Click here for lightsabers
  • Home
  • Help
  • Login
  • Register
Pages: [1]   Go Down
Author Topic: Aeon LE v4 Stunt Saber - Review  (Read 2406 times)
HoverFloat
Knight Lance Corporal
*

Force Alignment: 32
Posts: 57



« on: January 30, 2017, 11:23:20 AM »

Hello! Long post ahead. I've had this saber for almost a month now. I could have made this review when I got it, but I felt that it would have been more of a first impressions. So I waited to see if those first impressions lasted.

Let me preface this review by saying I've heard of Ultrasabers for a long time and have seen videos of, heard, and read a lot of bad things about them. But considering they were the fastest manufacturers, and the most accessible for me financially, I took a leap of faith and got one. I ordered from a local reseller.

My skepticism with US made me choose to NOT buy the saber I wanted. Instead, I lurked around the forums, found out what most people recommended, and went the other direction. For example, my first choice was the Sentinel in either blue or green, but I let my wife choose the hilt and color instead. Fortunately, she didn't choose the same thing I wanted. So for me, it became more about seeing how Ultrasabers can impress if I bought bought something else other than what I initially wanted.

So I got:

-Aeon LE v4 stunt
-Blazing Red
-36" UE Midgrade
-Windowed emitter
-Standard battery setup


Pretty basic stuff. Again, not my first choice for the hilt nor color, but I went with it half-expecting to get disappointed.


HILT


The hilt was far larger than expected. I never paid attention to the product specs, so I was surprised when I saw a hilt that would pass for an actual sword if it wasn't hollow and housed an actual sharp blade. If I squint my eyes and intentionally blur my vision, it does give a very sword-like silhouette. It was also heavier than I expected, which I found nice since it leans more towards being an actual weapon and away from being a toy as it reminded me of a collapsible baton I used to have and love.

The small disappointment I have is that the gold grooves weren't as golden as I hoped. It's hard to describe, but it's almost a washed out gold in person yet comes out shinier on camera (see pic above). Minor cosmetic detail that can be overlooked, and doesn't really take away from the overall looks of the saber.

TLDR: Expected a small flashlight toy, got a big and weighty (for me) saber hilt. Gold grooves don't look that gold in person.


ELECTRONICS AND BATTERY LIFE
Most of what I read about US products is that their wiring is "shoddy." So the first thing I did when I got home was open up the battery pack and inspect the wires. I could not find anything wrong with it, so I'm either lucky or those who had issues were just unlucky.

The only thing that worried me was a little rattling. Now this, I expected, but I knew how to take care of it so I put it off for later. That is, until someone was playing with the saber and did a quick stabbing motion. It was followed by a loud CLUNK. I knew that was the battery pack either slamming down the pommel, or up the hilt. Horrified, I quickly grabbed the first thing I found (a zip tie) to stuff into the hilt to keep the battery pack in place. This was the messy result, but it got the job done quite well.



I imagine that if I left it alone, the loose battery pack jangling around the roomy hilt would have bent and twisted the wires and cause issues over time. I could be wrong, though, but I wanted to be safe. I also can't speak for sabers with sound, and will probably open another topic with that question.

As for battery life, I pick the saber up and do some spins for about 20-30 minutes every day since I got it a week ago. Based on my forum-lurking experience, I reckon battery life lasts about 2-3 hours, or 5-6 hours tops, for standard setups. I think I've passed the 3-hour mark already, yet I've only seen a slight dimming on the saber. Overall, I like how I haven't used my rechargeable batteries yet.

TLDR: Wiring is okay. Rattling is concerning but expected and easy to fix. Pre-loaded batteries still kicking.


BLADE AND COLOR
It's always been suggested that the 32" blade is perfect for smaller people. I'm one of those smaller guys, at 5'4". But as I was setting myself up for disappointment, I got the 36" instead. As expected, it was too long. However, after a few days of trying a few spinning maneouvers, I actually adapted to the length. Part of it was finally being able to find my grip, which I will talk about in a bit.

Another reason I got the 36" was I wanted to see if the light did carry up to the tip at that length. Was glad to see that it did, on full batteries anyway.

True to the theme of trying to disappoint myself, I got the Ultraedge blade. Most forumers would say that BR looked better in standard blades, so I went the other way and got myself the UE blade. I also knew the blades looked like real lightsabers on camera, but nothing like it in person. I also read that BR is a deep red, but with a pastel look due to the UE blade.

