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Licensed Products: eFX Collectibles, Master Replicas, Hasbro and more => MR Force FX Reviews => Mace AOTC/ROTS Reviews => Topic started by: mr_snerdly on May 22, 2006, 04:48:02 PM
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I purchased the Windu FX saber today after reading the great reviews of the Ep. 3 version. People said the color purple is actually better than most people reported and the sound is far better than the AOTC version. Upon opening the box, I agree with the others that the hilt is beautiful, but horribly oversized. I am not gripping in general terms about it being oversized, as I know all of them are. However, the parts of this saber that are oversized detract from the "coolness" of the prop Sam Jackson uses. The top portion of the hilt and the bottom are the big trouble areas. Where the film prop is thin at both places, on the FX saber they are both fat and round.
Then I noticed the blade. I put in brand new Energizer Max batteries and the blade is definitely purple, but I would say it is more lavender than the deep purple of Jackson's color. The red sides didn't bother me as bad as it did others, but I must say one side is lavender, and the other side is blue. While you are swinging it around, it looks light purple, but it drove me nuts to just sit and look at it. Another thing people said is that this saber didn't have the blotches in the blade that other sabers had. I disagree, my Mace had numerous blotches. I also tried taking photos of it in hopes that it would appear purple, as others here have done, and the xxx thing looks blue on the photos. It has the cool white core look on the photo, but I want to see purple, not blue.
Next the sound: I agree with people when they say the sound effects sound like they were recorded in a tunnel. It sounded loud, but it was very muffled compared to the Anakin Ep 3 saber.
I compared the Anakin Ep 3 saber to the Windu saber and the Anakin saber is far brighter, and the sound is much more clear and crisp.
If I was going to collect all of the FX sabers, I would purchase this one last. It is a cool novelty to have as the hilt is my favorite design of all the hilts in the Star Wars films, but the FX hilt just doesn't live up to the film version. If you were only going to purchase one or two FX sabers, I would get the Anakin Ep. 3 or the Vader ESB.
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Does anyone have any comments? Am I just insane for not liking the Windu fx saber?
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Your problems with the Mace, as you know, are not unique. The color of the blade really is only best seen in a completely dark room, otherwise the diffuser bleed though only gets worse. The blotchiness in the blade you see is usually attributed to imperfections in constructions so can vary from FX to FX. The sounds are greatly improved in the ROTS version, I have both the new and older version, and that one improvement is noticeable, the way the speaker is designed is probably the cause the tunneling you hear. I understand your concerns though, when I first got my AOTC Mace I was a little disappointed, especially at the blade, but now far removed from that initial feeling I'm still found of it, in spite of the drawbacks.
And as for the size issue, I can speak to it at length, but I think I'll let the photos speak for me. ;)
(https://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa178%2Fbenlurkin%2Fmaces2.jpg&hash=1033d61417cf209162e1303f7ccd7308a53a93b0) (http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=3588.0)
(Image is a link to the full comparison.) (http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=3588.0)
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I think the Mace is a great saber even though the hilt is over sized. Yeah the blade could be improved but I like the idle hum , it just shouts cool, has anyone else noticed that the Mace has the slowest idle hum sound out of all the Fx sabers, the Anakin and Luke are the fastest the Vader well the Vader has its own unique idle hum
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I'm sorry that your blade is blotchy, mine isn't and remains my most perfect blade in my collection.
And mine isn't two different colors on each side like yours is... ???
-Joclad
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i almost bought 1 mace ROTS yest....but i just cant bring myself to do it. there are so many negative reviews that i wonder if its at all worth it.
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I never did bought a Mace Windu FX since it was just given to me but it's not all bad.I said to myself that would be the one saber I never get. I still think it's a good fx saber. I don't know about the dueling part since I think the switch is easy to turn off especially while swinging it around.
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Congratulations..
and welcome to the forum.
this saber would be my last choice ever, i know its nostalgic to own one since its the only purple saber available, but im not a fan of 'organic-shape' saber hilts, i mean the hilt of the windu does looks class but somehow it reminds me of...a leech.. :)
anyway, i must add tht if u were only to have one or two fxs in your collection, in my opinion get the Luke ROTJ leds, its great for tricks n the brightness of the green is simply unmatched by other standard MR fxs.. if u dont mind the infamous fat neck.
