" Proper Collector " What does that mean to you??

[DeeMiller 1]

A proper collector to me means not the size of your collection but the heart you put into it. If you breathe, eat and poo R/C cars, then you might be a proper collector.

Ha ha, do you **** on your cars?

Well, I breath my cars once a month (dustremoval), kinda blowjob...

I even ate one of my cars (I like NIB rubber as bubblegum).

But ******* on my cars...no, sorry, I guess I'm not a proper collector then...[]

Grtz Dee

PS Your Cheetah is already in rolling condition (inside info, don't bother, guys)

[RETRO R/C 59]

[V][:I]

What kind of meds are you on DeeMiller?? LOLOL

Cheers

[RETRO R/C 59]

OK guys - this is an oldie - but a REAL goodie.

With all the BS floating around at the moment with regards to re-releases etc, here is your chance to have a say on what your definition is of a "Collector"......

If you have the guts to mutter about "collectors slitting their wrists at the re-re's" and have cheap jabs in threads about a car - perhaps you may tell us your real feelings here.

I look forward to the replies

PLEASE NOTE - I am all for open discussion - but if you make a baseless pathetic comment with no substance, expect to be exposed for your lack of thought on the matter.

Post away - it will be interesting to see if some people have anything constructive to say. All opinions, that have been resonably thought out are welcome and respected, whether they positive or negative.

Cheers

Darryn

[Incredible_Serious 107]

Nope Daz, I ain't justifying myself to you or anybody.....

My answer is, "who cares?"...

But then, I am me...

Alex

[redzone 212]

i think a proper collector is someone who wouldnt sell all their cars after hearing that they were being rereleased

[RETRO R/C 59]

Nope Daz, I ain't justifying myself to you or anybody.....

My answer is, "who cares?"...

But then, I am me...

Alex

LOL - that is just the answer I would expect from you!

Did not ask anyone to justify themselves - just to put there money where there mouths are if they have something to say. If they have nothing to say - then itis pretty pointless typing an answer isnt it!

Some seem to think that ther clever little remarks (in their eyes) are indeed good reading. All they do is pollute the discussion of the thread they are "jabbing"on.

Here is their chance to really tell us what they think of "collectors" and their definitions of them...............thats the reason I rebirthed this thread.

Cheers

Darryn

[RA1028 3]

I think the word 'collector' is a general term to describe someone who has a collection of something even an insider think the collection is amazing.

For example, I have around 20 Tamiya RC cars. An average person may think I have a lot. But I am still not a collector because most people here have more than mine. But if someone who has a collection that we TC member think it is amazing. Then he is a collector. Hope you inderstand what I mean.

[PsychoAtom 0]

Realistically there is probably no one definition that anyone can agree on. If you dissect the meaning of the words:

Proper: Strictly following rules or conventions; especially in social behaviour; appropriate

Collection: An accumulation

By this definition, I'd say I'm collector of Tamiya, diecast, watches, comic books ... but that does not mean I have a complete or decent or expensive or expansive collection.

I believe a we are all "proper collectors" since we share a common passion for these toys, regardless of how many NIB, mint, runners, vintage or whatever Tamiya items we have.

Let's not delude ourselves that collecting Tamiyas can be an expensive affair and it can also be an economical affair, depending on how much each individual can afford to maintain his/her collection.

At the end of the day ... like someone previously said ... who cares? So long as you are happy with your collection of toys, regardless of whether you build it, run it or put them in a large showroon for all to see ... right?

[Incredible_Serious 107]

At the end of the day ... like someone previously said ... who cares? So long as you are happy with your collection of toys, regardless of whether you build it, run it or put them in a large showroon for all to see ... right?

Well, that's two for "Who Cares?".....

[SteelRat 46]

Make that three.

All that's important is that you enjoy what you do. The label other people want or don't want to give you so that you fit or don't fit into their little box for you is their problem and not yours.

I have more than one Tamiya model, and I am in the process of getting 1, possibly 2 more. I enjoy the hobby immensely. Does that make me a "proper" collector or not? Probably to some, probably not to others. I couldn't care less, frankly.

[RETRO R/C 59]

Realistically there is probably no one definition that anyone can agree on. If you dissect the meaning of the words:

Proper: Strictly following rules or conventions; especially in social behaviour; appropriate

Collection: An accumulation

By this definition, I'd say I'm collector of Tamiya, diecast, watches, comic books ... but that does not mean I have a complete or decent or expensive or expansive collection.

I believe a we are all "proper collectors" since we share a common passion for these toys, regardless of how many NIB, mint, runners, vintage or whatever Tamiya items we have.

