[Prince of Styrene II]

Just wondering what you guys are thinking. I know that recasts are bad. I'm a big believer in that myself. Never bought one. But what if you simply can't find an origonal? Say it's long since OOP & a recast is the only way you can get the kit?

Thoughts?

 

[Zorro]

The "morality" of this question is so malleable according to who answers it that I would say you just need to answer it yourself and then keep your decision yourself.

 

[TAY666]

I agree that it is a personal thing.

IF you are looking for someone to tell you it is ok, then I think you already belive that it is wrong.

My personal opinion is that any recast is wrong. No matter how hard to find an original is, or how long it has been out of production.
The reason for that belief, is that any recast a recaster sells gives him money and more incentive to recast newer and currently produced kits as well.

Personally, the only exception for "me" is resin versions of styrene kits. Especially when it comes to things like nameplates and bases.

 

[JerseyPhoenix]

Ok.

(Devil's Advocate here)

I have an old Marvel Dark Phoenix vinyl kit that is missing a hand. I would love to get a new hand for this kit, but unforetunately this kit was never easy to find when it was in production, and now it is really close to needle and haystack levels.

If I was to pay someone to recast their hand for me so that I can finish my kit would you consider that wrong?

 

[razorwyre1]

tay666, im curious, why are recasts of styrene kits ok to you, and the others not?

 

[TAY666]

tay666, im curious, why are recasts of styrene kits ok to you, and the others not?

Mostly, I am ok with replacement parts. Missing nameplates (like the one for the bellringer), bases (like the missing ones from the prehistoric scenes reissues), or other parts that were in the original version but left out, or changed in future releases.
These do not bother me in the least, and I see them as a boon to the modeling comunity. They allow modelers to buy cheaper reissues and build them as they originally appeared. While leaving the rare sealed mint versions for the collectors that want them on their shelves as sealed specimines.

Now on the question of complete kits, it gets a bit murkier.
Most styrene kits are produced in the thousands. Most resin kits are lucky to hit around a hundred. Also, the cost of the resin version would be higher than any reissue price from original producer. So from the standpoint of the recast hurting the original producer, I think that is a non-issue. There wouldn't be enough resin versions produced to hurt any planned reissue of the kit, and they would cost a lot more than a styrene release. (unlike a recast of a resin or vinyl kit. Where the recasts eat up a huge chunk of the market for the original producer. As well as under-cut the original producer on price)
Also, a resin copy of a styrene kit, is obviously not an original. Completely different materials. It cannot be confused as an original. Where a lot of recasts are mistaken for originals in the resin kit market. Since most recasts are of inferior quality, they give original producers a bad rep too.
EXAMPLE: Someone buys a recast of a kit by "company x". The recast has lousy mold lines and a bunch of pinholes, and soft details. The buyer, thinking he got an original looks at it, and thinks "company x" has really poor castings and decides not to buy any more kits from them.
This has hurt "company x" since they have now lost a customer.

Even with all that, I still tend to shy away from recasts of styrene kits. Part of the charm of those kits is the nostalgia, which is lost with resin. Also, a lot depends on the who is producing it. If they are recasting styrene, are they recasting anything else?
Basically I go for the recasts of unproduced items. I do not see copies of prototypes as recasts, others do.

These are my personal beliefs. Your mileage may vary.

 

[CPATTER328]

Recasting is wrong if it hurts directly or indirectly the original producer of the kit. Recasting one or two missing parts is no problem. You have already bought the original kit. Buying a kit that is OOP from a recaster hurts because it puts money into the recasters pocket to recast other kits, some of which are not OOP. Buying a resin recast of an old styrene kit IMO is also okay. Take for example the resin recast of the Dr Jeckle Mr Hyde kit. Polar Lights has stated that they are not going to release this kit. By buying the recast not only do you have the kit to complete you Aurora collection but you allow any original styrene to remain unassembled and a value to kit collectors, thereby helping two parts of our hobby.

 

[lonfan]

CPATTER- I'm ONE HUNDRED PERCENT IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU ON THIS, IN FACT I ORDERED A DR.JEKYLL from one of those "Resin Recast" Companies and I'm Delighted to have a chance to add the good Doctor to my Aurora/PL Collection for a Nominal Price! Sure I would have been happier if PL had Repoped Jekyll with a Pricetag of $15.00 instead of $75.00 (So would my Wife! lol)But This is the Next best thing. I see This Situation Being as Much "Evil Recasting" as What Polar Lights Has done since they started Repoping Aurora's I ask you, IS WHAT PL DOES CONSIDERED RECASTING? IMHO I THINK NOT! That's just my Opinion


JOHN/LONFAN

 

[Dave Hussey]

Well, I think we all agree that recasting of a kit that can be had from the original producer is absolutely wrong. For example, I'm a big fan of Wilco Models. If I ever encountered some doing knock-offs of his latest gem, the Proteus for example, I would be extremely pissed!

But what are the legalities of recasting a kit where the original producer is now gone out of business? Is that similar to a situation where the rights to something have entered the public domain? I believe for example that the recent UCLA release of the old Nigel Bruce and Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes DVD sets was made possible in part because Universal Studios no longer holds the rights to those movies.

Huzz

 

[Guess Who]

I think it's better to say "Don't buy from re-casters".

Doesn't matter what it is. You have no control over what they do
with the money. You may buy something that everyone agrees does
not hurt anyone. But then they can use your money to finance their
next project which may hurt someone.

James

 

[Dave Hussey]

That's my general policy actually. But is there anyone who can offer a legal opinion for the layman?

Huzz

 

[razorwyre1]

huzz, you are correct about the analogy regarding the holmes movies. unless th ownership is transferred by some legal means, when the copyright holder ceases to exist, so does its claim on the item. it gets complicated when the item is in itself licensed (a model of a movie monster for example) because while the model's copyright is no longer in force, the movie studio still owns the image of the character