Dolls that *aren't* for beginners?

I got my first doll in pieces from Soom and strung her myself which was a great experience, so that doesn't seem like a bad way to start to me. I would not suggest a Real Puki as their first unless they are very comfortable handling tiny things. I like tiny things and they push the limit for me in fiddly-ness. And I'm almost constantly worried I'll loose one of their teeny hands or feet.

 

I might not steer a newbie towards really oddball dolls unless I know that's their thing. But...we were all newbies at one point, right? I think if you're determined no doll is too much to handle.

 

I feel like people can get what ever they like. I have no say in what is or is not suitable for them to get, that isn't my place. If they're willing to pay money for a doll they like, whether it's an expensive company or not, that's them. Power to ya! But, I will suggest dolls that are a little cheaper, that's pretty much it.

 

I see a lot of what's mentioned as a doll that's *not* for beginners is Doll Chateau Elizabeth, due to her tricky stringing. I'm a beginner; my first full-fledged BJD, not counting diminutive Hujoos, was DC Elizabeth x'D. I'm pretty much of the same idea that eugenio-ruspoli just said:

There are some people who do little research and just impulse-buy something, then start calling for help when they realize it's much more than they bargained for. And then there are those people who say "No matter what, I want THAT doll, and I'm going to make it work." And then they read, research, ask questions, research, again and again.

By then, we're so careful and we're so braced against the extreme difficulties of the hobby, that once we finally take up doing stuff like stringing, face-ups, modding... we struggle, but we think, "This isn't as scary as they made it out to be!"

Already, I've modded my DC girl's body. And though I'm struggling with trying to dye her resin, it's not to the point where I am overwhelmed/regretting purchasing her. No matter what, I will learn how to make my doll work for me, because she's SOOO worth it and I probably wouldn't have felt the same if I was working with a doll I bought because I thought it was "easier"!

 

I think the biggest advice I have to beginners (not that I'm even not a beginner, cause no physical doll has arrived at my house...) is buy something that has already physically been made and will arrive at your house soon. I love the first doll I bought, but the facts are that I paid in full inJune and he'll be done in october. And he's worth every minute of that time. He's beautifully made, I'm not criticizing wait times, because I know beautiful things don't happen overnight, but I keep worrying that my payments didn't go through (they did) or the factory will forget my order, or something will go wrong. And This is nothing against Ringdoll. I love RD. I have faith in them, i'm not slamming them as a company, I just have anxiety issues. Anyone else with those issues, buy a doll that can be in your hands *fairly* quickly.

Also, SIZE. DOn't be an idiot and assume that Ringdoll grown is 'like eighteen inches?' like I originally thought. Get an actual tape measure and mark it out on a wall, to figure out the size. Fortunately, i was overjoyed with Jack being bigger. That might freak some people out a bit though. And some people don't have room. Be careful with that. And take your time picking. Look at every site you find, and look at them repeatedly. Pick a doll that speaks to you, something that you won't be afraid to touch.

 

thank you for your good advice . i am new to bjd . fell in love with one line but then started to drift away, then came back to the same company, but keep changing my mind about the which one i should get first. is that normal at the beginning ?

 

When I started, I fell in love with the way the Mirodoll lady body with the small bust looked. I ended up ordering an Impldoll as my first, mostly out of fear over making a hybrid right from the start. I recently ordered that Mirodoll body... and man, I don't think I would have done well with it in the beginning, with no experience restringing or seeing other dolls restrung. The knot was sitting up on top of the neck, for starters. I'm sure I could have figured it out, but without prior experience, it almost certainly would have been frustrating.

However, I'm still going to fall in line with the advice of earlier commenters - if you love it, you'll figure it out. But definitely always do your research.

I couldn't say if it's normal, but it's what I did. It's a lot of money, so waffling over the choice is definitely understandable, especially when everyone is saying things like "make sure you LOVE it!" When you're new, it's a little harder to know whether or not you really will love it.

Based on what I know now, I guess my advice is to make your choice based on what you want to do with them. My first doll ended up settling into a specific character and personality (probably because of the face up she came with), and consequently I started to have a hard time putting her in particular kinds of clothing. I would have put her into lots of frilly lolita dresses and similarly elaborate outfits, but it just didn't suit her, if that makes sense.

