Good morning all, i am looking to purchase older models off ebay. Is there any brand i should stay away from. One response received said the old Revell and Monogram were not very good…( which would you suggest). Also, there seems to be numerous hobby sites ( hobbylinc, My atomic, Tower Hobbie, etc). Has anyone had dealings with them and which is the best to deal with. Any help to a 59 year old " newie" would be greatly, greatly, appreciated. thank you, Doc Bailey
BLASPHEMER! He’ll smoke a turd in hell for THAT one![cnsod]
Well Doc, since you’re a “newbie”, I’d go so far to say that the Old Monogram and Revell kits are EXACTLY what you should build… Practically every modeler who’s over 40 cut his modeling teeth on those kits, and by the late 60’s and early 70’s, Monogram was one of the best companies out there for aircraft… Although the older kits suffered from having “working” features like retractable gear and folding wings, dropping bombs, and sliding canopies, once they decided to be a model company instead of a toy manufactuer the kits were excellent and many were state of the art in their day… Many, like the 1/48th B-29, B-17G, B-24H and J, P-61, B-25J, and A-26B/C are still (as Revel kits now, although the Monogram boxes are still out there) the only game in town for those birds in that scale, and outside of raised panel lines and occasional fit problems, still rate a solid 6.5-7 on scale of 10… The Pro Modeler versions of these kits are even better, many with photo-etched parts and excellent decals
The Monogram P-51B, Me-262, FW-190A, P-40B, Ju-87D, P-47D, P-39, P-51D, OS2U, Do-335, AT-6, and if jets are your thing, there’s the F-86, F-84, F-80, F9F, F-4, and the “Centuery Series” fighters to name a few, are still some of the best, and are THE best in “price for detail” which generally is in the 12-16 dollar-range…
Sure, the “new” stuff is better in many aspects, but for the price you can’t beat those old kits… Keep in mind that those kits were targeted at 8-12 year-olds and even the ones from the early 60s build out really well, especially for scratch-builders and super detailers like myself… The 1/32 scale Revell kits are still quite buildable as well… AND some are, like the Monogram 1/48th scale, the only game in town for certain aircraft…
If you look through these forums, you’ll see that there are still MANY modelers who are building the Monogram, ProModeler, Revell/Monogram, and Revell kits… ANd you don’t need Ebay… Those kis are on the shelves at your Local Hobby Shop right now…(Just a head’s up, you’ll see “Revellogram” from time-to-time… That’s what us auld-pharts call the Revell releases of the old Monogram kits…)
Ya, the “kit snobs” will tell ya to stay away from them, but if you got champaigne tastes & a beer budget, go “Revellogram”… Plus, “Newer” doesn’t always mean “Better”…
By the way, here’s a link featuring some of those “not very good” Monogram kits built up by a guy who inspired many of us to take our modeling skills beyond the “straight out of the box” category and into a whole 'nudder level of modeling…
http://sheperdpaine.com/gallery/aircraft/index.htm
Hans von Hammer
President
Monogram Preservation Society of Iowa
(Self-appointed)
Ebay is good for buying kits that you specifically want, but you need to know the market so you don’t overpay. Beware of unreasonable shipping charges. For the lower priced kits that are in production it is better to buy them at a local shop if you can find one. Revell Monogram is a good place to start, if there is a Michael’s store near you they stock them. I agree with Hans, they are a good value and are a good place to practice your skills. Better to buy a good airbrush and building supplies to start with than spend your budget on a high end kit that your basic fitting, gluing, and painting skills are not equal too. On the other hand, there are some quality kits that are not so expensive, build easily, and don’t have a zillion tiny frustrating parts. The Tamiya 1/48 F4F-4 Wildcat is one of those, next might be the Tamiya P-47 in 1/48.
Tower Hobbies is a part of Hobbico which also owns Revell Monogram, they are a reputable place. Squadron is good to deal with, Hannants in Britain has a good stock and is well run.
Welcome to the forums, from a soon to be 63 yr old.
