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

I bought a starter Bjd just to see if I would like them. My starter Bjd was a Bobobie Sprite. I was disappointed with her color(I had ordered the tan,but gut ns),but I liked her anyway.

 

My first doll was pretty expensive but had everything I was looking for for the character I had in mind so it worked out well.

 

I absolutely did buy my 70cm ResinSoul Feng boy as a tester doll.

At the time I was a part time working college student, and buying a $500+ dollar doll was not an option. At the same time I wasn't sure the expensive hobby would be something I'd enjoy.

So with budget concerns in mind, and trying to gage my commitment, I ordered an inexpensive 70 cm male doll to see how much space it would take since 1/3 dolls are my preferred size. That was the best choice for me & my situation.

 

Hello,

Now that I've gotten a job, I can start thinking about buying my first doll! However, I'm not sure if I will like having a doll. I would really love to buy a Crobidoll Tei, one of my grails, as my first doll, but he is very expensive. If I would turn out to not like the hobby, I will feel sad that I spent so much money on something that I didn't enjoy as much as I thought I would.

So recently I found the Doll Leaves Oscar whom I also like a lot, and is way cheaper than the Tei. I am thinking of buying him instead of Tei, so I can try out the hobby without too much worry about money.

Is there anyone who has had a similar dilemma? What did you end up choosing? And if you didn't, what do you think would be the best option?

Thanks in advance!

 

Well, I can see that. I bought a Ringdoll for my first doll and he wasn't cheap. The only reason I say go for the doll you really want is because if you get a doll you only sort of like, that in itself could ruin the hobby for you. But if you wait and save up for that grail doll, the chances of you loving it are better and you have a more realistic idea of whether or not the hobby is for you.
Also, if you really don't like that expensive doll you bought you can always sell it second hand
I would say wait for the doll you really love.

 

I would say, 100% go for the doll you like the best and that best matches your criteria. If you love Oscar and buying him isn't going to make you stress about spending the money in the same way that buying the Crobidoll would, go with Oscar. If you only kinda like Oscar and you're really only looking at him because he's less expensive, it would probably be worth saving up for the Crobidoll.

 

I think it's mostly important to buy a doll you really love, because that's the surest way to make sure you're going to like/not like the hobby because of the hobby, not the doll you purchased.

When I started out in this hobby, the doll that made me interested to join was Volks SwD Lucas. Man, he was the kind of doll I was thinking about every second. But since he was a limited, hard to find and since at that time I thought that "limited" meant "beyond my grasp forever", I decided to purchase a doll I also liked. That doll was IH SooRi. Sure, the doll was fine, but it didn't take long for me to start to get irritated by the tiny flaws it had. It also didn't take me very long to sell it.
Then, about a year later, I was able to snag my SwD Lucas. He had the (ugly) original face-up, this was the version with the old body (meaning that his knees keep buckling and his torso-joint is just for show) and yet... I didn't care. I still don't care. This dolls was my grail, is still my favorite and I wouldn't part with him to save my life.

While the SooRi was sold quite quickly, it did show me how much I liked the hobby. However, his arrival could not compare to the joy I felt when I got my SwD Lucas. So, there's my story. What you do with it, is up to you. If you'd like to test the waters, get yourself a doll you like but isn't as expensive as the one you really want, but also be prepared that you might want to sell it at some point. Or, you could take a leap of faith and go for the Ultimate One, but risk that you don't like the hobby. In the end, only you are able to decide.

 

As someone who's very tight-fisted with money (fine, I'm cheap), I can really understand your reluctance to put down a good chunk of cash on something that you may/may not enjoy. But, at the same time, if you're going to be plunking down serious cash (and let's face it, even the "cheap" dolls in this hobby are still over the $100 mark), shouldn't it be on something you really want and not on something that's "okay" but not what you truly desire?

Until you have a doll in your hands it's really hard to say whether or not you'll enjoy the hobby. Different people get different things out of the hobby, too. Some photograph their dolls and enjoy them that way. Others dive into painting and modding and get their joy that way. Still more become personal ateliers to their dolls and get their thrills through that. Some just like to see/admire their dolls and that's what makes them happy. Or it's a combination of all of that.

