Choosing your first doll - How hard was it for you?

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I had a number of dolls I had been looking at, and when my friend wanted to buy me one of them as a cristmas present, I chose the cheapest one I was entirely certain that I wanted...

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
Oh, about a week or so before it was ordered..

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
No! I love him, he's amazing, I do not regret it one bit

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
He's an Illusion Spirit Muka, and yes I still have him (well, I say still, he's only a couple months old, but whatever).

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
It was a gift, yes, but I got to choose which one I wanted

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I didn't have many options. At the time, the only choices were the SD10 sisters, SD 10 Mimi, and Nono
And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I just HAD to have one. The toughest part was choosing which of the 4 sisters to get, since the only difference was wig and eyes.
Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Never regretted it.
Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
SD10 Nana. I still have her, 12 years later.
extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
It was a gift, but I chose her.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
i had an Anime original character in mind my OC taleen i really enjoyed shorter dolls
such as yosd so thats how i decided i would get a honey delf luts doll with items
matching my original character .. ~


And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I fell in love with the skin color and i knew it was a perfect price



Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
no i was perfectly happy and excited she was awesome

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
Honey delf CANDY from luts

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
i bought her with my money - 400$
it was worth it

​

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
The first ABD I ever saw was an El, and I loved him straight away. So I started with LUTS. As I worked part time and was studying at University, it took me a while to save up for my doll. During the saving period I joined DoA, met new people and researched more in order to make a good decision.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
When I kept going back to the Database threads or Gallery threads for other people with that doll, and I knew that she was the right one. That said, if I had unlimited funds, I would have bought multiple dolls! :P

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
I'm very grateful that I was never unhappy with my choice. I think I thought about it for a good while, so it wasn't something I'd regret. During the waiting for shipping period, I was a bit nervous. But it all resolved when she arrived.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
A CP Lishe, my Fawne. She's still with me, and I've no plans to part with her.

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
I've never had a doll purchased for me. I've never asked for one for a gift and honestly, with how personal this hobby is, would prefer it if people just stuck to more run-of-the-mill stuff for me. Or give me the funds to do the purchasing myself! But that's my personal preference. :P

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I was searching for dolls but i was taken aback by a leekeworld a type body.. It was just different and they were phasing it out . i sorta panicked and bought it.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
Er.. when i panicked and bought it =P

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
A leekeworld Ariana doll... yes i still have her

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
By nature i am extra picky about my stuff.. I always get to choose what i want , present or not.

 

Great thread idea! I'm having fun reading through these.

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I had just discovered BJDs and wanted one badly, but was on a budget...I was despairing of ever finding one I could afford, especially in the size range I wanted and with a nice faceup. Resinsoul was my savior

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
When I fell in love with her and had to have her even though I had no intention of getting a female doll when I started looking.

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Not at all. I still love her, and am struck by how pretty she is every time I see her. I know now that compared to other dolls she's not a fantastic poser or anything, but I adore her and am very glad I picked her!

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
June, my Resinsoul Mei (the doll in my avatar). I would never part with her.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
By going about things in all the wrong ways lol
I first decided on the size I wanted (70cm), and initially started looking at inexpensive dolls as I thought I'd better start cheaper in the event I find its not for me, but that didn't last long. For the purpose my doll will serve there were mobility/poising issues and overall aesthetics that I needed to be 100% in love with or knowing myself, he'd have ended up in the trash or the thrift store. So I decided to scrap the idea of shopping by cost and instead shop with my heart, even if that meant it would take longer to save up to get him. I had a difficult time finding complete dolls that I loved both the head and body, and started getting frustrated in my search so I decided to go hybrid.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
When I told myself there will only be ONE doll. From that point forward I decided to throughly research (not just skim the surface) and find a sculpt that I absolutely loved and couldn't live without, that way I'd have no reason to keep searching for another or something better....and then I found Thomas on an artist marketplace and knew immediately that he was IT! I'd already narrowed down the bodies I loved to 3 and after I found Thomas it was an easy decision to figure out which one would work best with him.
Did you get unhappy with your choice?
He's not here yet, but I have no doubt that he'll be everything I imagine him to be and more.

Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
At this point and time no, I'm happy with the decision I made to hybrid and I dont regret a thing.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
He's not here yet, but my first doll is a hybrid; Simply Divine Thomason a Spirit Doll 2nd ver. Proud Male Body.

Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
Yes, I chose him myself.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I have a character in mind, her appearance isn't set in stone but I have a rough idea of what I'm looking for. I also know that I want SD size. I'm ignoring price for now since I have a long time to save (and a lot of money that I need to save).

