I think we can all agree that if you purchase a toy, it is yours to do with as you please...look at it, fondle it, lick it, whatever...however, if a toy is limited in production, say to a run of 100 or less, do you have a responsibility to the rest of the collecting community to keep it as pristine as possible, just in case the "die hard, never sell" philosophy becomes a bit too hardcore to maintain (or your car blows up, whatever...).

Let's say, for example, that I had a GID Skullpirate (which I don't, unless someone here takes pity upon me) and I had an urge to contract someone with über-talent (there are a few on this board that fit the description) to carefully apply a very cool paint scheme on it---would this be irresponsibly selfish, or would it be my right as the owner to do so? Every custom job done leaves one less toy for the completist to round out his or her collection...

We could take it a step further and say it is a Cronic GID Mav or a (my grail item) GID Ghostfighter...still belongs to you, and might look ever better with paint...would this be a crime against the community?

This is purely a hypothetical question, asked to generate a little discussion...
as a member of a relatively small community, when is "what's yours" not necessarily yours?

you're allowed to do whatever you want with it. after all, you paid for it. what's yours is always yours.

it might be "irresponsible" to the collecting scene to paint over it, but that doesn't mean you can't do it. I see it happen here all the time. others might think you're crazy or get angry, but I mean, the fact of the matter is who cares, it's your toy.

I used to say that I was gonna post pics of me melting a skullwing, just to watch people lose their shit about it

I agree that if you bought it, you bought it...but, if you load up a skullwing in your pipe and smoke it up like a rock (and live through the experience) might you not be screwing yourself for future purchases?...

How likely would it be for you to sell a toy to somebody that you know has "smoked a skullwing" in the past? or is it more about the money and who gives a shit what they do with it?

I am bored at work and my mind is wandering a bit...

If it's yours, you are free to do whatever you want with it, with no strings attached.

If you own it, and "it" is any of the Anraku Vaders or any RxH I'm after, you have a DUTY to sell it to me for cost. That's my opinion on it.

I prefer to keep my rare unpainted figs unpainted.

less rare ones I might let bwana or koji paint them... maybe.

Once a toy is yours, it's yours to do with as you wish. There's no DMCA or licensing agreement on a toy.

As my grandmother used to say, if someone else gives you shit about it, fuck 'em.

Wow, this was discussed months ago and the responses were WAY different...where the hell are all the nay-sayers?!

I totally "live" with my toys, take 'em with me on trips, decor my room with 'em, go outside and take pictures with 'em, show 'em to my friends and let 'em hold 'em, etc. I have no qualms with people doing whatever they please with what they have bought. Having said that if I knew one of my toys was "omg so hot" on the market, as I personal choice I might keep it clean and pristine for the reasons that if I decide to sell, (which I've never done with any of my toys so far) I know I could get top dallar for it, or at least what I had paid.

Yeah, I remember that thread too - I also remember being shocked at how vehement some of the responses were.

While I do believe that if you buy it, it's yours to do what you want with it, I also believe that people have a right to share their opinions (positive or negative) should the owner decide to share what they've done with it.

Look at the whole Marc Ecko thing with Barry Bond's 756 home run ball... he has the right to do whatever he wants with it, but clearly people have different opinions as to how they feel about it.

I think the nay-sayers were vocal enough to make it seem like there were more. I don't think there's any "responsibility" that comes with toy ownership. In fact, I think I'm going to start writing my name in katakana on the feet of all my toys...

You're grams sounded like my kinda lady, Rog...

....but what if you got THE "one of a kind" everybody wanted and you make a custom out of it ?

yawn.

wow - what a difference a month makes huh? thinkin back to all the shit fits thrown - wow - quite a change of heart!


and Rog - yer grandma rules - that quote is sig worthy

The naysayer approaches...

Go wander through this thread to get people's thoughts:

http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=12590&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&

If someone buys a toy, then yes, theoretically they can do whatever they want with it.
If it's something rare, I think it's selfish and self-absorbed to doodle on it or colour-change it rather than release it back into the scene.

I have a gold Mutant Head. I think there are under five in the world. Maybe three. I forget. Whatever.
No one would care if I doodled it up with ink? Gave it a hitler mustache maybe?

Meanwhile someone was freaking out the other week when I mentioned that I took apart (and put back together) an orange DX...

edit: to fix link-a-roni

Yup, I got blasted in that thread... In the sake of fairness, it actually changed my view on the whole thing. To a certain degree anyway...so bring on the nay-sayers! Always enjoy a good debate.

This line of thinking is unusual to me. Don't people usually buy things with the idea that they're going to keep them? I do.Count my vote in the "I don't care" column. It's yours, go nuts.

I'm basically the same. I keep most of the toys I purchase unlike some collectors who seem to go through waves or sell of certain toys to pay for new ones. But there is alot of used toys changing hands everyday.

I'm just using that as an example. There must be uber-rare toys that you really care about or are hunting for. Substitute that toy for the Mutant Head. Maybe you don't collect hard to find toys?

no, you're totally right. I'd be hesitant to sell that person toys. but I just think that most people don't stop to think that way before they have a toy custom painted or whatever else they want to do with it.

lots of people buy things with the intent to customize them or change them (cars, electronics, etc.). I don't think that many of them stop to wonder if they will ever have resale value, they just want it to be how they want it.

I personally, however, have never had a figure custom painted and wouldn't unless it was a very specific design for a very specific reason (perhaps to commemorate something, I don't know?) one offs and hand paints just aren't really my thing too much. that said, I also don't know why someone would want to have a super rare figure painted over, if they had a 1 out of 5 for example, but I mean, I can't stop them if that's what they really want.

I'm doing the mental exercise. If someone bought a hard-to-find MOSPEADA Lansay Tread toy (don't bother looking for it in the Super7 article, we couldn't get one to photograph), and painted it red or green, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Also, even with these boutique-level vinyl toys, there's no way that there could be only five copies of a vinyl shot in a particular color in existence. I have a hard time believing that they'd bother the factory to pour and spin such a small amount.

You're further down the Eightfold Path than I am. hahaha

Suffering exists in life
Suffering is caused by craving
To eliminate suffering, eliminate craving
To eliminate craving follow the Eightfold Path