Questionable quality (2 Viewers)

[hajipavt]

I've been a big fan if thecollectorsshowcase for the best part of four years. Up until recently I've purchased just about every one of their wwii vehicles and figures. About six months ago I started becoming a little disillusioned with the quality of the paintwork on their wwii figures. Despite this I decided to purchase. ( site unseen ) the panzer Lehrer tank riders. The paint work quite frankly was very poor in comparison to some of their figure - particularly their ss peadot camo figures from a few years ago. Of the three figures only one was of a quality worth displaying in my diorama.

The cuffs are poorly drawn
The gun barrel is way too silver
The legs are too skinny
The figures don't sit well in the base / the base all say "US marines"!!!
The patches are decals
The belt buckles are just a splogg of silver paint.

I'm very disappointed because the previous detail on their figures was out standing.

 

[hajipavt]

Perhaps my initial post was a bit harsh. However - looking at these two figures you can see the detailing is not as sharp on the Lehr figure

 

[Hadrian]

I've been a big fan if thecollectorsshowcase for the best part of four years. Up until recently I've purchased just about every one of their wwii vehicles and figures. About six months ago I started becoming a little disillusioned with the quality of the paintwork on their wwii figures. Despite this I decided to purchase. ( site unseen ) the panzer Lehrer tank riders. The paint work quite frankly was very poor in comparison to some of their figure - particularly their ss peadot camo figures from a few years ago. Of the three figures only one was of a quality worth displaying in my diorama.

The cuffs are poorly drawn
The gun barrel is way too silver
The legs are too skinny
The figures don't sit well in the base / the base all say "US marines"!!!
The patches are decals
The belt buckles are just a splogg of silver paint.

I'm very disappointed because the previous detail on their figures was out standing.

You are not alone....I totally agree with you...and I realized one more thing: the ebay prices on the secondary market for TCS products are (at least here in Europe) desastrous...

 

[hajipavt]

You are not alone....I totally agree with you...and I realized one more thing: the ebay prices on the secondary market for TCS products are (at least here in Europe) desastrous...

I understand your point but I only buy for my personal viewing pleasure, I don't really buy as an investment or for resale value. Since I only buy collectorsshowcase this is the only line I'm interested in. If the quality of the painting doesn't improve then I'll just stay with what I have until it either does or someone new comes along. Let me assure you I am a genuine collectorsshowcase fan. Here are examples of my collection of wwii figures.

 

[marco55]

Sometimes the manufacturers need a little kick to the rump to let them know their QC is getting lax.I'm sure Brian will try to correct this.
Mark

 

[Fat Boy]

I've got another question ........... Has TCS generally problems? Brian was last logged in the forum on October 15 and the last release was on the 5th of Ocotber ... Thats a very long time........ ^&confuse

and as always.... Sorry for my bad english. ^&grin

 

[ExRanger]

I also agree on the quality of their figures. A lot of them look have a gaunt look to them. Not impressed...
Also it seems as some dealers have stopped carrying their products as well.

 

[hajipavt]

I've got another question ........... Has TCS generally problems? Brian was last logged in the forum on October 15 and the last release was on the 5th of Ocotber ... Thats a very long time........ ^&confuse

and as always.... Sorry for my bad english. ^&grin

Well that would be a shame because they certainly use to make some very impressive figures and vehicles. It's only until recently that the quality has dropped. As I said they're the only range I buy.

 

[Mitch]

Sadly, I would have to agree. I have a lot of CS from their entry into the hobby and it was excellent stuff right through until the market Garden stuff was superb. The last really good thing was the Jagdpanther and, they have really began to drop in quality. I now rarely buy CS WWII apart from the recent US jeep and glider section and stick with the LAH which, in terms of the marching troops has not been affected by this.

For me CS had the ability to be a major player in the hobby but, scale issues and the constant playing around with that and, the very noticeable drop in quality of releases has not allowed this.