I would suggest saving up for the doll that really speaks to you. I think you'd get the most out of whatever way you will doll by getting what you love and not what is the runner-up. And, if it turns out that doll ownership isn't for you, you can always sell the doll as they do tend to hold their value pretty decently.

 

I'd only buy the cheaper doll if i really liked it.

If you buy a doll just because it's cheaper, rather than because you really want it, it won't be much of an introduction to the hobby an it may be the thing that puts you off.

Spending more on the doll you really like is more likely to be a good introduction to the hobby. Yes, it's a bigger financial outlay, but if you don't take to the hobby you can get a big chunk of that money back by selling the doll on.

If you take the money out of the equation then it's down to whether you're getting something you like or not, as with any other hobby.

Teddy

 

In my experience, the downside to cheaper bjds is that they tend to be more difficult to resell and you may have to wait longer and not be able to get as much of your money back if you decide to resell.

I would say that if you are doing mods to the doll, dyeing it, or other permanent alterations that will likely destroy the doll's resale value anyway - go for a cheaper doll to practice on.

But if you're just doing the basic stuff like faceups and dressing it up and taking photos, get the doll you really want. This applies to all sorts of things in this hobby; I have found over the years that the best way to save money is to buy less stuff and ONLY the things that you really want, rather than buying more stuff that is a "bargain" but not really what you want.

 

Trust your gut, but also trust your brain. If you know what you want, and the reason why you want it, and you also like it, then you should be fine with whatever decision you choose to make.

My first doll was a test doll to see if I was committed to the hobby, and my $210 ResinSoul 70cm Feng boy (I like big 70+cm dolls) is the reason why I am in the hobby in the first place.

Read the following thread and see if it helps.

Best of luck with any decision you choose to make.

 

I bought heads first to see if I really liked the sculpts, which is much cheaper. But I was going to hybrid anyway, so I guess that might not work with you if you also really like their bodies. Buying a body from a cheaper company can help with the cost if that makes you nervous, and you can upgrade later. But it won't work if you are going to hate the body, or the match, or all the trouble you are going through. And many times, it is more expensive (like for my girl). Many newbies like getting a full doll they can jump right in with, but if you don't mind waiting with a head in a box, it could work out for you. But then again, I don't know if that company even sells heads separately.

 

I just wanted to point this out ^
This is how I feel as well. My first doll was the one I wanted. The reason I wanted dolls in the first place - I didn't just want a BJD, I wanted that doll. He was 600 with faceup and I could not imagine paying so much for a doll, especially since I literally knew nothing about the "hobby" aspect of BJDs. Doll collecting to me was porcelain dolls on a shelf (which I am not into), not the pretty extensive and artistic thing we have here. I was terrified of wasting my money, had no idea there was a second-hand market and so I was even more scared, because it was so final.

I did it anyway. He has quirks, he's not perfect, most people don't care for this company at all tbh, but he will always be the best doll I have because he's my favorite. I don't regret my decision at all.

My second doll however, was a cheaper doll. He was adorable, but it was the price that did it as I really wanted a different doll from that company and settled for the one I bought. While I liked him, and still do, had that been my first doll there would not have been a second. I honestly think that had I settled for any other doll other than the one I got as my first, I wouldn't have gotten into the hobby. I would own one doll, and it would be sitting on my shelf collecting dust.

Things are a little different for you (the op), for one thing you're already on DOA so you've got one foot in the door. You already know more than I knew getting into it....but first impressions are a big deal, they are important. And if your first doll isn't exactly what you wanted because you have another doll in the back of your mind, you may not be happy with it regardless and it could sour the hobby right off the bat.

And I would like to point out that I have nothing against less expensive dolls...I own several, have owned them for years and they're firmly on my "never sell" list. What I'm not totally for is "starter dolls", or buying a doll just to have a doll, and not getting the doll you really want. Someone else pointed out that even the "cheap" dolls in this hobby aren't cheap, if you're going to spend the money, make sure it goes to something you have a better chance of loving.

 

I think starting out with a cheaper doll is a totally good idea. I chose to start the hobby that way to see if I was able to bond with large dolls and to find out if I would like to sew clothes for them and would like to photograph them. I am totally in love with my "cheaper" bjd's and they only made me dream about my grail doll more. I love having them and they don't stand in the way for getting my grail doll one day. I even want her more because now I know what bjd's are capable of and how much I can love them. All the doubts about spending a lot of money on my grail are gone now

 

I'm going to echo what others have said--get the doll that you really want, and just as importantly, get it the way that you want. If you know that you are not up for face-ups or sewing, then please do spend that extra to get those things with your doll.

