How to tell Light Grey from Light Bluish Grey?

[Merkurius]

I was about to "clean up" my old Classic space and old Technic sets and realizes how hard it is to tell the difference between light grey from new awful light bluish grey or medium stone. Does anyone have some idea how to do it or any little trick? I dont want to destroy classic space beauties with ugly bluish bricks.

[Nantucketdink]

Bright light helps a lot

[62Bricks]

A "full spectrum" fluorescent bulb will offset the colors more clearly:

[Vorkosigan]

Yea as others have mentioned a good light is key, and having a couple reference pieces for comparison. Daylight LED bulbs work well for me but some are marketed as "full spectrum" which may help.

I'm intending to do the opposite soon, strip the remaining "old gray" from my sorting system into a segregated box to free up space and avoid confusion. I very rarely use old gray in MOCs.

[kibosh]

I can't even believe people are still complaining about the color change. I'll gladly trade my old gray for new gray.

[1974]

Don't think the OP is complaining about the colour change but merely stating that bley is awfull. Which in fact is

No bley here, only sweet classic grey

There's a very cheap source for full spectrum light, it's called the sun

[Bricky921]

I'm confused, why is the bley grey awful and the light grey not when people are struggling to tell them apart.

[dr_spock]

The older your eyes get, the harder it is to tell them apart, even with good light. Get a young person in your LUG to help you sort.

[Japanbuilder]

The older your eyes get, the harder it is to tell them apart, even with good light. Get a young person in your LUG to help you sort.

So true. I am guess my eyes are reaching their threshold because I was having a hard time 2 days ago telling the gun metal light saber hilt apart from the all black ones >< Gah I felt so old!

[anothergol]

I was there around the time of classic space, and IMHO Lego made the right choice with the LBG. It looks more like stone, and it's much better for spaceships.

I wish Lego was sorting up more of their colors, because:

-green is so ugly (while lime & sand green are very nice)

-dark blue: way too close to black to be useful

-all the pseudo-metallic stripey colors are ugly (& clearly aren't replacing chrome), and look like Megablocks

-there are too many bright blue & yellow variants, pick one & stick to it

-very-light-blueish-grey should get more parts, because it's the missing step between LBG & white, the gap is too big for good gradients

Of course, as an adult, I would prefer more sand colors, but Lego isn't made for adults. Still, I'm sure kids hate the ugly green & see dark blue as black as we do under normal light.

Edited June 8, 2016 by anothergol

[kibosh]

I was there around the time of classic space, and IMHO Lego made the right choice with the LBG. It looks more like stone, and it's much better for spaceships.

I wish Lego was sorting up more of their colors, because:

-green is so ugly (while lime & sand green are very nice)

-dark blue: way too close to black to be useful

-all the pseudo-metallic stripey colors are ugly (& clearly aren't replacing chrome), and look like Megablocks

-there are too many bright blue & yellow variants, pick one & stick to it

-very-light-blueish-grey should get more parts, because it's the missing step between LBG & white, the gap is too big for good gradients

Of course, as an adult, I would prefer more sand colors, but Lego isn't made for adults. Still, I'm sure kids hate the ugly green & see dark blue as black as we do under normal light.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. The new grays are FAR superior to the old, dull ones. I do love dark blue if a model is built with it, and no black. If black is also part of the model, the dark blue just becomes black. And yes, more sand colors!

[KenAdams]

Judging from these pictures, would you be able to tell if this UCS 10030 set is 'old grey' or 'light bluish grey':

http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Lego-10030-Star-Wars-Imperial-Star-Destroyer-mit-OVP-/182165227215?

The seller claims it's 'light bluish grey', but he has the ring manual which I thought was only shipped with 'old grey'.

Hmmzzz....

[kibosh]

I am by no means an expert, but that does look like the new gray to me.

Ask him to stick a piece of old gray on it to see for sure.

[Boettner Builds]

I prefer the new light gray. There is nothing "wrong" with the old light gray, but to me, when they are next to each other, the old light gray just looks dirty.

