Okay, review time! (Borrowing from manroon's recent format)
Backround:
Well, those of us in RCJ decided to do a couple group orders to get some tickets in for the raffle. In the order we had three grab bags. This was one of the beauties we recieved
Blade:
On each of our grab bags, we ordered ultraedge midgrade blades. Ive got a few ultraedge heavies, and a couple regular midgrades already, and then one ultraedge midgrade with a pointed tip just for show and demonstrations. But this was my first ultraedge midgrade.
The colour is nice and even, and very bright. The arctic blue looks fantastic in it, and at night in low light the blade is nice and full.
Here it is between our other two grab bags from the order.
Led:
Now, the led is a little bizzare. Obviously being arctic blue its an rgb led, but thats not the oddity of it. Its how its mounted that throws me off. Ive got many more recent ultrasabers and the led setup was nothing like this. The led setup alone, combined with some other bits, and conversations with master nero and master artorius leads me to believe that this sucker has been sitting in the bin for a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time, like anakin hadnt tried to kill obi wan yet long time lol.
That little thingy on the end of the heatsink, thats the clash sensor. (yeah, i figured that might get your attention)
Emitter:
The emitter externally looks great, there are a few minor blemishes and dents that are all going to get polished out anyways, so im not worried. Unfortunately, inside the emitter is another story.
Yep, in that photo, what you are seeing is the focusing lens, hot glued to the inside of the emitter. Unlike the newer mls units used in MHS hilts, the older ones didnt have the lense contained in the mls unit, resulting in the lenses having to be secured somehow. Unfortunately, this is how it was done. So without removing the lens and the hot glue first, I cant really use this emitter on another mhs saber.
Body:
The body is very comfortable. There is a ring around it, baout 3/4 of an inch below the emitter that just perfectly sits the hand at a great balance point. After two hours of using the shock last night, i have to say its actually probably THE most off the shelf comfortable saber that I have had the pleasure of using. It really feels like an extension of your arm, and I couldnt be happier with the way it handles.
There are so few scratches or blemishes on the body, and it is ridiculously shiny.
Pommel:
Unlike manroon, I got a normal shock pommel, no grooves machined out of it, but thats fine by me. Its a nice large chamber and lets the sound echo a nice little bit. Its not as polished as the rest of the saber, but im betting buffing it up a little bit, and adding some polish can easily fix that.
Misc:
Umm, yeah so for miscillaneous stuff.....IT CAME WITH SOUND!!!!
Its running a 4x AAA setup with a speaker attached
And earlier I pointed out the clash sensor, but deep inside you can see the master replicas board all wrapped up in electrical tape (because hasbro/mr cant bloody well make a nice streamlined board like everyone else it seems)
Being an MR board, it has no flash on clash, and activates with just a latching switch, really not a big deal at all, when you consider that it came with SOUND!!!!
Conclusion:
Blade 10/10 (Ultrasabers has the best blades, period)
Led 5/10 (only because its an older style led setup that hasnt been used in a long long long time. the led itself and the wiring are fine, its just not as clean as the newer mls units)
Emitter 7/10 (im not a huge huge fan of the shock emitter but it is growing on me, the led lense glued inside still kinda sucks though)
Body 10/10 (very very very comfortabl, and incredibly shiny)
Pommel 7/10 (basic pommel, no decoration, its comfortable and it does its job, its not designed to be a wow factor)
Misc 10/10 (HOLY SITH IT CAME WITH SOUND!)
Ranking as a grab bag 10/10 holy sith a shock with sound!!!!Overall ranking, in comparison to current ultrasabers (ie a shock with obsidian if ordered today) 6/10 ****Let me be absolutely clear, the ONLY reason this looks the way it does inside is because this has been sitting on a shelf since the ultrasabers bronze age, they definately do not ever use this setup anymore***If you ordered a standard shock today, with sound it would not look like this inside, and would have one of the modern MLS units inside.Im planning on using this as a base for future modifications, so it will not be staying in this format for long. The emitter, and pommel, are likely going to be replaced, with a malice round pommel, and an overlord emitter, the grooves will be painted black as well on the hilt itself, but i plan to maintain the overall silver colouring of the saber.
The led, is for now, going to get replaced with an AS LED that i have lying around, as I love adegan silver, manroon and i both have a huge fandom for Corran Horn, and the Halcyon line of correllian jedi in general, so this is going to be my nod to that family line.
The soundboard, will stay in there for now, but will probably be getting replaced down the line, perhaps with an ignighter, or a neutrino. I dont want to put obsidian in, unless im sure ill be able to properly wire up flash on clash, perhaps in adegan silver, with an arctic blue flash as a nod to the original colouring of the saber when I ordered it.
Thanks for reading guys, and may the force be with you.