All things Conte (4 Viewers)

[Capitolron]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Brad - don't forget its Andy who suffers the constant criticism from people who don't even collect his products.

I respect Richard's desire to maintain his sanity.

 

[binder001]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Well I like to dream it will come out soon, because I can't start my diodrama, until I can get the bangalore team, and GIs landing! Vick

A GI bangalore team isn't hard at all. I have done some Conte conversions for forum member GK5717 and he seems satisfied. What do you need? Your main problem would be that I don't work for free.

As the man stated, converting plastic figures isn't hard at all. For me the biggest hurdle is getting started! The second biggest is maintain the supply of "cannon fodder", the figures that you cut up to make others. Some of my conversions have had pieces from five different figures.

My wish is that someday we could get somebody to make extra hands and heads in resin, plastic, metal or whatever that would be in scale with the Conte/TSSD/ONTC size figures.

Gary

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

My wish is that someday we could get somebody to make extra hands and heads in resin, plastic, metal or whatever that would be in scale with the Conte/TSSD/ONTC size figures.

Gary

That's a great idea, I thought that would be perfect idea of things to sell for his plastic spartans, would be like Britain's swoopets, so one could get more of the same poses, or if you broke a spear you could replace it

Vick

 

[Stryker II]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

I would rather have a much more desirable piece--a USMC flamethrower and satchel charge team--than someone carrying a bunch of pipes around..................Stryker II

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Brad - don't forget its Andy who suffers the constant criticism from people who don't even collect his products.

I respect Richard's desire to maintain his sanity.

Ron , I am beginning to think that that is a common problem with toy soldier makers. "Toyus criticus non buyus"

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Well you are the Da Vinci of toy soldier painting! The plasitc spartans you painted are amazing!

GO SPARTY!!!!

Vick

Thanks Vick, I must say I have been fortunate in my learning curve.

 

[Warrior]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Ron , I am beginning to think that that is a common problem with toy soldier makers. "Toyus criticus non buyus"

That may be a common problem in your opinion, but the overwhelming majority of collectors who are complaining about Conte are some of his biggest fans and most long time supporters.

I should know, I speak with many of them at the twenty plus shows I attend and the frustration is growing.

That said, that's now one less thing I'll have to deal with at shows.

Thankfully.

 

[jazzeum]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Ron , I am beginning to think that that is a common problem with toy soldier makers. "Toyus criticus non buyus"

And where is the rule that you can't make an opinion about something you don't purchase?

 

[damian]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

And where is the rule that you can't make an opinion about something you don't purchase?

Brad I have seen it used against people who criticize the K and C releases every month by a number of posters.

 

[jazzeum]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

I can't recall that I have but even so the question still applies, regardless of whatever company we may be talking about.

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

And where is the rule that you can't make an opinion about something you don't purchase?

First of all who said they couldn't? Not I. Consider it idle curiousness on my part. I just wonder why anyone would waste their time. That is my question. You have your opinion. They are different. Ain't it great?

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

That may be a common problem in your opinion, but the overwhelming majority of collectors who are complaining about Conte are some of his biggest fans and most long time supporters.

I should know, I speak with many of them at the twenty plus shows I attend and the frustration is growing.

That said, that's now one less thing I'll have to deal with at shows.

Thankfully.

I think it is a common problem on forums and if you are a producer of said toys. IMO That being said they are toys. Also IMO Some people have been acting like children. Impatient , spoiled children. Myself included at times. And yet an opinion. I should be careful or someone will call me opinionated Please take this for what it is worth. I am an impassioned hobbyist. That is all, nothing more or less.

I too would like to see more of RC's toys out in the market. Having talked to Rich I understand that there is a lot going on than just making toy soldiers and the difficulties he has had lately. Indeed they are some of the very same shared by Britain's and other manufacturers as well.

So IMO Conte is still in business and will continue to do so his way not mine or anyone else's. Some people will be upset by this others will benefit and even profit from it.

A forum is for opinions and hopefully no one is offended by my trivial ramblings and opinions. Happy collecting gentlefiends!

 

[Warrior]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

All valid points made by you (as usual).

I think the problem lies in the fact that some manufacturers will let collectors know their plans for releases down the road and as weeks drag into months drag into years and still nothing, they start to get torked off. Some metal companies do this, as do some of the plastic companies who sell boxed plastic.

