What do you think of "starter dolls?"

'Starter doll' is a tough call. My first doll was a Luts Lishe and she was by no means cheap. But I bought her with a face-up and never attempted restringing. She was the old style Delf so I couldn't even change her eyes. To this day I've NEVER untrsung or restrung one of my dolls. Which makes owning 4 Sooms with fantasy parts a little... nerve wracking because at some point I fully intend to put those fantasy parts on...

On the other hand, cheap dolls are... well, cheap dolls. Their posability is limited and the sculpting can be...lazy. So I don't think I would have ever bought a cheap starter doll.

 

I think it depends on whether or not you're settling- I know some people choose less expensive dolls as their first but really do love the sculpt. If there are two dolls you like equally and one costs half as much as the other, I can understand going for the cheaper doll first. But buying a doll you're not that into just because you're scared of messing up the one you really like just seems odd to me- unless you're wanting to get into serious mods right off the bat, resin BJDs are not that hard to take care of properly. If you want to do a faceup there are plenty of guides on DoA that detail what supplies should be used and which ones should be avoided at all costs. If you want to do some sanding or sueding there are threads with tons of info on those as well, and there are restringing diagrams and videos for the common configurations and some of the more complicated special stringing configurations that some dolls use. If you just want to enjoy your doll as-is and don't plan on changing their faceup or restringing them then you really don't need much care advice aside from "don't leave them in sunlight" and "try not to drop them" (and even if you do, they're pretty resilient dolls).

I can understand not wanting to spend $1000+ on a limited doll right away- heck, I've been into BJDs a couple of years and still don't want to spend that much on a single nude doll- it's just the limit at which I say "that's too much money for a doll". But I wouldn't buy a BJD I don't really care for just to have one and have one on the cheap. It's an expensive hobby and I think that if you're scared to pay what an average BJD costs, it might be best to just admire and not own... because it only gets more expensive from there.

 

I would never recommend a "starter doll" to anyone, whatever that means. If you're interested in getting into a hobby you know nothing about then the obvious thing one should do first is research. Get all the information you can, and read all the reviews from several people so you can get an idea what you're getting into because sometimes things are not as they appear to be. But the #1 tip for a satisfactory outcome is: get the one you love.

Also, I wouldn't say that getting a MSD or a tiny first is better because some people only like the SD ones. I say get the one that calls out to you (that's a feeling that can't be explained, like you don't know when love is gonna knock at your door) regardless of the size or price. My first and favorite doll was very cheap compared to my other dolls, yet he's the most loved one^^ out of all my dolls he's the one I'll always keep. So whether the doll is cheap or expensive doesn't matter either.

 

I got a 'starter doll'. I'm not sorry I did. He wasn't my first choice of doll, definitely not the one I REALLY WANTED (at the time), but he was darling and he fit in my budget and as I wasn't sure I was going to really enjoy this hobby, I didn't want to drop a crapton of cash on something I might just get and decide I didn't like, especially when I'd never seen one in person and had no realistic understanding of the scale and feel. Sure, no doll in this hobby is 'cheap' but some are definitely more economical than others. I went the economy route.

I'm glad I did, personally. I decided I liked the hobby and wanted to stay with it. He was a good jumping-off point for me to figure out what my niche in this hobby would be. If I had gotten the doll I originally wanted for almost three times the money my little guy cost me, I would honestly probably not still be with the hobby. That mold did zero for me in person and I know I would've been incredibly disenchanted and guilty that I'd spent that much money on something I wasn't totally enamored of. With my little guy I could dip my toe in, figure out what I really liked, and not feel horrible about monetary expenditures.

Will this hold true for everyone? Nah. We each enjoy the hobby our own way. Some of us prefer to start small to make sure we're getting into something we like, and some of us prefer to get The One right off the bat. My general opinion is 'buy whatever you're comfortable with'. Whether that be a 'starter doll' or a fullset Bermann, it's all good so long as the buyer is comfortable with their decision.

 

I don't believe 'starter dolls' exist. Period. For anyone just starting out in the hobby even the cheapest doll will make their wallet choke.

Personally I dislike people pressuring or strongly recommending a cheaper or less-articulated doll as a 'first' to people new to the hobby. That decision should be entirely up to the person who is looking to enter the hobby or get a doll themselves. I think it's a little off-putting. The 'starter doll' recommended because of its cost or simplicity might turn the new hobbyist off, simply because it doesn't fit the expectations they might have had and that a more expensive or more articulated doll they may have been looking at might have fulfilled.

Also, not everyone will make mistakes. Not everyone will walk into things blind, nor will they try to do something with their new doll that they haven't fully researched first. If one is going to recommend 'starters', I'd recommend recommending research and informational threads/sites over a 'starter doll' any day. That's what I would have appreciated when I first delved into this collection at least.

