One lightsaber I never imagined I'd own was the Luke Skywalker ESB FFX. Why? Well, I already had Anakin's saber, which should have been more or less the same thing. It was newer, so the technology must have been better. Plus, the Luke ESB was no longer available. I figured that the time to acquire it had expired. In addition, I didn't need another blue lightsaber. I already had all four colors seen in the movies, so I was content with my collection.
THEN...
As I joined this site, I saw that MR had "a limited number" of Luke ESBs that they magically discovered hidden in their warehouse. ??? As I began doing some research on the Luke ESB, I was intrigued by how loved it was amongst FFX collectors. Everything I read about it was good. So the contemplating began... 'Should, I? Or should I not?' Well, it wasn't long until I was entering my credit card information on MR's site. :D
The hilt of the Luke ESB is nice. It's a classic design which fortunately is made out of aluminum. It's THICK, yet the feel is great. It's a bit harder for me to hold, but I manage. The recreation of Luke's lightsaber from ESB is remarkably good. :) MR did a great job replicating it. While the hilt is a bit heavy, there are some really cool features to it... like two different points on the emitter that you can peak into to see the blade. It's little things like that which add greatness to this saber. 8) The Graflex-style hilt also feels great... the rubber grips are more comfortable than they are on the Anakin ROTS. I'm not very fond of the on/off switch on this handle, as it's pretty awkward when you want to turn it off after swinging it around. The knob on the opposite side of the hilt turns slightly, but it doesn't seem to serve a purpose. Overall, I really have no complaints about the Luke ESB hilt, as it looks and feels great. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1161.jpgThe blade of the Luke ESB is wonderful. I absolutely love the bright sky blue that this lightsaber features. It looks so much like the color that Luke had while fighting Vader on Bespin. An issue I had with the Luke ESB was the dark spots along the blade. They aren't very noticeable, but upon close inspection they are definitely there. One side of the blade also appears slightly brighter than the other, mainly near the top. The Luke blade is also very wobbly... moreso than even the Anakin ROTS. :-\ I still love it either way, as again, nothing tops that awesome blue color. ;D
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1162.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1168.jpgThe biggest issue for me about the Luke ESB, like many others, is the sound. While the sound isn't bad when you're only using the Luke saber, it gets drowned out if you have any other sabers turned on. The sound seems to be the same sound that was used in the Anakin ROTS, Mace ROTS, and Luke ROTJ. The idle hum, power-up, power-down, and clashes are the same here... just quieter. It seems to be the same sound module used in the Mace ROTS, along with the skip/repeat idle hum that the Mace has. I think that if this saber had sound just as loud as the Anakin ROTS that it would easily be the best saber of them all. ;)
While comparing the hilts of the Luke ESB and Anakin ROTS, I have found that the Luke ESB is quite heavier than the Anakin ROTS, obviously because it is larger and made of aluminum rather than chrome. The rabbit ears on the Luke saber are flared, unlike the Anakin. And of course, the control box is radically different.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1172.jpgThe blades of the Luke and Anakin sabers are also slightly different. The Luke ESB glows a bright sky blue, while the Anakin ROTS shines a bright cobalt blue. Both are great in their own ways, but I have to prefer the lighter blue of the Luke over the Anakin. ;) Both blades are similar in that they both have dark spots in the middle of the blade, though it is dimmer on the Luke saber. Both blades are also more wobbly than any of the other FX sabers... especially the Luke.
In these pictures, the Anakin (right) appears lighter in color than the Luke (left). In reality, the Luke is a bit lighter in color. I'm not sure why the appear this way in these particular images. It may be that the Anakin has a higher powered output in the LEDs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1165.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/Vickyrose85/000_1166.jpgAll in all, the Luke Skywalker ESB is a real winner. While the sound lacks, the hilt rocks, and the blade is magnificent in color. Overall, I would probably say that the Luke ESB is my favorite FFX lightsaber. ;) If you're a first time buyer of a FFX, however, I'd still recommend the Anakin ROTS, Vader ESB, or Luke ROTJ instead. I see the Luke ESB as more of a collector's item with outdated quality, even when the quality really isn't all that bad.
So that's it for my FFX reviews. I hope you enjoyed them. :)