bend her arms and legs. She stands like a rock though. Infiniti is a pretty new company but the enginering of the SID body is fantastic. And it is so detailed.

 

For the most part, I don't have much to add, meaning I agree with what's already been said. I'll just add some random thoughts:

Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?

Volks has been mentioned to death. I will also mention that when they do yellow (not if, all resin yellows eventually), it becomes a rather pleasant ivory color. So it ages rather gracefully.

I would like to mention Iplehouse's new anti-UV real skin (tan) resin. They posted the results of leaving it in the sun for several days and I would say for the most part that it looks like it ages rather well also, especially compared to their old formula (the purpose of the test).

What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing?

I will say that I pretty much ignore this quality. A doll strung on the tight side will put more pressure on the feet hooks, which for many companies is made of resin and can break off in shipping. So if a doll comes to you loose, I don't consider that a ding against the company. I'm thinking of asking for my next doll to be sent unstrung since I heard horror stories about getting replacement parts...

I will say that the only time I really paid attention to factory stringing was with my Dollmore model girl. As shipped, her elastic had more give than I liked and her legs were strung with one loop of elastic--the two factors combined meant the legs didn't hold poses very well. Restringing did wonders for her.

Volks and Iplehouse elastic seems to be fine out of the box.

More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box?

Agree that the Volks default is rather bland. But IMO their strength is FCS. You spend time with an actual person who tries to understand your doll's personality and attitude, very helpful if you only have a character concept but can't express how the faceup should be drawn specifically. That's something you don't get from email.

Have better joints or skeletal systems?

I'm a fan of double jointed elbows, so I personally fault Volks on that point. Volks dolls need to be modified to touch their own face and hold it in a pose (except Dollfie Dreams).

I don't like the multi-part Iplehouse EID knees; the internal parts frequently disconnect and get stuck in the leg. Elbows single jointed.

Dollmore model joints are fairly simple and uniform, meaning the limbs rotate more freely then with a more contoured joint. (Fixable with simple reversible mods: sueding, hot glue sueding or KIPS.) But they have double-jointed elbows!

Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby?

Volks wrist and ankle joints have a convenient quick swap feature--it's a slot in the ball where you can set the S-hook to take all tension off the limb, to easily swap hands and feet. Cute design detail. Volks feet hooks are metal, so they largely avoid the breakage risk from shipping as well.

 

Do certain companies:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits? Well I don't pay much attention to resin for the most part, but I will go ahead and echo what everyone else has said and agree that Volks resin is very heavy and nice, a noticeable weight difference between it and other resins. I think Luts also has really good resin (my Senior Delf and Junior Delf bodies are very nice), and I also recently bought a Loongsoul body that is really nice. For eyes, I am all about fancy ones, so I will always be gung ho about Everpurple and Mystic Eyes. Wigs, my favorites are Monique/Jpop and Leekeworld. If you're looking for mohair wigs, I really like Sunny's wigs; they just seem to fall in a more natural way than some other mohair wigs which are too thick and stick out everywhere, and they come in lots of colors! Also, Tinybear wigs are great. Lastly, I know that as far as clothing goes, Dollheart, Nine9Style, and 4D are awesome, but another favorite of mine is 7th Raphael. This last one is still really high quality, but cheaper I think.

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly! Honestly, I really haven't paid any attention at all. I've never had elastic break on me, so I wouldn't know.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ? I don't order dolls with faceups anymore since I do my own, but the few I have gotten I've been impressed with. My Sard's faceup from Soom was really nice, as well as my friend's Beryl's, but I tend to find them a bit bland at times. I didn't like my Yugiri's default faceup at all, but my Rose and the Kaelin I used to own had two of the most beautiful ones I've seen yet; my Rose still has hers 2 years later actually. I've heard some of Volks's faceups are nothing great, but some of their limited ones are really nice I think.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems? I really didn't like the posing on the SD13 boy body I had, but I love my SD10 girl body. It isn't super posable, but it stands like a rock. The Luts Senior Delf Type 2 body is just awesome and one of my favorites, I was less impressed with the Junior Delf body, mainly because of the arms which are a little weird. My newest body, a Loongsoul one, also poses really well. I should mention my DiM Bellosse's body too, because it is just too cute. She always seems to fall into the cutest poses naturally all the time!

