What do you think of "starter dolls?"

Really, I think it depends on your comfort level when it comes to dropping crazy money on a doll. Because I had a hard time believing that I would ever need a "large doll" and felt uncomfortable dropping so much cash on a hobby/luxury item, I instead purchased a smaller girl. It had nothing to do with trusting myself more with a cheaper doll. Personally, I just needed to ease into the hobby more slowly. I'd suggest a "starter" doll as an option if an enthusiastic person felt so uncertain with the sticker price, or their future time investment that it prevented them from trying out the hobby.

 

There wasn't such a doll for me mostly because I subscribed to BJD forums only after purchasing him.
It was only by chance, not that I was expecially avoiding communities, but I simply wanted a doll so I searched for a while and finally made my order, then a friend gave me some links to forums.
I have to admit that the support of a community is priceless for maintenance and other things, but when you are new sometimes it probably is better to ponder alone because everyone has preferences and recommendations and you risk to be influenced (or confused) a little too much.
Obviously if someone new in the hobby ask me I have also my list of recommended companies, but my advices are more oriented on trustworty companies easy to deal with.

 

I haven't yet bought my first doll but to be honest, when I do get one I would rather start with a cheaper doll. It's a commitment to buy an expensive doll for a hobby you haven't yet tried!

With that said, though, I think there are plenty of (relatively) cheaper dolls out there that are still aesthetically appealing to me, so it would be a matter of buying an item that I happen to want that ALSO happens to be cheaper- not a matter of settling for a lesser item or for something that I don't want too much just for the sake of having something. I'd rather buy a $500 item from my doll wishlist than commit myself to a $800+ item for a hobby I may wind up not loving.

 

My first thought was, choose Squirtle! But anyway, screw that. Buy the doll you want!

 

I personally think its better to get a less expensive doll for your first because if you decide the hobby is really not for you, then you didn't drop $600 dollars on a doll you're not going to do anything with. If you decide you wish to stay in the hobby then by all means buy that $600 dollar doll you were lusting after. At the same time, don't buy a doll just because its cheap. Make sure it's a doll you actually want/like so you don't become bitter towards the hobby. So if you are deciding between two dolls for your first, and one is $150 and the other is $600, my advice would be to go with the $150 doll.

 

I had a lot of dolls I was looking at for my first doll, but I went with the second cheapest, because I know I can't spend a lot of money on her clothes/wig/etc. and I love her face. Whilst I could've gotten a more expensive doll, it would be on layaway for longer and I'd feel less IN the hobby.

I do plan on getting more expensive dolls after I've saved up a bit, though

 

My suggestion is to go for it, then. I was looking at some $150 dolls and just could not find one I HAD to have. Looked at Iplehouse, and boom...fell in love with a doll, who I just ordered after 6 months of staring at him online. Cost me $500, but I went with the one I wanted the most.

 

I've been reading through this topic for awhile now and it is very helpful - thank you for all the posts! I am currently looking for my first doll and this is something that has crossed my mind a few times as I browse different doll company sites and see the different price points and appearances.

 

My first doll was an inexpensive Obitsu. I love her just as much as I do my resins, and she was a nice option to start with for me, because she's very durable. Now that I have resins, I'm starting to learn that they aren't as fragile as I thought, and they're a joy to own. The only difference that's really made an impact on me is stringing. I restrung a pair of feet, and it was definitely something interesting.

As far as starter dolls go, I don't actually like the sculpts from "starter" brands. I decided to save up a little longer and get the doll I wanted and loved.

 

Starter dolls I think it would be better if you buy aod well because of the price and also, it depends on the doll company face-up . sometimes other dolls don't look that attractive to us buyers because of the company face-up. hahaha because I have a doll that people can't believe that its the un attractive sculpt in the site xD i just changed the face up tho ~ hope this helps

 

I am new to the hobby and I am buying ( in February) the doll I fell in love with (PKF Ante) , despite her being ''only'' $200 odd dollars, I have seen alot of dolls since then, I have been on every doll site I can find and have seen owner pictures and still I havent even come close to changing my mind. Im not even offended when I suppose that people will say I have a ''cheap doll'' (if thats what people think..?)

