Post by Mightyfanatic on Oct 30, 2008 12:03:01 GMT -8
As Global Moderator of the Lounge, I often receive PM's asking for recommendations on specific customizers or general custom buying advice for Loungers, eager to purchase a one-of-a-kind creation. While some questions are highly individual (and thus require very individual and candid answers), here are some basic Q&A's (gleaned from tons of PM's I have received/answered) taken from replies I have sent since we opened the Lounge.
1. Know what you Want
I'm not just talking about the character ... I'm talking about the Style. The state of customs for Muggs has matured enough now that there exist a WIDE variety of styles of potential customs out there (which transcend genres). Do you want highly realistic, cartoony, basic no frills (minimalist), angsty, highly detailed, artsy, dark and brooding or zany? Any of these styles are now possible. There is NO correct answer, no matter what someone might tell you. It's all subjective, after all... (like 2D art) and as the buyer.... what YOU like is always BEST (for you!!)
2. Who are you dealing with??
Check references.. whether they are in the form of Ebay feedback, PM's to folks on the Lounge (including mods or custom's buyers), references are a must, both in terms of reports of product quality/workmanship and customizer habits (do you want your custom "yesterday" and thus need a speedy artist or do you fear the chance that your gifted artist might be slower than a glacier or temperamental in nature (telling you that your preferences are wrong is a MAJOR red flag, for example). Your customizer should be open and able to provide references of his own (which not surprisingly, will be glowing.. LOL...nothing wrong with that). Also, in some cases, you might even want to do a tiny bit of research on the reference, unless you don't mind the slim chance that the reference ONLY buys his/her customs from Customizer X.. or worships at his talented feet. In any case, the more knowledge, the better.
3. What size are you?
Huh? You don't understand the question? Well, if it were clothes or cars it would be easier. Do you need a light jacket or a heavy coat? Is a Ferarri or Porche REALLY required to get you to work, or do you want something more appropriate (but still excellent for its "class". In other words, don't be fooled by the axiom that more expensive is better. There are some outstanding customs out there and some that actually belong in museums for their quality and ingenuity (unfortunately, some of the latter carry pricetags associated with museum level goods). Unless you are a Mugg Buyer with a Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous (or a big credit limit...like me!), you might want to gauge your wants/needs with pricetags. Beware fellow Mugg owners or (a few) customizers who will try to suggest the "best model in the showroom". If you have the money there is nothing wrong with that... it's why we are all driving Porches and Ferrari's ... Even here, it's all subjective. In your eyes, best might mean something very different than someone else... go by THAT as much (if not more) than conventional wisdom. Buy a size that "fits" you.
4. Why customs?
It seems a tad late to be asking yourself this if you've already decided that it's time to buy, but maybe you should take a nanosecond to analyze your motivation. It just might effect your character choice, or your choice of customizer. Are you just plain eager to get character "X" before Hasbro makes it... (if it's an established line and a popular character, they most likely will eventually... will you still love your beloved custom "Fooseman" as much when a shiny new "official" one is released?) If it's an obscure character or one from a completely different line, is it the novelty or the love of the character that is REALLY prompting you? If it's the latter, then you need to re-examine #1 again, since style will matter much more to you than you think (after all.. your favorite character has to look your favorite way, right?)
5. Will it be like potato chips?
Sad to say, but some folks don't realize "when they take the plunge" whether the chances they will be buying more customs are 100% or 1%. Why is that sad? Well, maybe they just spent 10X more than they would have, if they had realized that they wanted a ton of "great" customs, instead of 1 "magnificent" one. It can work the same way in reverse too, with folks potentially having to re-buy (re-comission) a figure when they realized after getting several others, that they needed to trade-up, to make them all the same quality or style. Luckily, unlike certain lines of action figures (do you hear me, DC Direct), custom Mugg buyers don't have to worry about scale issues. Still, there are enough factors to consider. Will this be your first custom or your first of many?
6. How do I do this, again?
The proper procedure for commissioning a custom Mugg is .... that there is no proper procedure (financewise). It's like haggling in an ancient bazaar under a tent (though a few customizers might try to tell you differently!). Some want all of the funds up front (nothing wrong with that) while others do a 50% now, 50% when I am done type of deal (it's amazing that those folks always are timely..LOL!). Either way, paypal is always a good bet (and for other entirely accurate reasons, it is understandable for customizers not to accept checks... at least not before they've cleared). Also, beware of the dreaded "Price creep" ... and no, that is not the nickname of a customizer... it's a process when a popular customizer incrementally increases his prices (oh, it's $25 more now...) as his popularity increases. It's perfectly legal of course, just as your ability to shop around is too.
The bottom line
The bottom line, Loungers, is that there is a GREAT selection of customs and customizers out there. Over the months here at the Lounge, we've seen virtually all styles represented (and quite a few price ranges too!). In my humble opinion, we've learned (from Loungers' comments posted here) that alot of people like alot of different things (that's ultimately good for customizers and custom buyers!). Just try to get what's best for you.
I'm sure the above guidelines are incomplete (what me, perfect?) and perhaps might have to be weighted differently for different Loungers, but please use them as a start in your quest to add "that special custom Mugg" (or Muggs) to your collection.
I am a major fans of customs (having purchased several myself) and scan the Net for them constantly, regardless whether or not I buy or bid on all of them. The above comments might only represent my opinions, but I think there might be a grain or two of truth in there somewhere.
There are wonderful and talented customizers out there eager to help you (and a few scoundrels or potential scoundrels eager to make a fortune or a reputation for themselves as their top priority. With a little care and proper precautions, you'll greatly increase the odds of distinguishing between the two kinds as well as determining just what kind of custom is right for YOU.
