Ultra Edge RGB Modular Force FX Lightsaber

This item isn't something that US usually offers, but it needs to be, it really needs to be lol. This is a fairly rare piece, but if you have a Master Replicas Force FX Build Your Own Lightsaber Kit, you owe it to that awesome design to get it upgraded to top quality, and it's a super easy mod too! This could go under customizations, but I'd like to put it here because it's a review of a US product that is quintessential to this lightsaber, and because I'd really like Ultrasabers to start offering this service.

Ok, to start out: the FX BYO RGB is NICE. It has both Jedi and Sith sounds, red green or blue colors from an LED in the hilt, not a strand, and 12 pieces you can add to the saber in different configurations. You can have Luke ROTJ, Obi Wan, Vader, Anakin, Darth Maul, whatever. HOOOOWEVER. The blade looks pretty bad when you pit it against an ultrasaber, or even a Force FX with the LED strand.

Conclusion: the single LED in the hilt must be weak.

I thought that for the longest time, but it's just not true. This item was made in the early days of lightsaber replicas when polycarbonate tubes were not the best. Hasbro still doesnt use blades that compare to US blades, but this one was just really bad. The blade on the BYO Saber is the reason it doesnt look very bright. Theres no foil inside, and its just generally not that great. Fortunately, I find it's about the same size as a standard or x long (I reccomend X long) ULTRASABER ULTRA EDGE BLADE. (I wouldnt try it wth a heavy grade as they might be too thick, I used an ultraedge, and really, if youre gunna do this, theres no reason to use anythin but. Don't pretend it'll be worth it to go with a mid grade lol )

Once I figured out how to open up the BYO model, I snagged a blade from a pvc hilt lightsaber and went to town to test my theory.

I took out the battery pack and all four pieces that cover the saber insides. There are 5 points of access: I used a tiny screwdriver or maybe the tip of a pair of scissors would work, to take out the three screws on the activation and color selection port. Then I used the tip of a pair of plyers to shove through the two pins that held the blade assembly in. take off the rgb selector switch by pulling it straight up very gently. depress the white activator button so that it's in the down or on position. Nothing should now protrude in the activation/color select port.

Pull on the blade and gently, slowly, wiggle it out. You'll get the familiar black cylinder that holds all the goodies. Pry that apart, you might have to take out a third little pin. Ok, now you have your main assembly and a separate tiny black cylinder that goes inside the stock blade. Theres yet another pin, this one you have to push in and it'll just fall into the LED cylinder, but at least your blade is free. Wiggle the LED cylinder out very gently. For conveniences sake you may wish to take off the connection from the cylinder to the soundboard, this is done on the bottom side of the board by very carefully wiggling the white box the wires go into off the sound board. You can reconnect it easily later on and if you leave it attached its possible you'll accidentally tug it off later.

Ok, now, get the LED cylinder and turn it wire side down, then, and I know this is a very technical term, wiggle it around a lot and look in the hole at the bottom. You want that little pin to fall out, or at least for enough of it to show in the tiny hole that you can pull it out with pliers. Ok we're all set... except you need to modify the ultraedge blade a little. There's what I guess is hot glue at the opening to keep the foil in place, and that makes it too narrow for the LED assembly to go into. You need to melt and cut away that hot glue however you can while being careful not to damage the foil. Take your time and be very careful, that foil is important. One you get it down far enough, try to slide the LED assembly in. You can use a little vaseline to help it along the way as I had to. I only got it in about half way, so I didnt need to worry about drilling holes in my US blade to make space for the pins, but if you want to be complete about it you should mark off where the holes are on the LED cylinder and drill into the blade so the pins can pass through.

Ok, cylinder into the blade, you probably want to super glue the blade into the saber cover, reconnect the cylinder to the sound board, test it for sound and light, position the square bump on the led cylinder to fit into the little set of grooves on the sheath, and then put your pins back in if you drilled holes. if not, super glue. Get the saber cover on and together, idont put any super glue or tape on the outside of this as it can come off during insertion or worse yet stick it to the tube before it's fully in.

Ok, make sure the activator and rgb port is facing up to the hole on the tube, and then slide in your blade, doing your best to keep the activator port and the 2 holes aligned. Get it iin there, put your pins back in, wiggling it around if you need to get them to fit, reattach the rgb selector switch, and then the rgb port cover, and you have a VERY bright RGB saber with sound and a choice of hilt styles. The BYO saber usually sells for 100-150 if you can find it, and the Ultra Edge Blade is 30, so the whole project won't go over 200, which is very fair for something this nice.

I'll have photos of my mod and comparison between the ultra edge and master replica stock blade soon.

The end result is a blade that is AS BRIGHT as any ultrasaber product - the red in particular is very nice, you also have a longer blade on it which makes it better for dueling, and did I mention it's really bright?