Ilovesand&dirt Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 And in the future for all the holdouts still with the FX lid while everyone else's got ANH, they could be known as 'The Old Contemptibles'. I mean that in a positive way with no disrespect to the original UK unit And it gets easier all the time. Is is just me, or are ANH lids easier to find and lower in price each year. Maybe you Washington patrol guys could help me out. I am unfamiliar with ANH lids. Do they have another name? Does that mean you have to get new armor as well? I have FX and if I replace it with ANH will it look silly. Thanks Gents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 As you know ANH is for "A New Hope". By ANH we mean a helmet that was cast from a screen used ANH helmet, or recast from that cast. FX helmets are proportionally larger, which is why many folks 6' and under move to ANH helmets to avoid that bobble head look, and folks over 6' do because they are more screen accurate. ANH helmets used to be *very* hard to get ahold of unless you knew someone who knew someone, etc. and also were very expensive. IIRC I paid ~$306 total for my AP in kit form, but I've seen them as low as $200 on Ebay now and many people are selling them. TE = TrooperExpert. This is the only person to have cast a real ANH helmet, so is considered the highest quality bar. As you may know, TE retired and someone else has bought the molds. *very* hard to get right now, as most people who buy them never sell tem. You have to do all the paint/assembly yourself. Sterling reputation for quality and helpfulness. AP = AuthenticProps. This is probably the next closest you can come. My understanding is that AP cast from TE. You can get them direct from AP himself (he used to sell on Ebay, though doesn't anymore), though to find him typically you'll need to be a verified 501st-y and even then it's hard to find, as his identity is veiled in secrecy. However you're in luck here as recently got*armor (either from EBay or direct from www.gotarmor.com) has started selling assembled AP kits (he buys the raw kits and does the labor). Both AP & Got*Armor have very solid reputations. SDS = Shepperton Design Studios. They recast from TE though sell as original. Seem to be more common in the UK than in the US, and are easy to get ahold of via their website. They sell them fully assembled. Both TE, AP, & SDS (I *think*) helmets are comprised of two parts (front/back) + the ear caps. RT/Mod: not sure if they count as ANH helmets, but I believe they do. IIRC they're fan sculpted as apposed to being recast, and the main lid is formed from three pieces instead of two. Very common outside the US, but rare here. While it's true that having a full ANH suit (TE/AP/SDS) is where we all would like to be, getting FX kit as much cheaper and more widely available. A lot of TKs start out with FX for these reasons (IMHO it's mostly due to not knowing the differences and where to get ANH armor rather than pure $$$). The most obvious inaccuracy of the FX kit is the helmet, so unless you can find/afford an ANH suit, most of us just upgrade the bucket. I (and I'm sure I'm not alone) have FX armor coupled with an ANH lid. It looks great!!! Pix: I'm the one on the far left Second from right My $.02 is that if you can't afford/acquire ANH armor, then moving at least to the helmet is the next best thing, and very worth the cash if you can afford to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilovesand&dirt Posted February 16, 2006 Author Share Posted February 16, 2006 Thanks, Paul I appreciate the input. Now I need to find ANH helmet. Gotta love the Pacific Northwest. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dirty Trooper Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I have a full SDS armour including lid and most of all sandtrooper's ab plate, he made for the ANH film. You can't beat AA (Andrew Ainsworth) in my eyes and I hope I can speek for the UK Garrison he is the Jedi Master, Yoda of stormtrooper/sandtrooper armour. SDS is unbeatable! {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/td.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif {SMILIES_PATH}/trooper.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 We should probably put this up in a sticky somewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I'm working on a "who's-who" (or what's what?) for armor noobs. I am triple-checking facts and trying to keep my personal bias', and conjecture, from being part of it. FYI, per TE, AP bought GF's old molds. It was believed at first he was a re-caster, but that appears to not be the case. As my two cents go, the TE (and the "coming-soon" new TE) or Gino, are the most accurate, detailed suits in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Thanks! I remember when I first started: I didn't even know what the 501st was and it was difficult to get accurate info. One thing I enjoy about this detachment is the commitment of it's members to excellence and helping each other out - having this kind of resource just makes us better. Go MEPD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhuggins Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 AP = AuthenticProps. This is probably the next closest you can come. My understanding is that AP cast from TE. AP is NOT cast from TE, and we should all be very careful about throwing the "recast" word around. I've watched too many threads on popular prop boards deteriorate into flame wars because of it. For the record, AP aquired the GF molds from GF himself. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daetrin Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 we should all be very careful about throwing the "recast" word around Which is why I said "my understanding" instead of stating it as fact. And it's this kind of situation that makes having this info in the open critical, e.g. in this case I had wrong info. But if no one corrects, how would I know? Thanks for the save Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theGreatSot Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 hhuggins - What you said is true, GF sold his molds to AP, but GF, with permission, recast TE's armor. The GF/AP moulds arn't quite correct though, if I remember right. The shins are incorrect and so is one of the biceps, possibly other things as well, I can't remember right now. Look for posts that were made by TrooperExpert on this forum and you'll find where he has said so himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhuggins Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 And it's this kind of situation that makes having this info in the open critical . . . I couldn't agree more! HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhuggins Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 What you said is true, GF sold his molds to AP, but GF, with permission, recast TE's armor. That's correct. Unfortunately, when people see the word "recast", they immediately think of something underhanded. The GF/AP moulds arn't quite correct though, if I remember right. I own an AP set, I don't think there is anything wrong with the shins or the bicep. I believe that AP made some corrections to the GF molds to fix those issues. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I own an AP set, I don't think there is anything wrong with the shins or the bicep. I believe that AP made some corrections to the GF molds to fix those issues. HH I think specifically the shins were both the same, as opposed to being mirrored like on TE's later suits (GF cast from one of TE's originals, prior to the tour suit additions IIRC). Forearms & biceps were also identical for left & right. This may no longer be the case. Any confirmation, one way or the other, would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhuggins Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I think specifically the shins were both the same, as opposed to being mirrored like on TE's later suits (GF cast from one of TE's originals, prior to the tour suit additions IIRC). Forearms & biceps were also identical for left & right. This may no longer be the case. Any confirmation, one way or the other, would be much appreciated. Hmmm . . . that could be true, but without comparing what I have with a TE suit, I have no idea. Does anyone out there have both? HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I'll take some shots of my TE tonight. I'll post them, and if you don't mind, you could take a similar shot of your parts. Then we'd have a virtual "side-by-side". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dirty Trooper Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 THIS IS FROM SHEPPERTON DESIGN STUDIOS WEB SITE: In 1976 Ainsworth and Shepperton Design Studios created the original helmets and armour for the greatest sci-fi fantasy film of all time. Now, almost 30 years on and for the FIRST time ever, YOU can own an exclusive 1:1 collectable replica of the original movie helmets. Made by the original prop-maker From the original moulds. Produced and endorsed by Andrew Ainsworth at Shepperton Design Studio's, these unique props offer collectors a rare opportunity of owning some of the most iconic designs of modern cinema. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Well Marc,AA may well have made (vacformed) the original ANH armour but the armour he sells now is nowhere near the original armour. I have seen it personally and even talked face to face with AA and I know that he is full of it.When I quizzed him about the moulds he told me he only had 'skins' that had to be reworked and such,but if you know anything about armour then you will see it is a back converted ROTJ suit from a replica at that. Sorry to burst your bubble mate but it is the worst 'movie accurate' replica on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCKo Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 copy that absolutly! only for the helmets have a lok at this thread at the RPF http://www.rpf.invisionzone.com/index.php?...ST&f=6&t=103820 as far as i know TE had the chance to get hold of an original screenused ESB armor and converted it back to a ANH armor. so there was no screenused anh armor for the moulds of the original TE suits. GINO, a well known artist, had his own conversion which was at least in some minor details more accurate than the TE suits. GINO only did a very limited line of suits. on Brak´sBuddys webpage http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/davin/davin_replica.htm he writes that he is proud to own one of the ONLY 2 suits GINO made publicly available. so i still think the TE suits are the only armor that are screenaccurate AND, at least in the near future, available! the armor used by Brak´sBuddy is the most screenaccuarte armor i´ve ever seen and he uses a GINO armor! the GF armor line is also very accurate so the AP, which came from the same moulds with minor changes, is also... one major difference is the thickness of the material AP use for their armor. NOTE: AP armor is thicker and therefor more durable while trooping! if the material used is thinner, like the one used with the TE or GINO armor the details are better, but it might be not that durable while trooping!!! if you´re going to use your armor for trooping, the AP armor may still be the best around. the material is not as breakable as all the others. if your going to be as screenaccurate as posible the TE or GINO armor is the best one can get... it´s up to you to decide what you use your armor for and how anal you are about accuracy... don´t let others decide which armor may be the best, study the movies, study screenshots and compare them to as many pictures of all the armors out there as you can get... it is, or will be, your armor, so you are the one to decide!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 it is, or will be, your armor, so you are the one to decide!!!!! Well said Rocko! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD-1536 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Well Marc,AA may well have made (vacformed) the original ANH armour but the armour he sells now is nowhere near the original armour. I have seen it personally and even talked face to face with AA and I know that he is full of it.When I quizzed him about the moulds he told me he only had 'skins' that had to be reworked and such,but if you know anything about armour then you will see it is a back converted ROTJ suit from a replica at that. Sorry to burst your bubble mate but it is the worst 'movie accurate' replica on the market. Paul is correct. It's a long and sordid story that's been documented and discussed to no end over on the RPF. If you have a few hours to kill, I'd suggest reading it just to be better informed on the whole subject. However, let's leave those kind of discussions in the RPF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troopermaster Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 I agree totally Mike. It's been beaten to death I don't know how many times..... I'd just like to point out that maybe saying it is the 'worst' may sound a bit harsh,more like it's the 'least accurate' of the 'movie accurate' suit's out there. -Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SethB6025 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Seeing as this is the 1000th time this has been discussed in the prop community, and links to very thorough RPF discussions have been linked, I am locking this thread. No one here has dragged this discussion into the gutter, and that makes me happy. So, were just going to let this one end here, with information respectfully exchanged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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