Doll research *or* Buying too soon?

People can do what they want if they have that much money to throw around, but I definitely think it's beneficial to people if they take the time to research the hobby instead of jumping right in and buying one as soon as possible.

There are a lot of different doll companies out there, and it's easy to see someone who jumped into the hobby too quickly buying a doll and then realising as they spend more time in the fandom that there are other dolls they like even more, they just didn't know about them when they first decided to buy one (I don't mean people's tastes gradually changing and deciding to sell an earlier doll that they've owned for a while, of course). You can sell an unwanted doll, but it's easier to get it right the first time.

I first encountered BJDs about four or five years ago, but have only recently bought my first one. That's a very long time to wait and it was mostly due to the financial side of things, but it did mean that I had a good idea of doll terminology and care and other essentials before I could even think about actually buying a doll.

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new hobby, but then find that once the initial feeling wears off that it's not so appealing any more, so I think it's a bad idea not to at least wait and see if the interest is going to stick or not before dropping hundreds of dollars on something.

In the end though, it's their money and their decision.

 

I've known about BJDs for a while but didn't actually start liking them or wanting one until last year. I'm still researching care, how-to's, and such before I buy one.

I have a thing for "researching" before I make any big purchase (I get it from my engineer father, I think). I spent 6 months of reading up on care, maintenance, and even "how-it's-made" before I bought myself an electric guitar. I'm most likely going to do the same for a BJD.

 

I've been on and off researching since last spring, and now that my son is 1 and a half feel like I might have more time to invest. So I've been researching pretty heavily since Christmas and don't intend to purchase for probably another 3-6 months. My other hobbies are fairly cost-gentle so I didn't have to put any research into them, but this one would take a huge chunk of change.

In fact I haven't even started reading about face-ups yet, I'm still in the "what's the difference between this doll and this doll, and this company and this company" stage. Although I have read a few wig tutorials

 

It has taken me four years to jump into buying a doll from when Brightfires first showed hers on RPG.net forums.

Four. Years.

I have to admit that once I finally made a decision to get one after four years of just thinking about it and then forgetting about it for a time (and so forth), I have moved very quickly into finding myself a doll that I like and ordering it.

Now I am thinking about saving up for my next one even before my first has arrived...

Phil.

 

I agree too. I actually had this happen to me in a way.
I love dolls and I had ordered my first doll and was so excited I kept talking about it. SO my friend went and ordered an expensive doll that I REALY would have liked to have but couldnt afford it.

The doll came in the mail in October and she hasnt even opened the box yet.
I spend so much time looking into a doll making sure I want it and that its "worth" it for what I want. She whips out 400 bucks on a Tiny and never looks at it again.
I feel so bad for this doll and am kinda mad that she did this. She must not have wanted the doll and just wanted to buy something "better" than mine.

 

Sounds like it, and I feel bad for the doll too! I am currently looking at some lower priced dolls but I genuinely like them. For now the expensive ones are too intimidating.

 

raeonix, the expensive ones are too intimidating.
It's taken me 4, almost 5 years now, to make the decision that I really do want a BJD. Doing research and seeing ones in real life really are the best ways to decide on which doll you do or don't want. Watching someone in action with their doll too is another good way to learn-so you're not suck at your computer screen all day long.
I know through a friend of mine that pukipukis are not the dolls for me and the minifees are about as small as I'm probably going to end up going. But I wouldn't have known that without her being there and I realize some people are not able to be around other people's dolls at all.
I know if I had the money, I probably would have spent it the first moment I saw one, but another good reason to wait and do the research on them is to find the right doll. I don't want to spend $200-600 on a doll I'm going to open the box up and instantly realize I made a mistake. Finding the right doll, is worth the hours of research, just to be perfectly happy with him or her for years to come.
But that's just me

 

I first found about BJD some years ago when I saw pictures of them on internet. I didn't really bother doing any research back then, even thought I found them very attractive.
Last year I accidentally found an article about BJD and I just thought 'oh, that sounds so cool and fun' - and rushed on my computer and started to find more information. I spent about a week finding information about the dolls and then one night asked my mum a permission to buy one. She wanted to see what it was all about and I showed her some pictures and briefly explained the idea. After that immediately went to order my first doll.
While waiting for him to arrive I read more information and also started looking for patterns to make him some clothes. Before he arrived I had bought some fabric and equipment to make his face up.

