DeAgostini Model Space Sovereign of the Seas 1:84

[RickyGene]

Hope this is the right place to put this, if not please put into proper area of the Forum.  First let me say for quite some time I have look at the kits as offered by DeAgostini and wondered just how well does this system work of parting out a kit over a period or another word for subscription.  This past weekend a special was being run on a kit I have for many years wanted to build but, seemed to always pass up on.  So when I saw the summer special as offered, pulled the trigger and subscribed to the HMS Sovereign Of The Seas.

This Monday a e-mail was received letting me know my 1st pkg was on the way.  Today @ 4:00 the UPS Driver dropped said pkg off, containing stage 1 thru stage 11.  Well packaged/boxed, all pieces accounted for and in excellent condition.

So lets see, I ordered this past Saturday and received this Tuesday.  Not too bad, not at all.  Carefully packaged and the Postage cost more than the contents.

Postage was $9.00 and the 1st Pack cost me $1.00.  And I get a 25% discount on the balance of the purchase.  Now I don't know about anyone else, but this makes me a happy fat camper.  Now I am well aware that anything dealing with being shipped over a period of time can have a hick-up now and again, life.

But as for a start, these guys get my thumbs up.  I see other purchases coming after this one.  Sure you do pay a little more but,  that's over a period and not all @ one time......😁.

And the parts received are mouth watering to say the least.  Do have a question?  Who is the mfg of this kit......1/84 SOS.  I know it is not AL, is it Sergal?

So, if you are not sure about making a purchase from Model Space, give them a try.

Rick

[mtdoramike]

Hey RG, take some pics and show us what you got for your money. Model Space in my opinion is a great company, great support and what better way to spread out a build and the cost of the build over an extended period of time. The Sovereign is the only tall ship model that would make me want to build another.

 

mike

[RickyGene]

Somehow I have missed placed my down load cord for the camera.  However, I plan to go buy a el cheapo camera today from Wally World and as soon as I do, I will show what I got as you have asked.  Thank you for the interest.

Rick

[mtdoramike]

Oh goody, popcorn ready.

[mtaylor]

When you're ready, Ricky, do the build log in the Build Logs section.  

[David56]

Thinking of the Sovereign of the Seas as my next build.  Will be watching your build to see it that will be my next build

[RickyGene]

David56 I hate to be the bearer of bad news.  But I and DeAgostini USA had to have a annulment of our marriage.  I made the required arrangements for the monthly subscription of the kit.  The 1st month was right on time.  2nd payment removed from bank and no 2nd pack received, 3 weeks later.  Now I am heading into the third months payment and contacted them as to where was the one I had paid for 3 weeks hence.  I had just finished reading the reviews from DeAgostini USA and upon asking the person on the phone why the delay?  I got the exact same answer I had read just a few moments before of order being held up for free gift, and to add insult to the matter.  It was the exact item the others had complained about!  Now look here, I was born at night but not last night, and I know a standard makeshift answer when I here it.  Call your cable company and you get the same.  So after asking why hold the order and not just send the free gift when it comes in.  There was a pause and the person on the other end wants to get quirt and say I can accept as it is or not.  So, see I am no child, not for 50 years now, I told him he is right and un-subscribe now.  Refund payments taken and rest assured,  I would never again bother this subscription purchase of a kit again.  Now I know there will be the I have never had a problem remarks, but I have the curse of Murphy's Law.  Funds were returned and me and DeAgoatini USA have parted.  So, I am afraid, that brings this project to a abrupt halt.

[CDW]

So far, I have bought the HMS Victory, the IJN Akagi, and the IJN Yamato, all from Model Space. I started the HMS Victory, but never started the Akagi or Yamato.

[Jaager]

 

 

1 hour ago, RickyGene said:

that brings this project to a abrupt halt.

Rick,

This may have been Fate handing you a small mercy, and a choice to take a kinder path.  I have a recollection of reading that far more SOS kits may reside at the back of closet selves than ever see completion.  Building the original helped trigger a revolution.  The ship is a first rate liner.  It had more sculptures than a lot of museums.  A sail flagship is a formidable challenge no matter how many models in the experience bank of the model shipwright.   The salesmen weave a fantastic illusion of what you can have on your fireplace mantle,  and try to trigger an impulse buy.   It is not dropping a beginning swimmer into the deep end, it is dropping him into a storm tossed ocean with rip currents and whorl pools.   Consider a project with a higher probability of completion to begin.  Lots of advise here on what may be a good choice.  Then, when you are ready,  given where you are, maybe scratch build a model of Otway Burns' Snap Dragon.  Then, if truly mad, the 74gun USS North Carolina.       

[RickyGene]

43 minutes ago, Jaager said:

 

 

Rick,

This may have been Fate handing you a small mercy, and a choice to take a kinder path.  I have a recollection of reading that far more SOS kits may reside at the back of closet selves than ever see completion.  Building the original helped trigger a revolution.  The ship is a first rate liner.  It had more sculptures than a lot of museums.  A sail flagship is a formidable challenge no matter how many models in the experience bank of the model shipwright.   The salesmen weave a fantastic illusion of what you can have on your fireplace mantle,  and try to trigger an impulse buy.   It is not dropping a beginning swimmer into the deep end, it is dropping him into a storm tossed ocean with rip currents and whorl pools.   Consider a project with a higher probability of completion to begin.  Lots of advise here on what may be a good choice.  Then, when you are ready,  given where you are, maybe scratch build a model of Otway Burns' Snap Dragon.  Then, if truly mad, the 74gun USS North Carolina.       

You sir are a kind soul and I whole heartedly agree.  Probably was fate and very well could have been more than I could chew.  I do have a kit that I am daunted by already, HMS Cheerful......not that I feel unable to execute, just have seen so many done to Museum quality.

[Matt H]

I'm sorry to hear you had a poor experience. I recently subscribed based off your first post and I waited a few weeks until it went back on sale. I purchased it initially Sep 12th and received the first shipment, here in the U.S., on the 30th. I was disappointed however, to open the package and have no magazine/instructions as advertised. So I reached out through their contact page and didn't hear anything, so I made a post on their forums. The initial reply was that there are digital instructions online and provided a link to where they were located. I replied to that stating that I already knew about the online instructions, but that to me, a major selling point was this detailed, full color, and historical information contained in this magazine every month. I asked whether or not it is still included as advertised and if so how do I get one, and if not how can I cancel the subscription. I checked a few hours later and my post had disappeared, I was furious thinking they deleted a post that they didn't like. However I later found it in another forum, it was moved and I was not notified that it had moved. In the mean time I called customer service and explained what happened and he wasn't able to answer my question but put in a ticket to be forwarded to someone who could. Later that day or the next I got an email and he and I went back and forth and he cleared it up nicely and even called and spoke to me directly. It is still included in the product, but they were out and for whatever reason they ship the product without the instructions. He said he would get one mailed out when it was available and I just got it in the mail last week. I did hear, on this website I believe, that a lot of their newer products are switching to digital only instructions in the U.S.

 

After reading your most recent post I was concerned for my own order because I was just charged the day after you posted, for my second month. I don't know why yours had such trouble getting sent to you in a timely fashion. I was charged on the 21st of this month and I have an email from UPS saying it should deliver tomorrow. I haven't started building it yet, but so far looking through the materials I am pleased with the product. I'm sorry you were not able to have a better experience, but I thank you for your original post for bringing this company to my attention. I don't mind receiving my parts spread out over time, I wouldn't build it faster than that anyway, and it breaks up the large cost of a ship of this size.

 

Hope this helps some others in their decision of whether to use this company or not. So far they seem hit or miss from what I have read as to what your experience may be.