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San Francisco II Discontinued


Spellapeaka

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Hello, I have been away from the hobby for a few years. My wife and I just recently moved and I finally have a space to hopefully enjoy this hobby again! I am currently getting back into my Harvey build which will no doubt take me some time to complete. However, I have noticed some interesting developments with another kit that I had wanted to purchase from AL, hence this thread. It all started about 20 years ago when my father bought me a Model kit from AL the San Francisco. I loved working on this model. I couldn't wait to see how it would turn out when I completed it. I had planked the hull and did some of the finer details (about 15 hours worth of work or so for a 15 year old at the time) when I suddenly noticed that the ship had a wicked twist running down the length of it. I was very disappointed at the error I had made in not checking for this before planking. I thought of many different options on how I could fix the issue, none the less. I resolved to just give up on the ship. It has since become fire wood. Many years later I discovered that AL had released a second version of the San Francisco, the San Francisco II. Since I still had the box from the old San Fran, I figured I could buy the new kit and possibly use some of the old pieces to dress it up a bit if need be. I really loved this ship and working on it was a treasure of my childhood so you could say I was more than thrilled to have a new version available. well a few more years went by, I got married, had kids, and now I'm getting back into this old hobby. I recently saw that the San Fran II was discontinued from AL. My question is this, any particular reason why? It seemed like a relatively newer version of a classic ship. I had assumed that many people liked the model and that it was pretty popular. I see that some distributors have already listed it as discontinued. Prices on amazon and eBay have increased because of this. here is what I want to know:

   1. Was the kit defective or bad in some way?

   2. would anyone recommend buying it at the inflated price?

   3. do you think AL will release an even newer version of this old classic?

   4. If no to all of the above, what could be some alternatives to a ship of similar design and scale?

 

Thank you for taking the time to read all of that, any info or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Current Build: The Harvey

Completed builds: HMS Bounty's Jolly Boat

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Micro Mark still has it online for $140.  Is that an inflated price?

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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Oh wow thanks guys! So I'm guessing it's not discontinued? Some model companies had it listed as such and amazon and eBay prices have gone up. Hmmm. I will definitely be picking it up then.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Current Build: The Harvey

Completed builds: HMS Bounty's Jolly Boat

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Hard to imagine that their top selling item (considering the number of models built over the forums) would be discontinued.

 

I also checked on Artesania's site, and was pleased to notice that they, at last, seem to have decided to depart from their reddish / yellowish wood finish, so typical of Artessania and Occre.  For instance their new Hermione looks much more convincing than their prior offering.  Good job on their part.  Maybe there will come a new San Francisco as well. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 13/04/2017 at 2:04 AM, Spellapeaka said:

 1. Was the kit defective or bad in some way?

   2. would anyone recommend buying it at the inflated price?

   3. do you think AL will release an even newer version of this old classic?

1. Yes - the San Francisco 2 is/was made in Vietnam, not Spain like the original version - it features very poor timber, crappy metal fittings, and even worse instructions. Not a patch on the older type AL kits.

 

2. No - see above.

 

3. I hope not - AL went way downhill about 10 or 12 years ago. Their "HMS Supply" was so bad that it started me on the road to severe Kit Bashing and eventually Scratchbuilding, for which I'll be eternally grateful to them :D .

 

 Sorry to deflate you, but I don't want to  see you disappointed with a sub-standard kit when you have such fond memories of the first attempt at the San Fran.

