Build-Your-Minifig

[Oky]

Hi everyone!

I don't know if something like this has been discussed before, but I don't think so. So, here we go:

Do you know those little parts bins in some Lego Stores that are filled with minifig parts and props so that you can make your own minifig and buy it for like $3? I was wondering what you gys think about those. I for one really like 'em. They're kinda like Pick-A-Brick, only for minifigs. Also, sometimes you can find real gems amongst those parts! Last time I went to my local Lego Store, I very surprised to find an Episode VI Luke Skywalker (with yellow skin and black robes), Draco Malfoy (with yellow skin and green Slytherin Quidditch uniform), Prof. Snape (with glow-in-the-dark head), the statue from 4751, and fleshy Spiderman characters like Peter Parker, Mary Jane, Aunt May, Harry Osborn, Jonah Jameson, a police officer, and even the black ambulance driver! All were without legs and hair, except for Mary Jane for some reason, but still.

So, what are your thoughts on this, and what treasures have you found there?

Edited September 4, 2008 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[NewRight]

I don't know. I have looked into it before. I personally prefer going an buying some minifigs for on $1.50 on BrickLink, but I have considered the minifig design before. I may have to try it on my next visit to my far away LEGO Store.

[Lego12]

I haven't done it before, but I've seen it. Three minifigs for $10.00, I don't think so......

[Eilif]

You pretty much described the selection of figures that we had around here last season. In addition to your list, a few things I remember seeing were basketball legs in red and purple, legs and torso from some star wars bounty hunter type, yellow slave Leia legs and torso, tan legs with pockets on front, ski mask heads in black and red, trans-clear heads with brain print, trans-yellow heads with no print, a basketball torso, and sand green legs.

Most of the things you and I listed are not offered anymore, but this year on 2 occasions I got an employee to go in the back and bring out last seasons build-a-fig parts and get the managers permission to fill a PAB cup with them. At one store they only had legs, and at the other they mostly only had torsos and heads left, so it worked out pretty well.

I've only paid the $3 bucks a fig (3$ for 5 parts) a couple of times, and rather than getting a whole fig, most times I picked 5 pieces that looked most interesting, usually hair or torsos. Your not being able to find hair, probably is the result of folks like me buying them.

In the end, unless it's a really rare part, like hippie/princess hair, it's rarely worth the three bucks, so I usually prefer to get my minifigs other ways.

Edited September 6, 2008 by Eilif

[xenologer]

It was good for a while, then it went bad, and then they stopped altogether (at the two stores nearest me).

For 3$ it was decent to get rare out of production minifig parts, usually I'd only buy the special printed torsos and legs. And the occasional rare female head. And I did get a nice selection of Racer's helments (great for Space Fighter Pilots).

But that good stuff only showed up for about a month, and for the next half year after that they had Nothing but Ferrari! minifig parts! thats right, nothing but plain red torsos, plain red legs, all the same heads, and red helmets.

Definetly Not worth 3$ by then. So no one bought Any for a few good months. And (perhaps because of that?) now they don't have the option at all any more.

Ohwell. I'm happy with the handful of good figs I did get. Hope they bring it back.

[DJ Force]

I always enjoy building minifigs in LEGO stores. Last time I had a birthday coupon of 20 Euros to spend, and I bought 12 minifigs for that. A fig is 2 Euros here in Germany, buy 6 and pay only 5.

But to be honest, I only bought the figs because they also had the Exo-Force hairpieces in the bin.

[Dennimator]

I dont have a LEGO store less than ca 300 km from my town (in Hamburg,Germany)and I have to cross 2 countries, but I have been in it twice and bought 6 minifigs for 10EUR both times, mostly because there were lots of brown and light blue short child legs and brown and black hoods, but I also found one whole yellow Darth Sidious fig(except the cape) and a Luke Skywalker head(sold Sidious on Swedish eBay for 115 SEK (appromax. 17$), so I like those bins!!

[Morgan19]

Sounds like my store was pretty similar to other folks' experiences. My area first got a "limited time only" minifigure PAB right before the first wave of the Castle 2008 sets came out, which was nice because you could get not-yet-released parts for the Princess and Evil Wizard, along with pink parts from Umbridge and a few others that escape me at the moment. Now the store just has plain red torsos, white balaclava heads, and some helmets– somewhat overwhelming, comparatively. It'd be great if they'd institute some permanent figure PAB, or at least have more diverse options for the limited times it is available.

m19

Edited September 5, 2008 by Morgan19

[Shoc]

The time I was at a Lego store and got some of these figs, I gave them all dwarf/ewok legs because there were lots of them, and I like them. Also I gave all my figures Rock Raider's Sparks' torso, I don't know why that was there 7 years after Rock Raiders ended, but it's great anyway. I can't remember what I gave the people above their shoulders, apart from a grey ponytail (!) which I somehow ended up not having once the figs were in the bag.

Also at Legoland earlier this year there were something like 3 figs for 1 pound, better than the 5 figs for 3 pounds in the Lego store. The pieces available weren't that impressive or varying, but I got some female faces and some shirt torsos, so OK.

:skull:

[Erdbeereis]

My experience is about the same as some of these.

When I went to the Mall of America LEGO store this past weekend, I found an old yellow princess Leia slave torso. As well as a nice fleshie female head and fleshie suit torso. What bugged me though, was that they only had those silly spring-loaded basketball legs.

[Oky]

You pretty much described the selection of figures that we had around here last season. In addition to your list, a few things I remember seeing were basketball legs in red and purple, legs and torso from some star wars bounty hunter type, yellow slave Leia legs and torso, tan legs with pockets on front, ski mask heads in black and red, trans-clear heads with brain print, trans-yellow heads with no print, a basketball torso, and sand green legs.

Yes, that's almost exactly what was there this week in my store! I forgot to mention the slave leia (How could I? I got like six of those now!). But they didn't have any brains!

ME... WANT... BRAINS! :skull:

Maybe I'll go back and check if I missed them. Anyway, I usually don't pay the three bucks per minifig either because I only want the torso and head most of the time. So, I just put those in a PAB cup together with some bricks.

Unfortunately, my Store never had any of the new Castle figs. I'd love to have some dwarf legs!

Edited September 5, 2008 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[Dadster]

I just saw these at a store outside Washington DC. Only store I've seen them at thus far, and the selection was bare-bones. IIRC, all the torsos were red, all pants were blue, only about 4 different heads (all yellow) and one could also get 1 of the following wrench, hachet, or radio.

[Eilif]

. So, I just put those in a PAB cup together with some bricks.

You realize that's stealing right? Sure it's only 3 bucks, but you had enough $ for the PAB cup.

In other news... I wish there had been some dwarf legs when I visited, I'd gladly pay 3 bucks for 5 dwarf legs. There aren't enough little kids in my layout.

[Erdbeereis]

When I went, they actually didn't let me take for example 3 torsos and 2 heads. They said it had to be a complete minifig which made me a bit frustrated.

I would much rather get a few more torsos than silly basketball legs.