That's why I mixed both of them for my BL'd UCS Falcon. :)

Edited June 10, 2016 by redtrooper27

[62Bricks]

Judging from these pictures, would you be able to tell if this UCS 10030 set is 'old grey' or 'light bluish grey':

http://www.ebay.nl/i...-/182165227215?

The seller claims it's 'light bluish grey', but he has the ring manual which I thought was only shipped with 'old grey'.

Hmmzzz....

I don't know about the manual, but the dark gray parts look very much like dark bluish gray and not dark gray.

[VintageLegoEra]

Light Gray parts also are of 2 types. The one from 80's looks like burnt discolured while it is not compared to those from 90's.

For example: the Light Gray in sets: 6080 and 6085 ( 1980's ) are different from those in sets 6081 and 6086 ( 1990's ).

[62Bricks]

Light Gray parts also are of 2 types. The one from 80's looks like burnt discolured while it is not compared to those from 90's.

For example: the Light Gray in sets: 6080 and 6085 ( 1980's ) are different from those in sets 6081 and 6086 ( 1990's ).

I believe that is because the older ones still contained the old bromine-based fire retardant which tended to yellow them over time and with UV exposure. The later versions did not have that compound and held their color better. They all started out the same color, but it is difficult to find any from the 80s that have not yellowed somewhat.

[MattGee]

I seem to remember, back in the dim and distant late 1970s into the mid to late 1980s when I really collected Lego there was only one "grey".

But now I am having trouble discerning the difference too. I find that a good amount of sunlight streaming in the window helps.

[VintageLegoEra]

but it is difficult to find any from the 80s that have not yellowed somewhat.

Totally agree. Even new sets from 80s, you will see this color change..

[Richard Dower]

I agree that the new LBG is a better colour...I also have a hard time telling the old Light Gray apart from LBG, but as said having direct sunlight plus a part you know to he LBG as Terrence helps.

I was going through my LBG years bag and discovered that I had mixed in some Light Grsu parts...so I had to go through everything.

I found several gears that belonged in the Light Gray bags I have.

Butvi have also noticed colour variations in LBG Also.

Much like how redvor yellowbluftarms csm vary in shade bi believe LBG also suffers from this temperature colour issue.

I do think Light Gray looks dirty...I plan to rebuild 8461 with LBG parts.

[anothergol]

Totally agree. Even new sets from 80s, you will see this color change..

I own a brand new, freshly opened set from the 80's, and all I have is the memory of that same set I had in the 80's (+ that still that very set, but so much chewed up that it can't be compared to) - it's the same thing to me.

I also own an "adventurers" set when it was still old grey, still the same to my eyes.

[VintageLegoEra]

I own a brand new, freshly opened set from the 80's, and all I have is the memory of that same set I had in the 80's (+ that still that very set, but so much chewed up that it can't be compared to) - it's the same thing to me.

I also own an "adventurers" set when it was still old grey, still the same to my eyes.

True...i mean the first Light Grey color are even little fady compared to one from 90s and 2000. Not because ageing but the production was like this :-)

[minimat]

Hi everyone,

My wife would like to buy the 10221 for my birthday.

Could you confirm that it only exist in the new bluish grey? Only the 10030 exists in both tints if I understand correctly... 

Thanks for your help!

Edited April 1, 2018 by minimat

[Aanchir]

7 minutes ago, minimat said:

Hi everyone,

My wife would like to buy the 10221 for my birthday.

As it's new and I don't think the seller would agree that I open it just to check, Is there any way for me to tell if it's the new bluish grey (which is the one I want)? If I bring an old grey brick, will I be able to tell from the picture? I don't think they ever changed the boxes once they changed the grey tint but I'm no expert...

Thanks in advance for your advice!

The Super Star Destroyer set came out many years after the color change so it's going to be Light Bluish Grey (Medium Stone Grey) no matter what.

[minimat]

On 4/1/2018 at 5:20 PM, Aanchir said:

The Super Star Destroyer set came out many years after the color change so it's going to be Light Bluish Grey (Medium Stone Grey) no matter what.

Well I did get it this Christmas, largely because you were so definitive in your answer.

I got a brand new 10221. It contains both old grey and light blue gray pieces.

Edited December 27, 2018 by minimat