- Anything else that makes them a 'quality' product that I can't think due to my unfamiliarity with the hobby? Nothing I can think of at the moment.

 

I'm investigating getting a Dollstown body to go with a Volks head for a future SD boy. How would those who have handled both compare the two resins?

And congratulations, AmyJ. Rinon is a gorgeous girl.

 

Do certain companies:

1) Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?
Yes, there are certain companies that use higher quality materials for their products. A number of companies use UV-stabilizers in their resin which is meant to decrease the rate of yellowing (or other colour changes) over time. However, there are also some companies that just tend to have more stable resin (e.g. Volks, Dollmore's WS, etc) in terms of consistency of colour and the rate of yellowing.

2) What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!
Some companies use string that is too thin for the size of the doll. Sometimes the quality of elastic could be better (this was more common in older dolls), but for the most part I have only ever had issues with the thickness of the elastic.

3) More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?
Yes! Actually, some of the most beautiful default faceups I have seen are from BuddyDoll. I have always been impressed by their default work.

4) Have better joints or skeletal systems?
Definitely. There are some companies that make amazing jointing systems that are functional as well as aesthetically beautiful.

 

Do certain companies:

- Use higher quality materials (bodies, eyes, wigs, etc) than another? Does this decrease yellowing over time or have other benefits?
Absolutely. Volks and Iplehouse seem to have the best resin out there. Iplehouse resin certainly used to have it's flaws when it turned green, but they have definitely improved over time. Some resin feels much more plastic like than others. Out of all the dolls I personally own, Volks has the best, Souldoll has a nice weight to it, Luts is okay, and Soom is really light which I don't like as much. Eyes are a bit of a preference. I personally love glass eyes, and certainly there are some that look more realistic and detailed that others. Not dissing plainer glass eyes, since some dolls look better with them. Wigs? Yes, some wigs definitely hold up better than others.

- What about the quality of elastic used for the stringing? (e.g. if it's not that great and is more likely to break; or if it doesn't stretch enough, leaving the doll rigid, etc.) thank you Robo-Aly!
I can't judge elastic too much, but whatever Volks uses is fantastic. My doll is over three years old and the elastic is still wonderful. The elastic in my Luts girl only lasted a few months before she became really floppy. I once restrung a Resin Soul doll and the elastic used in that was a joke; it was way to stretchy, and it was no wonder the doll could never stand.

- More professionally executed make-up or face ups out of the box ?
I can't really comment much on this. Based on other dolls, Fairyland seems to have really nice default face-ups.

- Have better joints or skeletal systems?
Luts wins points in this category. My Kid Delf always looks so naturally posed. Always. Fairyland also has a fantastic joint system. One of my friends got her doll to crouch down, and she shook the table (gently) to show how well the doll would stay put. I believe that was on the A-line body.

 

I truly believe as a rule, you get what you pay for. If you get a quality doll on sale, that is a plus. Most of the dolls are limited so sales don't happen very often. All dolls that are strung are going to have to be restrung with age.

 

You can sometimes find pricier dolls on the market place for less than they cost new as well. Popular LEs can go up in price, but you can sometimes find really good deals on standards -- I was able to afford several dolls that way that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.

I don't know that I agree that 'you get what you pay for' is the rule when it comes to abjds -- there are various reasons why some cost more or less than others, there are also a variety of reasons a particular doll will appeal to an owner which is probably the biggest thing to take into consideration. A company may have fantastic resin, but if a person doesn't like the sculpts, it's not going to matter much. Likewise, for some people the more articulation the better, where for others posability doesn't factor in as much. It really depends on what a person wants and is looking for and what doll fits that criteria -- it's a very individual thing. Sometimes you need to shell out more to get what you really want, and sometimes you don't.

I have dolls that were a variety of prices -- all have their great points (or I wouldn't own them ) and most also have little things I would change. One of my favorites is also one of my less expensive ones. She's not a favorite because she is of superior make (though I do not think she is necessarily inferior either), but because there is something about her that grabs me. I like to tinker with her, to take her places, to take her pictures, to write about her character. She may have cost less to put together (she's a hybrid), but in my eyes she's not a lesser doll. Now she may not be someone else's cup of tea, and that's fair. But she is proof that there is not necessarily a correlation between how much someone loves and enjoys their doll and the price tag.

My advice would be to get as much information as possible about any doll you're considering buying to make sure it has the specific qualities that are important to you.