62 replies to this topic

[Captain BeerBeard]

Name: Black Pearl
Set Number:4184
Theme: Pirates of the Caribbean
Pieces: 804
Minifigures: 6
Ages: 9-16
Year: 2011
Price: 99.99 U.S. Dollars

Box Art




Contents:


Instructions:

The Black Pearl comes with two manuals. Both manuals have the same cover. You also get a huge double sided poster. It's awesome!
Poster Images:



Minifigures: Front View



Minifigures: Back View


I love the minfig selection. Davy is sweet and has a new peg leg color! The head printing on Bootstrap Bill is really awesome! His bandanna is also a new color? I don't know for sure.

Pictures Of The Build:



I do not like this rudder flap. It doesn't stay in good and it makes the ship hard to pick up.

Check out the anchor. Yes, it really does just sit there waiting for Will Turner to throw it overboard.


Finished Pictures:



I dig those black feathers. Is this the first set with the black feather?

I like this part of the ship a lot. That old skool door takes me back in time.

It's roomy for a small ship.  

No comment.


There is room for a small party in the cabin. It is pretty simple in here. I can't say I like this, but at least there is room for improvment.
Extra Parts:


Final Judgment:

Build:6/10 It's easy and only takes about two and a half hours.
Design:7/10 I'm only giving it a seven because I actually like most of the ship. The anchor really brings this score down. I think seven is fair.
Playability: 10/10
Parts/Mocability:10/10 There is a whole bunch of goodness here for pirate mocing.
Minifigures: 10/10 The repeat figures are welcome. The new figures are very welcome.
Price:8/10 The price is fair. You could do a lot worse for a hundred bucks.
Total:51/60 I'm happy with this ship and would recomend it. I love the black color.

Edited by Captain BeerBeard, 18 October 2011 - 05:25 AM.

[AkumaMax]

I agree with the Anchor part. I think it looks a little tacky sitting there. One thing I didn't like, But there was a quick fix was the front MAST/Sail the wire rigging to position the sail. The Directions said to place it in a certain spot doing this it make the sail look a little flimsy to me. Might just be me. Like I said though it can be fixed with moving the button piece on the end of the rope piece further up on the grey 4x1 flat piece on the upper mast.

[Brickus]

Great, thanks for the review, can't wait to get my own.

[lightningtiger]

Excellent review 'Captain BeerBeard', Anchor is a little lame but everything else is a winner.....no set is really 100% perfect eh ?
On my shopping list it has gone already and your review keeps it there....roll on November when it hits Oz store shelves !
Keep on drinking rum !

[Cammo]

Thanks for the review! This should ease the waiting for me. I hope it releases in Europe very soon. (prays for next week   )

[David Thomsen]

Hmm, I really can't say that I think this is my favourite ship. Some ships have really beautiful sterns... this is not one of those ships. I do kind of like the walkway on either side of the ship where people can stand, but that's about it.

I was never going to get this, but... pass anyway.

[Sebeus I]

Everytime I decide to not buy it something else pops up convincing me to change my mind   .
Nice review, I don't get one thing though, what's that fish doing in this set ? I can't remember any scene considering the black pearl and a fish   .

[Big Cam]

Thanks for this review, it's great to finally see this in the flesh so to speak.

[K-Nut]

Very nice review! I'm waiting for the  Holidays to pick this up. I need that Davy Jones!  

[TheBrickster]

Thanks for the early image review Captain BeerBeard.  I picked one up at my local TRU Friday.  I find her very similar to the Queen Anne, but haven't opened it up to build it yet.  How do you think this compares?

EDIT: I like Hammerhead.

[Nightshroud99]

A pretty good set in my opinion, ordered it from LEGO last night. Can't wait to get it  

[Pavel]

Very nice review, thank you! It could be the only set of the POTC I might be getting.

[prateek]

Thanks for this review. This ship is a lot better than QAR, looking at the pictures. It could be more detailed, but I still like it.

[tbroyd]

Great review  

You've helped make my mind up to get one

[Captain BeerBeard]

TheBrickster, on 16 October 2011 - 02:56 PM, said:

Thanks for the early image review Captain BeerBeard.  I picked one up at my local TRU Friday.  I find her very similar to the Queen Anne, but haven't opened it up to build it yet.  How do you think this compares?