Then again, there are others who say that while it does not look like a real lightsaber in person, it looks better in person. The problem is, red has been notoriously hard to capture on camera and looks orange, so you can't really know until you see it with your own eyes.

This is NOT how it looks like in person.


That being said, I consider myself a very manly guy. But when the reseller ignited the saber in front of me for the first time, I almost let out a very girly squeal. It looks amazing. I now understand what people have been saying all this time: photos and videos do not do the colors justice. As long as you do not expect it to have a white core with a colored glow, you won't be disappointed with Blazing Red.

Perhaps it does look better in standard midgrade, and I might look for that blade in the future. For now, I like how it looks in ultraedge.

The blade itself seems very flimsy the first time I touched it. But after swinging it around and hitting the floor, the wall, and a lot of other random objects (someone actually broke some lights not 20 seconds after I handed them the saber), I see no dents in it. Perhaps there's a few scratches near the tip, but I think that's one of my cats getting tempted by the dark side. (A Cait Sith lord.. get it? get it? no? okay..)

TLDR: It will never look like the lightsabers in the movies, but how it looked in person was a very pleasant surprise. Blade seems sturdy enough to withstand accidental hits.

GRIP, COMFORT, AND HANDLING

I read that the best choke point for the Aeon/Dominix v4 models is on the emitter, where the windows are drilled into. Most of what I read advised against windows as it made the choke point uncomfortable. So I got them. Not just beause I wanted to see for myself how uncomfortable they are, but also because windows are cool.

I disagree with the general consensus for the most part.

I didn't find the windows uncomfortable at all. But I didn't find that particular choke point comfortable either, so I wouldn't have had my grip there even without windows.

It took me a long time to find my grip. For some reason, gripping the smaller choke point above the switch was even more uncomfortable for me. I actually felt the most comfort gripping the grooves between the emitter and the small choke point (where my ring finger and pinkie would rest). The choke below the switch is definitely for my other hand when two-hand wielding.

I guess that's the beauty of this hilt. It seemed so wonky when I first held it in my hands, but ultimately offered a lot of options on where to grip. You can break the rules, ignore the pre-set choke points and grip the saber wherever you like. Whether this is the same with other hilts, I do not know. But I'd love to hear more about it.

TLDR:Got windows to make it uncomfortable for myself, found my own grip. There might be a hidden genius to the Aeon/Dominix v4 design.

VERDICT
I expected a lot of disappointment with the product, but Ultrasabers has proven me wrong for the most part. While I wasn't exactly blown away, I'm quite pleased with the saber and am already planning my next purchase (with sound this time, perhaps it WILL blow me away). I'm now debating buying from the reseller (who's really cool) or purchasing from US myself. Do I support the guy who is promoting Ultrasabers and the local saber community or be selfish and take advantage of rewards points and possible raffle winnings? I swear that red blade is turning me to the dark side.



Logged


scifidude79
8-bit Defender of the Aeon Order
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 2106
Posts: 6326



« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2017, 02:50:54 PM »

Welcome to the forum.  Smiley  Very nice review here.  It's good that you were pleasantly surprised.  You definitely can't believe every rumor or bad thing you hear.  You did make a wise decision, though, to start off with one of the lower end stunts, to see for yourself.  That's one of the great things about prices starting where they do, there's not only an Ultra Saber to fit any budget, but you can also test the waters without jumping right in with a $500 saber.  I've never seen an Ultra Sabers reseller, that sounds cool.  Though, as you said, there are definite advantages of reward points, raffles, etc.  By the way, you're not the only person who thinks the emitter windows aren't uncomfortable.  Darth Cephalus, one of our resident spinning masters, has windows on his Aeon and he even uses that choke point to spin it.

In terms of a couple things not being what you expected, I can explain a couple things.  First, in terms of the anodizing, it's not a process that yields the same result each and every time.  In fact, some hilts that are multiple pieces actually have anodizing that varies by piece.  My goldest of my three hilts with gold anodizing is my Aeon LE V4.  Many people have commented on how gold it is when they saw my pictures.  However, it's not always that way.  My Initiate LE V4 and Electrum Wind aren't quite as gold.  But, that's just how anodizing is.  As for the electronics moving about, you are definitely wise to secure it a bit.  Ultra Sabers saves on costs (and passes that on to us) by not including an internal chassis, but it can come at a price on down the road.  I know some people on this forum have had to fix things after dueling or spinning (and dropping) their sabers.  It happens.  Though, if it happens in the first year, it is under warranty, at least if you buy it directly from Ultra Sabers.  I don't know if that warranty is still valid after buying from a reseller.
Logged

Jedihunter214
Knight Lieutenant
*

Force Alignment: -101
Posts: 233


Following The Path of Grey


« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2017, 07:09:42 PM »

The Aeon LE V4 is a great grab, I have one myself. I have a Aeon LE V4 Sentinel Yellow FOC Silver with a 40'' Bade. I have this saber because I am in a Jedi Saber School. I am Jedi Sentinel, and there blade colors are Yellow. So here are pictures of mine hope you like.



