BANDAI DX YF-19!!

[100mega]

Lets just say I order this from Amazon.co.jp to US. It's fulfilled by Amazon. If my laser tip is snapped they'll allow for a return, right? I tried to read their policy, but the best I could determine is that they want you to use some specific Japanese shipping services? Seems like a potential mess.

[Slave IV]

13 minutes ago, 100mega said:

Lets just say I order this from Amazon.co.jp to US. It's fulfilled by Amazon. If my laser tip is snapped they'll allow for a return, right? I tried to read their policy, but the best I could determine is that they want you to use some specific Japanese shipping services? Seems like a potential mess.

I've never had to deal with it but it seems to be the case that they do accept returns and will even send a replacement if available. Only thing is you pay for DHL shipping back to them but they reimburse you afterwards.

[Chronocidal]

16 minutes ago, 100mega said:

Lets just say I order this from Amazon.co.jp to US. It's fulfilled by Amazon. If my laser tip is snapped they'll allow for a return, right? I tried to read their policy, but the best I could determine is that they want you to use some specific Japanese shipping services? Seems like a potential mess.

In all truth, a snapped head laser is one of the easiest out-of-the-box fixes you can wind up with.  I believe there are replacements available from Shapeways (or other 3D printing services), or if you have a pin drill, a paperclip, and some glue, you can fix it to almost brand new condition (and stronger!) with a little effort.

If you have larger issues with things breaking, I'd absolutely look into returns, but I don't think returning it for a broken head laser is worth the effort, especially as these get harder to find.

[100mega]

36 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

I've never had to deal with it but it seems to be the case that they do accept returns and will even send a replacement if available. Only thing is you pay for DHL shipping back to them but they reimburse you afterwards.

 

30 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

In all truth, a snapped head laser is one of the easiest out-of-the-box fixes you can wind up with.  I believe there are replacements available from Shapeways (or other 3D printing services), or if you have a pin drill, a paperclip, and some glue, you can fix it to almost brand new condition (and stronger!) with a little effort.

If you have larger issues with things breaking, I'd absolutely look into returns, but I don't think returning it for a broken head laser is worth the effort, especially as these get harder to find.

 

Thanks for the informative replies. We shall see!

[100mega]

Should be getting this by the weekend. Head laser stress meltdown incoming. Is it still best practice to loosen the screws on the hip joint half a turn? I’ve already snapped a foot off of a Jojo’s figure this month and I don’t know how much more I can take. 

[borgified]

12 minutes ago, 100mega said:

Should be getting this by the weekend. Head laser stress meltdown incoming. Is it still best practice to loosen the screws on the hip joint half a turn? I’ve already snapped a foot off of a Jojo’s figure this month and I don’t know how much more I can take. 

Check the Macross Maintance thread; Page 4 post by @Sildani on September 6th, 2018

[Sanity is Optional]

Absolutely open up and loosen the hips first. They are suuuper tight straight out of the box.

[The Smirker]

If anyone has a spare Dx Vf-19 Gun, please let me know via pm. 

[no3Ljm]

11 hours ago, 100mega said:

Should be getting this by the weekend. Head laser stress meltdown incoming. Is it still best practice to loosen the screws on the hip joint half a turn? I’ve already snapped a foot off of a Jojo’s figure this month and I don’t know how much more I can take. 

Wouldn't hurt to do it.  

 

[Pontus]

14 hours ago, 100mega said:

Should be getting this by the weekend. Head laser stress meltdown incoming. Is it still best practice to loosen the screws on the hip joint half a turn? I’ve already snapped a foot off of a Jojo’s figure this month and I don’t know how much more I can take. 

When you loosen them, make sure to check the full rotation.  Mine seem to be tighter in some spots than others.

[100mega]

Head laser is snapped! Thinking about ordering one of those replacements from that Chinese website that was posted a few pages earlier. Sucks to open a holy grail toy and see it broken right away. If Bandai wanted to repent they should include an extra YF-19 head laser in the upcoming YF-21. I haven't tried transforming it yet, but so far everything else on this one seems fine. Keeping for now.

[Pontus]

I got a replacement head laser from @kkx.  PM him and he may still have or be able to get/make them. 

There's also this one on Shapeways.

Edited January 27, 2020 by Pontus

[100mega]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:56 AM, Pontus said:

I got a replacement head laser from @kkx.  PM him and he may still have or be able to get/make them. 

There's also this one on Shapeways.

Replacement received! Thank you and @kkx for the hook-up. Now my YF-19 can fend off any angry Zentradi in pursuit from the rear!

Unrelated, but I was watching DYRL last night and noticed that the ancient city sure looked a lot like the design cues present in a lot of tech in Macross Plus and even in the design of the YF-19 itself. I've never really noticed that before!

[borgified]

One for grabs on Amiami - 23,180 yen (Box B, Item B)

https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-038985-R

[Valkyrie Driver]

I just put in an order for one of these full set bad boys on Mandarake. I’m looking forward to getting it.

