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Is there such thing as being TOO picky with your first doll?

Dec 5, 2010

    1. Mhm.

      I've FINALLY convinced my grandmother to buy me a BJD. :)

      I've been jumping through different websites for a few months now. I've looked at over 100 companies.

      I favor 1/3 dolls and 1/4 dolls... I'm in love with CrobiDoll, but those are way too expensive. :o

      I'm really discouraged today, I'll find a doll I think that I REALLY like and then in an hour or two I'll be looking for another one. :doh It's so annoying, I'm a really picky person and I feel like I can't find any BJDs that I like anymore. I'm so worried that I'll buy something and end up hating it, too. x__x;

      Anyone else experience something like this? Is this like... pre-doll jitters?

      If this is the wrong forum, I'm sorry. I'm terrible at posting. x_____x;
       
    2. There is never being 'too picky' with a doll, it just means a doll hasn't called out to you get. The other option is looking through the databases to see different styles singular molds can accomplish, that really is what sold me to a mold.

      I use to have the same feeling when I first got into BJD, but I saw Crobidoll Nao and I had to get him, so I did after working my butt off. If you are drawn to Crobi, then go for it. I'd say ask your grandmother if you could save up for part of it just so you feel a little less guilty for asking for such a big gift. With this hobby settling can sometimes be a huge financial blow to people.
       
    3. It could possibly be first doll jitters, but there's nothing wrong with taking your time and shopping around. There are so many more companies and sculpts out there than when I was looking for my first, that it can take awhile to really get a grasp of what alls on the market.
       
    4. i don't think there's such thing as being too picky. it took me a while to find the doll i want, and when i first saw him, i KNEW. it's like he called out to me, and we bonded right there. :lol: now, i'm slowing figuring out how he's supposed to look to me, like what color eyes, what kinda wig, ect. i even have his first two outfits picked out(and i'm mad that i can't find any plain black jeans to complete one! lol). it's just how things are! :kitty2
       
    5. I agree with Liarino. When you find the right one, you'll definitely know it--and yes, you have to look through hundreds of companies, especially for your first doll (make sure you look at owner pics too!). After you know which companies you like it gets easier. :)

      You could try asking people what companies have styles similar to Crobidoll, but honestly I think their prices are pretty typical.
       
    6. The most important thing is that you're happy with what you end up with, so being picky isn't a bad thing. However, looking at EVERY possible option can get confusing and frustrating. It may help to list what you know you want (girl, boy, size, poseability, skin tone, ease of finding clothing, stylized vs realistic) and compare only what fits those categories. 1/4 and 1/3 is most of the entire BJD inventory out there! 1/3 dolls range from about 56cm to 70cm (with some exceptions going to 90cm, I think). Then look at as many owner pics etc as you can. But unless what you like is a limited, there's no need to rush.

      Settling for something cheaper than what you want is rarely a real cost savings, as Liarino said. It's better to find what you want and then figure out how to get it. But do remember that if it's just little things, like a certain facial expression or what have you, a lot of that can be changed with faceups, eye size and placement, etc.
       
    7. I spent over a month choosing my first doll once I decided I was going to go for it. I would have taken longer but I wanted to order at the same time as my best friend! Try not to rush, when you find the right doll you'll know. Sometimes I look at a doll, look at a bunch of different ones but then realize I keep thinking back to that one doll and keep looking them up. It's okay to be uncertain - this is your first doll and if you wont be able to get more for awhile you want it to be one to keep you happy for a long time. :)
       
    8. As chaos_zebra stated above, look at owner pics of each doll you're leaning toward - but don't limit yourself only to those. Go crazy on all the databases and galleries here. A doll can look very different, depending on wig, eyes, faceup, etc. You may discover a doll you found unremarkable on the company site is absolutely arresting in owner pictures. (Yes, I speak from personal experience.)

      Imagine that this doll will be your only doll, and don't settle. Let yourself fall madly in love!

      Good luck with your search!
       
    9. I just bought my first doll, and she was a Crobidoll. They are very nice dolls, and well worth the money. It took me a very very long time to end up choosing her. I had about 4 or 5 other choices, but it's hard to explain it, but you just know when you've found the right one. Within time, I'm sure you'll find the perfect bjd for yourself! :)
       
    10. I think if you know for a fact that you have a particular company or sculpt that you know for sure that you love, you should save up for it. I know often people suggest getting a lower end doll since it's your first so you get an idea of how to treat it. However, I think that in the time it will take you to save up you'll have watched so many tutorials and researched so much about bjd's that you'll feel more than ready. I ordered my first doll a month ago, and in this one month I've already learned so much.

      It's better than getting 2 dolls that you think are great, but not to die for and then realizing later you still want the Crobi. I totally think you should ask your grandma to chip in, maybe ask another family member to chip in or gift you a part of savings instead of a Birthday Gift or Christmas gift. As well as save up on your own. Trust me it will make you feel all the more excited and happy when you finally order that doll.