I come from a crafting, painting, and doll background, and I knew going in that I was going to make most of my own clothes and do face-ups, so I ordered a blank, naked doll for my first doll. ^-^ I've never had one moment's regret in that regard, and I still order almost all my dolls blank. But my brother and my son, they prefer to have "right out of the box" dolls, already painted and with at least one outfit. They want to play with their dolls immediately, not have to bust out paints and sewing machines.

So yes, spend the little more for the doll you want, and for the way you want it.

 

Here's how it happened for me:

The first BJD I saw was a Volks, and it made me want a BJD! But while browsing, none of them really felt like 'this is The One'. I continued my searching and eventually found Angel of Dream Chen and he was so perfect, I literally cried when I saw owner photos. I asked advice about choosing my first. Many people said I should 'save up a little longer and get a DollZone instead'. Others said I should start cheaper, with a Bobobie, in case I didn't enjoy the hobby.

Welllll...I went with my heart and got Chen. I'm really glad I did. He really was perfect for my first doll. my second doll was a DollZone and my third was Bobobie, and I honestly feel if I had started with either of them, I probably would have stopped right there. There's nothing actually WRONG with either of them, they just weren't what I loved. The DollZone was single jointed, more anime style, less detailed. He felt 'unfinished' to me for those reasons (though I did learn to love him in time). The Bobobie didn't pose as well as the AoD and also lacked the realism, plus I had honestly chosen her more for her price than anything and she ended up being the first BJD I ever sold.

All in all, I can't tell you what to do because as you can see from the responses above, it's different for different people. In my case, I would say settling for something because it's cheap OR because other people think it's a 'better' doll were bad reasons to get a doll and I got a better start to the hobby because I bought exactly what I wanted and got to feel that first doll excitement and love.

 

My first doll was a Dollshe, so I took a pretty big risk starting with a more pricey doll.

I personally think you should go with what you like more than what is cheaper since it's better to spend more on what you like than to potentially waste money on something you don't.

However, if you find an affordable sculpt you like, I'd say definitely go for it as your first doll! It's definitely convenient to find more affordable sculpts to like in a hobby as expensive as this one.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with everyone who's advised to buy the doll you really love even if it takes longer to save for. Having a doll you're okay with and willing to settle for as your first is not going to give you a great impression of how you'll like having bjds. I bought THE doll that made me want a bjd in the first place as my first one, and it was so amazing to actually see the sculpt in person after having spent hours looking at every owner picture I could find. My second doll was purchased after just seeing the company photos (the sculpt had almost no owner pics available) and because she was pretty cheap and on sale and I wanted another doll, since I was having so much fun with the first one. Well... #2 turned out to not look much like the company pics and to also not fit well with my first doll. I eventually got a different head from another company to use with that second body... but if the super affordable, on an event sale, company pics look pretty enough doll had been my first? Honestly I wouldn't have 6 bjds right now. Like someone else said: cheaper dolls are awesome if that's the sculpt you really truly want. But I don't advise the "starter doll" thing where you go for cheap and compromise on the sculpt. So much of enjoying the bjd hobby is enjoying the look of your specific doll... not just enjoying "general bjd ownership". So if you don't pick a doll you think is gorgeous, you're not going to like having it nearly as much.

 

If you truly do want the less expensive doll, and would consider getting it even if you already had the more expensive one, then go ahead & get the less expensive one. It's perfectly fine and smart to set a budget for your first doll! My own experience was I went with a cheaper doll for my first, one that I really liked the head if not so much the body. I learned a lot from that doll, and I eventually sold her years later as my tastes have changed. I wasn't afraid to try things out on her like restringing & faceups because she didn't cost quite an arm and a leg. Most people will tell you to buy what you love, but if you truly do love the less expensive doll (I hate to use the word cheap, nothing's cheap in this hobby!) then I think that's the one you should go for.

 

Thank you all very much for sharing your opinions! I will wait for a little while longer and look into layaways for Crobidolls, as well as recheck on both sculpts every once in a while to see for myself which one appeals to me most even with the price

Thanks again for helping me out!