K & C and John Jenkins Designs both have it down to a science. Andy has the dispatches each and every month like clockwork and lets collectors know a.) What is coming that month and b.) What is coming the following month, no mystery, no "Here is a picture of a prototype we are working on that will be out shortly", none of that.

And John Jenkins runs his ship the same way; he sends out an email to his dealers around the second week of every month showing what is coming out the following month and when you can order it for your customers and like clockwork, the goods show up when he says they will.

Britains also has their act together; they release two catalogs per year and let customers and dealers alike know what is coming and when and 99% of the time, the product shows up when they say it's going to.

All three companies are models for this industry, end of story..............

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

All valid points made by you (as usual).

I think the problem lies in the fact that some manufacturers will let collectors know their plans for releases down the road and as weeks drag into months drag into years and still nothing, they start to get torked off. Some metal companies do this, as do some of the plastic companies who sell boxed plastic.

K & C and John Jenkins Designs both have it down to a science. Andy has the dispatches each and every month like clockwork and lets collectors know a.) What is coming that month and b.) What is coming the following month, no mystery, no "Here is a picture of a prototype we are working on that will be out shortly", none of that.

And John Jenkins runs his ship the same way; he sends out an email to his dealers around the second week of every month showing what is coming out the following month and when you can order it for your customers and like clockwork, the goods show up when he says they will.

Britains also has their act together; they release two catalogs per year and let customers and dealers alike know what is coming and when and 99% of the time, the product shows up when they say it's going to.

All three companies are models for this industry, end of story..............

Thanks Warrior your points are well taken. Very true also. I should point out that John J. probably learned his business approach from Andy. And Britain's has done very well informing the collecting public.

I think RC said to me he did not fully appreciate what he was getting into when he started the move. Maybe he just marches to the beat of his own drums. There was a time that he did put out a lot of flyers, did he not? I think that not all of them came to fruition. I sure would have liked to have seen the Scots in the Northern Frontier sets. Those would have been awesome. Sometime we just bite off bigger than we can chew. I will say it is disappointing though. I do understand. Hope we can be friends.

 

[Warrior]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

I do understand. Hope we can be friends.

Don't see why not, we always have been, nothing is going to change that IMO...................

 

[jazzeum]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Hope we can be friends.

Why can't we be friends?

 

[kilted vampire]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Don't see why not, we always have been, nothing is going to change that IMO...................

Very glad to here it.

Why can't we be friends?

Isn't that a song from the 70's?

 

[gk5717]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

KW are you referring to the Scotts in the 2 playsets RC did?
If so, and this is not Conte bashng, they were not very good. If you remember he did these in resin, not the soft plastic as his other sets.
It was his first use of resin and they did not come out well. In fact I bought the 2 sets at the OTSN show the year they came out took them back to the hotel, inspected them and took them back to RC the next day asking for my money back.
But you know RC, he talked me into keeping them.
The buildings were fabulous but the figures not so. I eventually sold off the figures.
The resin figures he has done for the Alamo and Civil War are great, but that first forray into resin was a disaster and to RC,s credit prior to their release he stated that he did them in resin to get a quicker and cheaper release.
Gary

 

[Lewey Gun Vick]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

KW are you referring to the Scotts in the 2 playsets RC did?
If so, and this is not Conte bashng, they were not very good. If you remember he did these in resin, not the soft plastic as his other sets.
It was his first use of resin and they did not come out well. In fact I bought the 2 sets at the OTSN show the year they came out took them back to the hotel, inspected them and took them back to RC the next day asking for my money back.
But you know RC, he talked me into keeping them.
The buildings were fabulous but the figures not so. I eventually sold off the figures.
The resin figures he has done for the Alamo and Civil War are great, but that first forray into resin was a disaster and to RC,s credit prior to their release he stated that he did them in resin to get a quicker and cheaper release.
Gary

Actually the scots go for quite alot on ebay now as they have become something of toy soldier legend

Vick

 

[Warrior]

Re: Seriously - Is CONTE Still in Business ?

Actually the scots go for quite alot on ebay now as they have become something of toy soldier legend

Vick

Great, see there you go, a Conte product that goes up in value.

Terrific.