<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHpz1ITTMSw" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHpz1ITTMSw</a>
Logged

OWNED:
Standard Issue Battle Saber v3 Silver
Standard Issue Battle Saber v3 Guardian Blue
Aeon LE v4 Sentinel Yellow/w Yari Pike Extensions Black x2
Aeon LE v3 Guardian Blue x2/w quick release coupler
Manticore w Emerald Sound & Light
Renegade LE Blazing Red

ON THE WAY:
Dark Initiate v2 Blazing Red
The Dominix v2 Blazing Red
Aeon LE v3 Sentinel Yellow/w Yari Pike Extensions Silver x2
Brood Guard Blazing Red x2
Phantasm LE v2 Guardian Blue
Sentinel LE v5 Guardian Blue

hazard502
Vanguard of the Archon Order
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 2272
Posts: 4853


[Give Light Side Points!]


« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2017, 03:42:17 AM »

What an excellent review!

I probably researched about Ultrasabers for 6 months straight before buying my first.  

And it was honest reviews and opinions from those on youtube and on the forums that made me feel confident enough to make my first purchase.

My experience from then on has gotten better and better over the years.  I'm excited to see how you'll enjoy your next lightsaber with all the options you'd like on it, should be a lot of fun  Smiley
Logged

Customized Flamberge/BR, Customized LostGray/HP or Tri-AS

HoverFloat
Knight Lance Corporal
*

Force Alignment: 32
Posts: 57



« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2017, 05:19:01 AM »

Thanks all for the kind words!

@SFD
I've gotten used to the not-as-gold-as-I-expected look and even like it now. But I think it'd look more beautiful if the gold popped out more.

I'm not sure if it's even allowed, but the reseller does offer the standard warranty US does. AFAIK, the guy just acts as a middleman. If I need repairs, I send it to him, and he'll send it back for repairs. Of course, I'll work to keep it from needing repairs in the first place.

@Jedihunter214

Gotta admit, I'm not really a fan of warmer colors. But that's one sweet yellow blade! I might just put it on my list (yes, I have a list now). It goes really well with the golden accents in the hilt.

@hazard502

Same here! I consciously looked for the bad reviews first. Then I found the forums and read all the good and honest reviews (Isolda and his Prophecy comes to mind). As for my next saber, I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it. I already have a list of sabers I'm interested in and it's just a matter of which one to get first.

Oh, and while I'm here, this:

...I pick the saber up and do some spins for about 20-30 minutes every day since I got it a week ago.

was supposed to say "...every day since I got it, except during my vacation a week ago.
Logged


Taegin Roan
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 2066
Posts: 6245


Lord of the Force


« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2017, 05:20:55 AM »

That's cool that you were impressed by their products. I was sort of the same way, and I didn't really want to spend the money on the saber. But after looking around at some of "the other guys", I decided that US looked to most trustworthy. They also had the easiest website to navigate, which just boosted my faith in their products. Once I got the saber, I was amazed at how light and yet durable it was. Very nice review, and very nice saber even if it wasn't the one you wanted.
Logged

"I am the Outcast's Shadow" - Taegin Roan
"Confronting fear is the Destiny of a Jedi" - Luke Skywalker
"So this is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala

Lord Bladewraith
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: -473
Posts: 2429


Either you like Star Wars... Or you're wrong.


« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2017, 05:32:40 AM »

What an excellent review on a decision well made. You put a lot of work into that. Thank you. Great insight and feedback for both newcomers like yourself as well as veterans here that are still thinking of getting the Aeon. That kind of honesty and helpful spirit is what makes this forum great, so welcome and thank you for already becoming a contributing member of the community here.

Loved your reaction when you turned it on the first time. You are not alone there. I think we were that giddy with joy.  Cheesy  Congratulations on your new addiction. Embrace the addiction, embrace the addiction.   Shocked Roll Eyes
Logged



My Top 3 Favorite Sabers: Electrum Wind, Emperor's Hand and Shock LE

Pages: [1]   Go Up
Send this topic | Print
Jump to: