Did you purchase a "test" doll before fully committing to an aspect of the hobby?

My first dolls were a pair actually of Miro MSD dolls and while I bought their heads as a test thing I figured I'd probably be using the bodies with other heads eventually. After I ordered them I traded for a RS Ju project doll and actually she came before they did. So it's kind of debatable as to which was "first" really. I ordered them first but she was in the house first. I still have not replaced the Miro heads. I've been working on that lately though...

 

I do not buy a doll test; I fell in love the Pukifee Ante and is the first doll I have

 

I didn't really do a "test" doll, but I got into the hobby slowly, with vinyl dolls and then obitsu and hujoo before moving on to resin dolls. I wanted to make sure that I really enjoyed the artistic aspect of it and had some ability before spending a lot of money on a resin doll... and it's a good thing I did because I accidentally melted an ABS head with acetone.

 

I personally was only willing to spend my money on a doll I knew I'd love for sure. I didn't really go for a smaller "starter doll" per se, but I did wait to order until the company was having a sale so I'd get more bang for my buck. My sewing machine was actually given to me by my mom when she received a new one for her birthday a few years back, so I didn't really get to pick. It's a pretty great machine though!

 

I don't like the idea of a "test" doll... BJDs are expensive, why waste money on one you don't love? A "test" doll sounds like something temporary, something you don't care too much for. What will you do with it after you decide to finally buy the doll you do love? Or what if this lackluster "test" doll makes you feel like BJDs aren't so awesome as you thought they'd be? Is this what happens when there are too many doll options out there? Back in my day.... okay I'll stop now

 

My first doll purchase went something like this:
Friend on FB: "These are the ones that are staying, everyone else is up for adoption."
Me: "FAWN! I'll take Fawn! Please?"

The only research I did was looking at pictures of her on my friend's blog afterwards trying to guess her size, because I was too embarrassed to ask if she was an SD or an MSD. Not the recommended way to purchase a BJD, but I love her to bits.

I did buy a tiny from MoC though, because she was cheap and in stock and I thought she'd be my one and only small doll and I wouldn't have to "wait all that time" for FairyLand, whose dolls I was already in love with. Needless to say, the doll from MoC never even comes out of her box - she's cute, but I don't like her posing or how easily her hands and feet fall off and - well, it wasn't a good idea. Unless you're thinking modding a doll and want one you aren't afraid of messing up, it's better to just go ahead and get the one you love the most.

 

I bought a test doll to mess with before moving on to the resin dolls. My little group of Hujoos also gives my niece something to play with so she leaves my resin dolls alone.

 

I did actually buy a Hujoo Jake before I went into any larger purchases to make sure I could "get into" the bjd scene. I feel so bad for him because they're a weird size and I don't sew so he just kind of hangs out with all my resin dolls practically unchanged from his first faceup (which was my first faceup... gotta redo it!). I'd say that "test" dolls are fine until you feel bad about neglecting them umu;;;

 

I don't think it's a good idea to buy a doll you don't love.

That said, if there's a $200 doll you love versus a $2000 doll you totally adore, I think it can make sense to buy the cheaper one as your first doll (even if you don't love it as much) to make sure you actually have a long-term interest in the hobby before you invest massive amounts of money, and to give you a doll to play with/customize/photograph while you save for the more expensive one.

 

Absolutely. I bought a test doll and love it to this day. She has had many faceups, some good clothes, some fail clothes, a couple names, and a little friend. I regret nothin!

 

I did not buy a test doll, I am waiting on a Minifee who is my first BJD!(when she gets here) Though I did order her with a default face up and because I don't have any artistic skill (yet) I intend to practice (a lot) on MH dolls before I try my hand on her!

 

I think there are special considerations we give to our first dolls, but that doesn't necessarily make them test dolls. Test dolls seem to imply they are somehow less then the dolls we get "for real". As expensive and research and work intensive they are, even if we set certain conditions just for our first dolls for most people they are still well thought out and carefully chosen dolls they had hoped they would love. Otherwise it would just be a waste of money.

Personally I don't think of cheap and small when I think of a test doll. If one wants to get a doll to try out the bjd hobby, then they should think about all the things they think they don't like and choose a doll that doesn't have those concerns. In fact, in many cases I think full sets from the companies that are known to make sturdy, well strung dolls make the best test/starter dolls for newbies.

 

I just went with what I liked regardless of the price. Back then there was no such thing as "starter doll" or "test doll" so I don't like to hear those phrases because I believe that you should get what you really like and not settle for something less just in case it doesn't work. Plus, if you settle for something you don't really like then it will be hard to bond with that doll and that experience could make you feel regret and sad....those negative feelings should not be your first feelinsg when you start with this hobby!

My favorite doll is my first doll and he is quite cheap to today's standards but he is the most valuable to me. I've had very expensive dolls that never did it for me so I sold them. I think the price should not matter, cheap or expensive, what matters is whether you like the doll.

 

No test doll/starter doll for me. I went straight for the doll that made me want to get into BJDs... and I made her a hybrid, too. I've never been to a doll meet and don't know anyone in person who has BJDs, and I didn't join DoA until after I already had her hybrid planned out and her body ordered and on its way. I discovered that BJDs existed by stumbling over them on Flickr one day, thought they were super cool, looked at more pics without any intent to own one, and then awhile later came across the Elfdoll site and fell in total love with Rita. After that I just looked up tons of stuff online until I figured out what I wanted to do and how I wanted to put her together, and then I bought her. Simple as that. I regret nothing about going straight for what I actually wanted and not doing a "starter". These dolls are way too expensive for me to waste money on even a "cheap" one (still not freaking cheap!) to test the waters with. I tend to be pretty confident and adventurous about trying new creative mediums or new skills in general. I pretty much live by the Picasso quote: "I am always doing that which I cannot do in order that I may learn how to do it."
My first doll came out great; I'm still happy with her almost 2 years later and super happy with the little collection I've built as a whole. So I definitely don't feel like I skipped a step by not doing a starter doll.

 

I went all-in right off the bat, ordering a pair of CP/Delfs from Luts.

I had a bit of an advantage, though. One of my friends had been collecting resin BJDs for a few years by the time I found sculpts that I liked enough to buy, so I knew the basics about their size and how to handle them before I owned one. I knew what I was getting into.

 

Not really I started out with Obitsus I knew what I wanted and had seen them for years but I couldn't afford the big dolls. Till a lot later and then it was once a year, then about last year and then I now I have the collection building up quickly.

 

I jumped right in feet first! I had only done a small amount of research by the time I actually got my first doll, which is an SD. I knew the first time I saw BJD's, specifically the big ones, that that was exactly what I wanted to have first. I did not really care about the price since I knew it was something I was going to love and cherrish when I got it.

 

After doing a lot of research in this hobby, I ended up falling in love with a Soul Doll Juhl. I looked through other dolls and I could only think about that one doll. I saved up my money and I kept looking through more companies during that time. I made up my mind and decided to buy the doll I wanted. I wasn't going to settle for anything else.

 

Nope, I bought the doll that, at the time, I really wanted (Iplehouse Cecile). I didn't think "oh I need to get a less expensive doll for my first doll" or that I would buy a doll to just see what they were about. They were all expensive to me so I thought I might as well get the one I really want for my first one.

 

I bought a tiny inexpensive non resin bjd as a "test doll". She was only around $30, so it was the prrfect starter for me.