1/6 Sideshow 1/6 General Grevious

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Why should we have to fix them? We're expected to pay $285 for this.
Not saying that we should at all. I even said in my post that we shouldn't have to. I don't like having to fix anything out of the box on a new figure either. What I am saying is, it's an easy fix, especially if someone really wants this figure and doesn't mind putting in a tab bit of work. Some plumbers tape around the joint or (my personal favorite) coating the socket the joint plugs into with one or two layers of some clear fingernail polish hardener will fix those lose joints VERY easily. At least based on what I'm seeing in reviews with how the joints attach and where they're loose at. Of course, can't say for sure since I don't have one. Again, we shouldn't have to do it all. But at the same time, it's a very easy fix. I've had to do more difficult fixes and mods to regular HT figures.
 
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As disappointing as this may be out of the box with the loose joints, they seem to be fixable due to how you plug them in. As someone who has to deal with loose joints with high end Masterpiece transformers that cost as much as this guy or even more sometimes, gotta say, these joints look easier to fix than a transformer. Doesn’t make it right we should have to do that by any means, but I think it’s an easy fix. I’m pretty sure this will be around for awhile given the current reviews, so gonna wait a little longer before I decide if I want to order one or not. I’ll see how my SS R2D2 comes out first I think
I have nearly all the different SS Astromechs. I also have both Hot Toys’ R2 releases. The astromechs are a simple enough design that the lesser quality on the SS version isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. Yeah, the doors are a bit looser and it is a lighter figure due to lack of a diecast dome, but those things really don’t impact how you can display it. Any company’s astromech is basically a glorified trash can.

I also have HT’s IG-11 and SS’s IG-88. The difference between these figures is night and day. Hot Toys standing droids (including K-2SO) have diecast armatures in the hips and legs giving them amazing stability. They have working fingers with three different tight screw hinges in each finger giving them the ability to grasp and hold any small object. IG-11 has many points of articulation that allow you to simulate multiple show accurate scenes where it spins around in a gun fight on different axis. SS’s IG-88 is also scene accurate in that it is good for just standing in the display background.

In short, making a decision on Grievous based on SS’s astromech quality is not the way to go.
 
I have nearly all the different SS Astromechs. I also have both Hot Toys’ R2 releases. The astromechs are a simple enough design that the lesser quality on the SS version isn’t necessarily a deal breaker. Yeah, the doors are a bit looser and it is a lighter figure due to lack of a diecast dome, but those things really don’t impact how you can display it. Any company’s astromech is basically a glorified trash can.

I also have HT’s IG-11 and SS’s IG-88. The difference between these figures is night and day. Hot Toys standing droids (including K-2SO) have diecast armatures in the hips and legs giving them amazing stability. They have working fingers with three different tight screw hinges in each finger giving them the ability to grasp and hold any small object. IG-11 has many points of articulation that allow you to simulate multiple show accurate scenes where it spins around in a gun fight on different axis. SS’s IG-88 is also scene accurate in that it is good for just standing in the display background.

In short, making a decision on Grievous based on SS’s astromech quality is not the way to go.
Cool! Thanks for the history/review on what differences to expect. I've yet to own any droid type characters so admittedly, handling one is all new to me so I appreciate it :hi5: I'm just basing my ideas on how to possibly fix the loose joints/sockets based on the few review videos we have.

With that said, I guess since I’ve been one of the lucky few to not really have any problems with my recent SS 1/6 figures for the most part, that I thankfully don’t have a bad taste in my mouth towards Sideshow and their figures :pray: Except for the recent 1/6 comic Superman who’s ankles were so tight that they broke when trying to articulate them, I’ve lucked out in getting really good copies of figures; so, I’ve had no real negatives/complaints with them other than the usual feeling of paying too much for the minimal amount you get with their figures :lol I haven't been burned by SS like so many here have.
 
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Does anyone remember the SS ESB Fett? They totally eff'd people, including me, on it. Proto looked awesome, stand awesome. Production came out and blam!, a square looking chest that looked awful. If you wanted, and I never did, take it off and cut the hard plastic behind the jacket many times in order to get it right. Sold that and will never get a Sideshow figure again. Hot Toys isn't perfect, but pretty reliable. This just justifies what I've been thinking for years.
 
Slasherink’s video was pretty telling with those loose joints being shown. And he mentioned it’s a straight up reissue of the 2014 figure which SS claimed was not true in their Con vids. Maybe a cosmetic tweak here and there but not the re-engineered piece they eluded to.

I’ll never believe another thing SS says about their products or what their hosts claim either. I was excited to be able to get a 1/6 Grievous ordered at retail price but now I dread opening up the box when he arrives. I‘m in the same boat as Slasherink is when it comes to waiting on an HT version though. If...IF it ever happens it’ll probably be years from now.
 