Not the only maker actually reducing the quality of their products but, its probably the one that stands out the most
Mitch

 

[Warrior]

I've got another question ........... Has TCS generally problems? Brian was last logged in the forum on October 15 and the last release was on the 5th of Ocotber ... Thats a very long time........ ^&confuse

and as always.... Sorry for my bad english. ^&grin

There has been a rather large release in late November/early December; Agincourt figures, Napoleonic Imperial Guard figures, the two versions of the Pershing, some marching LAH figures and a boatload of US Airborne including the glider tail section........

 

[marco55]

There was a thread a while back were some of his Romans were not that good but I believe it was a case of a defective set but anyway Brian insinuated that if you want better quality the prices were going up and to keep prices down something would have to be sacrificed.
Mark

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

There was a thread a while back were some of his Romans were not that good but I believe it was a case of a defective set but anyway Brian insinuated that if you want better quality the prices were going up and to keep prices down something would have to be sacrificed.
Mark

Man that's not the best business plan {eek3}. I actually thought their ACW figures have been getting better over time. That's the only range I collect.

 

[marco55]

I like TCS.I love their animation,it's just they don't make what I collect.If they did I would certainly buy from them.I don't know how big an opertaion he has but I get the feeling that KC,Britains,FL and others have a larger support staff.He reminds me more like Jenkins in being a one man band.
Mark

 

[Andanna]

If Matt Pavone reads this, he will laugh so loud he will wake up his daughter next door.


I think it has more to do with choice of contractors in the case of the small manufacturers. Some hire expensive contractors for research, sculpting and painting and some save on cost to offer product at a lower price.

 

[marco55]

I think that's what I said earlier and I think most TS makers have said at one time or another that if you want quality you will pay more,if you want cheaper prices then there will be sacrifices weather it be sculpting,painting,metal,resin,or plastic.You get what you pay for,especially in these times.Some go one route some take another.
Mark

 

[hajipavt]

There was a thread a while back were some of his Romans were not that good but I believe it was a case of a defective set but anyway Brian insinuated that if you want better quality the prices were going up and to keep prices down something would have to be sacrificed.
Mark

For the record I'm happy to pay more for quality.

 

[Mitch]

Not sure that price and quality are the issue here. CS have had a very stable price through out their production and similar priced figures and AFV's from many years ago were priced as of today in most cases.

Sacrifice quality, is just one of the things Brian has mentioned on this forum and elsewhere the other being that the constant price increases and blame it all on China routine was not really a truism as it did not really cost all that much to make their in the first place.

That was kind of laughed of by a few nobody really wants to know just how cheap these things are really made!! but, Brian is a manufacturer and knows what he is talking about more than the few collectors who actually made excuses for these comments.

I have always said I have been a big CS fan collecting their stuff from day one or, as near as dammit. The early LAH were excellent as were all the early SS and US troops. The DAK still IMO are some of the best stuff released and the Panzer I from that range can still stand against any of today's releases from anyone. The Market Garden stuff was also excellent and from then we have sadly, seen some hit and miss releases some being excellent and some poor. I always liked the figure style they brought the animation and duller colours to make them look war experienced and gaunt was a superb innovation that was something that went right over the heads of many used to fancy bright coloured facially painted troops

Scale has been a constant issue with CS but, the drop in quality IMO coincides with the departure from China and the move to the US. It just seems the contractors he uses in the US.

CS IMO should draw a line in the sand look at what they have been releasing and then say well, lets get back to where we were a few years ago. Brian has a long long way to go before he catches up with the so called big boys in that respect so, if it costs a few quid more to get back to some of the best products on the market so be it. They will still be cheaper than a lot of others who incidentally are actually lowering their quality to terrible levels also.
Mitch

 

[Rob]

Man that's not the best business plan {eek3}. I actually thought their ACW figures have been getting better over time. That's the only range I collect.

I think the ACW is their best range, just love CS's figures from this era^&cool

Rob

 

[larso]

My only CS range is the 43AD one and I have been enormously pleased with it. As for Brian saying (apparently) that Chinese costs were being exaggerated, it seems that the decline in quality others have spoken of suggests that going/staying cheaper has a quality impact. He may be trying to differentiate himself from the pack and gain attention and sales, which I can understand but something probably has to give.

 

[hajipavt]

Well said.