Luke Stormtrooper blaster.

aussiejames said:

Edd that is a V4 (square barrel end) different again to the V5 (Taiwan blaster) & neither of those have been found MOC with a Luke stormie.


http://forum.rebelscum.com/t1109809/

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Thanks, appreciate it! The hunt continues.

Just caught up with this thread!

When people say "my childhood Luke Stormtrooper had a blue or blue/black blaster" they may well be totally correct, but my next question to them would be "but did you also have a Stormtrooper? or multiple Stormtroopers? Hammerhead? Walrusman? DSC? Imperial Commander?"

I mean unless that person took the figure out of its bubble, placed the gun in the figures hand and literally never played with it then how certain can they be that they haven't just mixed up their blasters at some point?

Simon makes a great point in that some of the very dark blue blasters (that usually look black) can most definitely display a blue outline when you illuminate them and from what I've seen, it appears that some of those can also be found on Trilogo Luke Stormies...however, I still think that unless you've just opened one (please don't!) and that particular weapon variation fell out then you really need to hunt out a black one.

My personal opinion is that I don't think it's wise to deviate from the weapons Kenner intended them to be packaged with when you are collecting them loose (however frustrating it is trying to find the correct ones). Using Trilogo figures as "proof" that you can pair them with certain weapons is really not the best idea in the world. If you want to take that decision based on the fact that you are 100% certain that the weapon you have is original to the figure you had on a Trilogo card and are happy that way then by all means go for it but that's a personal choice and not a rule that all collectors should follow.

With that said, there are certain instances where collectors will seek out the incorrect weapon for a figure based on the way it was packaged but they are a bit different..

Lili Ledy packaged (edit wrong figure!) the Rebel Commander with a Chewbie Bowcaster for example but in cases like those, the collector has to also seek out a Ledy figure to pair it with (which can be verified as Ledy due to COO etc etc). A Luke Stormtrooper figure, regardless of where it was produced, packaged or distributed is identical to any other Luke Stormtrooper figure, so unless it's yours from childhood..you may even be trying to pair a dark blue/blue black Trilogo blaster with a figure that came off of a POTF card :lol:

If none of this bothers you in the slightest then do whatever the hell you want! :mrgreen:

I was on the same search a short while ago and got burnt half a dozen times with Luke Stormtroopers from eBay which all ended having blue/black, grey or fake blasters, and were returned.

When I eventually got one it has a distinctly matt, almost textured surface. Interestingly, it has small shiny areas where the tape fixed it to the bubble. When held to a strong light it doesn't have any kind of halo that I can make out.

Just checked my MOC trilogo and it has the correct gun same mould as posted above, and when I shine a light through it the outline is grey rather than blue. Will try and get a photo.

edd_jedi said:

Just checked my MOC trilogo and it has the correct gun same mould as posted above, and when I shine a light through it the outline is grey rather than blue. Will try and get a photo.

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I agree it's up to the collector what your happy with, if your selling then that's a different story. I personally think that if a figure was packaged with two types of weapons on different cards more than once then it's not really a mistake it's the guns the factory decided to package them with.

I have a Trilogo TFP came with a black blaster and I know this because a I did not have Cloud Car Pilot or NN as a kid, plus I was OCD as a kid with my collection. TFP was also photographed on some card backs with a black blaster, but 99% of TFP were packaged with a grey blaster, is mine now with the wrong blaster? Course not!

Another example is when all those Luke Jedi blue Sabers were on eBay years ago from factory overstock, they have been paired with Luke Jedi's that were probably origionaly packaged with green Sabers, is anyone bothered?

If a variant figure is sold with a known packaged weapon loose then for me it's correct, as more have been opened than kept MOC and for anyone to say it's with the incorrect weapon is supplying false and opinionated facts!

Sorry I've edited this post as I got Grey and black mixed up, my childhood one came with a black blaster on a Trilogo card.

theforceuk said:

I have a Trilogo TFP came with a grey blaster and I know this because a I did not have Cloud Car Pilot or NN as a kid, plus I was OCD as a kid with my collection. TFP was also photographed on some card backs with a grey blaster, but 99% of TFP were packaged with a black blaster, is mine now with the wrong blaster? Course not!

Another example is when all those Luke Jedi blue Sabers were on eBay years ago from factory overstock, they have been paired with Luke Jedi's that were probably origionaly packaged with green Sabers, is anyone bothered?

If a variant figure is sold with a known packaged weapon loose then for me it's correct, as more have been opened than kept MOC and for anyone to say it's with the incorrect weapon is supplying false and opinionated facts!

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TFP is meant to have a grey blaster..... Yes blue saber should only go with Hong Kong on boot Luke Jedi. This may be a known packaging variant- still wrong to call him an Ewok

So if someone opened that trilogo varient would it be wrong to reseal it with the Weequay in? Not sure what your point is, are you agreeing with me? :?

