With so much great stuff to choose from how do you decide what to buy (other than you have to love it) and what not to buy? I need more guidelines! Right now I only have a couple of rules: No unpainted figures Only one example of each sculpt. Or maybe 2 or 3. In practice, I treat these rules like traffic laws - I try to remember them, but I frequently break them. Anyone else?
Western - Limited myself to one artist (KAWS). Japanese - Limited myself to one sculpt (Skullbrain). I break the "rules" from time to time, but not that often. And of the KAWS and Skullbrains I buy, I only buy the ones I like - no completism.
I have no strict guide lines. There's a few, but I keep it loose. I try to focus, but I won't let it cripple me. That way I still don't just buy everything and keep a nice flow of fav's in tact. Rules are good, just don't over do them, you'll go nuts looking at stuff you like outside your rules.
New rule for me: don't try to buy everything. Unfortunately this is frequently broken! Actually, I do not try to go completist on something that is clearly impossible to complete, case in point: Real Head - with one-offs and secret editions - its too hard to keep up. Dams; I'll probably never own the GID. Sometimes I'll set a line in teh sand. Like for Secretbase, my aim was to have a complete set of fight figures for everything issued up until end of 2006.
my rule has been... spend at least $200 on every toy. it keeps the little knick knack garbage out of my collection and when i take pics of my collection it impresses my internet friends more
This is a huge problem for me as I have a big interest in many different toys. Secret Base is the #1 priority, but I have been dabbling in some other various Japanese vinyl. I also can't seem to kick the Western vinyl habit. I don't have near as much as I used to, but I still buy the occassional piece. I also collect Gentle Giant Star Wars stuff & Star Wars Kubrick's. I just love toys period.
Much the same for me. Recently, I decided I would narrow my focus back to collecting the three kaiju I first fell for: Darkron, Gyango, and Garamon. The first two are pretty easy huntin', because there are really only a few must-haves of either, and I've already got most of 'em; Garamon I could stay busy on for a long time to come. There's still a bunch of older Gara-toys I'd like to grab, and the number and pace of new sculpts of him (the ones I dig, anyway) suits me and my wallet just fine. However- and I was well-warned that this would happen- my recently acquired Celga Gold account is fucking up this little "narrowed focus" game plan o' mine... "Ooh, lookit that Eleking....oh my god! Gotta have that Chibull! X-Plus Pestar statue...>drool<...would look so kickass next to my X-Plus Big Gara!!!"
why you gotta be like that?!? I can climb that mountain: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Take this you negative nancy: 3 clear with sparkle bee's yellow jacket bee's 3 sdcc06 one off's fan club gold spray figures (6 or 7) all clear GF gid mantis I think Carl can, I think Carl can, I think Carl can.
Oh, the old Glenn is back! Sounds like a challenge Mind you: yellow jacket bee's - check sdcc06 one off's - check fan club gold spray figures - check oh, did someone mention blue blood bagman? Yeah, got the last of the six. But Nah, I finshed off my last credit card a few weeks ago, I'm facing changes in circumstance, so I'm done. ..... maybe but those sparkle bees...mmmmm
It's been very tempting but I ONLY collect Balzac toys. I can't afford to buy others on top of the mountain of Balzac toys already out.
try not to do any drinking while buying...that can be bad. it's your decision so just think about whats important to you. Go take a look at peoples photos on flickr, gives you an opportunity to see b4 you buy