how to improve ultrasabers

[ostrich160]

hi, I just have a little tip for ultra sabers. I think its a great hobby, collecting sabers and friends dueling with them, I just have 2 idea (2nd one is the most important-
 
1. Make lite packs. $15 each although they have poor blades, poor hilts and just not great quality. Becuase if you are starting the hobby than $70 is ab it of alot if you dont know if you like it, and even the grab bags are abit much.
 
2. This is the main one. Its great that there are so many different sabers but I just think (apart from blades) that each saber should be different, not just in looks but in ability. This menas that people dont just buy them cause they look different, but becuase they act different. I dont know what you could do, thats up to you, but maybe speed or something. Something that makes each saber different in not just looks.
 
thanks
tom

[Oz Drift3r]

speed?

[Wawa]

i think he means weight and balance

[Amanita]

I think the problem with putting out poor quality hilts and blades as cheapies, is that it might degrade the rest of the product line. Some people might have realistic expectations of a $15 saber, knowing that it won't be as durable as its $150 cousin. Sadly, a lot of people don't, and when their $15 saber breaks, they will view it as a reflection of the entire Ultrasabers line. And also, these aren't mass produced in a factory, each saber is hand built as far as I know. Labour like that costs money. Heck, $15 will barely buy you one of those junky Hasbro sabers with the retractable coloured plastic blades and poor lighting.

Personally, I don't think the grab bag sabers are an unreasonable price. Sure, being picky and choosing hilt material and blace colour costs extra. But even still, people tend to be very happy with what they get.

[Ultra]

1. I don't think attaching our name to a POS saber is a good idea.  If you want a $15 saber with a poor blade, poor lighting, and poor hilt, hit up Walmart.

2. Every saber handles differently already.  Many duelists buy Liberators for the light weight, speed of movement, concave grip, and thinner overall hilt.  Others prefer the Redemption for a hefty feel, wider hilt, and rearward balance.  Again, every saber is different in feel and performance.

[Lord_BoOgEyMaN]

1. I don't think attaching our name to a POS saber is a good idea.  If you want a $15 saber with a poor blade, poor lighting, and poor hilt, hit up Walmart.

2. Every saber handles differently already.  Many duelists buy Liberators for the light weight, speed of movement, concave grip, and thinner overall hilt.  Others prefer the Redemption for a hefty feel, wider hilt, and rearward balance.  Again, every saber is different in feel and performance.

I know you may think the price of even the grab bag sabers is a little high for noobs, but its not, I'm a first time buyer myself, Got a phantom initiate V2, wasn't sure if ide like it really get into it, When i got it my eyes got so big I was like the kid from a Christmas story "only i cant shoot my eyes out" Trust me, find something you like in lower price range and you will be very happy you bought it.

[Amanita]

1. I don't think attaching our name to a POS saber is a good idea.  If you want a $15 saber with a poor blade, poor lighting, and poor hilt, hit up Walmart.

That is pretty much what I said- one of the first rules of sales is don't sell anything you would not put your name on, or stand behind.

[ostrich160]

okay then, I think you are right with the price thing. but with the differences, weight does not make as much as a difference as I was talking about. I mean something you can really talk to your friends about, like a special ability that only your saber has.

also, who do you duel? I am worried about getting one because if my friends dont buy one there are no sports or clubs that play it, at the most there is larp.

[Amanita]

I just duel with my friends, one of them has her own saber, and I've accumulated enough sabers in the past few years that I can lend out spares if need be. It seems that a decent number of first-time buyers save up and buy a pair, either matched or different ones. That way, they can dual wield, or loan one to a friend.

As for "special ability that only your saber has", what do you mean by that? What kind of abilities? As said before, they all have different handling characteristics- The wraith V2 is perhaps the most agile saber I've got, given its small hilt and light weight, whereas an RGB bane looks like it would be much more solid and heavy- a good "power" weapon due to its size and mass. But if you're referring to something other than weight and balance, please clarify.

[Kaiser Xander]

The best way to make your saber unique is to customize it yourself. None of the saber, metal or plastic hilt, come with any special effects other than the few with sound. Take a look at some of the reviews, there are some excellent custom jobs there. At this time, any new effects to the sabers are likely to be expensive, given that it will be either new or uncomonly used technology. Just my thoughts.

[Amanita]

Yeah, customizing your own saber might well be the way to go- even in terms of strictly looks, there's lots you can do. I've seen pics of beautiful customizations done on plastic hilted sabers using things like automotive trim, foil tape, and paint. Getting a plastic-hilted dominix, archon, or nemesis and going to town on it with the aforementioned materials will definately make your saber stand out!
I've got a pair of aggressors- copper hilted sabers no longer offered by Ultra, that I decorated with leather grip-wrapping. The leather is cowhide embossed to resemble ostrichskin, and has a lovely rich tan colour that looks very sharp with the copper hilts of the sabers.
I'm also working on leather wrapping for my liberator v2's, using black leather lacing.

[Ultra]

Different abilities, eh?  I suppose I could make a saber with an integrated cattle prod in the pommel.  That would be an interesting ability...

[Ronin]

okay then, I think you are right with the price thing. but with the differences, weight does not make as much as a difference as I was talking about. I mean something you can really talk to your friends about, like a special ability that only your saber has.

also, who do you duel? I am worried about getting one because if my friends dont buy one there are no sports or clubs that play it, at the most there is larp.

What do you want out of it? Ipod sync abilities? Strobe light effect? A giant pez dispenser? Please clarify, trust me though, your friends will talk about any product from ultrasabers, and you won't have to worry about none of your friends ordering once they see it. Even if they don't though you will be pleased enough when you get one.

Oh and Ultra, that cattle prod idea... that's what real initiate blades do... not a bad idea...

[Hobb]

A friend from my work place is on the fence about getting a saber, and I am pushing him to get it from Ultrasabers. His hesitations are mainly because he cannot decide whether he wants a green or silver blade. So I told him, 'why not get a silver blade that flickers green whenever it clashes? (or just randomly)' Is this something that would be feasible?

[Ultra]

An RGB saber tuned to white with a custom made controller board that turns the red and blue wafers off when it detects impacts would do that.  That's only feasible if your friend is good at making micro-controllers.