Money is tight, which come first, Limited sculpt and faceup or wigs?

I think the sculpt comes first because you can always get wigs or clothes. But the sculpt there are other factors that come into play because some people buy dolls just to make a profit from. I've ran into someone like that. I rather have a floating head than a bunch of stuff I can't really use.

 

If the wig isn't limited is better to get a faceup, but only if the faceup is also limited or especially pretty.

The option of getting just the head depends on a few things. Some companies don't sell parts or are hard to get second-hand so it'll be better to get a full doll in that case. The limited doll may also have a limited skintone.

If it's just the sculpt being limited then I would get a blank head.

 

'Probably not the answer you want to hear, OP... But if money was tight, I wouldn't be using it to buy a doll. I'd be trying to set enough aside to make sure that I had the reserves *NOT* to feel like money was such an issue. That's just more important to maintaining both mental and physical well-being than buying a new toy, no matter how pretty or limited that toy is.

The thing is, the doll you want will eventually come around again. Even if you end up having to buy it in pieces on the secondary market a few years down the road, it'll show up sooner or later... and with some planning and discipline, you can have the money set aside to pounce when it does, and not have to worry about what the purchase will do to your budget. That's a much better way to go than stressing yourself out by trying to buy the thing now, when you really can't afford it.

 

If we're talking limited expensive doll I always go for the head if I can find one at a price my wallet can afford. Wigs can always be gotten, alternate bodies can be found, but limited heads are a lot harder to come by and that's most of the doll's look, what got me interested, right there. I prefer to hybrid anyway when it comes to those dolls. It's how I can afford them in the end.

Going out and buying a $500 and on up limited doll from some company just isn't in my budget. Buying a $150 head is about as much as I've ever stretched it and that was only because the two dolls I spent that on were really limited and very hard to come by on or off their original body. I usually spend $35-100 for a head I want, more often far less than $100 and then find a body for $125 or less, usually less, to put it on.

Most of my dolls were actually under $160, most were way under, and that includes several dolls that would have run me $500-1000 plus shipping if I had bought them new and on their factory bodies. I do have a couple of dolls that cost me $250 and $300 respectively but that's because I splurged a little on particularly nice and unusual HTF heads and slightly better quality bodies that I really liked.

It is possible to not break the bank and to participate in this hobby. Adding it all up, dolls, their stuff, in three and a half years I have spent money about the equivalent of two new medium high range BJD dolls but I have like 25 dolls and a lot of wigs, shoes, eyes, etc. I make my own clothes or buy used stuff most of the time except for buying from this one seller on Etsy who makes t-shirts in MSD and SD sizes for very reasonable prices in colors I love. I have also bought a few wigs and pairs of shoes off Amazon and Ebay for much lower prices than I've seen them at the BJD store sites. I do my own face ups. I don't send out my dolls.

I have put a lot of work into my BJD collection and I have a lot of work to do, but I really feel I have gotten great value out of what I have spent. I'm proud of my BJD gang. They're not done yet, but there's no rush. This is a long term project thing. I think the biggest mistake people make when they come into this hobby is rushing into buying dolls and stuff too fast. They don't look around. They don't look for used stuff first which is a major way to save money. They're scared of hybrid dolls. Honestly it's not that hard to do and it can save you a small fortune when you do it.

I have Ringdoll boys, a Dollshe boy. I have a Migi girl, a Feeple SD girl, a Supia girl. I have an MSD sized Narae and I have a bunch of lower end Resinsoul and Miro dolls. My collection is not lacking for style or variety. I make a point of trying to pick interesting and unique sculpts. Quite a few of mine are not sculpts you see all the time and no, I did not go broke doing this. Being patient, looking at the various markets and hybriding, it can really make a huge difference in what you spend on this hobby. So don't just jump in and open your wallet. You'll be glad you didn't.

 

I think buying all the parts you love is the cheaper option in the long run simply because shipping adds up quickly and the 2nd hand market can also get pricey. However, if it's something you plan to put away and finish later because of your current budget, then getting the head and body together would be the smartest move. If you don't care if the resin matches perfectly and the company also sells bodies on their own, you can try for just the head. It can be a little bit risky depending on lots of factors such as limited colors, how quickly the resin yellows, your personal pickiness and so on. For example, it might be hard to buy a body for a head in an unusual color like blue simply because some companies change theirs from batch to batch.

Honestly, I think sometimes a doll simply isn't meant to be for me. It's hard but in those cases, I focus on what I have.

 

No problem! Did you post pictures?

 

Always go for blank head because I never like company's faceup. I will send them to my local artist Limited wigs doesn't bother me. Nothing to lose. Somehow it was just an impulsiveness. Hahaha.

 

definately the suplt..

 

head+body+faceup