EDIT: I like Hammerhead.

I didn't compare the two because I did not want to turn the review into me ranting about lack of cannons and details etc.. I would rather you all make up your own minds. The Black Pearl is more roomy for adult hands than the QAR. I can't fit my hands anywhere on the QAR without knocking something over. Honestly, the Pearl is like a pimp version of the Renagade Runner if that gives you all a better idea. Partswise QAR is far superior. See there I go ranting. I'll leave it at that.

Edited by Captain BeerBeard, 16 October 2011 - 10:35 PM.

[Hiawatha]

Thanks for the review, you did a fantastic job! I do agree that the back of the ship could be better, especially after the last two ships had very decrotative backs. I'll have to get my hands on this beauty soon!

[Ardelon]

Nice review, Captain BeerBeard, the ship looks a lot better close up than it seemed in the previous images.

[SkaForHire]

Wow, too expensive for a small ship, but then again QAR is too expensive too. I still have not got any of the POTC stuff... I think right now deep discount POP and Kingdoms is much better for the money. Although, like QAR, if BP goes on a buy one get one I would be tempted.  

More on the ship itself, The build seems pretty rudimentary to me. However, didn't the Black Pear have more than just the black coloring to it? I could have sworn there was some reds, greys and dark browns on the ship. Lastly, why is it Davey Jones and not Barbarosa? This should have been Barbarosa and his crew! I am guessing we are not getting a Flying Dutchman then. Why would we want bootstrap bill and that hammer head guy for this set? Maybe some redcoats as filler, along with Barbarosa's pirates.

[Captain BeerBeard]

I have about fifty more pictures I can upload. Do you guys want anything specific? Let me know.

[Dan the Brickman]

Thanks for the review!

Well, it is definitely not the best looking lego ship, but, it was designed as a playset for kids. Still, for $100, has some decent figures, and parts to get you started on a ship.

Im surprised TLG waited this long to release it, as it would have sold better earlier I think, and it seems a tad early for a Holiday release.

[TheLegoDr]

Good review. I do like seeing the ship "up close" instead of just pictures. It definitely looks better to me now than in all of the preliminary photos. I do intend to get one eventually, but it will need some serious modding in places.

[GiantDinosaur]

I love this ship, may I ask a question?:

What does the poster look like?

[Perfectionist]

I'm quite disappointed by that  stern which is located so low above the waterline - and so bulky!
Also there's no rigging on the front mast; instead it has been made stable by that ugly extension.
On the prelim images with 3 windows at the stern it looked much better!

Overall the set seems to have been designed either very lazily or in a haste.

The only thing that's good here is the availability of black hull pieces(!), the minifigs and the name "Black Pearl" of course.

The build itself is crap below average I mean.  

Because PotC is so popular it will still sell well...

EDIT: I still have to thank you for the review though - very good pictures!  

Edited by Perfectionist, 17 October 2011 - 10:52 PM.

[Captain BeerBeard]

GiantDinosaur, on 17 October 2011 - 08:46 PM, said:

I love this ship, may I ask a question?:

What does the poster look like?

I'll try to photograph it as best I can. I will post it later.

[MikeHaggarKJ]

SkaForHire, on 17 October 2011 - 01:08 AM, said:

Wow, too expensive for a small ship, but then again QAR is too expensive too. I still have not got any of the POTC stuff... I think right now deep discount POP and Kingdoms is much better for the money. Although, like QAR, if BP goes on a buy one get one I would be tempted.  

More on the ship itself, The build seems pretty rudimentary to me. However, didn't the Black Pear have more than just the black coloring to it? I could have sworn there was some reds, greys and dark browns on the ship. Lastly, why is it Davey Jones and not Barbarosa? This should have been Barbarosa and his crew! I am guessing we are not getting a Flying Dutchman then. Why would we want bootstrap bill and that hammer head guy for this set? Maybe some redcoats as filler, along with Barbarosa's pirates.

Deffinetly agree about the crew/minfigs, why is Davey Jones and his crew in this set? Make some small battle pack style set if theyre that important.
I was planning to buy this set to set up the scene before the movies when Barbossa takes the ship and forces Jack Sparrow to walk the plank. Any ideas on what minifigs to use as his crew? I want the same skin color as the rest of the crew.