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I saw her and I thought she was just so perfect, even her height is right. At first I was worried about whether she was limited but she's not

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
I'm putting a lot of thought and research into it before I jump in and buy her to avoid this. But as of right now, I really wish I had her.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
I'm planning on a LUTS Senior Delf Verna *drools* she's super beautiful and delicate. I won't ever "get rid" of any dolls (either selling or giving away) anyway though so if I had her right now I'd still have her 30 years from now.

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
Yup, it's a lot of money so there's no way anyone would ever gift me a doll let alone this one xD

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I was researching a lot about BJDs, planning for the far future. I don't remember how I ran across Kizdolls, but I found myself going back and looking at the same two boys, over and over. I found out too late that one was a limited elf and was out of production, the other was a basic human that I loved to bits. I wound up starting to save right away for the basic human. (there was a basic elf as well.) They were all the same boy, different versions. I was enchanted by their pictures. He decided for me, even if it didn't work out %100 as planned in the beginning.

Someone also told me that he looked to be the style in which I draw, and that really made me feel an even stronger pull, when I was already sold.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I actually gave up on him originally, because he was out of production. I couldn't get a hold of Kizdoll because their customer service really went downhill, and a friend found the head of the basic elf secondhand. I thought, "okay, Kizdoll is suddenly popping up for me! I better grab him!" I thought I would just mod him into a basic human, but I knew then he was supposed to be mine.

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
I am extremely happy with my choice, because he turned out to be the limited that I was so heartbroken over! He's a little bit modded in the and mouth, but I wouldn't change it for the world! Same goes for Iris, I would never take back that I decided to keep him instead of donating his body to my first/selling him when I found out they weren't a resin match. They're both Kizdolls and I always wanted Kizdoll to be my first.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
Kizdoll Limited White Elf Saiy (head) nicknamed Bambi purchased first & my Kizdoll Vince, Iris, who arrived first. My elf Saiy is en route from my friends in the UK that did his faceup, upon a temporary body, and I have no plans to sell him. Iris is wonderful and of course I still have him, he's only been home a couple of months and he's not going anywhere either.

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
They weren't presents and I most definitely chose them. I sold one of my most prized possessions and did lots of doll portrait commissions to get the money for it. It was worth it!

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
It wasn't really hard to look for my first doll. He had to have a specific look I needed for a vampire. I found a great doll that I will order soon.
And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
The moment I laid my eyes on him I knew he was the one. He just had this look I was searching for.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I chose a brand my friend had because I liked the looks of the dolls. I looked a little at others, but mainly liked this one.
And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I kinda just went with it. I still had reservations even while buying, but I figured I would just go with my decision.
Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Yes, I felt I spent to much money on her, and after a few months wished I had purchased another brand.
Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
I bought a Dollfie Dream (total anime nerd here), white skin model. I ended up selling her to someone else who would appreciate her more.
extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
My fiance paid for her, but I did choose her. I built a little list online and then went to the store.

 

Wasn't hard at all for me. Mike screamed he wasn an El when I found Luts and I bought him. I had been saving for Dragoncon and knew I'd be spending it all down there, so why not? Yes, he is still here.

 

Wasn't really hard for me.

Saw Megu SD16 and was immediately hooked.

Still like her. She reminds me of a fantasy Japanese beauty. She has this sad, refined aura around her.

 

I was in complete and total angst over choosing my first doll. xD I was extremely close to giving up because I wasn't going to buy a doll and decide he wasn't perfect for what I wanted; there'd be no point. I ended up finding two sculpts that might work for the character and saved TONS of owner photos and compared the two (plus official artwork for the character and fanart to take in a general consensus of the character's behavoir/attitude/physical features and obviously avoiding OOC fanart) for MONTHS before I finally found the right one.

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I had to pick a doll just right to fit Deidara but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. Looking at an anime character, it would be easy to pick a doll to fit the style of the artist because there's so many anime looking sculpts out there but what I wanted was a realistic interpretation of the character. I needed features that matched the character such as an adult face (which was hard within it's own right since most sculpts that are supposed to be "older" still look 15 or younger because of desensitization in the hobby) with thin eyes that turned up, thin mouth with a smirk, a face shape that didn't screw with the feel of the character (like he obviously doesn't have a square face) etc. The hardest part? Finding a male sculpt who wouldn't be mistaken for a girl even with long hair because although a simplified anime drawing is easy to mistake, a real guy with long hair would look like a guy with long hair. :P So first things first, only look at companies with more realistic sculpts. Unfortunately, Iplehouse who has the most realistic sculpts were out of the question. Their guys are straight up too western looking and their more asian sculpts are clearly Korean. xD With Superflat obviously his base, he had to be something like half Japanese and half American.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
After months of comparing two dolls, I decided to take a break and look for a wig for him. Lo and behold, a doll that I wasn't even considering was modelling the wig I wanted. xD He had a very minimal face up so I knew it wasn't that and it was like Deidara was staring right at me. (That smirk! That glare!) It was the perfect sculpt. And I didn't even end up getting that wig because it'd been long sold out. xD I even went to look at owner photos of this sculpt and picked out references for the face up I wanted. (Souldoll does custom face ups with picture references.) I found PERFECT examples and even had his eyes done to look more like Deidara (the black around his eyes) without it looking like eyeliner!

