Decode Volks Headplates?

The person I bought my Madoka from said you had to pay 35.000 yen and indeed show the paperwork and headplate.

Looks like a lot of money, but it's a great service and probably your best option when something happens to your doll.

 

Consider how much the price for some of the LE are in the second market, I think this price is reasonable - since you are getting a complete new head.

If anything is to happened to my Ladislas, that money is very reasonable compared to how much a Williams head is on YJ, if I can find one to start with

 

Should be added that there are some heads and parts they won't replace. You can see the list here, but it's in Japanese: http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/superdollfie/shitadori/index.html

And if you look at the "shiradori" pdf to the right, you can see the prices. Again, it's all in Japanese (heads are at the tops of the columns).

 

I want my head plate so I prefer it but School heads do not come with plates so really the plate isnt that important but I prefer to have everything including any certificates and paperwork but it they dont have it what can you do.

 

Exactly. That's why I'm happy. The dolls I have also cost an arm and a leg on Y!J... I'd rather go for the Satogaeri service.

Yeah, I know that Shinku and the like are not going to be replaced... probably because of a copyright situation.

 

Wow, I didn't know Volks offered such replacement services at all, even if it is Japan-exclusive. That knowledge actually kicked up the value of the headplate for me.

 

It's important to me, even if it's not seen. There's the dent in the back of the head for it; what else is supposed to go there?

When I was sold a Volks doll, I was so relieved to find the gold plate in the box. The doll was never taken out of her wrappings, but it had fallen off. To my understanding, if she were ever damaged, I would need the head plate to have it replaces.

 

If you send your head back to Volks for replacement service, they will come back without a plate (because it is a new casted head and they do not remove the plate from the head you send to them to put on the new one). Therefore, always take off the head plate before you go for that service, otherwise you will not get it back.

It is very important for Volks heads that do have plates (with the exception of the school heads you get when you attend face-up class, and really old Volks heads) to come with them when you buy off 2nd hand market because with lolidoll and some other bootleg companies making recast and copies of Volks heads, this is one way to be sure you are getting an authentic one.

Therefore I always ask about the plate to make sure.

 

The headplate is very important in my opinion since I'm paying for everything not just a doll without a headplate.

 

I want the head plate there. I would be very annoyed if the seller did not warn me it was missing.

 

I'm in the "not really worried either way" category although it does provide reassurance that you have purchased a genuine doll. I bought a Volks Olivia and never noticed she had a headplate. I bought school C and noticed the space was blank, currently have an Elena head and didn't check before purchasing. I don't think it's something every owner notices and certainly if it's important to you, you should check. I would also understand that not everyone places the same value on these things and it may genuinely be something people overlook.

 

I've been researching this on DOA for hours, but still couldn't find enough information to decode Volks metal headplate.
(strangely, i remember seeing this info somewhere though...)

For example, my March 2002 release four-sisters' headplate says "03.02/RE", and I do not know what "RE" means. Does it mean "regular"?
I do not even know what version she is!


Q1. What are the known letters for Volks metal headplate?

Information found so far:
F.#### -- Full Choice System
TF.#### -- Tenshi no Sumika Full Choice System
FS -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Shinjuku Alta
FGI -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Ginza
FN -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Nagoya
FSA -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Sapporo
FA -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Akihabara
FH -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Harajuku
FHR -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Hiroshima
FL -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Lalaport
FK -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Kobe
FO -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Osaka
FKZ -- ordered at Tenshi no Sumika Kanazawa
FKS -- ???
FI -- ???
FC -- ???
(source: http://www.angelden.net/fcs/headplates.html)

L.#### -- Limited Release
RE -- Renewal / Regular (?)
CR -- cruise
DP -- released at a dollpa

Q2. When did Volks start to use head plate?
Various DoA members have said that Volks started using metal headplate since 2002 or 2003.
However, my March 2002 release four-sisters has a metal headplate.
Also, it is known that some old head casts have "KERO" engraved inside.


There seem to be some mixed information/opinions, so I thought putting all information in one thread would be useful to anyone who's interested.

Any help would be greatly appreciated ^___^

 

My Myu is from 2002, and she doesn't have a headplate. I don't have any other information about her, sorry. ^^;;

 

@anoniemouse: do you know what it says inside of her head??

 

Got another one for you: the letter CR, meaning cruise. I could check my Williams when I'm home to see if he has more letters, but CR is a definite.

 

@ Silk: niiiice! thank you Silk!

 

The RE stands for "Renewal" I think.

 

@ renee_chan: ohey, that certainly makes sense.

 

Checked my dolls and I was right about the "CR". Also, limited dolls released at a dollpa will have the letters "DP(number of party)" on their headplate.

 

There's nothing useful inside the head... and I wiped the faceup artist's information but it did say 2002 ^^;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;