How do other sabers compare to Master Replicas Limited Edition’s?
Limited Edition Versus...
Hey guys, this is my CHANCELLOR PALPATINE inspired review only I have chosen to compare my MR LE’s against other brand replicas. My first review will be of the Master Replicas Luke Skywalker “Version Two” Limited Edition Lightsaber (2007) and the EFX Luke Skywalker “Version Two” Stunt Lightsaber Precision Cast Replica (2009).
MY STORYWhen I was about 8 years old I purchased my first lightsaber from K-Mart, Luke ROTJ electronic lightsaber with battle clash and humming sound. After begging and pleading to my parents to let me use my Christmas money they finally bought it for me and I was the happiest kid around, it was my favourite toy. In 1997 I used to play with it all the time pretending to be a Jedi. My backyard was the stage for my epic battles, imagining the walk way and stepping stones as bridges and footing to avoid the grass, or the unforgiving lava and bottomless drops. Wait, that sounds really familiar...
Early this year i purchased an EFX Luke stunt saber because i really loved the design but wasn't willing to pay for the Hasbro or MR FX saber because it wasn't really close to a 'replica' in my eyes. The choke was far too fat and just not worth it for me to be satisfied with so ordered the V2 EFX because it was affordable and looked cool. When my package arrived I thought it was really nice. I was a little dissapointed when I opened it that it didnt look like the image on it's box but I wasn't willing to pay $300+ on Lightsaber (this was then, before the saber addiction worsened).
Now, I’ve just turned 23 and purchased my first LE and the perfect tribute to one of my favourite childhood toys, the Master Replicas Luke Skywalker Version 2 Lightsaber.
Here is my Comparative review.
PACKAGINGBoth the LE and EFX are very well packaged. The sabers themself both come enclosed in a hard foam protective case with grooves around the hilt’s detailed design to eliminate any movement during the shipping process. The LE does have more pieces than the EFX therefore the box itself is bigger and there are more foam pieces to protect each individual item. At first I was a little nervous that the mirrored base might break whilst it was being shipped but once I unpacked it I was very confident that as long as my future LE’s are packed in their original packaging then there is nothing at all to worry about. Nothing inside will move or break unless you decide to use it as a football.
The EFX foam casing is a lot simpler and smaller but just as effective if not even more effective and protecting the item in its entirety. It’s all packed into one foam piece and taped around to secure the lid from moving and stamped with ‘EFX SECURE’.
The design on both are quite nice, both black and labelling what the item is. While the MR only has words and logos printed on it the EFX shows that infamous image of Luke Skywalker holding his ignited Version 2 hilt outside of Jabba the Hutt’s Sail Bargeand a detailed description about the Saber to its right. The other image on the EFX box is a picture of what is obviously the Master Replicas Luke V2 LE. The image is misleading but I guess that is to entice you to buy this hilt. The image is not the EFX hilt inside the box. The actual EFX Luke Hilt is not chromed and the weathering is different.
THE EXTRASThe LE comes with cleaning instructions and what I believe to be a customer care registration and registration to the collector’s society, a cleaning cloth, description, photos, certificate of authenticity fold out pamphlet and numbered plaque to stick on your plaque stand.
The EFX comes with a printed certificate of authenticity printed to resemble a plaque, precision cast replica catalogue + others (which includes the Mace Windu stunt saber which I have never seen available online before. I just opened the plastic containing these extra for this review), EFX Stickers (yay fun!) and a registration send off.
DISPLAY STANDThis would be the biggest difference between the two lightsaber hilts as a whole. The MR comes with the mirrored base with two arms to hold up the hilt, plaque base and an acrylic case to protect the hilt from dust, smoke and to an existent the air itself to prevent oxidation if it can occur in this hilt (so prevent from touching the hilt with your fingers, I always use gloves it has never been touched by flesh. Oils can leave a stain over time. Don’t clean it with cleaning products. If it is anything like a drummer’s cymbal, if the finish is washed off the chances of oxidation will increase).
