I decided to make this thread (hopefully stickied) as a reference for newcomers to lightsabers for Ultrasabers and their products. Like almost every first time buyer, I had a ton of questions, and a lot of time was spent on Google looking for the answers. Well have no fear! I will attempt to gather as many topics here to help you research and decide on your first lightsaber.
The HiltChoosing a hilt is completely personal preference and maybe a matter of money. Do you prefer Style? Functionality? Value? Will the saber be in heavy use? or will it adorn the wall or mantle?
If you are a looking to be a combat lightsaber enthusiast, the length of the hilt may come into consideration. 2-Handed? 1-Handed? Staff? Dual Wield? Although there is no specific thread on hilt lengths you will be able to find some in the reviews section.
Saber Staves are essentially 2 smaller sabers connected by a coupler.
Height vs. Staff Length Topicshttp://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=1132.0http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=1482.0http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=1041.0The SoundThe good folks at Ultrasabers do their best to meet with the demands of a lightsaber enthusiast. They opened up for suggestions on what people wanted out of a soundboard in their lightsaber. The result was the Obsidian(TM) soundboard.
The Obsidianhttp://www.ultrasabers.com/product-p/z-sound-obsidianusb.htmSoundboards are available as an option on select hilts because they need the room to fit all the electronics into the saber. Also if you choose to go with sound, it is strongly recommended you consider getting the Lithium-Ion setup.
Lithium Ion Topichttp://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=1581.0Sound Topichttp://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=2718.0The BladesUltraSabers prides itself on being THE name among combat saber enthusiasts. This is due largely to their blades. They have 2 qualities that any saber enthusiast would want.
They are extremely durablehttp://youtu.be/StB5wRy3KdIhttp://youtu.be/TNpWnjiXwK8Blade Comparisonshttp://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=666.0And they are really bright (also due to the LEDs ultrasabers uses)
There are LOTS of pics and vids in the review section to display that.
Education on Blade Types and Opinions by Deep Himself
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=3096.0Some key questions to ask when choosing a blade.
Will it be for combat (sparring, dueling)? or will it be for display?
How long do i want it? Ultrasabers offers 36" 32" 24". They will also do a custom length for an additional charge.
Do I want a round tip or a pointed (bullet) tip? The bullet tip will increase lead, that is the build/processing time for the saber, hence also increasing the shipping time.
One last point here is that the blades are replaceable and/or interchangeable. You can purchase multiple blades for different occasions.
Also note that the blades when placed in the hilt lose about 1-2 inches so overall length of the saber will change. Best way to test this is to buy a large dowel (not more than an inch thick and long enough). Find the size of the hilt on the forums (usually in the reviews) and add blade length minus 1-2 inches. Measure the result on the dowel and also mark the length of the hilt and cut the excess, and see how it feels. You may want to cut a bit further up just in case you cut too short. If that seems like too much work, you can invest in a yard stick. I would say average size of single saber floats above 36" unless you got the x-large 36" blade.
I appreciate you doing this for the newcomers, imperial.. and I wish I could turn back time to read this before I customized my wife’s chosen one ce. I was totally just relying on the price when I was picking the parts, so if it was more expensive, then it must be nicer kinda thang. Well I hit the jackpot because she was ecstatic to have it, but I want to feel smarter next time I customize US orders, so this really enlightens me and everyone else!!!