One expensive or few cheaper?

I tend to find with dolls that less is more - don't forget having more dolls will cost more in the long run (more clothes and things for them). I don't think you should buy a cheaper doll just for the sake of being able to buy more with the money and you should go with what ever doll you are in love with because in the end you may not fall in love with your other dolls and end up selling them. Obviously it is up to you though but personally I would prefer less dolls that I am completely in love with then more that I'm not 100% keen on.

 

Anything I buy, that I enjoy anyways, I go with quality over quantity. I mean yeah you could get a month's worth of McDonalds vs. a really nice dinner at my favorite restaurant, but it isn't the same.

I'm new to this hobby, but I guess it depends on the expensive doll. Could you save up and get it later? Are the inexpensive ones limited items that aren't going to be around long? Seems like there's thing that can balance out depending on your personal wants and wishes.

 

Always go for the one you really love - that's what will make it worth the price. Even cheaper dolls are still expensive, after all, so why settle for a couple that are "pretty, but..." when you could have the perfect doll?

 

You've answered your own question - go for the perfect one! Even if he's your one and only (for a while, or forever) he's perfect, right?

 

I absolutely agree that less is more. Never go for a doll just because it's cheaper; you'll most likely regret it in the end. (I know I have.) Having more dolls is not necessarily better. It just means more clothes and wigs and eyes you have to buy and more faceups you have to do or pay for. It'll almost definitely end up costing more than completeing the single, more expensive doll, actually.

(My biggest doll regret was a "oh, I'll get this one because it's cheaper" situation, so I'm pretty adamant about going for what you think is perfect, not what's cheaper. If you can afford it, at least.)

 

I totally agree. Buy your perfect doll. If you settle for the less expensive ones you will probably wish you had gotten the one you really wanted instead.

 

If you have a lot of plans for dolls get cheaper ones that you know you can spend time on, if a doll is limited or on sale then get one that you know you can cherish for as long as smaller ones would~

 

I have a rule of budget. Size will decide price. I understand some companies and artists will be over my budget, in which case I will look for second hand, to get some. If you decide budget based on size you can also budget clothes and shoes. I feel boys are the best as with one pair of jeans and a few shirts, they are good. Girls tend to need more.

Anyway if you budget you can get a couple of good ones and get them dressed.

 

I definitely agree with the other comments above! Go with the dream doll. I keep dolls in my collection limited to dream dolls, dolls that are really special to me or the family, etc. If you end up buying other dolls instead, while they might be cheaper alternatives, they will not be a "substitute" for that really important doll. It is better to invest in something that will fill that role as long as it is in that budget!

 

Oh - and by the way, is your dream girl by any chance a Popovy Little Owl? ^__^ Hehe. If so, I can assure you that the Popovy Sisters dolls are absolutely breathtaking! I actually have three (two painted eyes and one open eyes). My latest girl is Little Owl actually!

It sounds like you are well on your way to making your decision. Everyone's input on this thread is awesome!

 

Honestly, dolls are not groceries.
Get the one you love the most, because simply thinking “well I could get three for the price of one“ usually doesn't turn out well.
You don't need to have X amount of dolls or to fill a quota

Keep in mind that every cheap doll you buy “just because cheap“ sets you back from the one you actually want.
Go straight for the goal, even if it needs more steps (i.e. costs more).

 

My advice from years buying dolls...always buy the one you love most. My biggest regret is not spending what I needed to get the perfect doll, thus being happy right from the start, and learning that it is ok to spend that much on just one doll.

 

One expensive. Go for the doll you love most. I wish I had. I made the mistake of going for cheaper dolls when I started in the hobby. It's something I really regret, as I could have had my Volks girl by now. But I'm saving for her now, and I know it'll be worth it when I finally have her in my hands.

 

I agree with what the others have said, go with the one you really love over the 3 you just like. If you settle for a doll that you're kind of "meh" about then you will probably never be satisfied with it. I've been known to impulse buy inexpensive dolls that I only kind of like just because the price was right and it always ends up being a waste of money since I don't LOVE the doll. I'd always end up selling them later at a loss.

 

Buy the one that calls to you. I've been in the situation of impulse buying all the cheap dolls, then really regretted it when I realized I could have bought my grail if I hadn't wasted my money on a bunch of dolls I didn't really love.

If a cheaper doll is THE ONE that you love, that calls to you more than any other, by all means, get it! I'm just saying that having more isn't necessarily as fulfilling as having one you really like.

 

It's so nice to see that so many people believe in the quality over quantity concept. I've met a lot of collectors who routinely buy less expensive companies (usually impulsive buys) or just keep collecting less expensive dolls. Suddenly they have more than they can handle and many of them are naked, or have "temporary" faceups and otherwise unfinished.

If you focus on just getting the one, despite it's initial cost, you'll only need to save up for eyes, wigs, etc. for the one. It's really cost effective because then you can get those really nice eyes, or that ooak wig or whatever because you only need one!

I made the mistake of falling for impulse buys a few years ago and ended up with half a dozen dolls without faceups, with cheap eyes and wigs, and I generally did not love them. I've sold them all off and spent the money instead on making the few I do love perfect. Worth the money.

 

I am one of many to second the general trend here. It's better to go with a doll you really love rather than buy en masse. Your finances and your dolls will appreciate it in the long run. I only have a handful in my collection and was able to invest in their faceup plus the customization of their eyes and hair to make sure they really turn up into the characters I wanted them to be.