Let's not delude ourselves that collecting Tamiyas can be an expensive affair and it can also be an economical affair, depending on how much each individual can afford to maintain his/her collection.

At the end of the day ... like someone previously said ... who cares? So long as you are happy with your collection of toys, regardless of whether you build it, run it or put them in a large showroon for all to see ... right?

Great response. For as long as I can remember I have been writing that people should collect for themselves, not to try and keep up with others etc etc.

I guess I "care" because I love this hobby so much and hate to see people brought down by cheap shots. There is no shame in having "only 1" car or a thousand of them. We should be respecting each others collections and getting enjoyment from our shared passion.

Cheers

Darryn

[hedge 314]

IMO you are a collector if you say you are. Go on just declare it, you can always stop by simply declaring I am no longer a collector

You don't need XY or Z numbers of stuff, I mean you would not say you where a sock collector but I bet you have quite a few!

What has changed is the internet and forums. Now you can tell the world you are a collector and more than just the usual number of anoraks would notice. I would class myself as a Mint 400 rc collector, I have a BB a RR and a SS, the last car will be a SC and then the series is complete for me, I don't need lots just one of each, I would love a nib but its not going to happen.

There you go world

" I AM a Collector "

[twisty 8]

I think it is totally wrong to try and pigeon hole anyone as anything,lives change ,prioritys change,reasons change.

Life is not as cut and dried as people continually try to make out.

Live and let live i say.

Without the collectors,real collectors,proper collectors[whatever],there would be no new/looked after,old stock of anything.

So what if they are in it for the money[whats wrong with making money anyway?] they obviously enjoy models or whatever they collect and somewhere down the line others will benefit form thier collecting habits.

What grips me the most is peoples derogetory remarks and put downs,because this is usually down to either the green eyed monster[envy] or taking plesure from others misfortune.

[Hibernaculum 933]

It's just a discussion, no? No harm in that.

I think everyone here is a collector.

Whether you've got 1 car or 1000, you're an enthusiast (or you wouldn't visit a website like this), and you're a collector.

Besides, I doubt there's a single person here who has just one car, who doesn't desire to own a few more...

Which means it's funny when the word 'collector' is used with a bit of derision, during each new wave of re-re mania, as if there's a handful of privileged Kings hoarding all the wealth, and everybody else is Robin Hood.

Everybody's a collector at some level. To point the finger is to point in the mirror.

Some collectors might be poorer, some richer. But I bet that if anyone here won the lottery, their collection would suddenly grow.

If some are able to own lots of cars without winning the lottery, good for them.

Over the years, I've also often heard of the legend of the Tamiya "investor" smacked around like a Piñata. Yet I've never truly seen one or met one. Do they even exist? Is there a blurry photo somewhere?

My guess is some people buy, then sell due to changes in personal financial circumstances. I doubt anyone who ever "invested" in vintage Tamiya for pure money-making purposes did it for very long, before realizing what a terrible portfolio they were building You think a Porsche 959 NIB is valuable now? With inflation, it's barely any more valuable than it was in 1986 - 23 years ago!!

No, I think the evil 'collector' and the despised 'investor' are largely constructs of our own imaginations, designed to make us feel better about ourselves.

Either because we have "collection envy", or we just need a faceless enemy to complain about.

In either case, it's a bit pathetic. There are more than enough toy cars for everybody.

Besides.

In this world...

- Over 1 billion people earn less than $1 per day.

- Malaria kills a child every 30 seconds.

- 30,000 children die from preventable causes, every day.

- 11 million children die every year, from malnutrition.

- 50 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.

- 2 million children are working in the sex trade, right at this moment.

(And that's from a song released a few years ago. The figures are probably worse now.)

To be sitting at computers talking about fancy toys from Japan, instead of worrying about where our next meal is going to come from....are we not all kings?

cheers,

H.

[SteelRat 46]

Agree completely with twistys and retros responses.

Perhaps a Tamiya Collector is another word for a Tamiya LOVER?

We all share the same passion, so why get mixed up over semantics ?

[Bluefoot 1]

Hmmm... Am I a collector?

I have lots of RC cars - but still not enough. I have many NIB kits - even though I don't collect NIBs (I will build them). I buy with the intention of keeping each one forever, but sometimes I sell to get one I want even more. I have ones I will never sell... ever. I have ones I still wonder why I bought in the first place, but I won't sell them just yet. There are lots I have sold and then wondered why?

I have many that can run - but never will. I have lots that do run, and not enough time to run them all. I have two or three that I run a lot.

I have many that need parts. I have many parts. Sometimes they get put together. If only I knew exactly where they all were.

I don't have focus. No that's not quite right, I do have focus but it changes regularly.