Nope can't get a photo with a light behind it to come out, too awkward to hold it and take a photo at the same time without risking damaging the MOC. But hopefully this shows it well enough:

Pretty much agree with everything Joe has said

I have sold plenty of Luke Stormtroopers in the past with Blue/Black Blasters but always advised the sellers as such. At one point I had three Trilogo Luke Stormies in hand (mine, one to sell and one to forward on) and all three of them had the blue/black blaster so my guess is that a lot of them were packed with that. When you think of all the misscards, wrong weapons and extra weapons that can be found on Trilogos then it is clear that a lot less time and effort was taken during assembly. With that blaster being specific to just one figure that they were packing up then it is easy to see how the Blue/Black one was used - plus - how many of those packing up during that time would have realised it would sell for about 25-30GBP in 30 years time !!

I've been after one of these buggers for over a year now. I couldn't count the number of times I've tried to buy one for it turn out to be a blue/black blaster.

I finally got one on here a few weeks ago with a mint Thall Joben. I tried to buy another from a guy on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. He said it was black, said it passed the light test and it was the correct V1-c shape. It arrived & it's blue/black.

Here are some pics for reference-


Solid black on left, blue/black in middle, black Palace blaster for colour reference



These 2 show the blue/black light test



These 2 show the solid black light test. No light passes through at all. All areas are black

Jimi

Another great thread guys. Awesome to see so many points of view and experience clearly articulated and backed up.
Facebook boys need to see stuff like this.
I'd say that every now and then the Tri Logo group and SWFUK group(plus any other groups for that matter) should begin a discussion with a link to one of our threads. That might lead a few people this way who might typically shun forums, as they realise it is actually a great resource!

This thread has prompted me to go all David Bailey on my Luke Storms.

First up was my loose Luke. It had been sold as having the blue black trilogo weapon so I was cool with the fact it wasn't black. I took photos against light and it looked good! Only when I happened to shine the LED light from my phone onto it did it suddenly look more blue than an Evertonian Worse still it was even the wrong shaped barrel!!

Never mind. Onto the TL MOC Unfortunatley, Luke has such a grip on it I can't move the blaster into a position to shine light through it. However, I think even to the naked eye you can judge this to be the blue black variety. Boo: 2 for 2.



And as if that wasn't enough, I think I've got a fake Luke Stormtrooper! Just like his dodgy blaster light shines through him :lol: Quite a spooky Lukey:

Simon your Luke looks super freaky like that!
That's definitely a blue/black blaster isn't it.

I'd love to know the % break down of blue vs black originally packaged on Trilogos. Judging by how scarce the weapon is over here & the amount of MOC's seen with blue it does make you think the majority came with blue.

I still class the black as the correct weapon and even though I'm pretty certain my loose Luke came with a blue blaster, I'd like to find a black one for him.

Completely agree that the Luke Stormtrooper should be correctly paired with a Kenner solid black blaster rather than a Tri logo blue black version.

However was the blue black blaster necessarily an error? Wasn't it a deliberate decision to use up overstock?

With regards to a specific mold, have enough carded POTF examples been checked to confirm there are no variations possible.

Just some food for thought.

If the proportion of Tri logos out there paired with blue black blasters is high enough in comparison to the Kenner with black blaster is the issue less significant than for example comparing Han Hoth blasters or Luke Farmboy sabers?

If a childhood Tri logo with blue black blaster was opened is it now incorrectly paired with the same blaster and does it need to be highlighted when sold?

I mean there are a hell of a lot of Luke Stormtroopers out there that originally came with blue black blasters. There are nowhere near enough black blasters to pair with every single Luke Stormtrooper.

At some point the price of the black blaster might continue to increase to a point where collectors care less about the difference and it becomes less of a necessity to pair it that way.

Perhaps as collectors we sometimes over scrutinise these things and feel the need to categorise things as either correct or incorrect and it might be worth considering how much it really matters. I mean we are talking about a difference that is so discernible that it's hard to detect with the naked eye.

The other day I noticed how few Nikto's on eBay now have staffs and the ones that did were mostly repro. Because everyone paired them with Yak Faces even though the majority of Yak Faces were on Tri logo cards and came with nothing. Are we going to get to a point where it's impossible to find a Thall Joben without his black blaster because they've all been paired with Luke Stormtroopers?

Regardless of people's opinion of whether it's acceptable or not, the fact is the solid black blaster is far rarer and about 5 times the price of a blue/black one, they seem to be going for around £40 at the moment. So it's very important sellers know and are honest about which version they are selling, as IMO the figure with the blue/black blaster is worth about £60, and with black about £100. Many of the weapons/accessories are now worth more than the figures.

olisuds said:

Completely agree that the Luke Stormtrooper should be correctly paired with a Kenner solid black blaster rather than a Tri logo blue black version.

