Gentle Giant Mini-Busts

[JediMAC]

I think I placed an order for one at FP earlier today.  Not entirely sure though, 'cause even though I'd gotten my order # and everything, when I clicked the last "Done" button, I lost the whole site.  So I have no idea if it went through or not.  Never even got a shipping quote from them though, so I didn't think I was even at the order confirmation page yet.  Guess we'll see!

Anybody know if they are going to be selling them to foreigners outside the UK??

I think someone mentioned getting their brand new Insider today, and that it was listed in there as a SWS.com exclusive.  That sounded like what GG was probably hinting at in their 'Scum chat.  Probably gonna be the case.  Either way, I'll be trying to pick one up, as tired as I am of the Chrome busts already...

[JesseVader08]

Even though I've got the Chrome Vader and Jango, and 2 of the regular Stormtrooper busts, I think I'll be passing on this one.  I just don't think that the Chrome version can live up to the original version.  Thankfully, I'm not feeling my completist gene kick in on this one... 

[JesseVader08]

On another note, a Chrome Sandtrooper showed up on eBay, but was grabbed pretty quickly.  The buyer grabbed it for the BIN of $500US.  If  it didn't have a BIN, I think this could have gone for a LOT more.

What's with this obsession over chrome at GG lately?

[JediMAC]

Yeah, I think it may have gone for at least twice that if they let it ride.  Man, big mistake.  If you're gonna have the balls to throw your gift up there, you might as well ride that cash cow all the way to the bank.  Some folks were calling it "admirable" to give it the $500 BIN.  I dunno about that.  I think the guy was probably just a dumbass.

What's with this obsession over chrome at GG lately?

Same thing as their Bust-Ups obsession with the clear, glow-in-the-dark, and now holographic versions:  Easy money on pre-existing molds with nothing but a different finish/color to it.

Heck, even Medicom is getting into it now with their Kubricks... (Leia, Ben)

[jokabofe]

OK, I was able to go through the process of putting one in my basket and going all the way through with my credit card info... but I'm not sure it's really going to be ordered. They never gave me the shipping amount, and I never got a total for my transaction. 

[Morgbug]

I'll wait for the US retailer for the chrome Sandtrooper.  It might turn around and bite me in the ass, but I'll see what happens.  I suspect that SWS.com will be the retailer and if so, I can live with that. 

Like Jesse, I can also live without this one if I have to.  Unless......

The arm position and blaster are indeed different from the non-chrome Sandtrooper bust, which they seem to be. 

BTW, had I seen that bust on ebay with a $500 BIN, I would have bought it

[JediMAC]

OK, I was able to go through the process of putting one in my basket and going all the way through with my credit card info... but I'm not sure it's really going to be ordered. They never gave me the shipping amount, and I never got a total for my transaction. 

I had the exact same thing happen Dave, and I e-mailed them to find out if it went through or not.  I wasn't even sure I wanted to order one from them, but was trying to go through the order process far enough to find out what their shipping cost to the U.S. would be.  I told them if the order was by chance placed with them, to cancel it, since I didn't get a final amount, or a "confirmation" page.  I'll let you know if/when I hear back from them...

I'll definitely snag one off SWS.com though.  But like everyone else, I hope to see GG do away with this newfound Chrome kick that they're on.  Getting ridiculous, it is.

[jokabofe]

BTW, had I seen that bust on ebay with a $500 BIN, I would have bought it

Yeah, me too most likely. 'Cause now my collection will always be incomplete. Do you think that seller thought he would actually get $500 for it, or just put that as a goof? He probably could have gotten way more if he let the auction go for the full 7 days without putting a BIN on there.

Anyway, I finally got a response back from the order for the Silver Stormtrooper that I placed:

Unfortunately I am unable to tell you how much the shipping cost will be as it depends on the size and the weight. You can put in a request to receive an email or phone call after the item(s) have been weighed to let you know how much it will be. This way you will know before your money is taken for the postage.