      Long story...but...
      I used to think Dream of Doll's were the only thing I wanted, but I could never get myself to just get it, even though I had enough saved up. Then a year ago I found out about Bluefairy Dolls, I fell in love with their sculpts and there was this one premium edition Louis I said I just had to have when it became available again. A month or so ago they released a different sculpt I never paid attention to, it was a limited Tommy. For some reason I just couldn't keep myself from visiting their web page again everyday to look at it. To the point where I just ordered him. Now a month later that premium edition Louis is finally available (what bad timing right?). I no longer have the money to buy him, but for some reason it didn't feel so bad, in fact I felt like I didn't even need to have him, I've grown so attached to this doll even though he's not even home yet lol.

      Funny how things work out right? So I hope you can get the same feeling when you pick your first doll.
       
    11. Get the first doll that truly leaps out at you and says I'm The One + that also fits in your budget. Your gut knows the right one when it sees it. And if you think that making the right choice of doll means that you'll never get any more of those feelings of coveting other dolls, you're deluding yourself. ^^ There will always be other dolls that you like later, & that's just going to be a fact of life until all companies stop making more dolls... so just buy one that you love that feels right.
       
    12. I went more than 6 months before ordering my first. I wasn't just looking for the "perfect doll" I was also looking for specific facial features. I'd looked at enough dolls and felt that none of the were even close, that I was giving up, and it was kind of depressing...but I did one more search first. I did find my "perfect doll" but I still waited and looked some more, both at other dolls, and the one I wanted before buying him. I wanted to make sure it really the one I felt comfortable spending so much on (at the time I knew nothing of the second hand market for BJDs so I thought I'd be stuck with him forever and really regret it if i made a bad choice. in the end, I shouldn't have worried so much cause I still have him). I'm not nearly as picky now, but the doll sticker-shock has long worn off XD
       
    13. Nah, there's no such thing as being too picky. It took me years to decide on my first doll and I absolutely love him to death even though he's not complete yet. Just take your time and you'll know when it's the right doll.
       
    14. No, it's good that you're putting a lot of thought into your first doll. It took me a couple of months to decide on my first (and it took me just as long to choose my second). Like you, I'm very picky about sculpts so I have to make sure I love everything about it (down to the smallest detail).

      If you really want one from CrobiDoll than perhaps you can make a deal with your grandma and save up half of the money yourself (this will also give you more time to decide). If your dream doll is one of the more expensive ones and you know that this isn't a hobby you'll be leaving anytime soon, I'd say go for that one. I think you'll be much happier.

      Don't give up. I had the same problem when I was trying to decide on my first boy. I just couldn't find any that appealed to me as much as my last and when I did, they were sold out limiteds. Right when I was about to give up and choose an MSD instead, I found CrobiDoll's Yeon-Ho and had an instant "he's perfect" reaction. It'll take a while for me to save up for him, but it's worth it.
       
    15. This sounds like my problem. I found dolls that i really LIKED but couldn't decide, my friend who has BJDs said that you can't just like a doll you buy, you have to fall in love with the doll. It has to be an instant connection. I followed her instructions, and now my Bory is on her way home.
       
    16. My first was a ebay rescue: it was his price that won me. Over the past 2 years since I had him we've bonded but it wasn't until I gave him his first face-up that we really clicked. Sometime you do need to work with a doll, even if you don't plan to do face-ups, to get them to bond.

      My second resin baby has been much harder to pick for two reasons #1 being that funds have been extremely tight for the last year #2 I want a MSD but none have truely caught me. I have several SD and Tinies that I like but no MSD. I'm restricting myself because my boy needs a girl first ^_^
       
    17. Don't worry, just take your time, just like everyone has said.
      Remember to look owner pictures, most dolls look really different than they do in company-pictures. It can turn doll that you never tought to be the one you want. You might also want to look what other people think generally about the doll; poseability of the body, resin matches, everything.
      Again; take your time. If you rush it can turn out to be really dissapointing.
      It took about a year for me to found the one I really wanted, and even then I just bought head, becouse I didn't like body.
      I think I'm picky too.^^
       
    18. Sometimes it can be hard to know what you will like if you only have pictures to base your decisions on. If you can, try meeting up with some doll owners and hold a few sizes. Some companies produce dolls with a distinct feel to them. The best way to find out if you like a heavy or light doll with smooth resin or more "toothy" resin is by actually holding one. It may help you take away the worry of getting a doll and then not liking it as it will help you form an image of what you are buying.

      [edit] For my first doll I made a short list of several dolls that I liked and listed the pros and cons of each doll. It was hard to choose, but in the end the list helped.
       
    19. I haven't bought my first doll yet and I have been on this forum for a year trying to look and learn. At first I was overwhelmed by all the choices but over time I am starting to narrow it down. I have been trying to look at heads without face-ups to understand what these different molds look like. And I look at as many different pics of the ones I am interested in as I can find. I haven't seen any of them in person and I do think that would be a huge help. I am hoping to order my first in Jan. :)
       
    20. No being picky isn't the word it's finding a match. Sometimes it's instant and others it takes a long time. The hard part for me is not being able to see a variety of dolls in person. I just saw I doll I had almost bought and now I'm happy I never did, very dissapointing. In that same thinking I also saw another I've been considering and I want more than ever. Anyone that lives near a doll shop that you can go in and actually see them, you are blessed. Maybe you should go to a doll meet and get to know some dolls. Put out feelers for your area and arrange a meeting just for you. If anything doll people are very nice and love to chat about and show off their love of dolls. Good luck and post what you end up getting.