Doll research *or* Buying too soon?

I've been researching like mad since I finally decided I wanted to have a doll. I have been to just about every English doll site out there, and spent long hours on eBay, and still have doubts about what I want.

If a person doesn't do research, they'll probably end up disappointed with their end result...or be out ALOT of cash.

 

I'm definitely similar to your position, Original Poster, I have scoured the internet and am now here to scour this place. I have bubcus savings right now, but when it gets to the point where I can start saving specifically on bjds I'll know what it's all about.

 

I tend to often want to say, "Well, it's your doll, and thus your money, and thus a reflection on your taste", but sometimes it seems to come back to...intelligence as well. For instance, five dollar craft paint on a $500+ doll, which causes a horrific monstrosity...even if the owner absolutely loves their doll, as aesthetically unpleasing it may be to less forgiving eyes. In a way, I sort of feel that research is imperative...but then again, I'm the sort who researches like mad with whatever I happen to get interested in.

I think that before you can really participate in any form of hobby, you need to get a feel for if it's right for you or not, and to do that, you need to be a informed as you can be. Granted, once you get involved in it, you learn by experience, but it's always good to learn from what others have to teach you as well.

 

I'm one of the dive in head first people I guess. I got interested in them but didn't know much except they were pretty and expensive. I ordered my first doll a few days ago and signed up here right after so I can spend the waiting time getting a bit more knowledgable about it.

Somehow I can not get properly interested in something unless I can apply it. My doll will be complete with face up and outfit when it arrives so it won't need to have much done to it for now I hope. Still, I hope that having him in my hands and handling him will make it alot easier for me to soak up all the information around here.

 

I knew about BJDs from magazines, but had very little interest. They were too costly and complex. Then, just playing on ebay, I saw a Zuzu Delf Persi with make up being sold on the secondary market. I fell in love. Began to do my homework, realized she would be cheaper to buy new than secondary market, and put my order in with Luts.

This behavior is not characteristic of me--I usually think things through better. I don't know about many things except sewing for these dolls, but I do have a good understanding of conventional dolls. I figure I will learn as I go...but, its fun..and I am in for the ride...

Worst case, I mess her up, get her fixed. Not fatal...not like dropping a newborn baby or something...

 

I was first introduced to dolls by a best friend, and I did a year and a half of research before I actually bought an El boy direct from Luts. Even then I was too nervous to do much such as mod/face-up him myself.

It's very true that while waiting for your doll, you can relieve anxiety by looking everything up in the month or so it takes for your doll to get to your house.

Still, a lot it learned once you finally have the doll and want to do new things with/for them. Hopefully most people have the common sense to look up something they want to know at some point, whether it's before/after they get the doll. ^^;

 

I have had an experience recently that made me believe again that you should research. My friend bought a doll for full price... and then found out they had yearly sales in July...
So now she regrets it. If she hadnt jumped on the spur of the moment idea of one she wouldve gotten along just fine. I always say wait till you can buy your dream sculpt rather than buy your less favourite as well but thats for a different thread.

 

I've been very nervous about it.

I've been looking up info for a while, not quite months, but almost a month now..

I just feel it's time to stop being chicken, and the best way to learn, is to go ahead and do it!

I don't think I'll risk ruining a pretty default faceup though!

(I'm planning to order tomorrow!)

 

This is how I see it, your money, your doll, your issue. People will do whatever they want, and it is just a doll. It isn't like they are having a baby or buying a living creature that will depend on them to keep it alive and well(both of which people do without any research as well). In the long run if they screw up it is a huge financial loss (depending on the person and how much they spent on a doll) but it is their loss to bear. It's just like buying a $500 stereo system. You can do all the research and know that you are getting what you want and install it yourself. Or buy what the guy at the store tells you to and let them install it for you. It's all a matter of the kind of person you are.

I personally love to research before I do anything. Like I would never do a faceup on a doll unless I had researched how and probably had some one demonstrate it for me first. However just buying a doll does not require one to have some sort of in depth knowledge. When I had the chance to actually buy a doll in person (instant gratification how I love thee), no shipping, no waiting months for the doll to arrive, no worrying about it getting damaged in transit ect. I went for it. Now I did think long and hard about it first. But in the long run she was too pretty and I couldn't not do it. But just buying the doll was no different than just buying anything. And now I am learning more and more about the hobby aspect as I go. Because you don't have to be part of the hobby to enjoy a doll. It can be just a pretty that sits on a shelf. And you can learn as you go. Because you could research for months or years before buying a doll and you still wouldn't know it all. There are some things you will not know until you are actually down to the handling of the doll. The only things you have to understand before buying the doll are how to buy it and what you will be getting. That is easy enough to learn from the website (in my case I purchased the doll in person so even easier). Other than that is a matter of personal prefrence and learning styles.

 

I think I bought a little too quickly but I don't regret it. I made sure to read up on the do's and dont's of the dolls while I was waiting.

As for "newb" questions. They annoy me, not because they don't know, because they don't look. I hate seeing new threads going "what's MSC?" or "where can i buy a wig?" because there are stickies for that. All the info is basically there on a plate, but they still start numerous threads. It's like they didn't even try looking. I'm pretty sure I never did that.

