Dollshe Discussion - Part Fifteen

Suspending sales for a bit would certainly help in the sense that the backlog wouldn't keep increasing with more new orders. I think it would take far more than just a few months though to work through all the orders pending. Hell, even if they started fulfilling orders in the order of oldest to newest instead of the random way they are, that would help a lot, too, as far as the good will of the customers goes.

 

@Iron_Dog Yes to starting at the oldest orders first.
I don't mind waiting longer if I know that the people who have been waiting over 2 years would get their dolls first.

 

I'm waiting for any sign of progress. Has anyone received a doll since June? It would cheer me up immensely to see a doll produced since then.

Oh there were a few in August and October! That helps.

 

I received tracking a few days ago from BJDivas for my Arsene ordered in March. Timely, since my birthday is this week.

These sales may be disconcerting but they are definitely still churning out dolls.

 

Do you mean ordered after June and received or just received after June?
I got my bernard full package at the very end of July, ordered...June 2018

 

I have something shipping from them (got taxes on it, so I'll probably only be able to get it this weekend)
It's either my Adonis paid off in October 2018 (+ Amanda EN and some 28M heads), or my Bermann paid off in September 2019.
Order number says it's Bermann, but I suspect there's a mistake since they said I would be sent in November (lol) while they said I'd receive a tracking for Adonis & Co around right now xD

 

@NamelessPierrot I meant received. Movement of any kind.
All good news!

 

I got a Saint head second hand...but I suspect that's cheating.

Quick edit: James turned 3 last week! So he got a fancy little photoshoot...

IMG20191021181747 by Liz, on Flickr

 

Oh... the waiting times are horrendous, is there even any other doll company with similar long production time?

I'm very happy that I got a Saint second hand! Wouldn't dare to order from Dollshe right now, waiting up to 2 years for a doll is just too much.

 

@Ayanami I think Dollshe takes the cake for the longest wait times.

 

After seven years, my Dollshe Rosen, Tiarnán is finally complete.
Country Boy by Cloudedmind, on Flickr

 

@Cloudedmind Wonderful!!!!

 

Wow @Cloudedmind! He looks amazing.

 

@Cloudedmind - He's lovely! His wig is particularly nice. Is it alpaca?

 

Thanks guys!

@Quiet and Insane It's a synthetic wig I got from Crobidoll.

 

He is adorable! Love everything about him.

 

@Cloudedmind Tiarnán's gorgeous! I love how you've styled him

Here's a new shot of my Rei!

 

My sweet Desmond turned five today. Weird to think I've had him for so long. Photo from a meet up yesterday.

IMG20191026152432 by Liz, on Flickr

 

@Quiet and Insane Desmond's lovely

 

How is it possible to be so annoyed and in love with at a doll company at the same time?? I wish he would get his act together, but I just can't stop admiring his wonderful creations; @Cloudedmind @kagami and @Quiet and Insane, your boys are all absolutely gorgeous!

 

@kagami - Thank you!

@celga - I understand that pain! I really want Mr Kim to get his act together and stop stuffing people around, but yet here I am still dreaming of more...
Thank you!

 

@celga I wouldnt be as annoyed and turned off from ordering from him if he has a better system, and a more fair system in which first ordered, get priority over those who have ordered recently. I dont like that there is no transparency and no order to his manufacturing process, I only will buy second hand now.

@Quiet and Insane Your Desmond looks really cool, and at that angle and depth, it looks like he has an in scale diorama instead of him sitting at a meetup My eyes went straight to his hands, great job on the subtle blushing

@kagami your Rei 's style speaks to me, and I really like how he carries off that tiny sunglasses trend! Its so hard to pull it off! Is he the original release Bermann?

@Cloudedmind Tiarnan is one of those effortlessly stylish people. I see those pieces separately and I dont think anything, but seeing them all together on him, and with that contrasting wig color really is amazing. Youve got a great eye for styling thats for sure

 

@GreenTeaSlug Thank you for the compliment.

 

@celga Thank you so much, my dear~ and I'm with you on that. Mr Kim one of my favourite BJD artists out there too T^T perhaps we're just masochists..

@GreenTeaSlug Thank you for your kind words Rei is an original Bermann from the Tensiya release! He surprises me with what he can pull off too... His style is usually quite eclectic. Hahaha!

