Sign in to follow this  
Phil Slender

Review: 4501 Mos Eisley Cantina

Recommended Posts

7890911506_54a803cfa9_z.jpg

Set Name: Mos Eisley Cantina

Set #: 4501

Theme: Star Wars

Pieces: 193

Minifigures: 5

Year of Release: 2004

Price at Release: USD $29.99

INTRODUCTION

Ah, 2004... an interesting year for the LEGO Star Wars line. Personally, it was one of my favorite lineups, but it was certainly controversial for a few reasons. First, the summer 2004 wave saw the transition from yellow minifigs to flesh-toned minifigs, also known as "fleshies". Second, 2004 was the first year LEGO decided to start redesigning vehicles they had already previously released, starting with the 4502 X-Wing, and continued with the 4500 Snowspeeder and 4504 Millenium Falcon. Thrown in that mix though was this set, Mos Eisley Cantina, which is also a redesign of the 7110 Landspeeder with the addition of a Dewback, a "Cantina", and Greedo!!

7883341252_a57713f7c7_z.jpg

Why did I get this set? When it was first released, I had no intention of picking this set up. It seemed overpriced and had a terrible price-to-piece ratio (especially back in 2004). As you can see in the picture, I got this set on clearance. It was marked down to $17.90 on clearance at Kohl's, and the price I paid was actually even less. All toys were marked an additional 30% off bringing the price down to $12.50. And since I had $10 in Kohl's cash, I only paid $2.50 out of pocket. $2.50 for a $30 set! Sounds good to me, especially since some of the figs in the set *cough*GREEDO*cough* go for more than $30 alone at auction.

7883340974_a030ff43c9_z.jpg

MINIFIGURES

If this set has anything going for it, it's certainly the minifig line up. Look how beautiful they look. Greedo is arguably one of the most valuable and rarest figs in the Star Wars line, and there's something about the retro Obi-wan that will always have a place in my heart. This was also my first Han Solo fig, and him being my favorite character, was an essential in my collection. Also take note that this was one of the final Star Wars sets to include yellow minifigures. The wave following this featured the all new flesh-toned figs, which you may or may not prefer.

7883340562_0f64cdb98e_z.jpg

Here we have Luke and Obi-wan, basically identical to their appearance in 7110. The faces may be simple, but they look great and Luke's outfit looks great for a design dating back to 1999.

7883340370_f818561e08_z.jpg

Neither one has any back printing, but Obi sure looks like he's wearing a thong...

7883340186_cac01e54b5_z.jpg

Here we have Han and a Sandtrooper. Both are great figs. I really love Han Solo, the colors, the design, the smug mug. Captures the essence of the character. The Sandtrooper is also nice, and features a cool shoulder cape.

7883339578_51277916cf_z.jpg

Han's back continues the vest printing, and the Sandtrooper has a backpack full of... lightsabers?? No, but a pretty cool design.

7883339380_ef72cb7b6d_z.jpg

The Sandtrooper, like all Stormtroopers of this era, has a plain yellow face.

7883339208_d86f5b69eb_z.jpg

And here... is the reason everyone bought this set. GREEDO. As of 2012, this is still the only set he has ever appeared in and boy does he look magnificent. The face is hard plastic, and overall a very well-shaped mold.

7883339942_68c483d5db_z.jpg

Greedo doesn't have any back printing, but look at how cool his head is in the back, and his arm printing! Fantastic.

7883339798_623be7ca3b_z.jpg

ACCESSORIES

Here are some of their toys. Luke has his lightsaber in blue, Greedo has a pistol, and the Sandtrooper has a long stick to balance himself on the Dewback.

7883338860_a4cfef7bea_z.jpg

THE DEWBACK

The Dewback... slower than a scout walker, but warmer than a Tauntaun. Not to mention a crucial role in the Star Wars films...

7883338638_cf480e473a_z.jpg

Anyway, there's nothing to complain about LEGO's depiction of the Dewback. It's made of the same pieces from the Dinosaurs line of the early 2000s, and it actually is a pretty cool accessory to any Star Wars collection.

7883338482_d27d50baff_z.jpg

Here you can kind of see how the legs and head can move around on hinges.

7883338300_239a82d036_z.jpg

The Sandtrooper really loves riding his Dewback... I kinda think he'd prefer a speeder bike or AT-ST though if he wants to cause some real damage.

7883338082_5ec9d09df1_z.jpg

THE LANDSPEEDER

This is my favorite part of the set, the landspeeder. It has a great sleek look, its the perfect size, and captures the essence of the movie counterpart very well. Since I own both this version and the 7110 version, I can say I highly prefer this version due to its size, design, and color (the sand-red bricks look great!)

7883337928_b6b17ef0e3_z.jpg

It features a nice compartment in the back for lightsaber storage, essential for any Jedi.