[100mega]

3 hours ago, Valkyrie Driver said:

I just put in an order for one of these full set bad boys on Mandarake. I’m looking forward to getting it.

Prepare to fall in love! I've been staring at mine in fighter form all day long...

[100mega]

I received a head laser replacement from @kkx and was finally able to attach it recently. Now my YF-19 looks perfect! The plastic is well matched and the decal makes it look just like the original. I would recommend getting it into battleroid mode before attempting to swap it so you can hold the head steady while you insert the new piece. It doesn't take a lot of force to remove or to put in the new piece. I'm so pleased! Here are some pics:

[Foblander]

3 hours ago, 100mega said:

I received a head laser replacement from @kkx and was finally able to attach it recently. Now my YF-19 looks perfect! The plastic is well matched and the decal makes it look just like the original. I would recommend getting it into battleroid mode before attempting to swap it so you can hold the head steady while you insert the new piece. It doesn't take a lot of force to remove or to put in the new piece. I'm so pleased! Here are some pics:

Nice to know removal and installation is not too hard. Mine came broken too but I super glued it back. I did order a replacement from someone on this forum. I'll keep it as a spare until something happens to the original again.

[kkx]

15 hours ago, 100mega said:

I received a head laser replacement from @kkx and was finally able to attach it recently. Now my YF-19 looks perfect! The plastic is well matched and the decal makes it look just like the original. I would recommend getting it into battleroid mode before attempting to swap it so you can hold the head steady while you insert the new piece. It doesn't take a lot of force to remove or to put in the new piece. I'm so pleased! Here are some pics:

Glad it works well.

[Sandman]

Anyone else have a replacement head laser to sell.

[kkx]

This is where I get it from: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21wu.241046-us.4691948847.7.41cab6cbkQVe6O&scm=1007.15423.84311.100200300000005&id=581216915966&pvid=16cda37b-2497-4954-a539-98add2d55c4e

 

[Valkyrie Driver]

On 2/20/2020 at 4:51 PM, 100mega said:

Prepare to fall in love! I've been staring at mine in fighter form all day long...

I have the VF-19Adv which is basically the same toy, but I had been wanting this one since it was announced. Found it for ¥24,000 on Mandarake.

[100mega]

I don't get why my left leg is so tight. I've completely disassembled the joint and just holding the two metal pieces on the ball joint and moving it around seems to make WAY too much friction. If I reassemble it the problem is just as bad as before. I feel like the ball is too big for the two metal pieces to close cleanly over it. This has to be a defect. Now that I think about it, before I ever transformed it, there was a gap in plastic above the intake on this same side proving that the two plastic pieces that screw together over this joint where never able to get close enough.

I tried assembling the leg off of the ball and it went together perfectly. So either the ball is too large or the die-cast metal pieces aren't hollowed out enough for the ball joint to fit in properly. Way to go, Bandai.

[sqidd]

2 hours ago, 100mega said:

I don't get why my left leg is so tight. I've completely disassembled the joint and just holding the two metal pieces on the ball joint and moving it around seems to make WAY too much friction. If I reassemble it the problem is just as bad as before. I feel like the ball is too big for the two metal pieces to close cleanly over it. This has to be a defect. Now that I think about it, before I ever transformed it, there was a gap in plastic above the intake on this same side proving that the two plastic pieces that screw together over this joint where never able to get close enough.

I tried assembling the leg off of the ball and it went together perfectly. So either the ball is too large or the die-cast metal pieces aren't hollowed out enough for the ball joint to fit in properly. Way to go, Bandai.

Sand paper and lube.

Or maybe "polish" the ball with a Dremel

There may be just one spot where it's too tight. Look for that. The production method used on those parts doesn't leave much room for variability. You're probably looking for a small defect opposed to the entire part being sized incorrectly.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by sqidd

[Pontus]

7 hours ago, 100mega said:

I don't get why my left leg is so tight. I've completely disassembled the joint and just holding the two metal pieces on the ball joint and moving it around seems to make WAY too much friction. If I reassemble it the problem is just as bad as before. I feel like the ball is too big for the two metal pieces to close cleanly over it. This has to be a defect. Now that I think about it, before I ever transformed it, there was a gap in plastic above the intake on this same side proving that the two plastic pieces that screw together over this joint where never able to get close enough.

I tried assembling the leg off of the ball and it went together perfectly. So either the ball is too large or the die-cast metal pieces aren't hollowed out enough for the ball joint to fit in properly. Way to go, Bandai.

Mine are stiff in some positions more than others, so yours is probably particularly bad.  I'm betting there's a bad seam line running through the middle of the ball that's holding you up.

[sqidd]

3 minutes ago, Pontus said:

 I'm betting there's a bad seam line running through the middle of the ball that's holding you up.

