What is the worst part about being a BJD collector/owner?

Worst part is the money issue .-. It always seems like i need more and more to fix my dolls up 1k for a camera hundreds for more art supplies for faceups ect ect @_@! I think getting the doll might be the easier part its all the add ons that add up. Also i think another thing that bugs me when you have a certain mindset for a character and cant find the right clothing or hair for your doll ><'

 

Apart from being a costly hobby, the worst part is hands down...the waiting... I don't think I will EVER get use to it.

I struggle with it, sometimes I gravitate more towards dolls on the second hand market versus buying directly from companies just because of the wait involved with them.

Not to say that the wait isn't justified, I know some companies are worse than others, I'm just impatient:P

 

MONEY AND THE AMOUNT OF IT THAT HAS TO GO TO YOUR DOLLS. I mean, I love dolls and I'll spend as much as I can on them, but I'm broke most of the time and it takes months to save enough money for just one outfit.

 

The worst part is... the limited editions. I'm tired of having to give up on plans because a company released a limited edition that's perfect for one of my characters. I hate that they expect me to have up to a thousand dollars saved randomly for said limited when they don't allow layaway. And I hate that all companies tend to release limited editions at the very same time as each other. I also hate that several companies won't even wait in between limiteds but instead release up to five if not more at the same time.

 

1) The griping in the hobby. NOT in this thread or similar ones specifically for discussing worsts and downsides, etc, that's perfectly appropriate. But I don't like it just in conversation or general threads. It's a buzzkill for me. I'm like that about any hobby though.

2) Clothes and wigs listed supposedly 'for SD size' that do not fit...my Volks Kun SD!! Infuriating! I know she's become somewhat of a stout little fathead compared to other dolls, thanks for that reminder! That's why our Narvy has more clothes, they are Kun's cast offs.

 

Everyone's saying this, but definitely cost! There are many sculpts I love and will probably never own because I can't afford them all CX I suppose this makes the dolls I do buy more special then,though.

 

I have to say...the worst part is the styling. Knowing exactly what you want and not being able to find it anywhere.
I've spent so many nights sitting up until at least 2am trying to find the perfect outfit D:

Money is frustrating too but I got over that :P

 

Good lord... how could I have forgotten this?? OTL I'm exactly the same way... you have that image of a character in your head and then you can't find anything to fit that image. -m-;

 

Hmmmm...I think the cost is the worst part about being an BJD collector/owner. When I first got into the hobby, I was astounded at how much BJDs cost. Being fresh from college with a job that paid barely enough for bills, I was looking at at least a two to three year wait for the type of doll I wanted as it would have cost me at least $1000 at the most basic level as I was certain I wanted an SD10/13 doll with a face-up already, eyes, wig, and some sort of underwear. I know it is possible to go as low as $400 for the chibis (doll, eyes, wig, face-up, and simple outfit), but depending on what kind of doll you like, which company it is from, and how much you are willing to go for accessories, things start to add up really quickly. Hahaha. And once you get your first doll, it's like a slippery slop from there.

I think the next downside to being a BJD collector/owner is that it is such a niche market that acquiring merchandise and seeing other types of dolls can only be possible via internet unless you are very fortunate to live somewhat close to an area that actually has a physical store or live near others that have BJDs. When I was a noob, I only knew of the Volks USA website and "Haute Doll" magazine to get my BJD fix. Although living "close" (about two hours away) to the Volks USA store helped a bit, it was not a convenient commute. Once a friend got into the hobby and introduced me to Den of Angels, my horizons certainly broadened, but still there was a lack of easy access to more varied merchandise and dolls. This leads me to the next downside to the hobby; meeting other people that have BJDs or can appreciate them.

I was lucky enough to have a friend and my boyfriend start to appreciate the hobby and get into it after me. So after a time, I went from the only person in my county to have a BJD to now three. But, it was hard telling people about my hobby as the cost was a major put off or that they thought my doll was creepy, which hurt a lot. I didn't live close enough to any major doll meet-up locations, so the only dolls I had access to were of my friends, my boyfriend's, and mines unless I was willing to commute which ended up happening at least once or twice. So for first-timers getting into the hobby, it can be pretty lonely even with Den of Angels and real life friends around.

 

The only thing for me is the cost.....never enough money to buy all the beautiful dolls I see

 

For me, the worst thing is the lack of space. I have a long wishlist, and I've got many dolls already. Yes, I am able to part with dolls or doll heads once I fall out of love with the sculpt or if they don't fit the collection anymore - sold some already, and given a couple away as a gift, to a close friend and to my sister. But most of those who have stayed, I want to stay for good. And they already occupy a whole room. I might need a bigger house one day. When I will be older, I might become that "crazy doll grandmother" that has dolls sitting everywhere in her home.

Then, there is the difficulty to get fitting props for dolls in SD size. It is a pain to find furniture for them, and that is the only thing I cannot make for them myself, as I have no carpenter talent whatsoever.

As for the cost - well, yes, it would be easier if the dolls cost less, but in my opinion a bit of patience and setting your priorities in a certain way is all it gets to save up for the doll you want.

 

The worst is having to decide whether I want to do something fun (ie: theme park or somesuch) or save the money for doll-related things. The releasing of limiteds is typically the worst time because I'm usually on the side of not being ready for it.

Besides that decision, the second worst is having an idea or concept for a doll in your mind and having to wait or take forever to collect and make all the bits to bring it to life. Scrounging everywhere for that perfect hoodie....only to find out it's sold out.....then waiting in the Marketplace and finding one.....but it's so overpriced you want to cry....so you find a seamstress to commission.....but the waitlist is forever.......and then you try to make it yourself and realize that tiny stitches ARE SO TINY HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN....and you wonder how life got to this point.

This hobby is both the most fantastic and the most infuriating of my life, and I love it to bits.

 

Ack, so true! I wish I could have my cake and eat it too, but I usually end up sacrificing doll money in favor of having a life outside of the hobby.

...darned life, always getting in the way of things!

 

The worst part is the feeling that I'm spending so much on this hobby that it's making me feel guilty. Like I should have used my money for necessities. But a good friend told me that if this hobby makes me happy then there's nothing I should feel guilty about.

 

I can live with high cost for dolls and stuff, I do not react on critics. I do it for myself and try to have as much pleasure as I can from this hobby. But our local community has anonymous bjd forum and after reading it's very hard keep positive thinking.

 

For me there are just two things:
1. The cost
2. The time of waiting

 

The cost. Yep, definitely the cost. There's a reason I only have 3 bjds.

 

I can't stand the inability to find what I want for my doll. It figures that I would have fallen for a bjd of an odd size, so I can bare with not being able to find her clothes. But the fact that all the awesome wigs I see and want to get are all way to big for her! Why can't they make them in more sizes?

And yes, the waiting. I got my girl on a pre-order layaway. The hope is that she will come in around the time that I make my final payment. I can stand the waiting because she isn't paid off... somewhat anyway,

 

They're like potato chips. Very expensive potato chips. You can't have just one.

 

I have just one! But it's only because I keep buying her things...

I agree that a lot of the limited edition stuff burns me out. Especially when there are so many per event per year, and knowing you'll never see them again. I've been pretty lucky that I prefer basics for the most part, but I feel for those who fall in love with a rare limited. That, and it kind of cracks me up that winning a lottery in our hobby just means you get the chance to pay someone a huge amount of money.