RavenHawk Posted December 30, 2008 Posted December 30, 2008 Does anyone have any opinions on how the Aoshima models and the Yamato ones compare? I know the Aoshima ones need to be built (glue, paint?), and the Yamato ones don't, the Aoshima are 1/24th scale and the Yamato are 1/15th, and the Aoshima are between half and 1/4 the price of the Yamato ones, depending on where you shop, but are there any other differences between them? Any opinions as to which to go with (quality, look, scale, durability, matching with other variable bikes)? Any input here is appreciated. Quote
drifand Posted December 30, 2008 Posted December 30, 2008 If you desire to own just one example of a Garland, get the Yamato Proto Garland – it's the best QC'd version of the toy and has lots of improvements over the original breakage-prone red/white Garland (which has not been re-issued with the fixed shoulders AFAIK). No personal insight for the Aoshima kits... but if it breaks, at least it's your own fault. :-) Quote
RavenHawk Posted December 30, 2008 Author Posted December 30, 2008 If you desire to own just one example of a Garland, get the Yamato Proto Garland – it's the best QC'd version of the toy and has lots of improvements over the original breakage-prone red/white Garland (which has not been re-issued with the fixed shoulders AFAIK). No personal insight for the Aoshima kits... but if it breaks, at least it's your own fault. :-) Good point. I'm kind of a medium level fan of Megazone 23, I guess, at least compared to MOSPEADA, which I am a huge fan of, but for some reason, I'm feeling inclined to get the Proto Garland and the Factory Color (white) Garland, but no other recolorings. Quote
drifand Posted December 30, 2008 Posted December 30, 2008 (edited) IF you are SURE those two are the only ones you want then go ahead (no serious problems reported for either EXCEPT for a few unfortunate cases of snapped handlebars on the Proto). Just make sure you experience the Factory Garland first, so that the Proto G will bowl you over with its better execution... like the optional vehicle mode clip-lock, flip out rear-view mirrors, detented shoulder joints, non-floppy wrists, and smarter weapons-grip with peg/hole design in fists and grips. Do it the other way round - like me, with the Army G as 2nd purchase - and you're far more likely to feel cheated. Good luck! Edited December 30, 2008 by drifand Quote
RavenHawk Posted December 30, 2008 Author Posted December 30, 2008 IF you are SURE those two are the only ones you want then go ahead (no serious problems reported for either EXCEPT for a few unfortunate cases of snapped handlebars on the Proto). Just make sure you experience the Factory Garland first, so that the Proto G will bowl you over with its better execution... like the optional vehicle mode clip-lock, flip out rear-view mirrors, detented shoulder joints, non-floppy wrists, and smarter weapons-grip with peg/hole design in fists and grips. Do it the other way round - like me, with the Army G as 2nd purchase - and you're far more likely to feel cheated. Good luck! Good advice, thanks. This is the Yamato you're talking about, right? Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 IF you are SURE those two are the only ones you want then go ahead (no serious problems reported for either EXCEPT for a few unfortunate cases of snapped handlebars on the Proto). Just make sure you experience the Factory Garland first, so that the Proto G will bowl you over with its better execution... like the optional vehicle mode clip-lock, flip out rear-view mirrors, detented shoulder joints, non-floppy wrists, and smarter weapons-grip with peg/hole design in fists and grips. Do it the other way round - like me, with the Army G as 2nd purchase - and you're far more likely to feel cheated. Good luck! Ok, so the Factory (white) Garland and the Proto-Garland (both Yamato) arrived in the mail on Monday. Due to work constraints, I've only had a chance to open one so far, so I followed your advice and opened the Factor Garland first. I have to say, due to all the complaints I've seen on here, I had very low expectations, and have actually been quite impressed. Nice solid piece. Yes, it does come apart too easily, but everything goes right back together. Nothing actually broken, just separated and then put back. I MUCH prefer that to having to glue things back. I think my only complaint, at least in the minimal time I've spent with this thing so far, is that when it's standing upright, it is too weight-biased towards the back and wants to tip over, or at least looks like it does. I end up having the thing leaning over forward, which makes it look kind of funny. Looking forward to opening the Proto-Garland tonight. Man does Yamato do some serious boxes for these things. Quote