Ebay is good for buying kits that you specifically want, but you need to know the market so you don’t overpay. Beware of unreasonable shipping charges. For the lower priced kits that are in production it is better to buy them at a local shop if you can find one. Revell Monogram is a good place to start, if there is a Michael’s store near you they stock them. I agree with Hans, they are a good value and are a good place to practice your skills. Better to buy a good airbrush and building supplies to start with than spend your budget on a high end kit that your basic fitting, gluing, and painting skills are not equal too. On the other hand, there are some quality kits that are not so expensive, build easily, and don’t have a zillion tiny frustrating parts. The Tamiya 1/48 F4F-4 Wildcat is one of those, next might be the Tamiya P-47 in 1/48.
Welcome to the forums, from a soon to be 63 yr old.
I’d have to go along with what has been said. There are a ton of good old and even newer Monogram and Revell kits on ebay for great prices. Watch the guys gouging on shipping and bid accordingly. You should be able to get most single engine kits from those manufacturers for $12-$15, total with shipping. I might add that the Otaki/Arii line of kits build up into pretty nice kits, and they can be had for similar prices. If you watch closely, you can find some Tamiya and even older Hasegawa kits for pretty good prices. There is a website called Modeling Madness that might be a big help evaluating what you are looking for in a kit. It gives you hundreds of kit previews and reviews that can help you decide whether a particular kit is what you want. Just Google Modeling Madness. Stay tuned in to this forum. I’m pretty new here, and am amazed at the knowledge and inspiration that can be gained from the people. They are very talented and will help you with any question you can come up with. Best of luck, and good hunting. Rick
Doc - There really aren’t any kits you should stay away from other than somrthing you don’t like. I’ll build a kit from any manufacturer if I get the chance. Hans has it down though… Revell/Monogram kits can’t be beat for the prices and build up great. They might take a little extra effort but it really pays off when done.
I have dealt with My Atomic and the service was excellent and the prices reasonable. Sometimes you can catch a really good deal from him.
I have to echo what “the Hammer” said. My first kits were Monogram kits and while they aren’t the most “fashionable” amoung the kit snobs they are pretty good. I still find myself searching on ebay for certain kits from Monogram. The newer kits have been retooled (new molds) and are much better than some of the older stuff out there.
Ebay is one of the main places I get my kits. You can find some really good deals, and you can narrow your search for any scale or brand! Just be careful with the older kits…the decals are usually no good, but you can get those on ebay as well. My only other suggestion is go by the persons Feedback. I have been scamed and had I not used Paypal would have been out of $$$.
Welcome back to the hobby. Hope to see some of your work!
I would visit your LHS, or an online dealer for the kits still in production they’ll probably be cheaper than ebay. I use ebay for those out of production, and rare kits that are hard to find.
I’ve had great service with GreatModels.com and Squadron.com.
How did I miss this thread?!
Monogram kits are great! I’m in the same boat with guys like Hammer, those were the kits I built as a kid. Sure, the older kits were perhaps little better than toys you put together, but even those kits can be built into nice models, applying some scratchbuilding skills and some care. And when we get to the kits from the 70s, the detail of the kits improved, and we have classics like the TBD, the B-17G, B-24J and B-29, the B-26, the P-61, that are still the only game in town in their scale.
I’ll also second the suggestion that you should educate yourself about which kits are still being manufactured and can be bought retail. I try to keep up on that info, and I only bid on those kits on eBay, if I think I can get the kit for a winning big plus shipping that would be less than the retail price. For example, the P-51D in 1/48 is still issued, and retails anywhere from $16 to $20. So, if I see it for an opening bid of $5, and shipping is $5 or so, I’ll bookmark it and maybe bid. But some kits are being offered second hand, at retail prices or higher. Unless you’re a kit collector and want a specific box cover, there’s no reason to bid on those.
I wouldn’t turn my nose up at the old Revell kits, either, the 1/32 or 1/72 kits. They’re fun to build, they can be built into nice models out of the box, or you can go nuts and super-detail them.
I also buy Aurora and Lindberg kits (eg, the old F11C Goshawk), for the same reasons-I built them as a kid, and now I like trying to apply things I’ve learned since then.
Regards,
Brad
Monogram 1/48th remains my first choice when purchasing a kit. Revell is #2.