The EFX comes with a small stand with the hilt’s title and the logo from Return of the Jedi. Unlike the MR arms, the piece where you rest the lightsaber is lightly padded to avoid any scratches on the hilt itself. I thought this was a really clever idea and I would have loved to have seen it on the MR’s stand arms. Every time I place the MR hilt back in its display case I always worry that the arms will scratch the hilt.
THE HILTThis is probably the most important part of the comparison and the most important part of any lightsaber package with accessories, the hilt itself.
This hilt is Mark Hamill’s stunt saber from return of the Jedi. It was used during the battle outside of Jabba’s Sail Barge, Moon of Endor and during the final fight against Darth Vader. It differs from the Hero version with the only real similarities being its shape. The Graflex clamp along with the circuit board remain on the V2 where as the hero version has a circuit board type activation switch with 2 arrows on its side obviously indicating up for on and down for off just in case Luke forgot how to turn it on because that would be really embarrassing...
I noticed that the MR is a fraction longer, a lot heavier and made from a polished metal. The EFX is one solid cast resin piece, even the clamp lever is stuck with the gap filled with resin and it’s the same under the activation switch. The MR’s lever doesn’t move either but it doesn’t look so obvious and the gap under the circuit board graflex clamp is hollow. The small screw above the pommel is in slightly different locations if you measure it from the metal looking covertech piece. The EFX circuit board on both are not stickers; if you run a finger across it you can feel the grooves. Also, the D-Ring is a little more rounded on the EFX than on the MR. The MR’s Graflex clamp looks like it is a separate piece. I haven’t really examined it enough to see if it could be removed but I wouldn’t dare try it and I’m pretty sure it can’t be. The guys at MR did a really good job and making it look like the real deal. It looks like it could be made from pieces Luke could find from Obi-Wan’s desert view bachelor pad. I think that makes the version two much more realistic to create in the star wars universe story wise.
WEATHERINGMR’s weathering looks amazing. The paint does look chipped and scratched. The hilt does have small dents that are hardly noticeable because if they were there may too many customers complaining that it just looks broken. The weathering does not look natural though but there is no other way to get a close prop replica and weather 1500 LE + 500 SE sabers naturally and get them all to look identical and like the original.
There is far less weathering on the EFX. All EFX Luke’s are different because from what I have heard and read they were all hand painted. The emitter top is different to the MR. The weathering in between the extension grooves isn’t as noticeable unless you look at it closely and in the light. There are paint stabs around the neck in gold and black.
The extension above the pommel is almost identical however there is a very noticeable split which ruins the continuity of this section of weathering which indicates that it must have been printed off, wrapped and stuck on the extension piece. It sort of ruins the weathering design on the EFX Luke and every time I see it, it reminds me of how fake it looks up close. It really lets the saber down. In comparison to the MR, the EFX weathering is where it should be. They didn’t add any extra weathering but they did tone it down in every section of this hilt.
CONCLUSION TIMETo compare Master Replica’s Limited Edition sabers to the EFX’s stunt line is a little unfair to do especially that the Luke version two is far more detailed and made from much better materials than any efx stunt lightsaber. The obvious winner is Master Replicas.
EFX did do a great job with this resin stunt saber. You need to remember that the EFX is a budget saber for display and cosplay. It’s a lot cheaper than an MR hilt. You can play with it, put it on your belt, touch it without the fear of stains or wiping it afterwards where as the MR feels a lot more delicate and I wouldn’t advise doing anything with it apart keeping it in its display case.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comparative review of the EFX vs MR Luke V2 lightsaber’s.
I will be doing a less extensive review shortly on the Master Replicas Anakin Skywalker ROTS Limited Edition Lightsaber and the Hasbro Anakin Skywalker ROTS ForceFX Lightsaber with a removable blade.
(sorry, some photos just wouldnt rotate)