I have a room for my hobby, but it's not big enough. I spend too much time on this website (when I could be restoring cars).

I liked RC cars when I was a kid, I still like RC cars now that I have kids. They have RC cars too.

A wise man once told me "Don't go to Ebay!". I ignored him.

[Swarm 242]

Hi Guys .

I will try and give this my best shot,altough I can already feel the knifes in my back.

A collector is somebody or someone who collects ,It can vary from Stamps ,Junk,DVD's,Trains,Baseball Cards,Or R/C Cars anything really, to have one of any item a person is not considered a collector in the true sense of the meaning .

A person who has Stamps is not a Stamp gatherer they are a Stamp Collector same goes for Baseball cards and even Junk these terms are for anybody who gathers these items plus many more different things are automatically called Collectors it sounds a bit lame saying Iam a stamp gatherer or I gather baseball cards so the term Collector is used .If you had one stamp or baseball card people would not say you are a stamp or baseball card collector they would say ,You have a stamp or a baseball card.

When I joined TC this time last year I had 3 cars I did not consider myself a collector If I showed somebody my 3 cars they didnt say ohh you collect R/C cars they would say you have a couple of cars nice,I now have consideribly more when somebody see's my cars now they say Ohh you collect cars .

I feel that anybody who Gathers a particular item and more than 1 off those items a collector what ever the subject matter is.If you have 1 of an item that is what is just that an item you like or fancy.I have a couple of tin clockwork trains I do not consider myself a tin clockwork train collector I just liked the ones I brought.

So I guess the word collector goes with the item /thing you are getting /gathering .

When I joined TC and perused the showrooms and saw people with huge amounts of cars and NIB's I thought how wonderful they have a real passion and desire for this hobby ,I have since learnt a few of those people get hate mail from people who dont have as many cars/kits in their possesion these people were guarded in whom they spoke to and what they said, at the time I could not fathom the idea of someone getting hate mail because they had more cars/kits than somebody else ,I now understand why these paople are guarded in what they say and whom they say it to because Iam getting such mail myself at times, the cars/kits in my possesion are not as many as a lot of people in fact I have a small collection of cars but because I choose to collect NIB's and the short amount of time it has taken me to get these cars/kits Iam getting mail like

Why dont you build your kits ?

Why are you keeping that kit NIB it prevents people like me from building kits like this.

You dont deserve to have cars /kits as you dont appreciate them .

You dont deserve those kits as you dont build them for their intended use.

A lot of it is just hateful ,Its like if I cant have it you shouldn't either.And I have nothing compared to a lot of people if Iam getting hate mail already from narrow minded people who made different life descions is not my fault .I shudder to think what the bigger Collectors are getting .

I sympathise with those people who have way larger collections you are justified in choosing your audience and being defensive it a natural human reaction .

I enjoy looking at what I have collected I have built cars but I know how they work /run so this hobby has taken a different path for me and many others

I look at my cars and what I have like this ,I have the time and money now to enjoy doing what I like my kids are grown up all adults now its not my fault I worked hard or I had my kids young and they have now left the nest and my wife and I can induldge in what we like, We all started the same way in life and what we choose or the descions we made had a detremental impact on our life's and paths we now travel along .

I consider anybody who chooses to collect anything a proper/true collector the word collector/collection is only a word .My wife Collects Royal Albert China ,I have a mate who collects Beer Bottles (Drinks them first though),My Son Collects DVD's ,My Daughter collects anything on Anjelina and Brad Pit (Although I think she is borderline stalker... scares me lol ) My wife and I also collect antiques.

I dont think the word Collector /Collection is what makes people jealous or sets them off I think its how many things they have in their collection that sets people off .Its a case of the have and the have not's

Collecting is great whatever you choose it keeps you busy and you are proud and take pride in what you are collecting .

[redzone 212]

i cant believe people send you hate mail about your stuff? the mind boggles.....

[Wandy 1527]

Well for a start it's a storm in a teacup what has been said on the two RR threads. There was a definite tone of sour grapes from one or two posters, implicating that the re-re was not a good thing and that Tamiya was somehow dumping on a section of it's fanbase. I even get the impression that some who were adamant that this would never happen are a bit peeved that they have been proven wrong and are looking to pour cold water on the excitement around it. When you get comments like those from a minority you are always going to get a passionate response from the majority who think it's a great thing. And give me topics with a bit of passion any day of the week over conversations such as "what colour you have painted your driver today" etc etc. (Note : That's not me saying those topics are a bad thing, just I prefer topics that get the blood pumping a bit more). At the end of the day it is a well argued debate going on over there, nobody has been abusive or anything like that. We all love this hobby, we all generally "get on well" with each other and are allowed to have differences of opinion now and again so lets keep the Thought Police at bay eh?