[:)]
Watch out for the ebay shipping pirates![prte] Some of these guys want to charge for the shipping as much as the kit price. I’ve experienced this many times but most recently with a Heller 1/72 Super Connie I was researching . One seller wanted $25 for shipping! I ended up with another one that cost me $23.30 and under $9 for shipping (even farther away than the expensive guy’s state) Just be patient and compare prices with different sellers, and ask questions before bidding. As an example, I recently picked up a set of the F-100D, F-101 and 102 kits for $18 each including shipping.
I do a lot of selling on ebay so you may be buying one of mine, one day! I hope so.
Buying ebay kits only depends on what you want and what you will pay. I could go way deep into the process of auction buying, but for now the main points have been made:
1. SHIPPING. Im gonna stick my neck out, here, so get ready: There is hardly a model kit made that should cost over $15 to ship and most, half that, anywhere in the country. I just sent a large box, with a large model in it, to Canada - for less than 8$.
The reason shipping gets to be a rip off on ebay is that sellers take the easy way out. Those guilty of this see it as a way to recoup some profit, mostly. To do this, they use flat rate shipping, priced for the biggest box - to the furthest point from their location. This means you end up paying to ship a lot of air. Then, they add “handling fees,” charge you for bubble wrap and tape and pump in all the little behind the scene fees that ebay allows.
“Knowledge is Power,” they say. So, the thing to do is go online and check what Sprue Brothers, Scalehobbyist, My Atomic and the other retailers ship for. Use them when you find an ebay kit as a comparison. Do this on the purchase as well. Shipping is by weight, so use the USPS calculator, too, and calculate shipping from the sellers zip code - YOURSELF. Most models weigh under 3 lbs, boxed, tagged and ready to ship.
When you find sellers that are way in excess of common shipping rates, the rates any one else can apply, hit the back button and go somewhere else. When you find them that are reasonable, shipping for actual cost, use them often.
2. Use the completed listing feature.
This lets you see what an item actually sells for - not what the seller wants you to pay for it. Many sellers are confused and think ebay is a retail outlet, and price accordingly. Not all of them, mind you, but many. However, ebay is an auction site - people come there looking for a deal. There’s a psychology at work there that, flatly put, lots of people ignore.
I mean why would you pay retail prices on ebay, when you can go elsewhere and do the same? Not that hard to figure out is it? But some people miss that, altogether.
So, start observing closed listings of similar items that interest you. You will see those that have actually sold (the ones in green), and you’ll see what people actually pay. Then, when you see listing after listing that didn’t sell, its usually because of unreal pricing and/or crappy shipping. Soon, you’ll get savvy to what things really sell for… not what someone expects you to pay them for it.
The one exception is the truly one of a kind, rare item. “Rare” is way overused on ebay, and flatly put, most things are not rare at all.**
But when something really is, you must know what the market value is and what it is worth to the hardcore collector… because that is your competiton.For example, I can easily buy an Academy 1/48 UH-60 for well under $20, if I work the site. They arent rare, they aren’t unique and so there is little active collector interest.
But, I better be ready to go well over $100 for a 1/48 Revell H-34/Wessex, when I see one. Same sized kit, same amount of plastic… drastically different buyer base.
** Anytime I see the word, “RARE,” my finger is poised on the back button immediately - it is the sure sign that you are being bilked or oversold, usually out of ignorance on the part of the seller.
SO from a regular auction seller to a buyer, these are the two most important things you can do to ensure the best value on ebay. Good luck and Happy Buying!
Here’s how I do my Ebay shopping.
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Open up a window to internethobbies.com
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Open up another window to spruebrothers.com
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Go through the Ebay listing to see the price of a kit versus what you can simply buy it at an online store for. MAKE SURE YOU FACTOR IN SHIPPING!
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Make a controlled bid that is safely below what you can purchase the kit at an online store for.
My last Ebay purchase was a Tamiya King Tiger tank. I paid $10.51 for the kit with a $14.00 shipping charge (outrageous). Even with the high shipping charge the total price for me was $24.51, which is about $9-$10 cheaper than I could find ANYWHERE online, not including the online stores’ shipping charge.
This is exactly what I do, when buying for myself on common things. When it is something one of a kind or hard to find, well… I use different methods.
But this works well for the common items, that are indeed, stocked elsewhere.
And remember everything on EBay is Rare!
LOL
Yeah, I commented on that above. You’d think sellers could at least get a thrift-store thesaurus and find another word!