Lonely Soldier Boy Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 I've been with my Proto for quite some time now, and I just noticed the little moving vectorial fin inside the heel. That's attention to detail Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 I've been with my Proto for quite some time now, and I just noticed the little moving vectorial fin inside the heel. That's attention to detail Looking forward to checking it out. Oh, by the way, I got your email last weekend. Sorry, work's been insane and I haven't had a chance to send anything similar back, but I will, and continue our previous conversation. Quote
VFTF1 Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Proto-Garland added to list of "must get" ... too bad the list is already way too long Pete Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 28, 2009 Author Posted January 28, 2009 Proto-Garland added to list of "must get" ... too bad the list is already way too long Pete Angolz has it for a good price, or at least did when I ordered mine a couple weeks ago. Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 29, 2009 Author Posted January 29, 2009 First transformation of the Proto-Garland (which is gorgeous) and one of the legs snapped. The upper rotating part broke internally, where I'm worried if I glue it then it won't be able to rotate anymore. Any advice? Contact Angolz? Contact Yamato USA? Funny, the Proto is cooler, but the Factory seems more solid and stable. Quote
VF5SS Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 Contact Yamato and they'll send you parts free of charge. Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 29, 2009 Author Posted January 29, 2009 Contact Yamato and they'll send you parts free of charge. Sent them an email last night. If I don't hear back today, then I'll give them a call. Quote
Lonely Soldier Boy Posted January 29, 2009 Posted January 29, 2009 Looking forward to checking it out. Oh, by the way, I got your email last weekend. Sorry, work's been insane and I haven't had a chance to send anything similar back, but I will, and continue our previous conversation. Don't worry, dude. There's more time than life Back on Topic: The hips on my Proto got terribly loose after some posing and playing around. I'd plug the leg off to add some nail polish, but I'm afraid that the ball joint snaps off on me. The intake assembly is glued together so I guess I'll just have to live with it. Quote
macrossnake Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 First transformation of the Proto-Garland (which is gorgeous) and one of the legs snapped. The upper rotating part broke internally, where I'm worried if I glue it then it won't be able to rotate anymore. Any advice? Contact Angolz? Contact Yamato USA? Funny, the Proto is cooler, but the Factory seems more solid and stable. It happen to me too... I contact the shop where I bought from and they contact Yamato for me. And the part is just shipped! Quote
drifand Posted January 30, 2009 Posted January 30, 2009 Terribly sorry to hear of your problems with the Proto G... I shouldn't have been so enthusiastic in recommending it. :-/ I hope you manage to get it replaced. Quote
RavenHawk Posted January 30, 2009 Author Posted January 30, 2009 Terribly sorry to hear of your problems with the Proto G... I shouldn't have been so enthusiastic in recommending it. :-/ I hope you manage to get it replaced. Not at all! I appreciated the recommendation, think the thing is absolutely gorgeous, but just, unfortunately, had a problem with it. As I mentioned, I emailed Yamato. They got back to me the next day and said they were shipping out a replacement to me that very same day. I don't know if it's a replacement Garland, or a replacement for the joint that broke, or what. I have to say that I am VERY impressed by their customer service. I have had a recent string of bad luck with items I have purchased, arrived broken, and then had to ship back to the company (Linksys and Robotech.com are the two in recent weeks) at a fairly significant cost to me. This actual customer SERVICE from Yamato really impressed me. Now, my gf says it's a bad sign that they're so used to issues with their products that they have this replacement system down pat... but for me, I love actually dealing with a company that seems to respect their customers. I'm definitely going to continue collecting Yamato products (well, Yamato variable bikes anyway... would love to see them try a MOSPEADA, though I'm sure it will be hard to compete with Beagle). I hope they tackle the Viper's Creed AGS Manuever Blade/Roid, the Blassreiter Paladin, and maybe Ridebacks too (all in the same scale as the Garland and Motoslave, of course). Quote
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