Need Community's Input on Best Kit Manufacturer

[Bandue]

I would like to ask the community which model company puts out the best kit. I realize I will probably get several different answers to this question, but by asking everyone which one they feel is the best, one or two names should go to the top of the list. Your input will be appreciated. I have read some really bad reviews on some of the foreign made kits. It has been years since I built my last model ship so I am no longer in the know. I am retired now and have set up a shop just for model ship building. The only thing left is to order my kit.

 

Thank you all in advance for your answers.

 

Bandue

[cdogg]

You are probably going to get about 100 answers all completely different.  If you want to go into favorite kits, I say Midwest.  Too bad they discontinued their boat series.  

[JerseyCity Frankie]

The best way to get "community input" is to use a title that says as much as possible about the post. For instance, your post is asking for advice on the best kit manufacturer. If you use "Best Kit Manufacturer" in your title, you will get more people reading your post and likely this will lead to more useful replies. Your title is as vague as possible, nobody will know what the subject is from the title. Think of yourself as a newspaper editor writing a headline.

[hamilton]

It would help to know your location (for reasons of shipping costs) and interest. I think the quality issue is partly the manufacturers, but also the production runs....I've bought kits that I found to be really good and then seen others with a terrible version of the same kit....by the same token, quality is very subjective - I really like Corel kits while others really don't. I've heard people say that Caldercraft are the best and others say they're not that great. Model shipways has really great support for their kits and some of the popular ones (AVS, Constitution, Bluenose) seem to be of good quality while I've heard complaints about others......

 

I think that all model companies make kits that are really good and really bad at the same time - nice wood quality but crappy metal fittings; poor wood quality but good laser cutting; poor instructions (almost always!) but nice plans....there are a lot of contingencies in ALL kits. Besides that, you'll find that your experience of the kit will vary - sometimes you'll love it sometimes you'll be driven crazy by it sometimes you'll be bored (sorry those who don't get bored - I myself love ratlines!).

 

In the end the determining factors are - how much do you like the ship you're making, what is the overall quality of the information available on it and how ready are you for improvising and doing things yourself when the manufacturer fails you....as they probably will here and there....

 

Have fun!

hamilton

[kurtvd19]

Also, what is your interest?  Type of ship - merchant or warship?  Period?  With a few guides you will get much better answers. 

 

Given what you have said my answer would be definitely buy a US made kit.  In my opinion best bang for the buck and no important stuff lost in the translation.  But if Bluejacket or Model Shipway's don't make a kit that interests you then you have to buy something from across the water.  If so then check out Ages of Sail here in the US - they import almost all the foreign made kits.

 

Kurt

[ccoyle]

The best way to get "community input" is to use a title that says as much as possible about the post.

 

 

Agreed. And one reason why mods occasionally have to hit the magic 'edit' button,

 

Also, might I suggest using the search function to search the key words "best kit, " since this topic comes up fairly regularly? I think you will find some opinions on the matter.

 

Good luck!

[Thunder]

Hi,

 

What is most important to you, historical accuracy, good plans and instructions or quality materials?

 

If I was going for historical accuracy I would say Victory models or Caldercraft.

If you don't want nearest fit parts but want them designed specifically for your kit then I would say Caldercraft.

For best timber I would say Corel, Amati or Victory.

For plans I would say Victory.

 

I have no experience of American kit manufacturers so, as would every one else's unless they have experience of all manufacturers, my views are restricted.

 

Kits I can compare are Corel, Mantua, Panart, Sergal, Victory, Revell, Jotika/caldercraft, Billings, Ark, Artesania Latina, euromodel, constructo, Mamoli, and model shipwright as I have kits by these but they vary per model.

 

I would pick the subject you are interested in and then compare the offerings from each.  

[grsjax]

Depends, the same manufacture may put out kits of several models that range from excellent to poor.  I would suggest that you narrow your discussion of what you looking for to a specific ship type, mode of construction and scale.  That will reduce the number of factors that have to be considered.  Another factor is cost, do you want the best low cost kit or the best kit money can buy?  There is a world of difference between the best, highest quality model of HMS Victory and the best, highest quality Banks Dory.

[Jaager]

This is not a situation where "best" really means much.   If everything is junk, then the best of it is still junk.

 

Bench marks for various parts = excellent, good , poor .

 

Then, you just pick which parts to evaluate.

Plans

Instructions

Wood

Acuracy

Precision

Fitings

etc.

[xander]

For myself the best kit manufacturer would have clear step by step instructions, combined with photographs of each stage of the build and have a reputation for good customer service.

If this exists, can someone recommend such a model?

[kurtvd19]

Any of the newer Model Shipway's kits sold by Model Expo - US made, US designed.  You can download most of the instruction manuals from these kits from their web site - gives one a good iea of the kit's complexity and you can see right away how well the instructions are done.

Kurt