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Nope. I've never even seen one that was as perfect as the one I got. The first two I was considering didn't even compare.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
Souldoll Chiron human version with normal skin. It was my first and only still. xD

Extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
I'd have been able to choose it even if it was a present (but it wasn't), it could have only come from my boyfriend and he knew how specific I needed the sculpt to be and he doesn't know the character well. xD

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
After looking for several days, I was doubting between a Kirill and a Ducan from DOD. I loved both dolls, but the Kirill was more affordable and it suited way better the character I had in mind, so I went for him

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
Well, since I was looking for a doll that fitted certain character, as soon as I saw it I thought it was perfect for him, so... I just went with it.

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Nop. Up to this day he's one of my favourite dolls/characters, and I would never change him. Even if I had to replace the doll for whatever reasons, I would probably choose another Kirill for him.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
A Homme Kirill from Dream of Doll, and yes, I still own him

extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
I did choose it, yes ^__^

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
-I decided after changing my mind several times on the doll's sculpt and where he would be from and saved up a little longer to get a BF Olive.
And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
-I kept coming back to the BlueFairy site despite my efforts of looking into dolls that were from other companies or a little less pricey.
Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
-Nope~
Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
-BlueFairy Olive Boy. He's the only doll I have.
extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
-I chose him, and saved up for him.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
I did a lot of research. A friend and I were looking for dolls around the same time, so she helped me out a lot. I read reviews on companies and looked for ones that were within my 400-some dollar price range.
And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
I ended up stumbling across a KD Bory and loved his face sculpt, so that was the doll I ordered. I had originally been looking at another doll, but when I saw Bory's company pictures I fell in love.
Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
I have mixed feelings about this. I love Luts dolls and MSD sized dolls, they have to be my favourite company and size, but I was unhappy with bory. I wish I had given it more thought and not bought on impulse, then I may have liked him more.
Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
I ended up selling him on, and adopting another doll from a friend (which was her first doll). I really count the one I adopted as my "first doll" because he's the first one I tried all the new-doll things with. Restringing, things like that and am very happy with him.

 

I found my first doll by accident, really. I had just discovered BJD's and was looking through different companies. Then I found my dream doll and fell in love. Now I just need money so I can BUY said doll.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
Ahaha, umm, well, There was absolutely no question about which doll SHOULD'VE been my first (migidoll Ryu), but at the time I decided to get my first doll (Elfdoll Soah), I had figured I would have enough time to save up for the doll I REALLY wanted even if I bought this other doll on eBay. She was so beautiful.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
Again, the doll that should've been my first, I knew before I even knew what he was! My actual first doll was an impulse buy, which was a little stupid, but I guess I knew the minute I payed for her.

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
Nop! I did have a period where I waffled a lot over whether or not to sell her, but I'm really really glad I decided to keep her!

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
Eleana is her name, and yes, I still own her. (Although she's a floating head at the moment.)


extra question: Were you even able to choose it? Was it a present?
I WISH she'd been a present! There was a little hesitation at first, like 'I've been saving up for this doll but THIS doll is available NOW and is very very pretty, but I've been saving so long for this other doll, etc,' But in the end I made my decision and I'm glad I got her.

 

How did YOU decide which doll should be your first?
Hours upon hours looking for the perfect doll. I was still very new, and was not aware of all the companies available to me at the time. I had not joined DoA, had refused to for a long time because I didn't want the temptation of all these expensive dolls evading my mind constantly! There was a point when I was certain a CP Delf El would be the first doll, but that wasn't the case.

And when did you know that this doll should be your first?
It was a lot of scrolling and clicking, and it was love when I clicked on the link. Before, I couldn't settle on the perfect mold, wanting all of them. When I looked at the images of this doll, there was no hesitation.

Did you get unhappy with your choice? Do you wish / did you wish that you've ordered another one?
I was happy with my first choice, though I did in time begin to dislike the faceup. It took me almost a year to get a new faceup.

Which doll was your first and do you still own it?
A CP Delf Moon. He's still putting up with me.