What do you think of "starter dolls?"

My "starter doll" was a Volks MSD, who came as a blank, unstrung kit. She wasn't too pricy, compared to what I'd really wanted (an SD13 boy), and I got the chance to really jump into the whole customizing aspect, without worrying that I'd ruin my doll forever.

I love Imelda just as much as my other dolls-- if not more, because of all of the bonding that goes into doll customization!

So I'd yay, yes, go with the cheaper doll if you're scared of messing up an expensive one. The other doll will always be there.

 

WOW, that's an interesting topic!

The thing is that I am a total beginner in the hobby - I have got my first doll from August. She is a Dreamingdoll Kelly x DF hybrid. A normal Dreamingdoll Kelly costs a lot, that's why I made her a hybrid. But I have never thought about buying a 'starter doll'. Yes, I sometimes be afraid of that I will lost interest about BJDs, but I have never had the idea, that I would buy a 'starter doll'. I am happy with my dreamdoll, but of course, I have no problems with 'starter doll'- owners or something like that.

 

I agree, but yet disagree with the concept.

Yes, cheaper/smaller/etc dolls are good for beginners. If you break it (not that everyone does), it's not much of a loss.

But yet again, that is saying that cheaper/smaller dolls are for beginners. This is totally untrue. Just because Bobobie is cheaper, doesn't mean it is all beginner dolls. Just because Pukis are small, doesn't mean they're good for beginners.

Everyone has their own ideas of what's a good starter doll. I kinda think that a good starter doll is whatever doll you like the most and can afford. Your first doll will always be your first doll.

 

The thought of a "starter doll" for general newcommers is new to me. I thought it was only a common thing modders think about when deciding to go into BJD territory.
The BJDs I own aren't really difficult to care for after i got used to them. I didn't get them thinking that it would be an easy doll to handle but for how they looked. And yet I think some of them might be considered to be "starter dolls".

 

I think, first doll supposed to be the doll ,you really like (regarding of the price) unless you want to customize a lot, do you own face-up and etc., and you never did it before,than it makes sens to buy cheaper.

 

Hmmm. Well, in a way, every first doll is a "starter" doll in the sense that it's the first doll you get to customize, but I certainly think cheaper (not that there are really any "cheap" dolls in this hobby; they're all worth their salt) dolls are more psychologically experimentation-friendly. With either an expensive or cheap doll, if you decide to improve, customize, paint, etc yourself for the first time, I think you run a little bit of a risk damaging your doll....but it's a little less pulse-pounding when your operating on $150 of your money vs. $500.
That being said, I'm glad I got what one could consider a "starter" doll for my very first doll. He's a Resinsoul Mai. I knew I wanted an msd, which he is, and I knew I wanted a boy, which he is obviously. But ideally, I knew when I ordered him that he wasn't my absolute favourite doll ever; I quickly began to be dissatisfied with him as a result.
I'm completely ok with that, however. It's given me a chance to apply knowledge I've gleaned off of various forums on the internet, and to have a much better working knowledge of what you can and can't do with resin and bjds. For me, I enjoy the artistry of turning the doll into something that looks "alive" the most, so even if my Mai (Arturus) isn't perfect, I still love having him.
I've since graduated to a 5Star Chu, and am getting a Souldoll Sharics (my absolute first bjd love) for Christmas with some help from my wallet. Thanks to my Arturus, I know something of how to customize them to my liking.

 

I'm going to get a few. My first doll is a Dollmore Judith and she doesn't have any body blushing, so I figure I'm going to have to do that, but I don't want to mess her up.

So I'm planning on getting a few Fantasy Doll dolls, Their Yolanda I am planning on dying and then doing face-up/body blush, and I am going to get one of their Charlottes to do face-up/body blushing on so I can get some practice with a cheap one before doing it on something worth more.

 

Just within the last month I suggested to someone who is very interested into entering the hobby that he might want to look at some of the cheaper dolls to practice on. Not only does he have awhile to save for what he truly wants, but he seems nervous about all of the ins and outs of dolly care and handling.

My opinion is that it is nice to have a doll that you are less nervous to mess with before you make a giant purchase.

For myself, I started with the doll I wanted and soon after got her a friend that was one I wanted. While neither of them were ultra-expensive LE type dolls, it was still intimidating to really mess around with them. I was too nervous about hurting them in some way. That's when I decided to purchase what many would consider a started doll- a BBB sprite. I don't regret getting her one bit. She got me over my nervousness and I ended up loving her as much as my others.

Probably the best thing to keep in mind is that "starter doll" does not need to equal "throw-away doll". Sometimes that practice/starter doll becomes a well loved member of the family.

 

Well...I was really thinking of getting a 'cheaper' one first, the classic 'what if this hobby isn't for me and I end up wasting my money?'. In the end I didn't settle for that and picked a more 'expensive' one i really liked...and am very happy with her
And I quite believe that even if bjd costed 50$, someone who doesn't like this after all will still complain about the 'lost' 50$, so money should definetly be no judge on which one you get 8I
Now about the 'feeling less nervous about harming your doll'...well I believe I'll feel that way no matter their cost, simply because I love them and we want to keep loved ones unharmed =u= (though i did end up injuring a little my girl's foot while getting her heel feet on TT^TT )

 

I posted this back in April of 2010, so I thought I'd follow-up on it. My starter doll is still my numero uno, but she's not exactly a "starter" doll anymore, and I currently have four.

