About buying used sets?

[Johnny6666]

Do you say NO to used sets whatsoever because you just cannot stand the fact that the sets are already handled by someone other than yourself even though they seem to be in good conditions?

Do you always have to buy sets MISB because you ,as a perfectionist, have to set the bar as high as possible?

The fact that different AFOLs have varying tolerance of used sets always interests me since I believe it is reflective of one's character.

I say this with all due respect, but these are incredibly offensive statements to make.

A) Lego is likely handled (at least in part) by Lego staff in some capacity prior to being sealed in box - even if only minimally. To be 'unable to stand the fact that sets are already handled by someone other than yourself' doesn't sound like a mere concern with basic cleanliness (which no doubt all of us consider when assessing used sets): it suggests a very real obsessive compulsive disorder.

B) Buying MISB doesn't make one 'a perfectionist', or suggest a need to 'set the bar high'. Buying MISB might reflect one's economic circumstances and/or disposable income, or be the result of easy access to sealed sets, or indicate a collector's interest in packaging or promotional materials beyond the sets themselves. Buying MISB doesn't reflect 'perfection' in a collector - just the will (for whatever reason) to buy MISB. Nothing more.

C) 'Tolerance of used sets...is reflective of one's character'? C'mon! That's ridiculous! See above. If anything, exclusively buying MISB is at least partially a reflection of the level of one's disposable income - not an individual's moral qualities! Indeed, I'd suggest that (in)tolerance of used sets and a fear of the great unwashed spoiling LEGO 'perfection' is indicative of one's relative mental health! Any hobby that turns upon the act of collecting no doubt has obsessive elements, but I really think you're taking it way beyond healthy here...

[SMC]

^ I disagree, just to look at what looks like your main point you choose to buy one new set rather than 2 used sets that is not about disposable income. There are so sets I will never get because they are now too much to get new. It is still a choice, if I went down the used rout I would spend more on Lego not less because more sets would be open to me as it is I don't want to play over the odds for a set so I don't buy many sets that are not made anymore.

[TakeaBrick]

And I shall answer this with all due respect. I meant and will mean no offence in all of my posts. Please consider the following as the elaboration of my original post and the response to your post:

A) The question “Do you say NO to used sets whatsoever because you just cannot stand the fact that the sets are already handled by someone other than yourself even though they seem to be in good conditions? “ refers to the state of the used sets after they are unboxed and not before they are packaged in a factory. I surely know and accept that the pieces of the sets are probably handled by LEGO staff in the packaging process. However, whether the handling of the unboxed sets by people other than LEGO staff is acceptable leave me and probably a lot others a big question mark. Because you will never know how those “people” handle those sets. They might put the sets in a very bad environment (e.g. exposing them to direct sunlight, leaving them to kids for chewing, touching them with body fluids still on the hands like mucus or saliva...etc). Nevertheless, I highly doubt that the LEGO staff will handle the sets as such in the packaging process.

B) People buy MISB out of all sorts of reasons. It can simply be that they can simply afford them as you said. It can also be that they can afford them AND they have very high standards of the sets. They want the sets to be as of high quality as possible. So, my second question “Do you always have to buy sets MISB because you ,as a perfectionist, have to set the bar as high as possible?” refers to the second type of people. I would agree “Buying MISB doesn't NECESSARILY reflect 'perfection' in a collector - just the will (for whatever reason) to buy MISB. And, there are always some people who buy MISB out of the pursuit of perfection. “ So, my second question is asking if you happen to be one.

C) I sincerely don’t think that my statement “The fact that different AFOLs have varying tolerance of used sets always interests me since I believe it is reflective of one's character.” Is ridiculous. Buying used sets or not is at least PARTIALLY a reflection of the level of one's disposable income and ALSO indicative of one’s preference. As with LEGO, as with all other material things, some people prefer them to be first-handed. Some are okay with them being second-handed. Some might happen to be under the economic strain and still insist on buying them first-handed because they don’t want to be worried about any problems of the products left by the previous owners or they don’t want to be looked down upon or many other reasons. In such cases, they indicate preferences and preferences indicate certain aspects of the characters.

[VintageLegoEra]

Always i am looking for Like-New/EExcellent condition sets when it comes to used...

[Robianco]

I buy incomplete sets from eBay then complete them through my own bricks or Bricklink.

I've had mostly very good experiences in doing this and have got some great sets at a fraction of the cost of MISB.

For me, MISB is pointless as a Lego fan... I'm just going to open it... If you're going to keep something MISB you're not interested in the Lego. Just the box's value (and resale value).

I've grabbed a couple of incomplete sets of the same thing from different sellers then sourced missing pieces and boxes and ended up selling a complete set with box and instructions as well as a complete set with instructions and no box for more than the total buying cost... Meaning I have a very nice condition set with box and instructions for free.

I enjoy the whole thing of getting a set cheap and then building it up to 'complete'... And worst case scenario is it costs just under what the complete set would have cost... Invariably it costs much less.

My entire Harry Potter collection has probably cost me just over what a MISB Diagon Alley costs... and I've had the pleasure of building them all (Including Diagon Alley), so I wouldn't change my method of buying for anything.

Obviously this is for older, retired sets... I spend enough at the Lego store as it is so buying big from a reseller just doesn't interest me.

Edited May 12, 2015 by Robianco