7883337718_8cffc4405e_z.jpg

I like the use of the "wire" type LEGO pieces on the front, gives it a great look.

7883337464_1ce7ea20df_z.jpg

Here is the bottom; it features three smooth circles for easier maneuverability.

7883337256_5a2f218f0d_z.jpg

Don't drink and drive, kids!

7883337040_643e0d5327_z.jpg

THE CANTINA

The use of the word "cantina" here is very loose indeed. It's more of a cupboard than a full cantina. There's much to like about the design, from the stripes in the walls to the spheres on the roof. But even as a display piece, what is this exactly supposed to convey?

7883336616_cc24de9e30_z.jpg

If you open it up, it feels a little bigger. Not really though.

7883336414_f22acc6bac_z.jpg

This is one of the best views/layouts IMHO.

7883336248_48abc51c9f_z.jpg

Who shot first? Han or Greedo? Well, Han certainly has the opportunity to here since the table has room for his megaphone, err, I mean blaster, underneath it.

7883336086_e11c435ee2_z.jpg

Han offers Greedo some lemonade as a peace offering.

7883335874_f0c3442f15_z.jpg

The box says to combine 4501 with the 4504 Falcon...

7883335264_c05ac1036a_z.jpg

This is my attempt.

7883335464_84d683ece6_z.jpg

RATINGS

7883340792_e3c2e2d134_z.jpg

Minifigures: 10/10 - Nothing to complain about here. Five figs is great for this size set, and all of them are marvelous. Greedo is valuable, Han, Luke, and Obi are essential to any collection, and who doesn't want Stormtroopers for their army?

Parts: 8/10 - While there aren't many parts, the ones you do get are great. The sand red is nice, (and rare), and the Dewback pieces are unique as well.

Build: 6/10 - The build was easy, and took no time at all. Had I actually spent $30, I would have felt disappointed by the lack of time and challenge in building this.

Price: 4/10 - Having spent only $2.50 on this, I have no right to complain, but for the full price of $30, this is a bit of an empty set that only warrants the price if you hold on to Greedo and sell him later. Terrible ratio for piece-to-price as well.

Playability: 9/10 - There's lots to love and let your imagination go wild with this set. Unlike a one-vehicle set, you can actually have adventures with 3 parts of this set, and play around on the world of Tatooine.

Overall: 74% - The biggest thing going against this set is the price and the lack of actual "cantina" to justify the namesake. The minifigures are top-notch though, and the landspeeder is a great improvement over the original 1999 version.

I'm actually very glad I have this set, and still enjoy pulling it out once in a while to look at it and play with. It adds a lot to any Star Wars collection, and definitely scores high marks in the "valueable" category given its figs, parts, and uniqueness.

Edited by Phil Slender

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The problem is that you've tried to use HTML to embed the pictures. EB won't accept HTML coding in members' posts; you'll have to use BBCode instead. There's a tutorial on how to embed photos from flickr here.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The problem is that you've tried to use HTML to embed the pictures. EB won't accept HTML coding in members' posts; you'll have to use BBCode instead. There's a tutorial on how to embed photos from flickr here.

Thanks 'Brickdoctor'! I think I fixed it now. Sorry about that everyone.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow, I can't believe how cheap you got this.

I love the fig lineup but also the parts lineup is nice. It's good to see older sets with the chrome hilts, I'm happy I stocked up on them before they went extinct.

A very fine review.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm so glad there are others that like showcasing their old scores front and center! Seriously, I wish LEGO could ever be found this cheap any more. Too bad it's widely popular now…

I wish I had this set, if only for Greedo. He's quite a great figure, especially the arm printing. I just love that. The dewback is pretty cool too. It looks much better than the Boga that came with General Grevious Chase. That one is ugly; the dewback looks quite cute.

Excellent review too. The don't drink and drive and the attempt at combining the set with the Falcon really made me laugh!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm officially envious of how you got this rare old set so cheaply! :blush: $2.50 for a then $30 set and currently fetching up for $230 for a MISB on Bricklink? GREAT pick-up indeed you lucky one! :thumbup:

This really is one very fine set, having a good combination of solid minifig line-up, a nice little structure, an iconic vehicle, and a now-rare SW creature! Greedo is one of the best SW alien minifigs but for me the "star" of this set is the Dewback. I really really wish TLG would re-release this in a future set. I hope that the current wave of Tatooine-based sets is a good sign of things to come (a proper Cantina set in the near future).

Good job on the review BTW, thanks for sharing! :classic:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the review Phil Slender! This set sure turned out to be a real little gem for collectors after it went out of production, with both a unique minifig and a unique creature. Personally i'm really hoping for a remake of this set, including the much loved Dewback!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for this review. :wink: This si a great Star Wars set especially if you got it for $2.50...

Anyway, the minifigures look excellent but Greedo looks stunning. The landspeeder is nice but the cantina could've been a bit bigger.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.