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Thread: MISB Question

  1. #1
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    Default MISB Question

    Wasn't sure whether this question required its own thread or would be better posted under feed back for TLTC so I just did both.

    I ordered MP-13 Soundwave from The Little Toy Company last week and received delivery today which I was quite happy with.

    I’m a MISB collector for Masterpieces so when I opened the delivery box I always check to see the condition of the box. It had a bit of damage on one of the rear corners of the box (which unfortunately may occur on the odd occasion) but then I noticed that the top of the box had been double taped, which to me means opening the box makes little difference for MISB. So I decided to open it to have a look at the old cassette player but to my surprise, the plastic toy enclosure had also been double taped.

    While I’ve heard of customs sometimes opening the box to have a look at whats inside, I’ve never heard of them also opening the plastic toy enclosure as well. Is this a normal thing?, cause right now I feel like I’ve been given a second hand product which is not what I paid for.

    Would appreciate it if anyone could shed some light on this seeing as though this is the first MP I’ve bought from an Australian seller since the whole PC ordeal and I’m on the verge of going ape sh*t over this.
    My wife asked me why I carry a gun?, I said "Decepticons"... She laughed, I laughed, the toaster laughed, I shot the toaster. It was a good day.

  2. #2
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    Default

    I honestly can't remember if my soundwave was double taped, but I bought the Hasbro release also.

    I don't recall if there was a double taping issue with MP soundwaves, it's possible that a more recent run may have been re-opened in the factory to include an accessory or confirm/fix an internally identified QC problem. Given the age of the first release, any recent release might not have garnered enough attention from MISB collectors to have made a note of this in any of our news outlets.

    I would be extremely surprised if TLTC intentionally sold you a second hand MP as MISB.

    You could politely email them and ask if they are aware of double taping, but I doubt they would have any information on hand. Having opened it, you can't really ask them if they have another you could swap with.
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  3. #3
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    19th Mar 2015
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    Default

    Thanks for the response

    This was the Takara release, it was advertised as a re-issue on their site.

    I only opened the box (cause it had been double taped, meaning it had already been opened, so what's the differnece really), but not the plastic enclosure that sounbdwave was in, that's when I noticed that it had also been double taped as well which to me means someone had already opened it up and taken the figure out (that's second hand to me).

    I was intending to write to TLTC about it but thought I would check here first to see whether this was a normal thing or not. The figure looks OK (again I haven't opened the plastic enclosure so I haven't handled it to know if there are any issues) but its the principle, I payed good money for a brand new product, not a second hand product which has already been opened ( I understand a box being opened but not the plastic enclosure as well), and the fact that I prefer to keep my MP's MISB I'm pretty peeved about it.

    So yeah before I give TLTC an ear full, I wanted to make sure first whether the double taping of the plastic enclosure was a normal thing or not.
    My wife asked me why I carry a gun?, I said "Decepticons"... She laughed, I laughed, the toaster laughed, I shot the toaster. It was a good day.

  4. #4
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    Default

    Ah the old double taped chestnut. I hear you man.

    As a part MISB collector I've learnt to live with it. A lot of the masterpiece figures are coming double taped these days. Now that I collect doubles of most MP's I hope that I receive at least one nice single taped box so that I can keep that MISB and open the other one to transform and display but it doesn't always work out.

    However, I can't recall double taping on the inside plastic shell.

    For what it is worth, as long as the duplicate tape matches the original I don't think it has much impact on the value. In fact I've read that someone was able to get an AFA grading on a double taped MP so hopefully that's of some comfort.

    In future I would just leave it sealed even if it's double taped unless you want to display it. In this case I agree with UltraMarginal that there is not much that can be done about it now except to confirm with TLTC that is was not returned by a prior customer.

  5. #5
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    I preordered my MP Soundwave before it first came out, so mine was the first TakaraTOMY issue and it wasn't double taped. I'm not even sure why this matters.
    Quote Originally Posted by DaptoDog View Post
    For what it is worth, as long as the duplicate tape matches the original I don't think it has much impact on the value. In fact I've read that someone was able to get an AFA grading on a double taped MP so hopefully that's of some comfort.
    As long as the toy sells for what you paid for then you're not making a loss. So unless double taping reduces the value of a sealed toy then I don't see how it's an issue.

  6. #6
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    I figure if the factory cuts the tape to get into the box for some reason, unless they're doing something with the instructions or it's a visual inspection they can perform without opening the clamshell, the likelihood of there also being double tape on the clamshell is extremely high.

    Now that you've talked about it a bit more I vaguely remember something about double taping on the clamshell of a MP soundwave someone bought from Robot Kingdom in the last 12 months.
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    my original collection from when I was more impressionable.
    My Current Collection Pics (Changing on occasion)

  7. #7
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    I've seen the double taping on the inside shell. I'd have to look through my MP boxes to find out exactly which figure it was I saw it on, but if memory serves I think it was one of the cone heads. If/when I get time I'll take a look for ya

  8. #8
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    Perhaps they sourced from a reseller in Hong Kong or China.

    Double taping happens over there for various reasons: to add security measures, to add/remove additional inserts (especially Mainland China), to check for no defects (allegedly HK Hasbro sometimes do this but I've never had it confirmed by someone from Hasbro).

    I've never heard of a double taping INSIDE the box however so I feel you are justified in questioning the source of the product. When I buy MISB I like to know I'm the first person outside the factory to put my hands on the figure.

    I used to buy from HK stores I knew pulled their stock straight out of the case into my hand as I too got sick of questioning why boxes were double taped.

  9. #9
    Galvatran Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime View Post
    I preordered my MP Soundwave before it first came out, so mine was the first TakaraTOMY issue and it wasn't double taped. I'm not even sure why this matters.
    Seek to understand the position of a MISB Collector. You may not agree with or appreciate their collecting habits but at least you'll have a better understanding why it matters to these collectors.

    I would have thought a person like yourself who has been actively collecting Transformers toys for several decades and been in regular contact with the local Transformers fandom would have conversed with a few MISB Collectors by now.

  10. #10
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    19th Mar 2015
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    Thanks for the responses

    The double tape on the plastic enclosure did look the same but it’s not like I’m an expert on tape.

    I guess I just got a dodgie feeling about it all, buying something brand new and then seeing the double tape on the box and then after looking inside seeing double tape on the plastic enclosure as well, didn’t feel like I got a new product, and that’s not even taking into account MISB preference

    I’ll probably shoot TLTC an e-mail to see if they are aware of any double taping but I doubt I will get anywhere with it.

    If anyone has encountered the double tape on the inside plastic enclosure, please let me know, it might not fix the disappointment but at least i can take solace in the fact that I wasn’t ripped off

    Thanks again
    My wife asked me why I carry a gun?, I said "Decepticons"... She laughed, I laughed, the toaster laughed, I shot the toaster. It was a good day.

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