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i owned a Mace ROTS FX, i said it was my least favourite FX, i have since sold it. once i saw lukes comparison prop pic, i was more put off. i do miss not having it my collection, but i wont buy it again.
the purple colour occasionally looks good in the very dark. if however it was supposed to be a green blade and the effect was as blotchy and two sided as with the mace, i would be very dissapointed. the fact its the only purple saber, is its saving grace.
interestingly enough, check your box again, note how MR have used a picture of the prop on the box and not the FX!
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I did notice MR used the photo of the prop for the box, and not the actual FX hilt. Plus the purple blade on the box looks great too. If MR can figure out how to make a good purple blade and make the hilt more realistic, I will purchase it for sure, even if it is far more expensive. That would be an awsome saber.
Hey Luke, how much did you pay for your Mace LE? I still maintain the Mace hilt is the best of all lightsaber hilts, and I am sure the Mace prop is the most sought after for that reason. One more question for everyone, someone mentioned the Luke ROTJ FX fat neck. I am assuming MR had to make the neck fat to fit the blade? That is the first thing I noticed when I saw that FX, as well as the Obi-Wan ROTS. This is the reason why I haven't bought it, because it looks like a toy to me. I have a friend who wants a "Luke" saber, and is debating over Luke's ROTJ FX, or Anakin's ROTS FX (since that was Luke's too). What would you recommend? I know the green blade looks good, but is that saber really better than the Ani FX, which is a great FX saber. Give me pros and cons on both, and I will print off the posts and give it to him.
Thanks!
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The main problem with a true purple blade is the rare and expensive nature of purple LEDs, so the red/blue diffusion technique was decided as a preferable option. (Should be noted that I'm going from second hand knowledge at this point because I've only quickly priced purple LEDs and can't speak definitively to these differences.)
I purchased my LE quite a while back but for info on the going rate I recommend this site. (http://www.toytracker.net/master/tracking/master.html/SW-112)
The Luke FX may be a bit less impressive as say, this (http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/benlurkin/allset16.jpg), but the green blade really is striking, and more than makes up for the accuracy issues in my book. Plus if you add Yoda's Luke copper kit you can really improve on the look. While you're at it Yoda also has a ANH Luke Graflex based custom available if you really want an authentic alternative. (Sorry for the commercial but Yoda's work really is amazing and I can't recommend it enough.)
For more of the pros and cons of the two alternative I encourage you to start a topic asking members opinion of the two, it will give you a more diverse set of opinions to help with the decision. ;)
Personally I have a hard time deciding between the pair since they both have their pros and cons. The Luke is the easiest to spin and an amazing green blade can't but help in my book. The Ani is a great all around saber and is generally recommended as a first saber to highlight exactly what an FX is. It does have a few draw backs such as the switch being easy to hit by mistake, and the gold accents can rub off with time (Both points have been discussed at length on the boards.) . In the end I'm a big fan of them both and am glad to not have to choose between the pair.
Hope this is helpful.
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Even if the Mace had a nice purple blade, I doubt I'd buy it. IMO, the hilt is hideous. :-X I preferred the hilt Mace had in EP1.
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since u r askin, and since the Luke ROTJ FX is my fave saber, i would strongly recommend the saber. I know ppl dislike it for a reason but overally, itsa good saber to own, the feel of holding it, the weight, the sound, and the brightness of the blade is totally awesome. Check out my short review with some pics and also other reviews specialy from Anakin and Aayla Secura.
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Some excellent points in favor of the Luke, Hang Tuah. (Though still I can't recommend enough starting an opinion thread for this.)
Interesting that you favor the TPM Mace, Todd, but to me it seems a bit plain for SLJ's saber somehow. :D
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Thanks for the info everyone. I will read up on the reviews. I had heard that supposedly SLJ had a different saber in TPM, and I have seen photos on the net, but I didn't know his saber was actually shown in the film. Am I wrong? Is this a complete EU saber?
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I think you can see it on his belt briefly during the celebration scene at the end of TPM.
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i was just about to say that.....its only for 2 or 3 seconds
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Indeed Master Knucle, it is so briefly seen some still consider it EU, as a matter of fact thelightsaber.com (http://www.thelightsaber.com/) even lists it as a saber he'd borrowed from another Jedi (Eeth Koth) only to get his back later. :D
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outstanding info my old friend *bows*
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I know the story of SLJ's favorite color being purple and asking Lucas to make his saber purple, but I have not heard the story of Lucas presenting the hilt to SLJ. It sounded like Lucas hand-picked the hilt just for SLJ. Does anyone have a link to this story?
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i would also like to hear this story
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Does anyone want to share the story? Is this only a myth?