Happy Custom buying.... and if you've had a successful customs experience after reading this (and following any of the suggestions), I'd love to hear about it via a PM!
1. Know what you Want
I'm not just talking about the character ... I'm talking about the Style. The state of customs for Muggs has matured enough now that there exist a WIDE variety of styles of potential customs out there (which transcend genres). Do you want highly realistic, cartoony, basic no frills (minimalist), angsty, highly detailed, artsy, dark and brooding or zany? Any of these styles are now possible. There is NO correct answer, no matter what someone might tell you. It's all subjective, after all... (like 2D art) and as the buyer.... what YOU like is always BEST (for you!!)
2. Who are you dealing with??
Check references.. whether they are in the form of Ebay feedback, PM's to folks on the Lounge (including mods or custom's buyers), references are a must, both in terms of reports of product quality/workmanship and customizer habits (do you want your custom "yesterday" and thus need a speedy artist or do you fear the chance that your gifted artist might be slower than a glacier or temperamental in nature (telling you that your preferences are wrong is a MAJOR red flag, for example). Your customizer should be open and able to provide references of his own (which not surprisingly, will be glowing.. LOL...nothing wrong with that). Also, in some cases, you might even want to do a tiny bit of research on the reference, unless you don't mind the slim chance that the reference ONLY buys his/her customs from Customizer X.. or worships at his talented feet. In any case, the more knowledge, the better.
3. What size are you?
Huh? You don't understand the question? Well, if it were clothes or cars it would be easier. Do you need a light jacket or a heavy coat? Is a Ferarri or Porche REALLY required to get you to work, or do you want something more appropriate (but still excellent for its "class". In other words, don't be fooled by the axiom that more expensive is better. There are some outstanding customs out there and some that actually belong in museums for their quality and ingenuity (unfortunately, some of the latter carry pricetags associated with museum level goods). Unless you are a Mugg Buyer with a Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous (or a big credit limit...like me!), you might want to gauge your wants/needs with pricetags. Beware fellow Mugg owners or (a few) customizers who will try to suggest the "best model in the showroom". If you have the money there is nothing wrong with that... it's why we are all driving Porches and Ferrari's ... Even here, it's all subjective. In your eyes, best might mean something very different than someone else... go by THAT as much (if not more) than conventional wisdom. Buy a size that "fits" you.
4. Why customs?
It seems a tad late to be asking yourself this if you've already decided that it's time to buy, but maybe you should take a nanosecond to analyze your motivation. It just might effect your character choice, or your choice of customizer. Are you just plain eager to get character "X" before Hasbro makes it... (if it's an established line and a popular character, they most likely will eventually... will you still love your beloved custom "Fooseman" as much when a shiny new "official" one is released?) If it's an obscure character or one from a completely different line, is it the novelty or the love of the character that is REALLY prompting you? If it's the latter, then you need to re-examine #1 again, since style will matter much more to you than you think (after all.. your favorite character has to look your favorite way, right?)
5. Will it be like potato chips?
Sad to say, but some folks don't realize "when they take the plunge" whether the chances they will be buying more customs are 100% or 1%. Why is that sad? Well, maybe they just spent 10X more than they would have, if they had realized that they wanted a ton of "great" customs, instead of 1 "magnificent" one. It can work the same way in reverse too, with folks potentially having to re-buy (re-comission) a figure when they realized after getting several others, that they needed to trade-up, to make them all the same quality or style. Luckily, unlike certain lines of action figures (do you hear me, DC Direct), custom Mugg buyers don't have to worry about scale issues. Still, there are enough factors to consider. Will this be your first custom or your first of many?
6. How do I do this, again?
The proper procedure for commissioning a custom Mugg is .... that there is no proper procedure (financewise). It's like haggling in an ancient bazaar under a tent (though a few customizers might try to tell you differently!). Some want all of the funds up front (nothing wrong with that) while others do a 50% now, 50% when I am done type of deal (it's amazing that those folks always are timely..LOL!). Either way, paypal is always a good bet (and for other entirely accurate reasons, it is understandable for customizers not to accept checks... at least not before they've cleared). Also, beware of the dreaded "Price creep" ... and no, that is not the nickname of a customizer... it's a process when a popular customizer incrementally increases his prices (oh, it's $25 more now...) as his popularity increases. It's perfectly legal of course, just as your ability to shop around is too.
The bottom line
The bottom line, Loungers, is that there is a GREAT selection of customs and customizers out there. Over the months here at the Lounge, we've seen virtually all styles represented (and quite a few price ranges too!). In my humble opinion, we've learned (from Loungers' comments posted here) that alot of people like alot of different things (that's ultimately good for customizers and custom buyers!). Just try to get what's best for you.
I'm sure the above guidelines are incomplete (what me, perfect?) and perhaps might have to be weighted differently for different Loungers, but please use them as a start in your quest to add "that special custom Mugg" (or Muggs) to your collection.
I am a major fans of customs (having purchased several myself) and scan the Net for them constantly, regardless whether or not I buy or bid on all of them. The above comments might only represent my opinions, but I think there might be a grain or two of truth in there somewhere.
There are wonderful and talented customizers out there eager to help you (and a few scoundrels or potential scoundrels eager to make a fortune or a reputation for themselves as their top priority. With a little care and proper precautions, you'll greatly increase the odds of distinguishing between the two kinds as well as determining just what kind of custom is right for YOU.
Happy Custom buying.... and if you've had a successful customs experience after reading this (and following any of the suggestions), I'd love to hear about it via a PM!