Personally I thought I was well prepared. Now when I think about it, I knew actually nothing and maybe bought him too early. Nevertheless, I've learned a lot more now that I have him. And maybe this wasn't so bad way to learn afterall. I think people should think twice before buying their first doll and do at least some research, whether this is actually the hobby they're interested in. But in my opinion if one is really sure they want a doll, in most cases they have plenty of time to gather the needed information while waiting for the doll to arrive.

 

I was pretty clueless when I ordered my first doll. My sister did a lot of research, and I did research for about a month, then she decided that she had found which doll she wanted and was going to buy it. I went a little crazy/impulsive and ordered mine too... Both of mine. I then signed up for DOA, ordered clothes etc, and spent the shipping time (Oh the long months!) doing much more research. By the time I got my first doll (one was delayed), I had not only a good working knowledge, I also had a healthy fear of anything happening to her. I'm actually really glad that I had that crazy moment and ordered them then. I love both of my dolls, and I am so very very glad that I got them. I have trouble convincing myself to buy expensive things, so I don't think that I would have gotten them if I had stalled. Now I can't imagine not having them. It would have been especially hard to convince myself of getting them considering I lost my job shortly after my second doll arrived. ^_^ Logic says that I should sell them since I'm unemployed, but there are definitely some things that are more important than money. I may not have been ready when I ordered my dolls, but I will never regret that I ordered them.

 

I think a bit of research before throwing away (in a sense ) hundreds of dollars wouldn't go amiss. However, I don't think it's the research of how to customise your doll that is so important. Before you have your doll, all that you really would need to know is how to take care of your doll the moment you get it home. I, for one, wouldn't even want to do any customisation on the doll itself. I'd be happy with the face-up I chose, and I'd just like to focus on the clothes.

What I think is important to research, though, is all the different dolls and companies that are out there, which one is your favourite, what might be wrong with the design you chose that you overlooked (like how I just noticed on a mold that I thought was quite nice, the knees looked absolutely haywire when they were bent past 90 degrees. Now there's something most advertisement pictures avoid showing...)

In general, just research as in look around at the products you're interested in, while biding your time and seeing after a few months (or years!) if you really still want it, and if it still seems sane to you to be spending that much money.

So as for those people holding their new BJDs in their laps while typing whether or not they should be using wood varnish on their doll, they're not researching too late at all. They're doing that research right now, aren't they? They're asking the right questions, at the right forum, before they lift a finger and do anything wrong to their doll.

 

Oh dear, am going through something similar with a friend of mine but she at least is choosing a doll she really wants. Comparing what she wants to mine in such a way that 60cm aren't as good as 70cm just because one is bigger than the other and because of what I own myself.

I just hope she has a good think over it before spending that much. We're both pretty crazy when it comes to collecting things so I hope she doesn't see this as another way of collecting for fun and then realise BJDs aren't her thing. I've given her plenty of resources to check out so it's down to her really, although she wants me to actually order for her which I refused as I don't want to be responsible for her goods or take the blame. XD

 

Now that I have dolls, I can definitely say that I benefited a LOT from (a) having doll-owning friends before I owned one and (b) being on DoA for months before I owned one. It's just so much easier to acclimate yourself to the idea that "yeah, this is a $400 toy, but it's still OK to take the head off and the eyes out" when you have examples around you ahead of time. I've already replaced the eyelashes on my Min (he lost one in Las Vegas--and you know what they say about what happens in Vegas...=) and I'm preparing to re-string my Dambi, because I've been reassured by the forum and the tutorials that it's a perfectly do-able and non-scary process.

If I were asked, I would tell any newbie that the best thing she could do would be to just soak up doll culture for awhile before buying anything. As in any hobby, the company of experienced people is the best way in.

 

I came from an expensive cosplay hobby, so I'm used to high end materials with special care (ugh, latex!) I first was introduced to BJDs a while back but thought they were an "anime" thing and so didn't think much about it until I saw a fellow cosplayer turn out a gorgeous Jadis (the White Witch from Narnia) BJD. THAT got me seriously interested, and a lot of my research has simply been to find the doll that most closely resembles characters I want to re-create.