Back to the original question though.....I would say practically everyone on here is a "Collector", providing they have at least one kit and are looking to increase on that number. I have 8 NIBs, 2 runners and 4 projects and that definitely makes me a collector. I think we need to come up with a new term for those who are buying NIBs/New Builts/Restorations with a strong focus on what they are valued at, and for me the term would be "Hoarder". How do you tell the difference between a collector and a hoarder? Well if you amass a collection of vintage kits at considerable time, effort and expense and then complain when Tamiya re-issue it in some capacity for a much cheaper price then that makes you a hoarder in my eyes. It's not necessarily a derogatory term either but there maybe has to be a distinction made between the two because at the end of the day both sides are gonna argue their case and will have to agree to disagree on the thorny issue of Tamiya's re-release programme.

[Jonny Retro 12]

"Collector" to me doesn't mean having a large number of RC cars (or anything) - it means having a quite narrow focus of interest - and be willing to pay quite a bit for it.

For instance, someone might be an SRB collector - this would mean having at least one example of each (including box art/language variations) NIB, with all the period hopups (boxed), and maybe a few new built examples ... and no interest outside that, or even in building & running them.

I suspect what most people consider a "collector" is in fact an "accumulator" - including me. I have over 20 cars now, but no focus on anything in particular, I even have cars that aren't Tamiya.

If I do have one area of interest it's Wild Willys - but I run both of them (both M38 & WW2), my WW Junior has been build up & used, and the chinese fake one has also been used, and has a tatty box. If I was a "proper" collector, I would get rid of all my other cars, and replace all my Willys with MIB examples & new builds.

[Singapore_959 18]

It is the wrong word.

collector ................. ENTHUSIAST is the right word.

And there is no such thing as a 'proper' enthusiast. The kiddy with a grasshopper that he loves and plays with after school is an enthusiast, as am I, or Darryn, or Loaded, etc etc.

This is a non topic. Enthusiast can be fleeting, sane, or obsessive. None has more merit than the other.

[Incredible_Serious 107]

Hmmm... Am I a collector?

I have lots of RC cars - but still not enough. I have many NIB kits - even though I don't collect NIBs (I will build them). I buy with the intention of keeping each one forever, but sometimes I sell to get one I want even more. I have ones I will never sell... ever. I have ones I still wonder why I bought in the first place, but I won't sell them just yet. There are lots I have sold and then wondered why?

I have many that can run - but never will. I have lots that do run, and not enough time to run them all. I have two or three that I run a lot.

I have many that need parts. I have many parts. Sometimes they get put together. If only I knew exactly where they all were.

I don't have focus. No that's not quite right, I do have focus but it changes regularly.

I have a room for my hobby, but it's not big enough. I spend too much time on this website (when I could be restoring cars).

I liked RC cars when I was a kid, I still like RC cars now that I have kids. They have RC cars too.

A wise man once told me "Don't go to Ebay!". I ignored him.

Bluefoot,

Your situation (condition?) sounds incredibly like my own..... only with a Kiwi accent!!!!!!

Alex

[Tamiya1/10 382]

A proper collector should have sufficient financial resources (money), proper and adaquet amount of space to work and display the models and must spend time looking, sourcing, fixing, cleaning, buying/trading, dreaming about the models. Let face it if one don't have the time, money and space what can one collect?

[Wandy 1527]

It is the wrong word.

collector ................. ENTHUSIAST is the right word.

And there is no such thing as a 'proper' enthusiast. The kiddy with a grasshopper that he loves and plays with after school is an enthusiast, as am I, or Darryn, or Loaded, etc etc.

This is a non topic. Enthusiast can be fleeting, sane, or obsessive. None has more merit than the other.

Actually, on reflection I agree with this. Well said, Singapore.

[RETRO R/C 59]

Some very interesting thoughts coming out here guys - excellent stuff.

I still dont see any of us slashing our wrists!!

Swarm - I can relate to your feelings on hate mail mate - I stopped putting my collection up here several years ago (back when I had "önly"about 180 cars), mate - the hate mail was un beleivable - got even worse when I started writing for R/C Car.....So now I have just kept my collection to myself, I dont have the time (with 4 kids and a busy work life) - nor frankly the patience to deal with noddies that cant see past their own nose.

Singapore - your post is exactly what I was refering to earlier in this thread a number of years ago.

Bluefoot - MATEEEEEEE - I so relate with you!!

Keep the thoughts coming guys - I think its great to hear different stories and thoughts on the matter.

They are only words used to describe our "condition".......

My name is Darryn - I have a habbit....................