Collecting just a sub-theme?

[Paul B Technic]

Has anybody ever considered collecting just a sub-theme such as just aircraft in the city theme or just cars in the Technic theme? I am considering selling off some of my Technic and just collecting the earth moving / construction / truck type sets within this theme. Would doing this limiting me too much? I am also looking at this to focus my MOC building in this direction with MOC’s which are related to this area.

Looking on Brickset I could include 20 sets in the last 5 years within this theme and eBay has quite a few sets which would fit in this area, some quite old and rare.

Do you collect a wide range of themes and sub-themes or do you limit yourself to just one?

[Tereglith]

Call me crazy, but I buy the sets that I really want and ignore the ones that I don't want, instead of trying to collect entire themes or subthemes. Maybe you could try doing the same?

[Spitfire2865]

Why should he? If he likes his method, why not? I think it would make an amazing collection having all the construction type sets Lego has made over the years on display in one room.

Would love to see such a collection to be honest. Haha

[Galaxy Explorer]

I would imagine anyone getting into LEGO town in 1997 would only collect the Diver sets!

I'm not even sure if Divers was a sub-theme or its own independent theme. Town Jr. started that year, and Divers was much more realistic. In fact, they are a few pages apart in the product catalog from that year.

I am sure there are fans of LEGO Star Wars who only collect UCS or only collect System sets.

I pretty much buy any set I like regardless of the theme. I have the Haunted House, but no other Monster Fighters sets. There are themes I heavily collect, such as CITY, but there are always sets I pass on. The Police Pontoon Plane from 2008 would be a very good example.

[Spitfire2865]

I believe Divers was its own theme, not a sub-theme of Town.

Could be wrong about that one though.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Spitfire2865

[Faefrost]

There are a lot that mainly focus on sub themes. There are a lot of City types that will just focus on Fire. Or a fan of Space may like Galaxy Squad, but not Space police. Or only collect one faction of a theme, such as the Star Wars fans that only collect stuff from the Original Trilogy or Clones. It's your collection. Build it how you want. Nothing about doing that will make you any weirder than anyone else around here.

[Alternator]

I think if it does interest you and it's within your means, do it, it's "your" hobby after all. I suspect quite a few AFOL's have what I will call pre-destined purchases which you could say is like collecting.

i.e.

My pre-destines are the flagship Technic models each year, City Street Modulars (Sadly I don't have the first two), and the Winter Village series (if I could've afforded it, I would have liked to get all the UCS level Star Wars sets coming out too).

That's partly because I have a high confidence I will like all those sets, so I suppose that is the yard stick I use - I collect in the themes I have a high confidence I will continue to enjoy.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Alternator

[just2good]

I love this idea, and I have done it before. I own all of the Marvel Super Heroes sets, except two of the polybags released outside of the United States. My cousin also collects all of the City Airport sets.

[naf]

I don't collect based on a theme, I just buy sets I find interesting. When I was a kid I asked for space and pirates sets pretty exclusively, so my collection consists mostly of those. But as an afol I just buy what I think will look nice on my desk.

It's all up to you. It's your collection, and that's the beauty of Lego!

[Paul B Technic]

Thanks for the replies, I always collect based on what I like (which does sometimes change over time) however my question was more based around if other people also do it and if so how do you decide what to base it on.

I have decided to head in the direction of the construction / earth moving / trucks theme so this will focus my collection and give me something to build up.

[Rook]

I get the subtheme thing. I only "collect" Star Wars sets with Minifigures. But I'll buy anything if I have the money or if has some pieces that I can't live without.

[Aanchir]

There are definitely plenty of people who collect just particular sub-themes of sets. For instance, I know several people buy the LEGO Creator houses for use in their tabletowns or simply for display, but have no interest in the larger-scale vehicle models or creature models. Likewise there are plenty of people who collect only minifig-scale Star Wars sets, mini Star Wars vehicles, or Ultimate Collectors' Series Star Wars sets. Moving outside of strictly-defined subthemes, my two siblings and I divided all BIONICLE canister sets and impulse sets according to color: I'd get red and white sets, my younger brother would get blue and black sets, and my twin brother would get green and brown/yellow/orange/whatever-the-sixth-color-for-that-year-was. And some Ninjago fans only buy sets with temples, dragons, and other fantasy elements, avoiding the theme's sci-fi vehicles.

I don't know of many people who collect just one "genre" of LEGO City (other than trains, of course), but there's definitely no reason not to unless you're really drawn to collect things outside that subtheme. One advantage of collecting within a particular subtheme is that sometimes, like collecting only particular themes, it will help ensure your MOCing parts are compatible with each other in terms of color scheme. Another advantage is of course that it reduces your overall spending.

And remember, there's no penalty for breaking rules you arbitrarily set for yourself. I stopped collecting LEGO Star Wars sets around 2005, but my family has gotten some UCS sets since then, and last Christmas my twin brother got the podracer set from two years ago. Occasionally there is a stellar set design that's just tempting enough for you to make an exception to your self-imposed rule. That doesn't by any means indicate that the rule is no longer any good. Of course, if you find yourself making exceptions left and right, that might mean the rule is in need of revision. But again, there's no penalty for deciding your interests have changed and a rule you once stuck to religiously no longer applies to your collection.

[Paul B Technic]

Thank you Aanchir for your post, it makes a lot of sense to me. I will stick with that I like and maybe break the rules every now and then :)

[Vindicare]

I've tried this before, but my willpower for avoiding LEGO isn't up to par. I pretty much get any set that I like. I collect most any theme, but not often do I get every set from the theme.

[Hrw-Amen]

No reason not to do it and just because the rest of us don't it is up to you what you collect. I collect CITY, but I do not buy the buildings very often simply because I think my MOCs are better at representing whatever the building is supposed to be. I like whole buildings that I can lift off each floor, similar to the modulars, as opposed to the CITY habit of giving you just the front bit. However if they did a really cool building that i liked I may buy it and try and build the rest myself. For example I have the forest police station and plan to change bits and build a back onto it.

At the end of the day it is your choice to buy whatever you like and if something jumps out at you that you would not normally get then feel free to buy it. If it is not up to what you expected you can always use the bricks in one of your MOCs so it will not be wasted.

Good luck and remember to show us some photos.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

it is your hobby and you are free to collect what you want

I seem to like modular,and my collection will flow that way, but that does nor mean that spiderman cannot keep a watchful eye on my city, or see Hobbits drinking at a pub, or even storm troopers patrolling the streets

it is Lego, it is good