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Was your first doll a doll you wanted?

Jul 22, 2017

    1. Was your first bjd purchase A doll you actually wanted or did you go with something less expensive to see if this hobby was for you?
       
    2. I personally knew what I really wanted for my first doll, but ended up jumping on something cheaper as soon as I had the money. (I was fairly young, and saving up was not easy.) I was happy initially, but the quality really wasn't great and I eventually stopped playing with him once I got "better" dolls. I kind of regret the purchase now, because I really wanted that "this is my first doll and I adore them and would never get rid of them" experience, but I'm not going to keep him just for that, so he's gonna be sold. It helped me learn to avoid impulse purchases and really make sure I love what I'm getting. (Which is easier now I have a decent income.)

      I generally think getting a "starter doll" is a bad idea; even if it's cheap for a BJD, it's still probably gonna be $100+ that you could have put towards a BJD you really loved or something else entirely. (I also believe that if someone gets a starter doll and hates the quality, posing, etc. it could scare them away from a hobby they could have loved. I honestly might not have stayed in the hobby with my first doll had I not had a very close friend who also had dolls.) I'd always go for the doll you really want, even if you do have to save up more. It'll be worth it in the end!

      (Also, you may be interested in this similar thread! :3nodding:)
       
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    3. I haven't actually purchased my first doll yet, but I am currently in the process of purchasing my grail doll! I decided for her to be my first doll because I'm not sure when (or if) I will be able to find her again. I'm so excited!
       
      #3 Princess Kenny, Jul 22, 2017
      Last edited: Jul 29, 2017
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    4. I always knew that going for something less expensive was not going to work for me, so I saved for what I really wanted from the first time. And I don't regret it.

      It's better to see if this hobby is for me while owning a doll I love, than rushing to get something I don't love that was more affordable. But, this is just me. It may not be the same for everyone. ^^
       
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    5. When I saw DOC Petsha, it was love at first sight. I had browsed other doll sculpts before finding her, but they never stirred me enough to push that "order" button.

      So to answer your question, my first bjd was a doll I truly wanted. All of my dolls are sculpts I truly have wanted (cheap, expensive, or in-between), or else I wouldn't have bought them. :sweat
       
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    6. My first doll is my grail doll (Volks SDGr Jun Tachibana). I've been eyeing her since I was in 5th grade. It took me 12 years to get one (had to finish high school and college and find work) and I cannot be more than happy that I did not compromise. I waited and saved to achieve my dream. :)
       
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    7. I really wanted a very tiny bjd as my first. I got him on Etsy, and was able to have his eyes customised as well as his haircut. He is not an on topic doll, but he was not exactly what I wanted.
       
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    8. I kinda did the opossite of going cheap for the first. The doll I wanted happened to be on sale and very affordable , so I payed extra for company face-up and outfit precisely because of the anxiety that this hobby might not be for me. I figure that I can change the face if truely love the hobby and I won't be stuck with a blank.
       
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    9. I was going to go for a cheaper doll as my first (Resinsoul Mi) but ended up just buying a doll I really love (Doll Chateau Evangeline). I still really like and would be happy to own the Mi, but I have to admit that part of me was looking at RS because of the pricing and I was dissuaded by some other members here on basing my decision around a low(er) cost. I'm pleased I've decided to just take the plunge and buy the doll that most appealed to me (although I can't help but question my choice a bit even now, because there are so many nice dolls out there to choose from!).
       
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    10. Uhm... I think in my case it was a bit of a mix of the two ^__^
      My original plan was to get myself an Angell Studio Ty, soooo... not very cheap. I was super scared of customs, too. I started to look around for cheaper alternatives, but still, didn't feel like spending $200+ on a doll that I didn't care much about just for the sake of having a doll, so I got kinda stuck... until I found out about the existence of dealers 8)
      Sadly, the dealer I found didn't seem to have AS listed among its companies, *but* I managed to discover a whole bunch of other lovely companies... and lots of lovely sculpts, too!

      Eventually, I stumbled upon Souldoll Lester, who is technically cheaper than AS Ty, but in my opinion suits my character *much better* than Ty ever did, soooo... I'd say it was a win-win situation :D
       
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    11. My first doll was not my grail, but she was one I wanted. I chose her because she wasn't too pricey (Mystic Kids Lillian - she's my avatar), I liked her sculpt, and I got her on sale, which was nice! My grail was a Dreaming Doll Airi, and I was eventually able to buy her head, used, here on DoA, and find a body for her. Lillian was a great way to find out how I liked the hobby, but TBH she's a fantastic doll and I love her to bits! I think of my 6 dolls (!!) her body is my fave as far as functionality goes. I'd love to get another Mystic Kids doll with a Ver II body. They look so lovely!
       
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    12. I only trusted Denver Doll when I first started in hobby so was going with what I saw on their website. They had beautiful Elf Dolls and so my first three were Elf Dolls. But when one arrived with foot off as Elf Doll at least 11 years ago did a screw in thing into foot with string pulled through. I would of course over the years discover not all bjd the same.

      While it wasn't my dream doll, it was my first taste. I didn't go to a meet up for like a year so I was going by company photos.. My first overseas purchase was from Dollstown. I have been always able to trust them since 2009.
       
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    13. My first doll was a DOD Too. I actually wanted Tender Too, but the friend who organized our split order wanted regular Bee-A and this was before DOD had an English website... so I had to settle for Too.

      I eventually got a Tender Too. :)
       
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    14. My first doll was a KDF Bory, and at the time I really wanted him! I thought he was so cute... sadly, my taste changed over time and I sold him off because I just couldn't click. I actually bought another Bory head later on, after selling him, but didn't keep that one either - so I guess that sculpt is just not for me.
       
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    15. My first (and still only) doll was Hatsune Miku DollfieDream, I have always look at doll pictures and find it beautiful, but they are just too expensive, and since I live in Brazil and need to pay double for everything, yeah...
      But when I saw Miku I knew I had to have it, and the fact she was a preorder and I had almost a year to get the money helped a lot. Since I got her I have look a lot more for dolls but, to the happiness of my wallet have not pulled the trigger... yet...
       
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    16. My first doll only happened because Iplehouse forced my hand.
      I wanted a Luna, but I couldn't bring myself to pay that much for anything, so I would always hmm and haaa whenever an event came up. Until they announced that they were discontinuing the sculpt!

      The only thing I regret is not asking of I could have gotten an extra head (probably not but I didn't ask so I'll never know) D:
       
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    17. I got a Volks FCS as my first, and she's beautiful and adorable. I can't imagone selling her at the moment, though I want to get different eyes, and wig than I have right now. I don't know how well FCS sell, given that they're specific to the person rather than a specific model from other companies.
       
    18. The first doll I ever wanted was a Volks F-16, but the first doll I bought was an Angel of Dream Chen.

      I don't feel like I settled. When first found Volks, I lived with my parents while I was in college with no job, and I saw the prices, added everything up, almost cried from sticker shock, and put BJDs out of my head for a few years. Later, after I was out of school, independent from my parents and had a secure job, I started looking again, but instead of just sticking to Volks, I started looking at other BJDs and US dealers, and found AoD. While I wasn't big on most of their sculpts, Chen stole my heart. He was also smaller and more affordable, and I felt more comfortable buying within the US, as I was very new to shopping online and I had no friends in the hobby to convince me it was safe yet.

      I have no regrets at all about my first doll, and I don't feel like I was "settling" because I did truly love Chen more than the other dolls at the time. F-16 became my grail after I realized how difficult it was to just outright buy one new, and I did end up getting him off the MP later. I still own them both, and they're both special in their own ways.
       
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    19. My first doll was the cheapest doll on a list of bjds I wanted. I may get the others in the future. I figured out this hobby was for me after buying a make it own Pulip doll kit. A pulip doll is not a bjd but, the kits are less expensive and you will still need to add clothes, a wig and a faceup as you would with a bjd. Correct me if I'm wrong but, I've also heard that Pulip dolls will fit into 1/6 scale bjd clothing.
       
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    20. Both? LOL, my Johnny was cheap, but the sculpt I used to shell his character was also one that I desperately wanted. I'd searched over five years before finally finding a doll that fit Johnny's personality to a T, and it was merely providence that the doll also happened to be affordable. I'd heard some horror stories about going with a cheap doll, but Johnny surprised me by having sanded seams, glass eyes, and a double-jointed body. I've had him for over a year now and I still love him to bits. So I guess one could say that I did both; I bought what I could afford, but I also bought something that I loved.
       
      #20 RagingMoon1987, Jul 23, 2017
      Last edited: Sep 17, 2017
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