 

@kagami I figured he was! I really love the original Bermann release, the newer one is nice, but he isnt the same... beautiful, but I prefer the thinner lips on the original release lol

 

Does anyone have any recommendations on where to find pants for the 18M Pure body?

I have 1 Bernard here and another currently on order - both on the Pure body.. they're soo skinny! I have been having such a hard time finding pants that don't fall off >.<

 

Ask JeansbyJenna on Etsy. She is making me custom jeans for my IH Model EID and my Arsene body. They will be here this week. She'll ask for some specific measurements.

 

@Mahgiep I've looked at her shop previously and her stuff looks amazing! Are Arsene bodies just as hard to find pants for? I have one of those coming in as well. ^^;

 

@GreenTeaSlug - Thank you! His hands are a little worn after all these years, but he's on the waiting list for a blushing refresh sometime next year hopefully. I really enjoy blushing hands!

@tiarah - Regular SD17 pants should fit, as should anything labelled DZ70. Slightly stretchy might also help if the sizes runa little small.

 

@Quiet and Insane - Thanks for confirming this! I had ordered some things marked SD17 and 70cm from a few different places and they were HUGE. I'm assuming these places are making pants for dolls with 23+ cm waists. I'll definitely keep an eye out for legit SD17 items.

 

Alice's Collections has some items that are made to measurements.

 

I'm back, did you guys miss me? Haha!

Salinger is all prepared for 'winter'. (We're in Australia.. )



I sewed him one new top after sewing fastidiously for myself lately and being all me me me.

 

So... I just got my Diana today, and as with the Khan I recently got, it was pleasant and disappointing. There are a couple points which make me even further believe Dollshe is now a quantity over quality company. Diana has a very beautiful body and I much love her appearance, but some parts of it just made me feel a bit disappointed for what I've waited on. First, they sent out paddle hands with her (they didn't with my Khan which was weird), but they are huge, made me think if they actually belong to some bigger doll as it is literally easier to switch clothes with her default hands, and as I understand making dress up easier is one of the functions of these paddles? Luckily I have some Venitu paddles that most likely do fit her, so I can manage tight sleeves too.

The second thing disturbs me a lot. I was eager to try hybrids on the body (I actually had a floating head just for it), but my excitement died as I opened her headcap. First I thought it couldn't be, but after twisting and pulling for a while now I'm certain they made Diana's head so that it cannot actually fit a S hook that goes through her head, the gap is almost as long as it is wide so nearly anything small enough to work will slip through even when in place, tested with a few hooks. She came strung with a hook that doesn't go through the hole on the bottom of her head at all, which means I'll have to unstring her legs completely to get the head off and on. Every. Freaking. Time. Lucky I, did only order her with one head. How is this supposed to work? Did anyone here recently get a Diana that has a working system or have you any recommendations which hooks function, if this is actually systematic and not a mistake? Yeah, maybe I don't recommend getting the Diana special package with 3 heads after this, if it goes on discount... I think with how things are, these are my final Dollshe dolls. I just can't gamble with what I get and when, no matter how good they look. Thought I might write to Dollshe and ask them to send me a hook that works, because I have none, tried every one I got on my dolls and in my storage.

 

Sounds like you need to go old school. Pull head up, clamp elastic with forceps and then take the hook out. A C shaped neck donut would let you use a smaller hook.

 

That does sound really bad @vauhtikatti . If Dollshe's quality drops off what is the point of ordering and waiting on a bad product instead of the great dolls we expect?

 

@vauhtikatti Can you post a picture of the inside of her head? It might help to see what you're working with as far as trying to find a solution for the s-hook and head swapping.

If you have to go the old-school route, it's possible someplace like Cool Cat would have a neck donut that would fit.

 

It's funny-strange to see all this just as I'm contemplating emailing Dollshe and cancelling my 55cm Saint because of the hideously long waiting I've been enduring with no end in sight (18 months and counting). Yeah, I'd still really, really love to have what I ordered but I'm feeling rather disappointed and... fatigued over the waiting with only vague promises of "soon" when I ask for an estimate on when he'll be finished. It's distressing to hear that they aren't even being forthcoming with production times/expectations to a dealer.