 

I sort of got a starter doll. He's a minimee head (that I jacked up by removing a glued-on piercing that took off some of the resin along with it - I am livid because he's perfect in every way and I'd been looking for him for years) on an FDoll body. The body I got for him is super basic, really affordable... it's just that it's not the double jointed body I always dreamed about, but at least I have one and I'm learning with it... not a very positive experience so far, sadly. I think I'd be a little more explorative and less afraid of doing anything with him if he was a little cheaper and his face a little less perfect.

Mixed feelings, but a starter doll would be something I'd get for a friend who doesn't know what s/he is really looking for, or a gift or something. Maybe or maybe not for myself.

 

Decoy Embra hit the nail on the head.

There isn't really any starter dolls. To me, they are all expensive, even the ones below $200.00. We're talking a lot of cash here so why not get something you'll be happy with and enjoy and what appeals to you. If you can afford it and it's within your budget, go for it. Trust me, buyer's remorse is not a pleasant thing to go through. And just because you're new at something doesn't mean you can't get the doll you want and learn more about it via research. Google is your best friend.

 

I disagree with starter dolls. Get what you want. I only suggest that whatever doll you get, try to go to a meetup first to see them in person. It is sad to have to resell a doll you bought for much cheaper when they are not played with - just because the size is not right for you. As happened to me. In that case check the resale market for the doll if you are concerned. This happened to me. o.o

 

Well...IMO the "starter" doll is not a completely bad idea since they are people who want to experiment with face-ups, modifications and blahblahblah or people, who are just afraid of damaging their "dreamed one" because of lack of experience.

For me, on the other hand, is something like starter doll nothing but a waste of money. I have story, I have characters and for something to practice face-ups on I can buy just a head for...50 bucks???

So, I think it just depends on person's confidence whether or not to buy a doll you "can" damage (that doesn't mean you HAVE to ) I think the best what you can do is to stick to the rule: "Buy what you want and like." This way I ended up with a SOOM MD as my first one and I don't see any complications so far - I play with him, restring him, change his fantasy parts almost every day and we are all happy

 

Well when I first started I got the 'less expensive' doll for my first. But in all honesty, I didn't see him as a starter doll. There were dolls I liked that cost more and I really liked Volks Tony, but when I was ordering I didn't have in mind what I want, all I knew was Tony was sold out and wasn't aware of a 2nd hand market. I had a bunch of dolls I liked, I want one from them. So I picked out the least expensive one that was within my budget to see if this is really the hobby for me but he was one that definately tugged my heart strings as I kept going back to stare at him. I also didn't discover any 'dream' dolls (in my case my El and Reisner) until after I ordered my first. So it was a win-win situation. I've never regretted ordering him as he is still my favourite.

My advice would be 'there is no such thing as a starter doll.' The only time I would advise to get a less expensive one is when you like a few dolls equally and doesn't matter which you get you'll still adore them equally. I just don't believe that someone should get a cheaper doll because they want a doll (any) right now. I just think people should get ones that really is for them regardless if its expensive, limited, standard or less expensive.

 

A person new to this hobby should buy what they can afford but take the time to research about modding, faceup painting etc and even go to a meetup (if they're able) to see the dolls in person before rushing in and doing something to their doll and then asking for advice later. This hobby is definitely a process of trial and error.

 

I can call my doll "a starter doll", even though she cost $200. I wasn't going to spend a lot of money on a doll that I migh not know what to do with it when it comes. She's perfect and when I get enough courage I'll starting practicing face up on her and any other body modification, I might want to do on her....I know if I bought a limited or one of the more expensive doll I would propoply keep them on a shelf never playing with again.

 

The "starter doll" idea wouldn't have worked for me. I like to have (in my eyes) the prettiest of pretties, am very careful with my stuff and knew that I wouldn't experiment on my dolls with face-ups and all that (can't paint to save my life).
I thought about doing face-ups myself, but then I would buy a relatively cheap head to practise on and probably sell it after my skills would be good enough to use on something else than the practise head. Restringing will only be done after I watched someone else doing it. Same with hot-glue.

I think it comes down to how well you know yourself.
If you don't trust yourself with a super expensive doll, a "starter doll" might be a good idea, but this does not apply to everyone.

 

I think this is more of a thing that is more down to the individual case.
If you plan on doing some extreme mods yourself to your $900+ limited doll of your eternal dreams, then yes, by all means buy that cheap doll and practice on that. It just makes more sense to me economically, to be honest.

But if you're just planning on having a BJD and not really doing anything to it, aside from faceups (and if they go wrong, they are easy to fix) don't get a starter doll. I was actually considering getting a starter doll myself, just to mess about with and see what it's like. I've never seen another doll other than my own in real life, and the sense of scale was a bit daunting for me, despite it being an MSD. So it sort of made sense to 'just get one to see'. But to be honest, I am so unbelievably glad I didn't do that. It would had been very costly for me (since I only get pocket money =P) and I would had been so upset to get something I didn't really want. So even though my doll is a cheaper one (and some may even consider it a starter) I am glad I got the one I did. I would had sold my doll ASAP otherwise and just been upset about the money and dissapointment.

