Also… it gives people like 7793, http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4133 , a bad name. He makes a living off of selling his models I think. Now when he goes to sell another one, they might not even think about purchasing one because they have already been burned once. When customers get burned, they usually just give up on any further like-entertainment purchase. Which in reality just hurts the Pro Building industry.
This type of thing runs rampant in my industry also: Web Design.
This is also a visual industry and you’d have to be pretty foolish to contract a “professional service” off of e-bay. Talk about Buyer Beware. I’ve been burned on e-bay once too much to trust it. I will live vicariously through you guys on that one. Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me.
He will cater to a market that will appreciate his goods, if they can get through his diction. Why you would consider buying something like that off of e-bay when there are plenty of local artists that could offer the same thing is sort of like going to a dentist in a flea market. “Here buddy, drink this and hold on” Ya gets what ya pays for.
We benefit most from a well educated consumer. It becomes your best interest to educate more people to belive your product is superior to another. If everyone around you is building $10 models, sure they will expect you to build models for $10 its up to you to educate and sell your client on the $100 model. Does it really matter if this guy sells snake oil? Do you go down and stop the local faith healer from taking innocent peoples money for something they didn’t get? Do you go to Hooters for the wings? Do you really belive that the ronco pocket sewing machine can sew drapes? And do you really belive that those college girls on the Girls gone Wild videos are really college girls?.. same thing with this. Do you really think he is damaging the industry? Florida certainly didn’t do anything to ruin the electoral process. Made the state look bad and certainly gave the country something to laugh about, but we still have presidential elections no matter how questionable. I’m with irhermann on this one. Its a source of a laugh but I wouldn’t lose sleep on it.
Goodness Gracious…
I am a professional modeller, and I do take exception to seeing this calibre of work, labelled as created by a professional, being sold for that kind of price.
I’ve asked for, and gotten, up to USD250 for a 1/12 Tamiya motorcycle (heavily modified and just about perfect) because true enthusiasts recognise the quality of the scale replicas I create and have no problem paying the price I ask.
I have no problem with people such as the gentleman in question advertising his wares on Ebay - I feel fairly confident he’s not cutting into my market share.
If someone wants to purchase one of his models, great. Good on them. And good on him for selling his models.
I feel that I, and my clientele have slightly (!!) different standards, so I’ll keep doing what I do, and he can keep doing what he does (and ne’er the twain shall meet!).
I’ve found that a subscription to FSM (13 years now) has been a great source of inspiration and makes me try harder and at least equal (or better!) the finer models detailed in the magazine.
Keep doing what your’e all doing - have fun and always try to do better next time and have a laugh about it but don’t let this kind of stuff ruin your day.
Life is too short.
Cheers,
Lee Tree
OK guys I stepped up to the plate and sent this guy a message via the Ask the Seller a Question option.
I said that his adds have got this thread going, put in a link, and invited him to use it and to READ all the messages.
I didn’t use a “Mean” tone, just matter-of-fact type. I hope he will read this. He really is an embarrassment to you true professional builders out there.
Nobody can prove any of the accusations that they are issuing. Therefore most of what is being said is merely speculation and assumptions. What if this person has physical or mental limitations, and this is the very best work that they can do? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing? My point is, we don’t know what this persons situation is. So why not cut him some slack?
If I calimed to be a professional modeller, with credentials dating back to when Moses built little model arks, would I be criticized or ridiculed by the forum? Most definately, and I would expect to be.
As to wether his shenanigans can impact the ebay sellers out there, most definately. If potential buyers see that quality (?) of work often enough, they won’t hesitate to skip over any item bearing a “pro-modelled” description with the thought that it’s just another scam. In every little way, the way we as modelers and professionals conduct ourselves both in and out of this forum reflects on the hobby as a whole, and directly on those that partake in this glorious hobby.
A few months ago, a modeller won an award for his work at a national competition. Come to find out, he was passing others’ work as his own. He was banned from any further participation in any sanctioned event FOR LIFE. Officials are still very wary of any entry now, as to its authenticity and actual artist. Can we afford this kind of scrutiny just because one person wants to make a buck or two?
Well, although I don’t post often and haven’t been around much at all lately, I am a member here and this is my opinion…
So what?
I really can’t believe that this thread has grown to two pages. Some of the comments are slanderous and believe it or not, you could be sued for making such comments and statements here just as you could in real life. That may sound a little preposterous and may be an unwinnable case but either way, it would still be a hassle that most of us wouldn’t want to face and for some, that would be reason enough to try it.
All of ebay is a buyer beware situation. You lay down your money and you take your chances. If you get burned by someone that’s one thing, and you’d still have to watch what you say in a public forum, but to randomly assault and pick apart a seller is going a little too far. No matter the claims made by this person or the quality of their work.
I haven’t looked at the items in question and don’t intend to. I’m not defending this person either. Just giving my opinion.
Supersize the image and take a look at the paint on the exhaust diffusers.
BTW, technically the term you would use here libel, not slander. Slander is oral defamation, libel is written (or published) defamation. Message boards are considered a form of publishing and therefore falls under libel.
He’s right when he says “what a price!”, yes, exactly, what an extortionate price for something that looks like it just came out from under a turd, please explain what a socity is?
O.K guys.
I went back to the pics again.
The builder has the basics and fundimentals down.
What i see missing is the skills to finish them out.
wash’s,drybrushing,pastels and such.
I personally would give that person a rank of novice.
I also would advise that modeler to work on their finishing skills.
This person could use “OUR” encouragements not our critisism.
Yes the person did over sell themselves in the bios of the kits but we should look beyond that part.
You are thinking of this the wrong way James. This isn’t a hobbyist, this is someone claiming to be a professional selling his models for top dollar on a very public auction site.
Would you encourage the Yugo car company to do better if they claimed every car was hand built by a team of professionals and only made with the finest qualities. That there Yugos were in line with Lamborghini. Then when you get one, the thing is made from cardboard.
I, too, refuse to look (but I have an opinion, anyway). [:D]
ACTUALLY, he IS a Professional… did anyone bother to look up the definition of that while they had their dictionary open?
" participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs"
Seriously, though… did anyone notice the glue smears in the Apache rocket pods?? (Or was that "weathering?? LOL) OK, so I looked.
To me, this isn’t libel… it’s discussion of something that is public domain. What, we aren’t allowed to critique online photos of model kits? “Liberal” is more like it…
SUE me? Who AM I, anyway? Does anyone know? Try doing a trace, and then try proving it.
I’ve seen all this talk before, and there’s no reason to walk on eggshells here. Maybe the suggestion that it’s libelous could be construed as “threat of personal harm…”