However was the blue black blaster necessarily an error? Wasn't it a deliberate decision to use up overstock?

With regards to a specific mold, have enough carded POTF examples been checked to confirm there are no variations possible.

Just some food for thought.

If the proportion of Tri logos out there paired with blue black blasters is high enough in comparison to the Kenner with black blaster is the issue less significant than for example comparing Han Hoth blasters or Luke Farmboy sabers?

If a childhood Tri logo with blue black blaster was opened is it now incorrectly paired with the same blaster and does it need to be highlighted when sold?

I mean there are a hell of a lot of Luke Stormtroopers out there that originally came with blue black blasters. There are nowhere near enough black blasters to pair with every single Luke Stormtrooper.

At some point the price of the black blaster might continue to increase to a point where collectors care less about the difference and it becomes less of a necessity to pair it that way.

Perhaps as collectors we sometimes over scrutinise these things and feel the need to categorise things as either correct or incorrect and it might be worth considering how much it really matters. I mean we are talking about a difference that is so discernible that it's hard to detect with the naked eye.

The other day I noticed how few Nikto's on eBay now have staffs and the ones that did were mostly repro. Because everyone paired them with Yak Faces even though the majority of Yak Faces were on Tri logo cards and came with nothing. Are we going to get to a point where it's impossible to find a Thall Joben without his black blaster because they've all been paired with Luke Stormtroopers?

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A few good points and I'm certainly a believer in the last. I'd hate to guess the proportion of Trilogo yaks in the world compared to POTF but it must well into the tens, if not hundreds in terms of multiples more? If so, then the norm is him to be weaponless, rightly or wrongly. That's how I had him as a kid, that's how I'm keeping him. Although he looks way better with a staff and they never sculpted a hand capable or carrying a weapon if it wasn't MEANT to carry a weapon!

I had Dan Tearle do a Yak painting for me. He asked if I wanted it with or without the staff. We both came down firmly of the side of sans staff. Was it an error to pack him without a staff or a decision? What about with the gaffi stick? OK, going round in circles. At the end of the day, as Edd says, the blaster needs to be correctly identified when being sold, whether the buyer opts for the TL or POTF set up is up to them.

Crikey, next you'll have me believing the Palitoy Death Star was an error because it wasn't plastic and crap like the Kenner one..... :mrgreen:

edd_jedi said:

Regardless of people's opinion of whether it's acceptable or not, the fact is the solid black blaster is far rarer and about 5 times the price of a blue/black one, they seem to be going for around £40 at the moment. So it's very important sellers know and are honest about which version they are selling, as IMO the figure with the blue/black blaster is worth about £60, and with black about £100. Many of the weapons/accessories are now worth more than the figures.

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And thats the problem we're basing the decision on how we pair things based on value and rarity rather than what is or isn't necessarily correct. And the irony is that collectors will discard a blue/black blaster that was original to the figure and replace it with a black Thall Joben blaster and say it's now correctly paired. As I said not every Luke Stormtrooper can be paired with a black blaster.

And another thing, is it the seller responsibility to point out whether it is black or blue black? Perhaps they don't know. Perhaps they don't even care. Not everyone collects to the same degree of perfection that we do. At the end of the day its the sellers responsibility to ensure it is genuine vintage and to not make false claims that it is black when it isn't but I think anything more than that they can be forgiven for. Especially when we as collectors find it so hard to differentiate the colour and mold ourselves. If we seek to pair things specifically according to our own requirements then it is perhaps our responsibility as the buyer to discern the difference before we purchase it.

And when it comes to rarity and value of the black blaster, is it realy that rare? No, not really. Every POTF Luke Stormtrooper had one. It's only that every collector strives to pair one with his Luke Stormtrooper even if its a tri logo one. And therfore it is the demand that we are creating that has inflated the price almost beyond that of the figure.

ScruffyLookingNH said:

A few good points and I'm certainly a believer in the last. I'd hate to guess the proportion of Trilogo yaks in the world compared to POTF but it must well into the tens, if not hundreds in terms of multiples more? If so, then the norm is him to be weaponless, rightly or wrongly. That's how I had him as a kid, that's how I'm keeping him. Although he looks way better with a staff and they never sculpted a hand capable or carrying a weapon if it wasn't MEANT to carry a weapon!

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Now thats a good point about sculpting an open hand capable of holding the staff. I had honestly never considered that one.

I tell you what though putting one of those staffs in a Yak Face's hands is one of the best ways to reduce its value. I had a perfect Yay Face, apart from a major paint rub on the inside of the hand where the staff had been forced in and out of his hand.

olisuds said:

And another thing, is it the seller responsibility to point out whether it is black or blue black? Perhaps they don't know

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It is if they've claimed it was the correct black blaster, I asked the guy I bought the one I posted from and he was 100% convinced it was the black one.