I was also one of those people who was set on a taller doll, SD sized. The smaller ones just didn't feel as special to me then... but that's up to you to decide. Some people prefer the smaller ones, and I will say that MSDs are easier to carry to meetups. Again, it's what you plan to do with it.

Good luck ^^

 

Any of the doll Chateau with the extra joints very hard to pose!

 

Agreeing with the sentiments here; if one's determined enough, then they can handle any doll they like. That said, I do see plenty of people who definitely wouldn't be determined enough, and in a purely case-by-case basis, I'd make different recommendations. (I've honestly seen posts from people who aren't even willing to change eyes or clothes!) For myself, I wasn't even planning on seriously getting into the hobby, and started with a doll frequently considered a "starter" (though perhaps moreso at the time than now). And while he did of course come strung with eyes in place, I managed to accidentally unstring him in the first hour. And I had him restrung about an hour later, after going out to get more elastic for him!

Honestly, if someone's willing to do a little homework, to understand that these dolls aren't as fragile as they're sometimes made out to be, and that the various "maintenance" factors aren't that scary either, then they should get whatever doll they want--whether it's a Volks fullset, a ResinSoul tiny, a Soom holiday kit, or an anthro-arachnid.

 

Mmm-mm. I had to gather my courage in order to buy a Feeple65 body, to be honest. I didn't buy it until I was two or three years in, and I'm still not looking forward to restringing that boy. *shudders*

 

i just started to "own" a bjd lati last mth

however i had brought one 6-7yrs back but quickly sold her back out

i think beginners shoukdnt get a brand new bjd that require faceups / stringing / body blush / UV spraying / sanding before u can play
i opened the box (it was a unoa i still remember) and i quickly closely it and shortly just sell back to the market....

 

agree!
I had my first one as a full set, make up and all. It is the best way to get one for the first time.

 

The closer a doll is to a "standard" size, the easier it is to buy clothes and things for them. It's really frustrating to get a doll and then have them hang out mostly naked because your skills aren't up to snuff and commissioning clothes is out of your budget.

 

Generally I'd say that as long as the person does their research and knows what to expect in terms of size, accessories, work to do on the doll and all that, there's no limitation.

Personally I bought a second hand SD13 doll that was shipped unstrung as my very first BJD! I'd done a lot of reading and decided I could handle this challenge, so the first day I got him, I strung him with limited supplies and was very happy when he was 'done'!

Only thing that, from my experience, can be quite a bummer is those odd sized dolls that are super hard to get clothes, shoes and such for! But if you're prepared for it, maybe buy a full set or know where to get custom made stuff and all even that is not a problem.

 

Beginner what? Beginner high schooler with little crafting experience? Beginner who has collected other types of dolls and knows how to create clothing, etc. Beginner with a great deal of painting experience, so face-up might not be as intimidating? Beginner who has a knowledge of how dolls are constructed? Someone with a lot, or little space to keep a doll? I suppose that there are a lot of questions that someone might need to ask themselves before choosing a first doll. Someone might need to know what sort of personality they have, are they the patient type to read, research, put together, complete? Perhaps they just want the doll to play with, dress, role play. As expensive as these dolls are, even on the lowere end of the scale, if someone does not absolutely fall in love with the sculpt, then the rest does not matter.

 

For me, I'd just stay away from kit dolls at first, maybe find one that is already strung on the marketplace(ex: unoas)! Kit dolls might be a bit overwhelming at first for some, but if you feel you know what your getting into, go for it! I don't really believe in beginner dolls, just get the one you like best! And, DO YOUR RESEARCH! This is the most important thing, don't just dive into it and not know what your getting into. Also if you do feel lost, lots of people right here on DoA are happy to help!

 

Not sure if we're including the few non-resin dolls allowed on DoA on this discussion here, but for me I reckon the DD/MDD lines are not really for beginners who haven't done their research on stuff like doll head caps and anti-staining underwear. They're just too easily stained and need a lot more care than a lot of resins to maintain

 

Now that is interesting that certain companies resins will stain just from the underwear. I have not seen a thread on about staining, how it comes about, how to prevent it, though I am sure I just missed it somehow.