 

Unfortunately I think the Diana issue you mentioned is a problem with ALL the Diana's. I have 2 Diana's and they both have the issue (and I do have 2 heads with each of them.). My friend Lyn who did the face ups on my Oriental Diana's modded the opening in the head to be larger so her S hook would fit inside the head. Just bad design, and no attention to function of the doll, or quality control before the doll was sent out to customers..................is this a product of the push to get Diana out from the people that had already waited OVER a year for her from the time she was first announced? Who knows, but as much as I love my Dollshe dolls I absolutely refuse to buy directly from him again. If I add to my Dollshe group it will be through secondary market purchases.

I believe he has been struggling financially for quite a while now (hence all the "SALES" one right on top of the other, with no timely deliver on product from previous "sales" that happened 6 months to 2 years ago! ). And this is ONLY speculation on my part, but I worry there will come a time when the $ runs out and then what happens? People that have paid up front for dolls 6 months, 8 months, 2 YEARS in advance …………………………...will they be stuck? I sincerely HOPE not, but I worry that eventually his bad business practices are going to really catch up to him and I don't want to be stuck in the queue when it happens. It really makes me sad as his sculpts are beautiful.

 

So, this is what I was dealing with:

Spoiler: Diana Head inside

The photo shows it poorly, but the default S hook is just too wide to fit through the hole. As the photo shows, I did however manage to take the head off. I pulled the elastics out with the hook, held them with pliers like @nancy_schroeder_ca told and then removed the big hook and inserted in some small hook to keep the elastics from going into the torso. I still checked what I got with my Fantasia Doll Vivian that arrived the other day, as I haven't really gotten to sorting her out yet, and like a miracle she had a S-hook that is just slightly smaller, so I replaced the hook with it and gave Vivi an Iple hook that also fits like a glove. Now my Diana's head mechanism thankfully works, although I think I have to take her apart anyway, to blush her torso, string her arms tighter and suede her shoulders at least. But at least I only have to take her apart once lol.

In my opinion this does really show a degrade to what it used to be - back when I got my first Grant from Dollshe in 2015ish, they even inserted metal plates to the dolls' neckholes and heads to stop the hook from damaging the resin, while now they don't even bother getting suitable hooks. And back then I was really surprised by the quality the doll had even beyond the amazing look. I really liked them for what they were, and I do hope they either get back towards that, or realize to stop before they ruin their reputation thoroughly.

Nevertheless, I am going to write to them about this, just to inform them that they should probably get some other hook to go with Dianas, in the case that this is actually just pure misunderstanding.

 

@vauhtikatti Thanks for the photo! I knew I wasn't quite understanding what the issue was, but now I see. How strange that the s-hook is just too big! I'm happy you were able to find a solution that works for you, but I'm sorry you needed it in the first place.

 

I had an issue like that with one of my dolls (not a Dollshe) and I found it highly annoying because taking off the head, which should be a simple thing, was a PITA. My Leeke boy has the knot inside his head and it's too big to fit through the neck hole so if I wanted to take his head off, I'd have to either cut the elastic (he's strung too tight to unknot it) or unhook his feet to release the tension and then try to pick apart the knot. Leeke also hot glued his eyes in his head *grrrrr*.

 

Volks hot glues all of their resin dolls eyes in their heads. The only time you can choose not to have it done is when placing an FCS order. After a few times you get pretty adept at removing them. They also place the knot in the headcap, which is fine for their own heads which have a pretty wide opening, but if I want to try other heads on the body, most won't fit. I've restrung two of my Volks dolls so the knot is in the chest.

Dollshe may have just used whatever S hooks they already had instead of buying new ones.

 

Considering how customizable these dolls are, it's highly annoying to have the eyes hot glued in place. If I re-string, I put the knot in the chest to avoid the problem.

 

Hello fellow Dollshe owners.

I have a weird problem I am hoping has a solution. I have a drawer full of Dollshe heads that I hoard (I like their bodies and have acquired many heads I don't use-except for Saint, who is still Marilyn Manson) and they all have COAs in a box. And their bodies all have COAs in a box. The same box. And I have no idea which one goes with which resin part. Which isn't even totally true, one of them is in a bag with the creepy peg hands so I think it belongs to the Rhythmos body. Other than that I got nuthin.

Is there a way I can find out what goes with what? is it on the DS site somewhere? Or am I doomed completely?