He is now listed as Pre-order, and expected to ship Dec 2021 - Jan 2022. I would have thought the canceled orders would have far surpassed any sales. Could they possibly be making some minor tweaks? Is that even possible in such a short period of time?
 
Does anyone remember the SS ESB Fett? They totally eff'd people, including me, on it. Proto looked awesome, stand awesome. Production came out and blam!, a square looking chest that looked awful. If you wanted, and I never did, take it off and cut the hard plastic behind the jacket many times in order to get it right. Sold that and will never get a Sideshow figure again. Hot Toys isn't perfect, but pretty reliable. This just justifies what I've been thinking for years.

I have Sideshow pieces that I actively like and are great centerpieces for displays like their recent Jabba release. Even their Probe Droid makes an impressive showing hovering next to 3 HT snowtroopers and one SS Snow Commander. Other Sideshow pieces make solid companion pieces such as Bossk or R5. Others are serviceable background pieces like their Skiff Guard Lando. Their recent comic based X-Men line is a guilty pleasure of mine, certainly overpriced, some ugly chins, a loose claw or two, but still a serviceable 1/6 character represented there.

It is easy for the detractors of Sideshow to point and go “see?! I am right guys!” But I am what you might even go so far as to call a FAN of Sideshow. I won’t lionize them and will definitely point out what can be improved, but largely at the end of the day I have still bought and supported their products.

I ordered Grievous immediately and without reservation. I have heard about loose joints on the older one and to stay away from the figure on the secondary market at those prices. I figured new and at retail price that it couldn’t possibly be as bad as I‘ve heard. After all, I own the ‘maligned‘ v 2 IG-88 that serves fine as background filler and a couple ‘floppy body” Jawas that I can still get to stand. Certainly the naysaying has to be blown out of proportion.

The one I received today is such a loose mess that I cannot find a way to reasonable pose any of his arms. I even have two separate arm choices. No wonder they spent time to update the cloak, because hiding the figure under it is about the only posing option I have. The problems mine have aren’t even just the ball joints that could be tightened up, but also 360 rotational post types above the elbows which are far harder to work without breaking plastic. I also have a legitimate manufacturing error on a joint that is missing a connecting pin. I also have all the other cosmetic issues being reported on video reviews.

I have never felt so put off by 1/6th figure that I returned it for quality complaints. For Grievous, the plan is to contact Sideshow on Monday to do just that. I will attempt one more posing session this weekend to give it a second good faith effort while I am not disgusted and angry. I will be sure to sleep on my thoughts to cool off. But my initial impression is that I have never held such an inferior 1/6 scale figure in the modern era and modern market of ‘adult collectible.’ This is not a worthy representation of a major villain that should be at the center of a display fighting your Kenobi and Skywalker Hot Toys.
 
I like many of the Sideshow pieces and agree in particular the probe droid is pretty cool and Skiff Guard Lando (with his helmet on anyhow) is decent. I love the Maul bust and the child piece that I ordered from them as well.

I’m pretty sure though I had Grevious back in the mail to them the same day it arrived. It was actually my first figure return. I’ll probably stick to Hot Toys for the majority of my ordering from now on but will leave my options open in other sideshow pieces (although I might wait for the reviews first).
 
I have Sideshow pieces that I actively like and are great centerpieces for displays like their recent Jabba release. Even their Probe Droid makes an impressive showing hovering next to 3 HT snowtroopers and one SS Snow Commander. Other Sideshow pieces make solid companion pieces such as Bossk or R5. Others are serviceable background pieces like their Skiff Guard Lando. Their recent comic based X-Men line is a guilty pleasure of mine, certainly overpriced, some ugly chins, a loose claw or two, but still a serviceable 1/6 character represented there.

It is easy for the detractors of Sideshow to point and go “see?! I am right guys!” But I am what you might even go so far as to call a FAN of Sideshow. I won’t lionize them and will definitely point out what can be improved, but largely at the end of the day I have still bought and supported their products.

I ordered Grievous immediately and without reservation. I have heard about loose joints on the older one and to stay away from the figure on the secondary market at those prices. I figured new and at retail price that it couldn’t possibly be as bad as I‘ve heard. After all, I own the ‘maligned‘ v 2 IG-88 that serves fine as background filler and a couple ‘floppy body” Jawas that I can still get to stand. Certainly the naysaying has to be blown out of proportion.

The one I received today is such a loose mess that I cannot find a way to reasonable pose any of his arms. I even have two separate arm choices. No wonder they spent time to update the cloak, because hiding the figure under it is about the only posing option I have. The problems mine have aren’t even just the ball joints that could be tightened up, but also 360 rotational post types above the elbows which are far harder to work without breaking plastic. I also have a legitimate manufacturing error on a joint that is missing a connecting pin. I also have all the other cosmetic issues being reported on video reviews.