This is what I was trying to get to earlier but lack of sleep/coffee makes thinking hard.

[Sanity is Optional]

Can confirm the seam line thought, mine had a seam in the ball, shaved that off and was much improved.

[Lolicon]

Bandai should have allowed more clearance for the head laser in the box, or given us a spare part like the extra V-fins we get with Gundam.

[100mega]

Happy to report that some (frightening) sanding of the ball joint of my $300 toy fixed this issue. Now we're back in fighter form and it's time to rest...

[Paco Grande]

Hello, sorry for some possibly noob questions. 

Do we think Bandai will reissue the 19 to go with the 21? Or should I just try to get one on AmiAmi, Mandarake etc.? I don’t mind waiting for the reissue.

Also, what are the odds that Bandai would ever make the 19 or 21 in 1/48 like their VF-1? Slim to none?

Thanks!

Edited February 26, 2020 by Paco Grande

[HardlyNever]

23 minutes ago, Paco Grande said:

Hello, sorry for some possibly noob questions. 

Do we think Bandai will reissue the 19 to go with the 21? Or should I just try to get one on AmiAmi, Mandarake etc.? I don’t mind waiting for the reissue.

Also, what are the odds that Bandai would ever make the 19 or 21 in 1/48 like their VF-1? Slim to none?

Thanks!

Chances of a Bandai YF-19 reissue any time soon (within the next few years) are incredibly slim.  If you want one, I'd start shopping around now.  They aren't that far above their original MSRP anyhow, so a theoretical reissue (which probably won't happen) wouldn't save you much.  Arcadia might try to make a "premium finish" version of their yf-19, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that, either.  And that would be quite expensive.

A 1/48 yf-19 or yf-21 is basically never going to happen, at least not from a company like Bandai.  That scale kind of works for the VF-1 because of its relatively small size, but a 1/48 yf-19 would be quite large, and would likely be a $400+ product.

Edited February 26, 2020 by HardlyNever

[Paco Grande]

33 minutes ago, HardlyNever said:

Chances of a Bandai YF-19 reissue any time soon (within the next few years) are incredibly slim.  If you want one, I'd start shopping around now.  They aren't that far above their original MSRP anyhow, so a theoretical reissue (which probably won't happen) wouldn't save you much.  Arcadia might try to make a "premium finish" version of their yf-19, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that, either.  And that would be quite expensive.

A 1/48 yf-19 or yf-21 is basically never going to happen, at least not from a company like Bandai.  That scale kind of works for the VF-1 because of its relatively small size, but a 1/48 yf-19 would be quite large, and would likely be a $400+ product.

Thanks for the info. I’m a casual Macross fan and I didn’t realize the 19 and 21 were that much larger than the VF-1. I only own one DX VF-1S in 1/48 right now so I was hoping to get a 19 and 21 to match the scale. 
I normally collect Masterpiece Transformers so I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bandai’s ridiculous production run policies. Takara will often reissue an older MP when a related new MP comes out which makes sense. 
I still can’t believe how much I had to pay just to get the fast packs and missile accessories for my DX VF-1. 
Cheers!

 

[Foblander]

17 minutes ago, Paco Grande said:

Thanks for the info. I’m a casual Macross fan and I didn’t realize the 19 and 21 were that much larger than the VF-1. I only own one DX VF-1S in 1/48 right now so I was hoping to get a 19 and 21 to match the scale. 
I normally collect Masterpiece Transformers so I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bandai’s ridiculous production run policies. Takara will often reissue an older MP when a related new MP comes out which makes sense. 
I still can’t believe how much I had to pay just to get the fast packs and missile accessories for my DX VF-1. 
Cheers!

Yeah the DX fast packs and missile set makes it too expensive for me. I'm satisfied with displaying the Arcadia VF-1 toys with those things while displaying the DX toys bare.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Foblander

[Sanity is Optional]

29 minutes ago, Paco Grande said:

Thanks for the info. I’m a casual Macross fan and I didn’t realize the 19 and 21 were that much larger than the VF-1. I only own one DX VF-1S in 1/48 right now so I was hoping to get a 19 and 21 to match the scale. 
I normally collect Masterpiece Transformers so I’m still trying to wrap my head around Bandai’s ridiculous production run policies. Takara will often reissue an older MP when a related new MP comes out which makes sense. 
I still can’t believe how much I had to pay just to get the fast packs and missile accessories for my DX VF-1. 
Cheers!

There is a 1/48 scale YF-19 kit made by Hasegawa you can find. But it's a model kit, not a finished figure. It doesn't transform either.

[Paco Grande]

2 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

There is a 1/48 scale YF-19 kit made by Hasegawa you can find. But it's a model kit, not a finished figure. It doesn't transform either.

Thanks for letting me know but I mostly collect for the engineering so a non-transforming figure would not work for me. 
I’ll most likely try to find a DX YF-19. NY has them brand new but of course marked up quite a bit.