Thanks in advance!

 

The heads I have have the sculpt name in the headcap. For future arrivals, I have learned to label the inside of the head or headcap with the company and sculpt name using a P-touch label and I also put the certificate in a bag with a label. For certificates that come in a bag or clear envelope, i slide the label inside. 3M post-it tape is also good for labeling!

 

I've just sent Dollshe an email telling them I want to cancel my Classic Mini order and want to be refunded. We shall see how this goes. Hopefully they issue me a refund in a timely fashion. I just can't continue to wait on a doll that has already been 18 months worth of time with no end in sight and continued promises of "soon" and asking me to be "patient for a little longer".

 

As far as matching heads with CoAs, I don't know an easy answer. I started to panic when I had so many and matched mine up using post notes. I think I read way back that Dollshe didn't keep a record of the card number and what it matches but I could be wrong. It was easier when they gave out the signature cards with the sculpt and resin color but those days are gone.

 

I just got my 70cm Arsene about a week ago and the sculpt and skin color are written on the back of the certificate.

 

They're talking about the little black and white plastic cards you get with heads and bodies respectively, not just the little yellow certificate. The plastic cards (same size as a credit card) have numerical codes on them, but other than that no other indication which part it belongs to.

 

The more recent “credit cards”, the ones from the last 2-3 years, now come with hand written identification of what doll it is for.
This started happening after Dollshe phases out the yellow paper COAs.

mince they where gone, the credit card COAs
started having the doll’s model name and resin color written on them.

 

@MAITALIA Thanks for the explanation! I didn't get a yellow paper COA.

 

I know what heads I have, I just don't know what COA goes with them. There isn't anything written on any of them. just numbers.
I even have an extra floating around somewhere because I sold a body and had no idea which one went with it. (luckily the buyer was very understanding.)

Yeah I didn't really notice they had nothing on them to identify the dolls until it was way too late lol I always assumed there would be a way to look it up....I should have started checking way earlier.

Yeah those. So many little doll credit cards D:

I bought all of them second hand other than my first two from 2012 (ordered in 2010 :P ) so I have no idea when they're actually from (but I suspect most of them are from around the same as mine, due to the yellowing). I'll check them to see if a couple of the newer heads are named somewhere.

I'm not sure I've ever gotten a yellow paper COA with them?

 

If there is no way to check what a certifcate is for, i would just assign certificates to dolls. I haven't really paid attention to the numbers on the cards. I don't know if they are just ascending or if they have meaning like an order number or date. You might sort them by number and assign the liwer numbers to the older dolls.

 

Paid the last payment of my layaway today. I'm really hoping I don't have to wait for two years.

 

Did you buy through BJDivas? If so the layaway won't effect the delivery. My Arsene came in before the layaway was finished. There is no reason to the way dolls are delivered from Dollshe!

 

No I bought directly from Dollshe.

 

I got my Bernard second-hand, but he came with 2 of the cards - is one for the sleeping head and the other for the OE head? There doesn't seem to be any indication on the cards themselves...

 

@tiarah One might be for the body and one for the head(s). I think I got one card when I bought Wu-Tyr's head and he came with sleeping faceplate. I know I got a card when I bought his body 2 years later.

In good news, Dollshe cancelled my order for the Classic Mini and refunded me the full amount as I requested. I would still love to get what I ordered originally but until I actually see any of these boys in owner hands, I'm not going to rise to the bait. If I want to purchase another Dollshe boy (I'd still love to get my grabby hands on a Saint) I'll only purchase 2nd to avoid the insane wait times currently going on as well as save myself the anxiety of will I/won't I ever get the doll I ordered. I still think Dollshe makes beautiful dolls but it's not worth the anxiety to wait on tenterhooks with no end in sight and constant broken promises of "soon" regarding delivery times.

 

@Iron_Dog I'm glad you were able to get your refund! I agree with everything you said!! I ordered with BJDiva so I'll just have to wait with them to see if this house of dolls falls apart or what. I hope it does not as I love dollshe and hope he can keep creating and making beautiful dolls.

 

I still love my Dollshe boy (Orijean) and think Dollshe makes beautiful dolls. I would be totally down to own other Dollshe sculpts. His business practices/how he runs the business... he needs serious help in that area.