I looked, but did not see any kits for bjds. I had some idea that they were no longer available.

 

Thanks, wondered why I did not see any kits. Soom is one of my favorite companies. I will keep my eyes open come next Christmas.

Do not know anything about vinyl dolls. Had a few as a child, including a Barbie the first summer she was ever available, $3.00 that I saved for myself with odd babysitting jobs and such a quarter at a time. My mother gave her away one day when I was at school. Later she said she was sorry, not thinking it through. Oh well. I had put her up by then and have not had interest in vinyl dolls since. The bjds have really piqued my interest.

 

I think people who wants to get into the hobby should let them have what they want. I mean, why stop the person from wanting that doll they fell in love with? Not everyone gets their doll immediately the moment they laid their eyes on it... Of course it's an interesting hobby and people I know usually do a lot of research first before getting into it. Learning the doll they love and the company it's from. Getting the dolly feels during meets, asking around for help. Isn't that what the forums and this community is also about, other than just showing off your dolls? Aren't we also suppose to help each other?

I got carried away with that paragraph.. But I still want to state it. Maybe this is my opinion as I'm also a beginner and I have eyes on 70cm dolls and Pukifees which people stated that should not be your first doll but I've seen them I want them even more after learning more about those dolls.

 

I believe some dolls are not for begginers and I won't say that it's a good idea to order the very first doll from companies like Doll Chateau, but at the same time people should start with whatever they want.

It's sad for me to see a newbie destroying any doll, even if it's an expensive and famous model or just a simple one. In my opinion, some people have a talent to make any doll look terrible and destroy them and it doesn't depends to be newbie or not.

 

I honestly believe there are no beginner dolls and there shouldn't be.

People who start this hobby have put a lot of time and effort searching for the sculpt they like.

Additionally, many spend the extra time researching anything and everything about the sculpt they choose so that they are prepared to handle them when they finally arrived to their doorstep.

Once a person gets a doll, aesthetics are also a matter of personal choice as well. Collectors should go with what makes them happy and not have to worry about another person's judgement either. BJDs are customizable items for a reason.

 

I also don't believe in the concept of beginner dolls or dolls that aren't for beginners. We're talking about dolls, not Formula One racing.

I do think there are folks who do less research than they should and end up surprised, unsatisfied or frustrated (ex. kit dolls aren't for everyone). Those outcomes however, are completely within the collectors control especially with the resources available now. The o.g. post is quite old, so I can see how the question may have been more relevant in 2009 than now.

I've been collecting dolls for a few years now but I consider myself a beginner whenever I buy a doll from a new company or artist. There's always something new to learn.

 

I think it depends on the person. for example i myself was rather hesitant about getting into the hobby and didn't want to spend a whole bunch before i was certain of my investent which i knew i wouldn't be untill i got my first doll. I also didnt want an SD becouse i am only 5ft tall AKA the mesurement they use for the whole 1/3 1/4 1/6 and belive me when i hold my MSD it looks like i'm holding an SD lol. So for me getting an SD right off the bat would be way to much resin!
However now that i've eased into it i'm more interested. Mostly because of my Doll Chateau who is 50cm it took quite some time to get used to his size but now that i am i think i'm ready for an even bigger doll.

However for someone who is more sure of themselves then I am i can see them getting an SD off the bat. also i think it makes a difference in how much you have been exposed to BJD's before i bought my first one i had only handled one BJD and she was a tiny. So i had no idea what to really expect when it came to an MSD let alone an SD. If your someone who's had exposure to BJD's and has had a chance to handle them then you most likely can be more confident about what kind of doll you decide to get.

having said that >.> from personal experience i wouldn't go with something like Doll Chateau that can be rather kicky and may need to be restrung (personally i've done this and i still have trouble with his legs -sigh-) or any other brand that is known to be a doll you really need to work with. I know when i got my resin soul he needed to be restrung and hot glue sueded and that can be really intimidating to someone who is new to the hobby. and i have to agree with the soom monthlies or say a Fairyland fullset partly just because of the price. if its your first doll and you've never handled resin before i would not advice spending that much money before you know this hobby is for you.

and i suppose thats what it comes down to is how confident are you? if your more timid like me then a smaller less expensive well made doll is most likely your best bet.
if your really confident be it because you've handled BJD's before or because you have other hobbies like BJD's or just because its your nature then feel free to buy that doll thats going to need more work or is more complicated (centaurs anyone?)