 

I think my first and only doll right now would be considered a "starter doll," since she's MSD sized and Bobobie to boot. But I think so long as you are one of those types of people who will read all the information available before trying something on your doll, there's no reason not to get an expensive/complicated doll as your starter. If you like to experiment on your own, though, it's probably best if you get something a little cheaper. That's really the only reason I'd recommend getting a cheap doll at first, is if someone thought they might damage it. I got my girl because I wanted her, not because she was cheap.

 

I have a 'starter' doll, but I got her because I fell in love with her. she was a cheeper price, and I do so much more with her because she is cheeper. I don't fear losing 600 dollars if she is broken, or stolen. I still treat her like I do my others, she just goes more places. My reason for buying the 'cheeper, starter doll' was that was what I could afford. I looked around and found I really liked Bobobie. I had seen one doll up close and it was the first BJD I ever held and I loved it (and I still want that one). So when I went looking I saw Pandora and I have never looked back.

I'll admit that with getting her I found that I wanted better posing too, but it wasn't a deal breaker for her. I still loved playing with her and I now have plans on getting her a new body ( I love her face too much).

I also wanted a cheeper doll because I wanted something to try new things on. She is the only one who i did the face up on, body blushing, and soon will be getting more modding.

So my final statement is, if you have fallen in love with a doll get it! If you want to try your hand at faceups and such then try for a more inexpensive one, but the law of the land applies, get the one you love. I did I'm not letting her go for the world.

 

I personally don't like the idea of starter dolls. I feel like if you just choose a doll because of price you'll be cheating yourself out of a good experience. A lot of the less expensive dolls tend to be lower quality and difficult to pose and work with. I started with a DoT Sha (who I eventually sold) but I think if I hadn't picked a doll I really liked I would have left the hobby. I ended up getting an MSD, selling my Sha and over a year later bought my delf. Since I got him I've been much more into the hobby.

 

I'm a strong believer in saving up for the doll you love rather than buying a cheaper doll you like.

If you've never had a BJD before, you can't predict how you'll like the hobby or like dolls, but at least if you've bought the doll you love you'll have something you can appreciate as a work of art whether you stay with the hobby or move on.

The other consideration is that less expensive dolls don't tend to hold their value well. If you feel that by spending less on a doll you will be able to sell it for the price you paid and not lose any money, I'm afraid that is not very likely. As less expensive dolls are cheaper to begin with, people are more likely to buy them direct from the company and are less likely to buy a second-hand doll for the same price as a brand new one. You may end up taking a loss if you do decide to sell.

If your heart leaps every time you see a Resinsoul Mei...don't hesitate - she's the one for you If your heart yearns for a Dollmore Lusion Dahlia, surely her appeal to you makes the saving up worthwhile?

So... in short, buy the doll that appeals to your very core and you won't go wrong

 

I have 8 dolls but am going to get a Resinsoul doll and experiment with tattoos and whatnot. He's going to be my real starter doll, despite the fact he's a really nice doll and I love the mold. I couldn't fool around with the dolls I own because they are my ultra favourite molds. They are untouchable.

Starter dolls? Why not. Your money, your doll, your code.

 

I'll be getting a "starter doll" (Planetdoll Katie) for my first, because the idea of practicing face-ups and experimenting on my dream doll (Volks Rinon) seems sacrilegious. If I bought her first, I'd likely be too intimidated to try anything on her, and she'd end up sitting on a shelf looking pretty, which contradicts why I'm interested in the hobby in the first place: to use it as an artistic outlet. Only after I feel comfortable with my skills, or know what my limitations are will I invest in something that expensive. When I realized this was the route I wanted to take I did search through all of the cheaper companies with a set budget and an open mind. That said, I really do like PD Katie's face and am excited to get her and start, so I'd hardly say I'm settling, just doing what makes sense to me.

Edit: Scratch that, fell hard for an SD boy that's begging me to bring him home. I thought I knew what I wanted but I guess I just hadn't found it yet! I still want an msd girl to customize and all that eventually though, just not sure who now. LOL

 

I guess the reason behind a "starter doll" is what makes it for me. I dont like the thought of getting a starter doll because "well you're gonna mess up anyway" but i am very poor and want to get into dolls sooo bad so i am totally fine falling in love with a resinsoul because i find them super pretty and they are within my budget

 

I believe it depends on the individual. I was intimidated with the BJDs so I personally started off with a Volks Dollfie plus. It was inexpensive, and I had to do my own faceup so it helped me gain a steady hand for such a tiny face. I also was able to use available cheep barbie outfits to get into the swing of things. Once I had built up my courage I was so ready to get into the MSDs. Later I moved to the SDs as I wasn't as intimidated. I needed that starter to get me used to the idea. Other people are just fine with jumping right in and I say do what you feel comfortable with.

 

This is the first I have even heard about starter dolls and I am new new new to dolls. I jumped right into Luts and fairyland. But then again I am not worried about ruining them...

 

I think you need to buy a doll here that you like and that you love. However, not all at once may be accustomed to careful handling it, in this case is really better to buy a doll simpler, but still one that is like.