Customization is of course part of the fun--but while I learn more about face-ups materials and techniques I am excited to start my collection with a fullset and gradually customized as I get comfortable. I'll just start with what I'm most familiar with which is the costuming

 

I saw my first bjd in a photo story in 'Haute Doll' and fell in love with the details and realism of the photographs. But I couldn't see myself spending that much money on a doll! I tried taking photos of my fashion dolls, and they just didn't compare. So I began to study bjd face molds and to save up for my first doll. Truthfully, I didn't really research the care and customizing of the dolls until after I ordered my first. I just went for the face I liked best at a price I could afford! Boy, have I learned a lot in the last year! Now, 5 little ones later, I've done face-ups on three, have a ridiculous collection of wigs, learned to make fur wigs, and can make clothes without a pattern! The next step will be restringing (I shudder at the thought!)

So, the bottom line is, I don't think it matters how you get started in the hobby. Like any interest, you pursue what appeals to you.

 

I have been interested in and doing regular research for nearly five years. I think I'm prepared for what I have coming, especially because I have little talent for the finer arts and would rather someone else do the more 'artsy' customizations for me. I think everything I don't know I will eventually work itself out from actually owning a doll, hopefully! The problem for me regarding 'buying to soon' is in regards to molds. I worry the most about getting a particular doll and not bonding with it! I'd feel really bad having rehome them! This has particularly been bothering me lately because I just ordered my first doll which is a tiny. I was planning for forever for a 70 cm to be my first and for the size of any future dolls to not vary more than 10 cm from that! And now, before my first is even here, I'm buying a preloved doll from here that is a 60 cm! I'm really worried that I won't bond with them because they were both sort of impulse buys. I'm really hoping my problem is just that they are uncommon molds and that I will love them immediately when I have them in my arms!

 

I agree. It's their money and their experience. It's none of my business what someone else does, unless it affects me directly. Nonetheless, I do think it's best to research and know a bit more about it.

 

I was introduced to BJD's through a co-worker. She hooked me up with a friend of hers that was a little more serious about them, and loaned me hers to see how I like it. They both sent me here and made really awesome remarks about the dolls they have, the dolls other people have, and the issues that some dolls have.
It is very expensive, and I haven't made a doll purchase yet, though I have been very tempted(even got to the checkout on one site). I love sewing, and am actually using "Jasper" as a model to make some 1/4 size clothes to pay for the dolls I plan on getting. I really hope to make this a hobby that can pay for itself, but will not jump into anything I can't afford...

 

I've done my research for about a month or more, before joining this forum. I had looked into BJDs a year or so back before, but more out of curiousity. I would like to think that I've researched into the hobby a bit before just 'diving in'. I still have a while to go before having enough to purchase my first doll, this only provides me with more opportunities to discover new dolls and the like. However, I've found a doll that captures my heart and I'm more than happy to spend my money on him - that's what counts right?! As long as you're sure you won't have buyer's regret then its all okay in my books. Also, I'm hoping that this passion or hobby will pay off in the future ^-^ through sewing and learning to do face-ups!

Just my two cents...

 

I am relatively new to the world of BJDs in terms of owning one. I did a bit of research on them about three years ago when it was all just a pipe dream and I didn't ever think that I would be able to own one let alone have the money to purchase one but Lady Luck has been kind to me and I was able to buy one at the end of last year.

Having said that, there are still things I don't know about them and I tend to not have a problem asking. Everyone has to start somewhere and google can only throw up so many results before it decides to throw random things at you.

I didn't really know a lot of the companies when I bought my doll, sure I was aware of the big ones like Volks and Luts and Dollzone but they were all way beyond my financial means so I didn't really bother looking at companies I knew I couldn't buy from. It just makes me frustrated.

But I don't regret buying the doll I did. He's a great introduction into the world and he's a size I never thought in my wildest dreams I could own and despite the trials like a sudden mysterious light grey mark on his thigh, I am learning more as I go. At the end of the day, it's all really trial and error like any other hobby. It takes time to gather knowledge.

Everyone does things differently, some like to research a lot before making a big purchase like buying a BJD, others will be motivated by their feelings when they see a particular doll and others have budgets to work to so that dictates what they can and can't buy and when.

 

I did years worth of research (that's right years) before I bit the bullet and ordered my girl (who I'm still waiting for ^^ and to be perfectly honest it hasn't really helped me as much as I thought it would. I learned more going to one meet with nice friendly people than I ever did any other way. But that's my personal experiance, I think in part it was I didn't feel like a complete idiot for asking question on a face to face basis than I did typing them on the internet, as tone is so hard to read online.