I will love her, it doesnt matter about anyone else, I will be getting a faceplate to practice on once one comes up on the marketplace, so ruining her doesnt ever come into the equasion :P I guess its personal prefferance, but I will always tell people to research, save up or if they have the money.. to buy the doll that they fell inlove with on google images :P

 

I think it depends entirely upon the person - I've seen dolls ruined by other owners who honestly didn't realise that what they were doing was a mistake.

I was nervous when I read about resin dolls and contemplated a cheap starter doll, but ended up falling in love with a sculpt that could be considered an artist's doll... But by that point I'd read enough to know exactly what would and wouldn't damage the material and had done enough other doll stuff (on other cheaper than polyurethane PVC and ABS alternatives) that I was confident in my ability to paint up the doll (heads the size of a grape are much more difficult than the relatively large SD sized ones I currently prefer).

So... In all I think practice is a must for the artistic end of things, but in terms of care/maintenance doing the correct reading is all that is required. My 1st resin wasn't cheap, but he wasn't a limited or anything either, just a sculpt that I happen to love!

 

My first couple dolls were in the $150-$200 range. Are they they most awesome 1/4 dolls ever sculpted? Nope, not even close. However, I have used them to practice hot glue sueding, faceups, body blushing, cleaning, spraying MSC, designing clothing, and whole host of other doll ownership firsts. If I'd started with a $400 doll, I would have been so intimidated and worried I would ruin the poor thing just by breathing on it wrong.

That said, I still love my inexpensive dolls. Fully half of my collection is made up of such dolls.

 

For me I get what I like. I can't spend my money on something I do not want. I do not want a cheaper doll. I do not want a starter doll.(Even though for me there is no such thing as starter doll. but anyway.) I want my Tender E-an.(with extras.) Tender E-an will be my first doll. Yes it is expensive yes it will take awhile to save up.(Been close a few times but things came up.) The thing is she is what I want. I have been wanting her for about 7 or so years.

I know my self enough to know what I like. I always make sure I truly like something before I buy. For me I do not care about the price. For me a price means how much time I am to spend with or use said item. So I could not let my doll/dolls sitting around in my house or sitting in a box. I must use them spend time with them take photos of them and so on. So that is my reasoning about it.

Now what would I tell someone else? I would say go for what you love. If they needed a example of bjd sites I would give them a list of bjd company's sites that I know of.

 

I have collected dolls for about twelve years now and when I got into BJDs I was not at all positive I would like them. At all. So, I bought a "starter doll" I knew I would not keep. I would only play with the doll. It came with cheap acrylic eyes, a cute face-up and had the tiniest head. It was a Domuya Potpourri and she was a great little doll. I sold her for what I paid for her since I bought her during a campaign. The price with shipping was about US$140 at the time. When I confirmed I liked the doll type I jumped into the deep end and got the doll I really wanted, a Volks MSD F20 from Tenshi no Sato.

Know yourself. This hobby is not for everyone and having ANY doll is a good way to test the waters even if one is only a little unsure. I strongly believe people should buy what they love, but it is difficult to love what one buys when they are unfamiliar with even the basics of BJDs. Tastes change the longer one is in the hobby, and as important as research is there is a world of difference between handling an actual doll and looking at photos.

 

I really do think it depends on the person. On one hand, having a starter doll gives you room to experiment and learn about BJDs without you having to worry about breaking or damaging your SUPER EXPENSIVE doll. I kind of wish I learned more about restringing/faceups/posing before I bought my MNF Shushu so I wouldn't end up scratchiing her knee joint with an S-hook while trying to figure out if she was double-jointed or not... But then again, the money you spend on your starter doll could've instead been saved up for a doll you really want. And Shushu was the doll I really wanted at the time.

I personally would skip the starter doll step and save up for a doll that I really want. Instead of experiencing doll problems first hand, I recommend joining a community, asking questions, and reading about other people's experience so that your first doll can be a doll that you truly love.

 

I fell in love with a starter doll for my first haha I looked at more expensive dolls but they didn't wow me like RS Mei did, the fact that she was on sale made me even happier... I love deals AND pretty dolls! It worked out really good for me

 

I bought doll of my dream. And He is my first doll.
I think that people have to serch doll of their dream and it's not good using some dolls like a "starter doll".