Consular and others in my collection, a comparison.

Ok so I figured I have tried out a bunch of the sabers by now, I should do this at least once. of my current collection I have an Initiate v2 LE (green with 36" blade), a Dark initiate LE v2 (red with 24" blade), a regular initiate v2 (blue with 24" blade), an older PVC initiate (purple with 36" blade), a Liberator v2 (arctic blue with 36" blade), and a Consular (green but with MLS and quick disconnects, and a 36" blade). One of these days I'll actually take pictures and post them, though I'm afraid the world might end soon after because its so shocked I actually managed to get around to it ^_^;;

So anywho, I love and use all my sabers, and I'm worried I could have a small addiction since I've gotten this many since I was first introduced to them at dragon con this year (2011). Thank god I think its leveled out a bit when I got that consular, since the level of customization is a good diversion from the new models (though looking on the site makes me feel like a potential alcoholic walking into a liquor store). But all that in mind, I'd have to say if there's one saber I own out of my collection that is my 'main' one, it'd be the consular. Runner up to that would be the liberator.

In fact I think that the liberator's balance is a bit superior to the consular, given that the length, depth the blade sets into it, and the width of the liberator remind me of holding a handle for a fencing sword where as the consular is rather thick. But in that case it just warrants a different grip: the liberator I can effectively maneuver like a fencing sword by just gripping it with my thumb and index finger anywhere on the body, but with the consular I can really only do that on the choke on and under the emitter and near the back at the pommel.
But I cannot really find this a problem though, because the different balances and thickness of the liberator and the consular make one handle like a lighter blade single handed sword (liberator), where as the consular definitely feels like a broader bladed zweihander or hand-and-a-half. Plus due to the complete MHS compatibility with the consular, the addition of sections to the hilt or pommel can make the balance be a variable factor, allowing one to fine tune the look and balance to how they want it.

Now for some detailed examination of the consular.
At first I found the shroud on it a little cumbersome, as it made the feel of the hilt inconsistent and uneven. without the shroud it was a perfect hilt, but at first when I used it with the shroud on, it felt off. I've since come to realize that it actually can give it a better grip in your hand, it just requires you to hold it right. The protruding on-switch and the covertech clip wheel opposite and lower down to it guide this hand position a bit, since normally those can interfere with casually holding the sword. Even still, the covertech wheel I find a bit normally cumbersome when hefting it around, so I may try and figure out how I can take that off while still keeping the shroud in place. A good alternative for carrying it blade-less after that point might just be an MHS pommel with a D-ring in it.

The Pommel itself while neat is nothing to special. its vented for sound, and matches the aesthetic, but it doesn't stand out very uniquely like the two-tone emitter does. Add in how the shroud on the consular adds a silver sheath to it and I think it might look better if I replaced it with a large pommel of a silver color to contrast the natural black of the hilt but match the silver of the shroud.

The emitter of the consular is an awesome part in itself. Its two tone color of black and a silver ring at the top adds for a wonderful look, and the way it narrows after the threading and again before the top ring make it have two choke points to grip with your fingers. It is also probably one of the sturdiest MHS emitters this side of a Shock emitter. I've noticed a lot of the MHS emitters narrow out compared to the hilt, but teh consular emitter is even thicker than the hilt (shroud included) making it feel like the strongest part of the whole saber. Just feels like a big chunk of aluminum cut and ground into the shape its in, and it holds a blade steady like nobody's business. The only reason why i'd change it out is because I added some extensions and a crystal chamber to it and I feel there is a different emitter that would fit it better.

on a side note, to add that crystal chamber I got a vented coupler from here and a 2" female-female extension from TCSS. then dropped the blade lower in the emitter till it filled the vented coupler. The end result, though you would think would make the saber awkward since the blade looks visibly shorter, actually makes the feel of it similar to a Japanese nodachi in the length-of-hilt to length-of-blade ratio.
I will say this about the vented coupler though: if you intend to use it above the hilt (instead of below to join two sabers) you might consider softening it out with some file work. It is not sharp or pointy enough to scrape or cut by any means, but definitely has a slightly rough and jagged feel, like it just came off the lathe. Softening the edges with a rattail file will make it more comfortable as an extension above the hilt, which wouldn't be as necessary if it were just being used to couple two sabers at the pommel.

Hmm, I seem to have rambled on quite a bit. I guess in summation:
-Liberator is probably the fanciest of the simplistic hilts. Not very customizable but for a bare basics one-solid-piece hilt it looks the nicest and feels good in the hands. v2 probably doesn't have the sturdiest hold on the emitter, but that just means you need to tighten it a bit more so the blade is firmly in place, since the blade doesn't go much deeper beyond the retention screw into the hilt.

-Initiate v2 (and I'd assume the aeon/dominix since they're just longer versions) are kinda the workhorse of ultrasabers. Solid and sturdy one-solid-piece construction, not very fancy looking but just enough detail to make it look like an actual piece of technology and not just some aluminum tube with a light in it. I find that the initiates work best with the smaller blades over the larger ones, just simply because for an adult like me with big hands they are practically a one-hander hilt, but have much better balance working as a short sword or a baton than a one handed long sword. Great to use in pairs like twin short swords or as a wakizashi for another, larger saber. I imagine a "katana/wakizashi" combo of an initiate and an Aeon must look pretty awesome.

-Consular is a large thick saber, pretty much begs to be two handed when used. Solid construction, very high level of customization, and over all a decent Saber hilt. Even inspite of a few flaws I may feel it has, it is still my favorite, and I feel one of the more versatile hilts at ultrasabers. Plus getting a quick disconnect MLS option to it means you never have to commit to just one color or style with your customization.