Which Site Do You Get Your Information From?

[Paradosis]

I'm sure I'm not alone in keeping files with information about various sets (e.g. sets I want to buy). But what website do you use to get your information? I've found that different websites can have different and conflicting information, so the choice does make a difference. To give an example, both Peeron and Lugnet list Harbor Sentry (6245), Pirate Mini Figures (6251), Shipwreck Island (6260), and Sabre Island (6265) as being released in the year 1990. However, Brickset has no Pirate sets listed for 1990, and lists these four sets under 1989. I happen to use the Lugnet information, which isn't to put down Brickset or even say that one is right and the other is wrong, that's just the site that I use for various reasons. What about you?

[Shadows]

I'm sure I'm not alone in keeping files with information about various sets (e.g. sets I want to buy). But what website do you use to get your information? I've found that different websites can have different and conflicting information, so the choice does make a difference.

I use Bricklink a lot because it seems to be active and there are enough people there who want the information to be right, since it's vitally important to their business. I find that most other sites are more hobby based and a little less reliable. When I need information they don't have, I often look right here at EB, we have a huge base of members who have their own unique knowledge and often share it. After that, it's just whatever Google turns up, whether it be Brickset, Peeron or LUGnet.

To give an example, both Peeron and Lugnet list Harbor Sentry (6245), Pirate Mini Figures (6251), Shipwreck Island (6260), and Sabre Island (6265) as being released in the year 1990. However, Brickset has no Pirate sets listed for 1990, and lists these four sets under 1989.

Harbor Sentry was definitely out in 1989, maybe late in the year and meant for 1990. I know this because I bought the first wave of pirates and promptly went into my dark ages, and that was one of the sets. I still have all of them, fortunately.

In the US, shooting cannons disappeared after the early shipments of the 1989 releases, and my Harbor Sentry has one. I didn't know it was even an issue until I came out of my dark ages and saw reference to non-shooting cannons, something I never owned.

One of the reasons for confusion is that TLG ships product to different places at different times, retailers sometimes issue things early, older parts occasionally end up in newer sets or later releases of old sets have newer parts. It's impossible to pinpoint when the change from solid to hollow stud heads happened, for example, because it varied by location and theme. As a result, you get parts lists that include alternates depending on when the set was purchased, and even then it depends on the age of the stock itself.

Eventually, Classic-Pirates.com plans to offer a comprehensive database of all things LEGO Pirates, which will answer a lot of questions for that theme, but still leaves all the others to be properly dealt with.

Personally, I'm building a minifig index that crosses all System themes and Fabuland, just for my own reference. At the same time, I'm working on an index of parts in colours they shouldn't exist in (test shots, park master builder stock, etc).

There are lots of things to keep track of.

[Peppermint_M]

I get news on new sets from this fine forum, I list my sets on Brickset (and also the minifigs I have from the sets) I use Bricklink to find the specific parts from each set. I use Lugnet and Peeron to see what the exact parts are by name/number.

The rest is a mess, I have no list of parts I want for MOCs, I have a rough list of sets I want to get, but mostly I never concentrate long enough on a project to buy the parts.

[mikey]

BrickLink and EuroBricks, the two best Lego sites, and occasionally use Peeron. BrickLink is brilliant because you can find out what is in sets, and then start to buy the pieces, I have not noticed any errors in the listings, but I do not really 'collect' classic sets. And to see what you are buying/ wanting the reviews on this site are excellent (allthough as a downside you tend to 'want' to many boxes....)

[just2good]

Brickset (mostley), here, peeron, and I use to use brickipedia,.

[Erdbeereis]

I use Brickset for a quick browse of a set number or something, but I normally like Bricklink the best. I frequently use the parts inventories for MOCing.

[CP5670]

I use Lugnet for old sets, Brickset for more recent sets, Peeron for parts, and Brickfactory and the S@H service site for instructions. Brickset has better images and reviews, but it doesn't show the original prices for a lot of old sets like Lugnet. Granted, Lugnet is missing a number of them too and is not entirely reliable even when they are available, but it's nice to have some baseline for it.

Any discrepancies in the release year are probably due to different locations. Many of the early Futuron sets for example were released in Europe a year earlier than in North America.

It's impossible to pinpoint when the change from solid to hollow stud heads happened, for example, because it varied by location and theme.

For Space sets, I've found it to be 1992 in a variety of countries. Blacktron 2 sets with 1991 catalogs have solid studs, and those with 1992 catalogs have hollow studs. SP2 and later themes always had hollow studs.

Coincidentally, that was the same year that we first saw special (i.e. not the generic smiley face) heads in Space.

Edited June 17, 2009 by CP5670

[Spyder]

I usually get all my new set pics and news from here, and I catch up on some of the coolest MOCs at The Brother's Brick. I keep my set list on Brickset, and I use Peeron to research parts and MSRP prices on older sets. I'm usually on here most of the time, and I actually don't use Bricklink except to buy and for the minifig catalog.

[legotrainfan]

I get news on new sets from this fine forum, I list my sets on Brickset (and also the minifigs I have from the sets) I use Bricklink to find the specific parts from each set. I use Lugnet and Peeron to see what the exact parts are by name/number.

The rest is a mess, I have no list of parts I want for MOCs, I have a rough list of sets I want to get, but mostly I never concentrate long enough on a project to buy the parts.

I proceed the same way as Peppermint_M. I don't use Lugnet though.

Edit: By the way, I still have a LEGO catalogue from 1989. I can confirm that all the pirate sets you mentioned were released in 1989. If they were released in the same year in every country, I don't know.

Edited June 18, 2009 by legotrainfan

[The Rancor]

I use Brickset all the time for my sets, because all the sets I own are on their database.

Some new additions to the site also include which minifigures and pieces you own, after a summary of all the sets.

To find the pieces in a particular set, I usually wait until the instructions are cached.