 

As you can see, I'm a n00b, too.
But I started like the threadopener:

After a good friend of mine showed me some dolls I started to read a lot about them.
I spent many hours in the internet, surfing on a lot of sites, asking many people about this hobby.
When I start a new thing, I'm 100% on it and try to know as much as possible about it.
After some month I thought: Yeah, now the time comes for buying one.

A Doll is nothing cheap, especially when you are a poor pupil with no own money. It was hard to convince my father for buying me such a expensive thing, because...yeah, it's "just" a doll.
And when you buying such an expensive thing, you should know what to do and not to do with it....you can't be happy with an expensive Ferrari without knowing how to drive it,eh?

 

I guess it depends a lot on how you personally view this hobby. I've always researched and tried to learn as much about a doll before buying - sometimes it's meant that I've missed out on a doll that I might have been interested in. I know that the price of bjds is what keeps me cautious. I think I'd be more inclined to take a punt and just buy without research if they were cheaper.

 

I am definitely one of those "buy first, ask questions later" kind of people, and dolls were the same. I knew a little, just the basics anybody could learn by reading about dolls. But I didn't really bother to read up on anything about the doll until after I had one... and I still have a millions questions. Luckily I have people are more than willing (or not ) to indulge in all my pestering.

I think this is why I have so many odd sized dolls that don't really fit in. They have odd clothing sizes, and are hard to buy for. That is one thing I regret not researching first... =_=

I still haven't gotten around to restringing, either.

 

I am one who learns by doing. I started with research and reading, but that did not prepare me for the arrival of my doll this morning...I can talk about taking out and replacing eye putty, but it is different than really doing it on an expensive doll. I thought out my purchase, but was not prepared for face up that came looking just like the default when I ordered the make-up and expected all the extra fancy that I had seen on the makeup versions...I was not prepared to have to take apart her stringing because she is too tight to stand.

I live in the middle of nowhere. I have never seen a real live BJD until I got one. I am naturally going to ask for support from my online community so that I don't really mess up my new baby.

When you learn to drive, you can pass the written test. That means you may know who goes first at a four way stop, or who has to yield. But knowing is different that being in heavy traffic for the first time, with cars all around you, honking, and several semi trucks and being grateful that the drivers ed teacher beside you is there to tell you what you need to do next if you want to ask....

I am glad that DOA is here today for me to ask....

I may not repaint her face, but I sure as heck will do her paw pads as soon as I can get the right materiels....

LOL

 

I think that people have to reaserch before getting into the hobby. After I saw my first doll I made sure I knew a butt load [sorry for the vulgar language. xD] about the dolls. How to take care of them, how to clean them, how to put face up on them, and just about the clothes, eyes and wigs that they are supposed to wear. I think that it's better to be prepared and then get the doll rather than jumping into the hobby blindly.

As for asking questions, No one should feel stupid asking questions. Asking questions is a good way of learning. I mean, if you can't find the info online, you'll prolly never be able to get your question answered.

So, pretty much, just make sure you're know what you're doing before you get into this expensive hobby.

 

I obsessed for well over a year on *one* doll, thinking I only wanted an SD and infact the only SD's I wanted was an I-ra or a Ducan...
Turns out, I really like msds..!

And I was out shopping for msds for the past 3 months, and finally obsessed for 4 days straight on wanting one, and my boyfriend caved in and let me get one (mind you.. with my own money.. LOL!). Oddly enough, I had only known about Mabel for about 12 hours when I decided she is who I wanted. Prior to that I was swooning over luts 60cm annette, adoring lati blues, and going crazy over DoD dolls of all sizes. I halfway regret diving in and ordering Mabel, but I am beyond in love with her face, but some of the stuff I learned afterwards about her worries me, but at the same time I have to keep confidence that reading up on this stuff for so long I will know what to do and what not to do.

Still nervewracking.

 

I think that it is best to research the hobby. I did quiet a bit of research since they cost so much. I think it's best to reseach any hobby you might want to get into. I still probably got a doll too early but i don't regret it.

 

Research is very good. There is plenty to find on basic information for BJD care and maintenance.

However, I have had the experience of loving a certain doll from a not-so-popular or new company, so there isn't very much research you can do from the customer side. So sometimes you have to go out on a limb and buy that doll and then share your experience to help the next person.

This method hasn't always gone well (I ended up saying goodbye to two dolls from two different companies for which there wasn't very much research for) but I think it was worth it to share what I learned.

I also want to add that it's so important to find out as much as you can about these foreign companies. They are managed differently from American companies (for example, most companies don't allow you to cancel your orders once they have been made) and if you make a mistake it could end up costing you a lot!

 

I haven't received my first doll yet, but before I bought him I did a lot of research. I wanted to know what I was getting myself into and I want to prevent any unfortunate things from happening. That being said, I think there are some things you can only learn through experience and actually having a doll. So all of my knowledge is good in theory, but we have yet to see it in practice! I just hope it goes over well ^^;

 

Somethings I think, like restringing, are things you can only really learn and understand once you have a doll. Same with actually doing your faceups. It shouldn't be something that people invest in lightly but the amount of research is someone's true personal choice. If they feel better learning about it with the doll in hand, that's their choice. Personally, I'm trying to do a ton of research before I buy mine but I won't be.. disappointed in people who don't.