Hi. Be mindful of the actual cost once you add on the blade that doesn't come with the grab bag saber plus the cost of your LED color if customized. Choosing a specific lower end saber might be slightly more cost effective and you can get exactly what you want. The extra option of the non-illuminated av switch compared to the black guarded one is a worthwhile option. Can't go wrong with the Aeon/Dominix and Sentinel lines in the v3 & 4 versions which also are MHS pommel swappable. A grab bag blade is a more cost effective alternative as long as you don't care about possibly a few minor visual imperfections. Get one of each mid-grade type ( MG/UE ).
My go to saber blade is the regular mid-grade blade with the MG silver foil versus the UE white film blade. Some colors such as orange can look milky with the clear UE fuller illuminated blade. The silver look is more attractive for displaying. Once you make up your mind for a blade color, some members likely could post comparison photos of what the color looks like in either the MG and UE blades. And don't forget to use the Search Function which will take you to a lot of photos of colors with different blades.
Regarding the hole for a covertec wheel... this is an extra cost option. Depending upon the saber, you can decide where you want the hole to be placed, generally pommel end and usually at the 12/3/6/9 station on a clock. Not many would request the covertec on the front side (12) of a saber. Wheel with proper screw can be purchased at that time or later.
Choosing a saber rarely gets any easier... but it helps to weed out many options if you look at your budget, what you initially want to use the saber for and if there is a specific blade color that calls to you at this time. Don't purchase a totally random grab bag if there is a blade color that you really don't like. Sometimes getting a gb saber that you might not have originally considered turns out to be a pleasant surprise.
I favor certain colors, but I am not overly picky about the color at this time. My budget and time is tight, but I understand this will be a minimum $100 purchase, give or take, but definitely don't want to go over $150 for a first saber. I know the minimum hilt I would get would run $65 normally, but there is a chance of getting something higher end as well, though not top tier. I absolutely will need a covertec because I will have to carry it on me through the evening. I am really looking at the grab bag as a beginner saber, though I was also looking at the Sentinel and Prophecy models straight out, but haven't really been able to decide if I would be better off with a straight out purchase yet. Perhaps I should create a comparison spreadsheet to help me decide.
