From MSD to SD.

So I had a similar experience to you I think. I started with MSD and then moved to SD looking for more mature sculpts. Ultimately it wasn't a good fit for me. I found the SD dolls (especially the male ones, 70 cm or so) just too heavy and hard to deal with for me. They are beautiful, and I love the look of them but I find I don't spend near as much time handling them due to the size.

That being said, I know there are many in the hobby who love their big dolls and really enjoy them. So it really just comes down to personal preference.

 

Schmooples hits the nail on the head, SD dolls are HEAVY. Heavy Heavy Heavy. Did I mention they are HEAVY? That being said, I find it more of a comfort as I'm almost afraid I'd break dolls that are too light. Don't get me wrong, at the end of the day when I play with my 75cm, 8 lbs (bare resing/naked weight) big boys I feel like I've had a work out of my own and I couldn't dream of holding them for an entire meet up. For me, it works though.

If at all possible, I recommend trying to hold an SD before you make the commitment to purchase one, especially if you haven't seen one in person before.

As for mature sculpts, some companies offer smaller dolls with more mature faces, like Iplehouse's fashion sized dolls. These are MSD sized (or small SD like Souldoll Vitos) but have a more mature make up than normal MSD Dolls. Unfortunately there are not a whole lot of companies that make Fashion sized dolls. Racoondoll, Iplehouse, Souldoll and Dollshe are the only ones I know about at the moment, but there may be more.

 

I think unless you can hold one, nobody really will be able to predict how you will like it or not.

I personally mostly have 70cm dolls. Whenever I tried smaller ones they just didn't do it for me.
I collected the big ones for the same reason you think now about changing sizes: the big ones just had more mature faces. That's a big plus for me. Their size also gives them a certain...presence. It's hard to describe, but they just got more bamf to them and I really like how impressive they look. However, they are a pest to handle due their weight and size, and props are nearly impossible to get and store as well.

Meanwhile the smaller dolls are easy to handle, but often lack mature faces and just feel like toys to me. Whenever I had a smaller doll here for commissions it just felt like "aw it's a doll " when I handled them.

Maybe the fashion doll size might be a good idea for you? There aren't many options yet, but they become more and more popular. I actually got one doll twice from Iplehouse so I could have him once as impressive EID, and once as an easier to play with FID
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@Ara That's a very interesting perception of the feeling of handling smaller dolls.
I haven't felt that way with my 1/6th size childlike sculpts, but I really do with a couple new 42-44cm dolls I have. I was having trouble putting my finger on it, but there's something about thE 1/4 size that made me stop and think twice, and you've really spelled it out by describing the feeling as "aw it's a doll."
I definitely don't feel that way about my 57cm one. I wonder why that feeling happens!

 

My first doll to arrive, and the first BJD I had ever seen or held in person, was 41 cm. My next doll to arrive was 72 cm!! It was kind of a shock. At first, I thought I had made a huge mistake with the larger size. The large doll seemed monstrously enormous, and much more difficult to handle than my small doll! But now, a few months later, I've become totally accustomed to my large dolls; they don't seem particularly large to me at all anymore. They are a lovely size and I appreciate the presence that they carry. As someone who enjoys doing faceups, I also like having a more substantial canvas to work on.

I currently have two full 66+ cm size dolls at home, and all the other dolls I currently have ordered or on the way are in that size range as well. My single smaller doll now feels like a toy to me, he's just so tiny and lightweight in comparison to the others. I still enjoy him, but I have no plans to add any other smaller-scale dolls to my collection. That is just my personal experience, there are tons of other folks who feel very differently, so I'm sure that you'll hear a variety of experiences!

 

I too have done the jump from MSD to 70 cm. Originally it was due to Soom fantasy dolls like Heliot and Cuprit only being in that size but I've collected a few more in other brands since. I like each size for different reasons. MSD I can throw a whole group in a bag for a shoot somewhere with ease plus they tend to stand better (lower center of gravity?). SD and larger get so large (and as mentioned by others, heavy) that it is difficult to take more than two anywhere. It is a little easier to find accessories or to sew for SD as well.

I think most of the mature mini brands have been mentioned save for Luts Model Delf and maybe Unoa.

 

When I got into this hobby few months ago I only looked at SD. My 1st bjd came last week (58cm) and she isn’t that big. Maybe because I got the RD sickle first (80cm) and it’s much heavier than her so when I hold her I don’t feel that she’s too heavy. The only thing I find is because SD is bigger so they use thicker string, thus when you want to restring or unhook body parts, you need to put more strength (which I don’t have lol). Also space to display your dolls and cost may be a problem too because everything is bigger and more expensive.

 

Yes I just received my first SD today and I will definitely have to get used to his size. It definitely feels different and as others have mentioned: he's heavy. I love him but for the moment I prefer MSDs. But let's see how I feel in a few weeks when I've had more time with him and also made some stuff for him.

 

I too started off with MSDs, and when I finally caved and ordered an SD...my first reaction on opening the box was "that's it?" lol. I was expecting something monstrously huge, I suppose. As others have said, weight and presence are two things SDs have going for and/or against them, depending on your perspective. Then again, I love every size of BJD I've ever tried, so I'm probably not a good judge of these things.

 

My first doll was a 70 cm doll because I wanted something very different from the playline dolls I had been collecting. The shock at the size never goes away when the box arrives (and I also have a 90cm boy now). Major downside of larger dolls is it's harder to find stuff for them just randomly. Like a YoSD, for example, can use barbie stuff, so if you are at a store, you can easily make an impulse purchase.

I will say, while they are heavier than MSD, not all 70 cm resin is weighted equally. I have some that are a chore to deal with and some that are a dream. If you have a company in mind, check with owners for their good/bad points. I know that the first thing I would mention for my 70 cm Impldolls would be they are my heaviest and I have a hard time finding pants that will fit their butts, for example.

 

Much like the others, I went from MSD to SD. I love the size and weight. But I value taking my dolls with me for pictures. Ultimately I prefer MSD or mature SD and sold my SDs. However, I am okay with Dollfie Dreams because they aren't heavy and I can put them in a backpack.

 

My first doll was an MSD. Choosing an SD as my second doll was the best possible step I've made; I still have my MSD, but my doll fam is largely made up of SDs now. There's just something about the heft in their weight that makes them feel simultaneously more like a companion as well as artwork. That being said, of course, your mileage may vary! It helped me significantly that the characters I wanted to shell had a wider variety about SD sculpts, and the difficulty in casually dressing an MSD boy becomes...less of a choice at that point. Good luck to you, however you decide to go about it!

 

All my dolls are 60-71cm. I always thought I'd like a size smaller but when i looked for the sculpts i loved i always ended up with SDs. I love the sculpts, i love sewing for them because bigger is easier, but yeah... they're heavy. So taking them on trips is a bit different. You can't take many dolls. I pack 1 in my backpack and once you're there, at a meet, it's actually fine. Having one on your arm all day just is harder.
Another hard part is that there seem to be fewer props this size, and the props are huge so take up space. My dolls sit in my glass cabinet because standing is impossible because of size. Feels more secure anyhow.

 

I agree with trying one (or only buying one) to start so you can test out the size. I also recommend looking at owner photos of people holding their dolls for scale reference.

I was originally planning to start with MSD for cost/size but ended up going with SD for aesthetics. My dolls are 55cm-65cm with one token 22cm doll. I find the weight makes it feel substantial; which seems nice for an expensive item haha. I think I got used to the size by handling the doll often when I first received it and having little photo-shoots as I practiced posing her.

My smaller doll is easier to handle, flops less, and is easy to take out since she can fit into a small bag and is less eye catching. I haven't taken any of my big dolls to a meet before but I have moved them between my parents houses using medium tote/gym bags. Usually I have to get them to sit in the bag and their hair gets messed up while packing them. At the meet I did go to, we posed the dolls for photos and didn't really hold them much, so I don't feel weight of a larger doll would be that much of an issue. For a larger doll though I do recommend a stand as they can fall hard.

I've thought about 70 cm dolls before, but I feel they would make my existing dolls look much shorter than I want. My shelves would also have a hard time accommodating a bigger doll since my tallest boy (65 cm) has just enough head room while standing. So your available space may be something else to consider.

 

I started with only MSD and smaller, but about 3 years into the hobby I borrowed an SD boy from a friend and just fell in love with the size! I spent the next year or so upgrading all of my doll characters from MSD to SD and never looked back. Within the last year though, I've started getting 70cm range boys. I'm still keeping my girls in the 54-60cm range because they're all so perfect as they are, but I really like the feel of the bigger boys. I only have one SD range boy left, and my very first MSD, though my first doll is in the process of also having a 70cm version (I have the head but not body yet). I don't regret the change at all. My biggest complaints:

1. The space they need. It's so much easier to build a little diorama for MSD and smaller, or set them up on a book shelf. The big dolls need more space than that and many book shelves are too small for them to stand or even sit.
2. The props and furniture they need is harder to find. MSD and smaller can use stuff made for 18" dolls or Barbie pretty easily, but the big ones usually need things made exclusively for BJDs, which can get pretty expensive.
3. Finding clothes. Some of them are really easy, but others can be difficult. For example, I have a 71cm boy and that extra centimeter makes a big difference in clothing fitting or not. Almost every pair of pants I've bought for him has been much too short and I don't know where else to look. I may have to make my own. Many 70cm clothes are made either for the big beefy boys (Iplehouse EID, Soom Idealian and Mega Gem, for example) or the really thin boys (like Dollshe 18M), and I have a boy who is kind of in between so things tend to be either baggy or very tight. Shoes can also be hard sometimes for the big footed boys (like Dollshe Mystic body).
4. The weight. Don't get me wrong, I love the nice heavy weight of a doll in my hands, but if I want to take one to a doll meet or convention, they get SO heavy so fast! If I'm going to a public meet, this usually means I'm only taking one doll. When I only had MSD and tinies, I'd often take five or so!

But on the other hand, there are a lot of positives too. I feel like there's a lot more diversity in both body types and head sculpts in larger dolls, and more diversity in clothes too. Clothes also tend to be more detailed and realistic than smaller clothes. Wigs don't look as puffy or bulky as they can on small dolls. The scale is better for outdoor photoshoots, as they don't look lost in the grass or trees. And lastly, I just think they're more impressive. Most mass produced toy dolls are small, so a giant BJD just impresses me easier than small BJDs who are the same size as toys.

Ultimately, I'd say try out a big doll, but keep your small ones, at least at first. Give yourself time to adjust to the big doll and decide if they're really for you before you sell off the small ones. While upgrading was the right thing for me and I don't think I'll ever look back, I have had friends who started tiny, tried big and didn't like it at all, selling off their big dolls within months of getting them. It's really a personal choice but if you're interested, I think it's definitely worth it to test out.

 

My first two dolls were MSD sized. As soon as I got an SD, l I fell in love and now I prefer those sizes. What helped me was getting a cheap plush SD sized doll to have a feel so what you are working with. So if you are unsure of the size, get something to help you visual the size of the doll. That definitely helped me.

 

I had a collection of entirely 1/4 and 1/6 dolls, but decided to try an SD last year, and ordered a Fairyland Feeple60. After having her for like half a year now, I can definitely say I prefer MSD sized dolls. I might get my SD a friend one day, but probably no more than that. I just enjoy my Minis more. They’re easier to play with and dress up, and just handle in general.

 

This thread has actually been really insightful for me because I was thinking about moving in the opposite direction! I've always loved how cute MSD sized dolls are and I originally planned to purchase one until an SD pre-order stole my heart and that's how I ended up with a 70cm doll. Seeing everyone's points about MSD sized dolls has me gravitating back the other way again