Hello all, it's time to share the results of my most recent order, taking advantage of the winter sale and the premium grab bag offer to get no fewer than 4 new 'sabres, including my first Emerald 'sabre, the Bane.
This is the Bane, one of the older hilts offered by Ultrasabers. It's heavy, it's brutal, and that huge emitter is fixed in place - only the pommel is MHS compatible.
It's a definite two-handed hilt. I'm 6' and strong, and I can throw a Reaper around with ease. The Bane, though, lives up to its Sith Lord namesake - this is not a hilt to be taken lightly.
The emitter is solid aluminium. It's much wider then the similar flared emitter of a Shock, for example, and much heavier. It makes the Bane a very heavy hilt, and given its utilitarian looks, I can understand why there aren't as many people who like it as something like the Bellicose or Guardian.
Nonetheless, I think this hilt looks fantastic.
It's as close as I've seen to this hilt, wielded during the Battle of Geonosis by background characters
Joclad Danva and
Lumas Etima (you can even just about see it in Etima's hand in his photo). Danva is cited as a dual wielder and proponent of Form VI, the Form I eventually want to learn. Ever since I first came across a picture of the hilt back in 2002 or so, I've admired the mix of silver and black and the functional appearance. I'm delighted to have it at last.
So, if I wanted this 'sabre for so long, what was keeping me from getting it? It's not like I'm exactly short of 'sabres, after all
Simply put, I couldn't settle on a single colour for this hilt. Bane's Heart was an option, as was Sentinel Yellow, I liked the idea of a Dark Violet blade, while both Etima and Danva used blue blades on the hilt. It was a quandary, and while quick disconnects were an option, but something made me hold back. And then Ultrasabers launched the Emerald Driver...
My Bane has an RGBW LED, which means it can produce pretty much any shade, including pure white. I've got the AV switch as always on, set to channel 4, which means that the hilt always has an air of potential about it - if the batteries are in, of course. It takes about 2 days to run a fully charged set of batteries down with just the AV switch illuminated, incidentally.
But while all this is interesting, I suspect what you want to see is... lots and lots of colours. Let's see what we can do.
Guardian Blue
Consular Green
Blazing Red
Violet Amethyst
Artic Blue
Fire Orange
Sunrider’s Destiny
Adegan Silver
Bane’s Heart
Pyrestone Orange
Emerald Green
Sentinel Yellow
Hot Pink
Dark Violet Amethyst
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So, million dollar question... Is the Emerald driver worth getting?
Yes,
if...
Firstly, you can get the Emerald driver without sound in a lot of hilts. That's worth considering.
Secondly, if you get the Emerald driver with sound, you get flash on clash free - a $35 saving (sort of).
Thirdly, in comparison to just buying the MLS/LED units on their own... Well, one of those with flash on clash is $70. If you're considering getting Emerald, bear that in mind. As a one-off purchase, it's worth it for me; I wanted a Bane, I wasn't sure what colour I wanted it in, and this lets me change according to my moods (currently I have it set on Bane's Heart, Hot Pink pulse, Blazing Red flash. This 'sabre won't go unnoticed).
I doubt I'll buy a second Emerald 'sabre... although I'd like to have enough money to send in my Bellicose for the upgrade. Like Bane, it lacks an MHS emitter, and even though it has quick disconnects I like the idea of having the two hilts as counterparts to one another. Other than that, I don't see myself getting another one. It's an expensive option, albeit a fun one. Put it this way - I have 14 hilts, and 9 of them are stunt hilts. Just holding one of my 'sabres in my hands is still a thrill - the extras are an added bonus, not necessary by any means.
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In addition to the Bane, I ordered 2 grab bags to make up the order to qualify for a premium grab bag. My results were an Aeon LE v3 (my first Consular Green blade), a Dark Standard Issue with grooves (Guardian Blue), and the premium hilt was a Liberator (also Guardian Blue).
I was pleased with all three of these. I'd hoped for one of the MHS specials as my premium grab bag, but a free 'sabre is a free 'sabre, and the Liberator is one hilt I didn't have (hard though it may be to believe). I'd thought about buying one before, but wavered because it's
so plain. However, as a grab bag it's a great hilt - sleek, and the slight indent makes it comfortable in my hands.
The Dark SI is a hilt I already have two of, generally making up a staff. I'm happy enough to have another one, although I find it a bit chunky to use as a single hilt as it doesn't really have any obvious grip point. Still, the grooves help with that. I have plans to
resolder the LED to get a Blazing Red blade on this one - I think it'll look good with the black hilt, and I actually don't have a red blade, so that'll be something new.
Finally, there's the Aeon. This is a hilt I've been thinking about getting for a while because it matches nicely with my v2 Aeon LE (my very first 'sabre) and my Shock LE.
I have a Dominix v3 LE, and the two also go well together.
It's comfortable hilt to hold, either one or two handed, and one I have no problems recommending. Unlike the Dominix, I suspect it looks fine as a 'plain' hilt without the gold highlights, but I'm pleased mine has them as it meshes well with the other Aeon and the Shock. I figure there could be a story there about a Jedi padawan (v2), Knight (v3) and Master (Shock) who progresses up the ranks and constructs a new 'sabre at each stage.
As for my collection as a whole, it's now at 14... and 13 blades. The Aeon and Dark SI came without blades to save on costs, and while I had one spare, I can't take a photo of my whole collection just yet.
However, I took a few...
Guardian Blue, Guardian Blue, Guardian Blue
All my Obsidians - the Bane was shipped with a Dark Violet blade and Sentinel Yellow pulse.
And, er, happy St Patrick's Day?