 

I believe it makes no sense to set any limitations, because collectors are different...
Someone can handle an unusual and "difficul" doll at the every beginning, another one is not able to.
Just try to find it out, it is fun!

 

She was by no means my first doll, but the first doll I ever strung completely from scratch was my Doll Chateau Elizabeth (the spider girl ). I had her shipped in pieces to help prevent potential breakage and I found it was like putting a puzzle together. I had to restring and adjust some of her parts a few times before I was done, but it wasn't as bad as I expected.

Maybe now I can get around to restringing my floppy DZ Shoyo-2 who I'd been putting off restringing because I was afraid I'd ruin her somehow...

 

You know, it really warms my heart that so many people are against restricting newbies to a certain kind of doll. A few years ago there were a lot more people with the idea that new collectors should get a "starter" doll that they don't like as much (it had to be inexpensive, easily strung, no complicated parts, no fancy colored resin, not limited, etc...) because they would damage or even ruin their doll and would need a "practice" doll to make mistakes on (a junk doll? wtf?) or even the new collectors themselves thinking they should get such a practice doll out of fear rather than the one they love. I think the doll a newbie should get is the doll they love. ^_^

 

I think a doll not for beginner is buying directly from Iplehouse and Souldoll, and now Soom. This is because their retail price is too high so if you decide you do not like the doll, you will have a very hard time to get your money back. Soom used to be a sure thing, and chances are you will love your soom doll, but nowadays you could end up losing money if you don't bond. Alternatively you could get the doll second-hand at a better price.

 

I never had any set restrictions when I started. I was all about any doll, and for a while was really fixated on getting a big 72cm Ringdoll. I saw no problem with it. I see a lot of beginners go with Bobobies and Resinsouls because of their "cheaper" pricing and moderately easy to work with bodies. I wouldn't know personally as I don't own one. There are also the people who buy a "practice" doll before getting a fully fledged BJD. Like for instance I'd wanted a BJD for a couple years, bot ended up getting a jointed J-doll as my "beginner" doll.
I definitely don't think that beginners should be restricted on what they want to purchase. If they want a big 72cm or a centaur or a BJD with twenty different add-on pieces, that's their thing. I agree that there are some sculpts that are probably harder to work with than a basic of any variety, but in the end the beginner has the agency to choose whatever doll he or she wants.

 

@CreamPop I think if you can restring the spider girl, you can restring anything.

I don't believe in "starter dolls" either. The best way for newbies to love and stay in the hobby is to start out with a doll that they love, no matter how complex it is.

 

I'm more inclined to say that a beginner should get what they want and decide upon their own comfort level.

I listened to well-meaning advice regarding "starter" dolls and how some brands, or specific lines, just weren't meant for budding collectors. The result was that I had a doll I liked well enough, but never really loved. He was sold not long after I purchased him. I would have been so much happier and more immersed in the hobby had I just thrown caution to the wind and gotten a doll I truly wanted, regardless of whether or not it was seen as "advanced" by others.

I understand the whole idea behind dolls sort of having difficulty or experience tiers, but I don't agree with it. And I just can't shake the feeling that there's an underlying edge of elitism to the whole thing.

 

My only recommendation is not to order from a company that is going to take forever to get to you. That can be your second doll. Definitely buy something that you really want though - maybe look around for something in stock?

 

Maybe not elitist, but certainly a little condescending IMO.

 

It is a really good advice to buy the first doll secondhand!
In this case you don’t need to wait and go through all these complications with duty.

 

Anything that's very expensive. Unless you 100% know you want into this hobby, start small and then go big. Reselling is always an option, but can be a hassle.