But even if it means that I risk damaging my doll with foolish sanding, restringing or supergluing my fingers together because of silly mistakes (which I nearly did today!) then let that be. All of those little things just make the doll more perfect for me, and research is your friend. It's so much cheaper to browse forums then buy a doll for 'research'.
That and I would be sorta annoyed if some one considered my doll's type a starter doll, but that's just me. >>

 

When I first got interested enough in these dolls to start thinking I would like to collect them, I never considered getting an easier or cheaper doll to start out with it. I only wanted dolls that I truly liked. Even if I bought a cheaper doll to start out with, if it wasn't one that I really liked or planned on keeping, it would still be a waste of money to me.

However, I know that having a cheaper or easier starter doll might be preferable to some people. Maybe they don't want to spend a whole lot of money because they aren't sure staying in the hobby just yet. They might want to try it out on something less expensive before spending much more on a dream doll. I can definitely see both sides of buying a starter doll.

 

I don't do mods or anything, but I did get a starter doll -my first doll was a doll that could share clothes with an easily-available not-BJD doll. I didn't worry about price so much as "will I discover that I hate sewing/modding/restringing/faceups/finding props," "how is resin different from porcelain" and "will I really have enough time for this?" The fact that he was a Soom limited didn't really factor into it: he was small, cute, and could dress up as G.I. Joe.
I was looking around for, oh, four years beforehand, and I wanted to get a feel for owning one mostly so that I wouldn't be surprised by "I'm going to need WHAT size needles" and "This is not like putting on makeup at all." Now that I know what I can and can't do, I just ordered the doll I've wanted all these years, and I knew to order her with a faceup and shoes, because I can't produce either of those to save my life.
Also, since my first doll was a tiny, I now can look at my boyfriend and go, "well, a 1/X doll is Y dollars, so it only makes sense that a 1/A doll is B dollars."

 

I jumped into BJD's head first. Though it wasn't my first customization hobby. The thing with me is I could figure out more from seeing pictures of a doll then I could through just plain research, reading a whole bunch of things is not my style nor can I experience anything with words.
I knew I wanted a big doll, so I got a big doll. Now I got my doll used though which took out about $100 off of the price but it still ended up being 50,000 yen. From holding her I learned that I like my dolls to have "substance" by that, I mean heavy weight.

I'm glad that I went for a doll that I wanted in the beginning instead of getting something "cheaper" (relative term, cheap to me is $300 or less for a 56-60cm doll range). Ironically though I found a doll I liked in a lower price range and when I got him I was very disappointed in his weight. He felt paper thin and it upset me.

For the new buyer of BJD I think you should buy what you like but maybe within reason. Like make a list of all the ones you want and single out the one you want the most. Or maybe pick based on what type of enthusiast you are. I think it all depends on knowing who you are as a collector/enthusiast and how you're going to enjoy the doll.

 

Well, I'm sadly with you there.... I've had my dolls for about 2-3 years now... and i still have yet to full restring any of my dolls. I'm not going to say theres a such thing as a "starter" doll just because I think when you find the right doll, get it, no matter if its an elaborate doll or somthing. Both my dolls are from Dollzone which I guess makes them "middle" dolls considering there size and stuff ( both msds.)

 

I think starter dolls can be a great idea- but only for some people. Not evryone wants one, but some people get them becuase it makes them feel better about getting into a new hobby, and more secure handling and customising their doll. I also know for a fact that they exist, and it's a bit wierd for me, seeing people saying they don't believe in them!

Beleive it or not, there are some people in this hobby who have started out not entirely sure about owning a BJD, and hence are more comfortable buying a doll on the cheaper end of the scale. I live with one such person, who did a ton of research, fell in love with a number of beautiful dolls (who doesn't, to be fair! ) but who still decided to pick a first doll that was cheaper than the others she had looked at. She was worried that when the doll arrived, she might not like the size in person or might find them hard to handle. No-one pressured her into doing it, but that doll is definately in the catagory of 'starter doll.'

My friend now owns 16 dolls of varying sizes and prices, including several beautiful limiteds. And she loves her starter doll with a passion, so for her, it was definately the right thing to do.




I almost feel that people replying here (and do correct me if I am wrong) resent the idea of a 'starter doll' because it implies that cheap dolls are somehow lesser than the more expensive ones. (I would say that that is not true, given that I own dolls myself from the whole range of BJD prices- I like my $250 dolls just as much as my $800 ones). I do feel, however, that people are being judged for making decisions that make financial sense to them.

I mean, if a person really is worried that they might accidentally damage their first doll while they are learning about them, then why should they not pick a cheaper on? A $200 loss might still be $200, but that's still a lot less than accidentally ruining or breaking something that cost $400, $600, or maybe even $1000, right?