I have never felt so put off by 1/6th figure that I returned it for quality complaints. For Grievous, the plan is to contact Sideshow on Monday to do just that. I will attempt one more posing session this weekend to give it a second good faith effort while I am not disgusted and angry. I will be sure to sleep on my thoughts to cool off. But my initial impression is that I have never held such an inferior 1/6 scale figure in the modern era and modern market of ‘adult collectible.’ This is not a worthy representation of a major villain that should be at the center of a display fighting your Kenobi and Skywalker Hot Toys.
Many Sideshow figures are not bad, and in fact hold up pretty well. Especially when there are no alternatives like Hot Toys equivalents of certain characters.

I still have numerous Sideshow figures which for me encompass some of their best work, including 15 Clones, all the Astromechs, Probe Droid, Snowtrooper Commander, TIE Pilot RO, AT-AT Driver, IG-88 V1, Bossk V2, Dengar, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Jawas, and Momaw Nadon.

But I’m not inclined to buy their newer figures because they’ve long since reached a point where their price point has surpassed their quality. And they make so few figures anyway that it feels like there’s no heart to it anymore anyway.

On top of that, every re-release or version 2 of an older figure has been a step down in quality or a mess. The V2 IG-88 I returned is probably one of the most disappointing figures I’ve gotten from Sideshow.

So I am not hating on Sideshow for the sake of it, but I am absolutely not surprised they dropped the ball on this. I had the V1 Grievous and it was alright, but I wasn’t in love with it at the end of the day. I certainly wouldn’t be happy with the V2, it sounds like.

I’m really disappointed for folks that were excited for this and have had to return it or cancel their orders. I hope Hot Toys will make one eventually, even though I think it would be years from now.
 
Yikes I I was building up my resolve to PO this guy. Now I don't think I will.
Going to stick with HT. Thanks for the discussions.
 
I've liked SS's work in the past and appreciated that they have done characters that HT would never touch. The ESB bounty hunters, Jabba's palace characters, Moss Eisley characters. Interesting droids and aliens.
I didn't mind that they weren't the highest quality because they were characters that I'd never have otherwise.
Now though, as has been pointed out, there cost has gone beyond their quality.
At times they've done some really good work, their V2 Vader, in my opinion, compared quite favourably to the HT versions.
The last SS figure I bought, I still have, Mythos Boba, but he's a floppy mess and a nightmare to pose.
The V2 version of Obi-Wan Mythos is unforgivable. Worst paint apps and removal of double jointed elbows.
Now, essentially a re-release of Grevious with shoddy paint work and floppy joints.
I've cancelled my General Grevious order and won't be POing a SS figure again. I'll be waiting for in hand reviews of the animated style TCW figures.
 
I've got a lot of Sideshow figures and they do the job, some better than others.

Human sculpts have often been a weak point for them, but their tailoring and accessories are usually very good.

Dengar, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, IG-88 and Bossk 2.0 make a great line-up with Hot Toys' ESB Boba.

The AT-AT Driver, TIE Pilot and Snowtrooper Commander are pretty eye catching.

They've been good with droids (if not with droids' fingers) with C-3PO, R5-D4 and the Probot.

Lando Skiff Guard looks the part with the helmet on. I even swapped his bare head with their old Cloud City Lando because it was more in scale and more in-keeping with current figures. Reminds of a cross between Billy Dee Williams and Donald Glover, which will be okay once the HT Cloud City Lando releases and consigns the Sideshow to a secondary role.

And there were a couple of occasions when Sideshow beat Hot Toys. On balance Sideshow's Jawas were better than Hot Toys', and I preferred Sideshow's Darth Maul 2.0.


However, this General Grievous just looks sad, and it doesn't sound like the company can even bring themselves to defend it to those who bought it.
 
As disappointing as this may be out of the box with the loose joints, they seem to be fixable due to how you plug them in. As someone who has to deal with loose joints with high end Masterpiece transformers that cost as much as this guy or even more sometimes, gotta say, these joints look easier to fix than a transformer. Doesn’t make it right we should have to do that by any means, but I think it’s an easy fix. I’m pretty sure this will be around for awhile given the current reviews, so gonna wait a little longer before I decide if I want to order one or not. I’ll see how my SS R2D2 comes out first I think
Interested in what the fix is. I'm holding onto my order as it's already in route and I've seen a few posts online that indicate it's not as bad as some of the most negative reviews would indicate. If mine is a little floppy but fixable, I'm happy to adjust it and put it in my collection. Thx.
 
Slasherink’s video was pretty telling with those loose joints being shown. And he mentioned it’s a straight up reissue of the 2014 figure which SS claimed was not true in their Con vids. Maybe a cosmetic tweak here and there but not the re-engineered piece they eluded to.

I’ll never believe another thing SS says about their products or what their hosts claim either. I was excited to be able to get a 1/6 Grievous ordered at retail price but now I dread opening up the box when he arrives. I‘m in the same boat as Slasherink is when it comes to waiting on an HT version though. If...IF it ever happens it’ll probably be years from now.
Don’t even open it just send it back lol
 
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