Gentle Giant Mini-Busts

[DSJ™]

I received my Chrome Vader bust yesterday, #2444. 

Very pleased with it. Big Thanks to Dave for helping me out! 

[DSJ™]

Boy, he sure is pretty. 

[JesseVader08]

Dale, I can't remember how far you've ventured into collecting these busts.  Do you have the regular Vader one?  If so, how do they compare?  I want one so bad - do you think sending an eBay auction note to my wife would be too obvious?   

[DSJ™]

Jesse, no regular Vader bust to compare. This is my 2nd, the other one is the Green Sergeant Clone Trooper. I'm very impressed with these busts, wish I started them when they first came out. 

Yikes! Just checked the completed auctions on the reg vader! 

Yeah, sending her a auction note might not get you one at those prices!     

[Scott]

Ya know, if they ever do a Lobot, I'm buying, otherwise, I can just continue admiring them from afar

[Darthshader]

Something NOT so cool from GGS:
http://threads.rebelscum.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB4&Number=1003174&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all

Chrome Sandtrooper for "friends & supporters" only 200.

[SilverSpyder]

At least its just some chrome/gold version of a bust that will be made soon.  I don't have to have it to complete my set.

[Morgbug]

Wow, that's neat, but clearly it will never make it to my collection.  If someone wants to send me one, well, I won't complain, but I don't foresee this puppy sitting beside Vader any time soon. 

I wonder if this piece shows changes to the regular Sandtrooper bust?  Previous pictures had the long rifle held vertically with no backpack.  This one has a backpack and the short blaster.  Hmmm.

[Scott]

How many will Phil Wise get?

[JediMAC]

Saw that this morning too, and am pretty bummed about it...  Wish it was a Prequel bust instead, so I wouldn't have to sweat it.   

But as it stands, it's gonna likely eat at me for years to come, not having a "complete" OT bust collection now.  And yes, I understand all the arguments about it being a special, limited gift for only a few people, but that explanation does nothing to quell a true completist's desire to own one.

Those that might suggest the completists just "live with it", and whatnot, don't really understand the innerworkings that make a completist tick.  It's not really something we have a lot of control over - we just have to have it all.  So I'm just not sure what the hell I'm gonna do about this...

A definite bummer though, and GG's going to more than likely lose some more of it's collectors after this, the avid "completist" ones anyway.

Real nice looking bust though, that's for sure!

[Scott]

I would tell you to sell them all Matt and not worry about it

[SilverZ]

Chrome Sandtrooper for "friends & supporters" only 200.

Make 200 top ordering e/retailers and websites happy, alienate even more customers. Way to go, GG!

SO glad I'm only getting the BH out of this line, because if I was a completist, I'd be cursing them out like they were Playmates and their 1701 figures.

[jokabofe]

Chrome Sandtrooper for "friends & supporters" only 200.

Well, I think that owning every friggin' bust they make - and some in multiples - should qualify me as a "supporter"... don't you think? Maybe I'll get one?

[Nicklab]

Something NOT so cool from GGS:
http://threads.rebelscum.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB4&Number=1003174&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all

Chrome Sandtrooper for "friends & supporters" only 200.

Here's what I wrote in that thread:


This piece is a promo, pure and simple. I know a lot of people are upset about this, but this sort of thing does happen in the toy and collectible industry quite often. Fact is that there are "promo" versions of even the limited pieces that companies like Gentle Giant, Attakus and Master Replicas put out. These can number in the low hundreds, and they're typically not numbered pieces in a limited edition. These things go out to dealers, media and peers in the industry.

I know someone at a major collectible company, and he routinely gets things from other toy and collectible manufacturers well before they hit the market. Case in point, he's had the ROTS preview wave for at least a month. This is a standard thing that happens within the toy industry.

Why has this situation blown up? Because of the fact that information about these pieces has been leaked to the general public. While I can appreciate any business giving out Christmas gifts, this should have been handled more delicately. How? Gentle Giant should have only given this piece out with the stipulation that it not be publicized by the media outlets it was sent to.

Might I get flamed for this post? Sure. But please take the time to read what I wrote, and view it objectively, not irrationally.

[JesseVader08]

Well, obviously GG has heard about the stink that is being raised by this:

Philip posed this at the scum:

FYI: From Gentle Giant:

In the spirit of the holiday season, this item was created as a gift for certain extended members of the Gentle Giant business family. We at Gentle Giant do not view this item as a part of our ongoing Star Wars mini bust collection, and we apologize if you view it as such. We hope that you will continue to collect the pieces in our collection that bring you enjoyment.

Answers to FAQ:
This holiday gift will not be made available for purchase through any outlet in the future.
No announcements have been made regarding a Sandtrooper mini bust and any information you may hear regarding one from sources other than Gentle Giant should be treated as speculation at best and falsehood at worst.

Gentle Giant will not be announcing specific details (recipients, etc.) regarding the gift at any time.

I guess knowing that it's not an "official" makes it easier to accept.  But just knowing that it's out there...