I don't think you'll like the monarch as a one hander. it's pretty meaty. I got one as a raffle prize, and while it's pretty, it's a lot heavier than any of my sabers save my staff. While it is balanced well with a 36" midgrade blade it just feels more awkward as a one handed saber. I feel better using two with it. The bulbous part at the top is a little weird to hold... I don't know, I just remember that a friend of mine say she didn't like it at all because in her words, "it's just hard to hold."
Standard issue is nice but in my opinion doesn't really say Lightsaber without the blade in. It also doesn't really seem like a one handed saber to me... too much length on it.
The Prophecy has all the right things going for it: wonderfully comfortable gripping points, a great length and weight, and such aesthetic beauty it just tells the world, "I'm a lightsaber!"
What length blade do you use Eiyame? if you go with a 32" mid that thing will fly! Anyway, I say Prophecy all the way.
I can see your point with the Monarch. I think my husband is ordering one for himself so I can play with his to see if I like it.
As for the battle saber I like it because it is simple. And I do customize my lightsaber hilts, so it would look like a lightsaber. (honestly the libby looks more like a flashlight than a lighsaber hilt before I painted it) As for the length I wield my libby one handed and its about the same length, and the extra like half inch is in the emitter.
I keep looking at the Prophecy BUT, its the covertec wheel I keep dragging my feet on. I wish they could move it with out leaving a freaking hole in the hilt. (Might email Emory about it and ask if I can order a prophecy with the covertec wheel moved back with out the hole problem)
As for blade length I have a 36" on my libby but it sits 2.5 inches into my hilt so its really a 33.5" blade. I don't know how far the blade sits in the Prophecy though, so I might have to order a shorter blade.
As a whole on my live steel blades I use about a 32" but that's because I need to be able to get the thing out of the scabbard, with out telling the guy I'm going up ageist to hold on a moment while I get my sword out. Lightsaber you just flick the switch and the blade comes out....well if we lived in the Star Wars world that is. lol
Being that I'm 5.4 I have to play the is it short enough for me to use but is it long enough that it looks correct in photos and doesn't look either stupidly long or stupidly short game.
Also keep in mind I'm a fencer and I normally use a pommel heavy rapier that sits at about 3 - 3.5 pounds. So honestly my stunt libby is WAY on the light side for me. But I have to remember I am going to have the soundboard in it with adds an extra bit of weight.
