Relationships with your used dolls

They are all the same to me. A blank from the factory is no different from a cleaned up and washed off second-hand doll. They come to life after I'm through with body and face aesthetics, by then I feel a strong sense of ownership and connection.

 

Two of my dolls are second-hand, and two are new. Since I liked the sculpts, I like them all equally, and there wasn't any issue with my Yder or DZ Felian not "liking me". Remember, they are dolls, and you can easily change the personality you give them by changing their clothes, wig, and face-up. It's one thing if an owner is unsatisfied with the sculpt, if the sculpt isn't working out for the character you had in mind. But don't worry about the doll not liking you, I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

Comments about the dolls being 'plastic' and not 'loving' you back or ignoring aside, (come on guys...we've all been in the hobby long enough to know exactly what she means), I've found that receiving second hand dolls is quite different than ordering straight from the company. I own a few of each and enjoy both experiences equally.
For me, when it comes to company ordered dolls, there's a new-ness, the idea of a blank slate which as a visual artist really appeals to me at some level. With second hand dolls I've found that there is a feeling of history, some depth already in place which is intriguing to the writer/story teller in me.
In the end, they all wind up with new face-ups and characters etc, and I love them all, but it's that innitial reaction to them that, for me, is different.

 

My first, and only, bjd came from the marketplace here at DOA and I love her dearly. It makes me happy that I could give her a home when her original owner no longer wanted her. And the fact that I only had to wait a few days for her was wonderful!

I have no problem owning some things second hand; I love flea markets, yard sales, and ebay. The knowledge that someone else owned an item before me is not a problem because I make it my own. And if it does not work out, I pass it on.

Try not to worry about bonding with the doll until it arrives. Congratulations, and I hope it all works out for you.

 

This made me chuckle.

Anyway on to my own experience....

I only have one doll purchased second hand, I really thought it would be awkward for me to own a doll that I'd seen with an already set name and 'personality'. However when she got here, after a face-wipe I already liked her a lot and it didn't feel awkward renaming her at all. In fact she slipped into a name easier than my factory bought dolls. Oddly, although I don't treat her rougher than my other dolls, I'm not so scared of breaking her or ruining her as I am my other two, I don't know if it's because she was owned by someone before me or not. But she's one of my favorites because I feel as if I have more wriggle room with what I can do with her. I have a feeling it's probably because I wiped her totally of body blushing/face-up and she didn't magically disintegrate or anything as I feel resin might do on me.

 

One out of my three little ones (two share a body) is second hand. When I got her, it was nearly the same as getting a brand new one from the factory, except I got her in three days as opposed to two months.

I was able to dance around when the mailman brought me a box, open her up and squeal at the cuteness. Generally people in this hobby take really good care of their dolls so she was in pristine condition and I immediately adored her. Nothing is really different between her and the others I bought from the factory, and I don't love her any less. If anything I handle her a bit more because I'm not afraid of ruining her (I mean if her original owner enjoyed her and she still is this pristine, I know I won't destroy her simply from loving her. If that makes sense).

As soon as I got her home, I put in her eyes, threw on one of my wigs and made a whole new persona for her. She was no longer 'her previous owner's doll', she was all mine. So I really don't think you have anything to be afraid of. If it is your dream doll, you're going to love it no matter if it came new from the factory or second hand from another owner.

 

Earlier discussion of this topic, started by someone who didn't like having a secondhand doll:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums/s...n-they-can-t-bond-with-their-second-hand-doll

 

I do not really care of what was the doll before I got it.
It is fun to see and maybe know a little bit but its not that doll anymore its mine now and I'll do whatever I want with it ^___^

Its a good way to start the hobby and even better way to find the hard to get from company ones xD

 

I have four dolls and a head that I bought new, but I also have a boy whose head and body were purchased used from two different people here on the market place. The head already has a faceup, which does not necessarily suit his character, but I still find myself completely in love with him. XD If I really like a certain doll, it doesn't matter to me whether I buy it used or new. I will still like the doll. ^^

 

I've found that most of my second hand dolls have cooler stories about how I got them. None of my company dolls have had anything interesting about how I acquired them really, they just arrived and I was usually super excited. With my second hand dolls I've gotten off the marketplace, I've had all kinds of weird coincidences and cool things happen. I got my Tanpopo at an amazingly low price after I thought I would never be the one to own her, so I've always considered her to be lucky. My DiM Bellosse I got in an extremely weird trade, someone on the forum really wanted a doll I had and just happened to be thinking of selling one of their dolls, which I really wanted, so we did a trade. The same thing has happened recently involving my Volks Kaelin head, which I'm trading for an F16 head. Not all of them have interesting stories, but a few of them do.

Even with all that said though, I still love all my dolls basically equally. I do have a couple of them that are favored slightly over the others, but it's just because I love love love their molds, not because of the way I acquired them. I never feel bad if I'm not their first owner, I figure they ended up with me for a reason. And hell, I buy them enough nice clothes, they should be loving life anyway. XD

 

A really psychological and sentimental thread. I love it.

In my case, all my BJD were new. The couple of second hand BJD I got, one on DoA and another out of here, are in fact extra pieces for a couple of BJD I already have. Does it mean I think second hand is different from new ones? Not at all.

I do not like less what I like because it is not new. Bonds may be the same. I think, new or second hand, what you like and appreciate is the BJD you get or want to get, so no matter if he/she had a previous owner, makeup or not and so on.

I believe every person gives BJD a "different life and affection" and "get it in return", becoming BJD new characters or not.

 

All but two of my guys are pre-loved. Out of my Lumedoll Saiph, CP Lu-wen V Head, Puki Pong Pong, DoD Camine, CP Minifee` Shiwoo V (back when Luts and CP were still together), CP DES, and Soom Bygg and Beyla + Bygg R. head, the only ones I bought from the doll site are my two Soom boys and the R. head that came with Bygg.

Off the top of my head, my DoD Camine (Rivven) came from the Netherlands (bought him from Kalesta, then dyed him tan), and my Lumedoll Saiph (Kir Cobain) is from Florida.

 

Half of my dolls I bought second hand more less. (got the head from a user, then bought a new body.) I never had any problems loving them just as much as the new ones. Actually my 'favorite' is technically a second hand, but he was my first BJD too.

 

Second hand is still new to me. I have never had an issue with bonding with my second hand dolls...I've probably sold more brand new dolls than second hand as a matter of fact. It has never mattered where or when the doll comes from, as soon as I start really thinking about it's look, personality and what I'm going to do it, it's already "mine", even if I haven't bought it yet XD