So it looks like the order went through, and now it's just a question of how much is it going to cost me, really? I just hope I haven't screwed myself over by ordering this from the UK, if SWS.com has them for $50 I'm gonna shot myself. If it confirmed that SWS will definitely be getting these?

[Morgbug]

I don't think a retailer has been confirmed for the US yet Dave.  I think everyone is just expecting it to be SWS.com given they had the other two chrome busts.  Personally I hope they do, rather than someone like EE.  In spite of everyone else's problems with ordering (and a few of my own), all my stuff has arrived in excellent condition and the shipping price has been fair to Jim's place.  They still suck in terms of shipping to Canada, but whatever. 

My question remains as to whether this sandtrooper differs from the planned, regular release in any way other than the chrome?  The original pictures of the regular release show a sandtrooper with a rifle, while the chrome has a blaster but has the regular release been finalized?  If so, it becomes much more important to me (geek) that I get both as they are then different busts. 

[Jeff]

if SWS.com has them for $50 I'm gonna shot myself. If it confirmed that SWS will definitely be getting these?

Uh...

Big advertisement in the latest SW Insider:

Silver Stormtrooper Ad

The ad says they will be $49.99, limited to 2500 worldwide, and only available at StarWarsShop.com (coming soon).

My question remains as to whether this sandtrooper differs from the planned, regular release in any way other than the chrome? The original pictures of the regular release show a sandtrooper with a rifle, while the chrome has a blaster but has the regular release been finalized? If so, it becomes much more important to me (geek) that I get both as they are then different busts.

As far as I can tell, there is no difference between the Chrome Stormtrooper and the Regular Stormie busts (other than the Chrome job, duh). 

There are however differences between the Sandtrooper busts though.   


The Chrome Sandtrooper was only given out to "friends" of Gentle Giant Studios (this is NOT the same as the Chrome Stormtrooper that will be sold via SWShop.com and in the UK).  The Chrome Sandtrooper was limited to just 200 peices and came with the Blaster instead of the rifle. 

In fact, I think it is just the Stormie Bust with a different finish and a Gold Chrome Pauldron added to it as seen here:

http://www.rebelscum.com/gg/gg-st-silvergoldfront.jpg


Meanwhile, the regular release of the Sandtrooper has the rifle and looks to be a different sculpt altogether:

http://www.rebelscum.com/gallery/tf04-gentlegiant/IMG_5962.jpg


They are definately different busts, but don't hold your breath trying to get the Chrome Sandtrooper since that $500 BIN auction was probably just a fluke.  With only 200 of them out there, they will be very hard to get.

So, in summary:
Chrome Stormtrooper - 2500 units at SWShop.com
Chrome Sandtrooper - 200 units, not for retail sale
Regular Sandtrooper - Available at regular retail

Hope that helps, Brent...

Jeff

[Morgbug]

Well, slapping me in the side of the head would have been faster and probably what I deserved, but that clarifies everything.  Thanks for being gentle

For some reason my mind had it that this was a chrome sandtrooper, all chrome with no gold highlights like the 200 piece gift.  But finally after reading your post Jeff, I've come out of the fog to realize this is a chrome stormtrooper rather than a sandtrooper.  Ergo

I would have said something about the ad in the Insider, except mine doesn't show for 6-8 weeks after US subscribers get it (and 3 weeks after Walmart gets it here ) which leads to a mini-rant of why I'm paying more for delivery than US subscribers when clearly they're still using slow, bulk mail to send it up here anyway?  End of rant. 

2500 is the unit size at SWS.com or for the whole production run?

[Jeff]

2500 is the unit size at SWS.com or for the whole production run?

Oops, in the ad it says "worldwide edition size is 2500".  So, 2500 for the world, not just the USA.   

[Morgbug]

Hmmm, I wonder how many SWS.com will get, given that they are already on sale?  Better have the finger on the dial, so to speak, when they come up.

[SilverSpyder]

Chrome Stormtrooper in stock now  Here

[Darthshader]

Woo Hoo! Got one!