 

:cheers:  Danny

Cheers, Danny

________________________________________________________________________________
Current Build :    Forced Retirement from Modelling due to Health Issues

Build Logs :   Norfolk Sloop  HMS Vulture - (TFFM)  HMS Vulture Cross-section  18 foot Cutter    Concord Stagecoach   18th Century Longboat in a BOTTLE 

CARD Model Build Logs :   Mosel   Sydney Opera House (Schreiber-Bogen)   WWII Mk. IX Spitfire (Halinski)  Rolls Royce Merlin Engine  Cape Byron Lighthouse (HMV)       Stug 40 (Halinski)    Yamaha MT-01   Yamaha YA-1  HMS Hood (Halinski)  Bismarck (GPM)  IJN Amatsukaze 1940 Destroyer (Halinski)   HMVS Cerberus   Mi24D Hind (Halinski)  Bulgar Steam Locomotive - (ModelikTanker and Beer Wagons (Modelik)  Flat Bed Wagon (Modelik)  Peterbuilt Semi Trailer  Fender Guitar  

Restorations for Others :  King of the Mississippi  HMS Victory
Gallery : Norfolk Sloop,   HMAT Supply,   HMS Bounty,   HMS Victory,   Charles W. Morgan,   18' Cutter for HMS Vulture,   HMS Vulture,  HMS Vulture Cross-section,             18th Century Longboat in a Bottle 

Other Previous Builds : Le Mirage, Norske Love, King of the Mississippi

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Well its a little late now Dan. lol. I thank you for your honest assessment of AL. I already have ordered and received the San Fran II. Probably be the last I order from AL. Just couldn't relinquish the idea of finally building this ship. We shall see how it goes. I'm currently struggling through the Harvey(Another old model kit I've had forever). Its pretty poor quality so I expect nothing less from the San Fran. Shame, AL has some really neat kits.

Jack of all trades, master of none.

Current Build: The Harvey

Completed builds: HMS Bounty's Jolly Boat

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It is the nature of most wooden ship model kits that inferior stock lumber can be

easily replaced with better species of wood provided by vendors whose links are here.

The additional expense is not consequential when measured against the joy of working

with quality materials.  The fittings can be similarly replaced - or self fabricated. 

The skills and practice involved can become a major step in not needed to depend on

kits as a vessel choice.

 

 

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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On 25/04/2017 at 5:49 AM, Jaager said:

It is the nature of most wooden ship model kits that inferior stock lumber can be

easily replaced with better species of wood provided by vendors whose links are here.

The additional expense is not consequential when measured against the joy of working

with quality materials.  The fittings can be similarly replaced - or self fabricated. 

 

True, but when you also replace the fuzzy rigging thread, the woeful sails, the ......... etc etc, you may as well start Scratchbuilding as there won't be much, if anything, left of the Kit. That's without mentioning the historical inaccuracies (assuming the ship was REAL in the first place).

 

Rant over, :cheers:  Danny

Cheers, Danny

________________________________________________________________________________
Current Build :    Forced Retirement from Modelling due to Health Issues

Build Logs :   Norfolk Sloop  HMS Vulture - (TFFM)  HMS Vulture Cross-section  18 foot Cutter    Concord Stagecoach   18th Century Longboat in a BOTTLE 

CARD Model Build Logs :   Mosel   Sydney Opera House (Schreiber-Bogen)   WWII Mk. IX Spitfire (Halinski)  Rolls Royce Merlin Engine  Cape Byron Lighthouse (HMV)       Stug 40 (Halinski)    Yamaha MT-01   Yamaha YA-1  HMS Hood (Halinski)  Bismarck (GPM)  IJN Amatsukaze 1940 Destroyer (Halinski)   HMVS Cerberus   Mi24D Hind (Halinski)  Bulgar Steam Locomotive - (ModelikTanker and Beer Wagons (Modelik)  Flat Bed Wagon (Modelik)  Peterbuilt Semi Trailer  Fender Guitar  

Restorations for Others :  King of the Mississippi  HMS Victory
Gallery : Norfolk Sloop,   HMAT Supply,   HMS Bounty,   HMS Victory,   Charles W. Morgan,   18' Cutter for HMS Vulture,   HMS Vulture,  HMS Vulture Cross-section,             18th Century Longboat in a Bottle 

Other Previous Builds : Le Mirage, Norske Love, King of the Mississippi

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