A note concerning some of the rumors flying around...

[NinjaJesus]

I myself just ordered an UltraSabers Bane last Friday and I can't wait for it.  Also, I myself weighed all of the options I had and UltraSabers seemed like the best, most awesome looking fit.  I also checked into all of this mudslinging done by the likes of Nova, Caine, and others that just trash Alex and Emory for no real reason (at least in my opinion).  I think just from seeing some of the videos on YouTube that the likes of them submitted makes me sick.  I have no real or forseeable reason to trust them at all about this, but just by looking at all of these awesome people on this forum that support Ultra and his products, now THAT gives me a reason to trust you guys.  I've said what I wanted to say.  Peace. 

[Manroon]

*shakes head in dissapointment* The utter immaturity exhibited in this hobby is an unheard of level of disappointment to me. What is this? My High School wasn't this bad! For these people to bash on Ultra is one thing, which I cannot and will not ever call acceptable, but to say something like that is really low of Caine. REALLY. LOW. It's childish, and, well, you all know. It just pisses me off to see a grown man like that behaving in a way that I, a 20 year old (essentially kid), would be ashamed to.

And frankly, I find that comment about being in the hobby for a week insulting to me as well. I've been in sabers seriously for a year. I own 2 FX's, have 4 Ultra's of my own, and have bought 5 Ultra's for others. Why? Because they work, they're great, and I've never felt the need to venture anywhere else for a saber. Just to TCSS for a spare part or two. Now, if Ultra was a horrible evil man, and made horrible crappy products, why would I and a billion others come back purchase after purchase, year after year, and keep buying his product and lauding his customer service?

To the opposition, I say either come up with a valid argument and behave like adults, or shut up. We're tired of your crap.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

To the opposition, I say either come up with a valid argument and behave like adults, or shut up. We're tired of your crap.

AND even after all of the Bantha Poo, I have NEVER, NEVER seen Ultra or Deep post anything disrespectful publicly.

Natan Fillion - Firefly, Castle.


The picture says it all.

[Master Bluespike74]

My friends and I were honestly getting ready to put some money together to buy one of the (ridiculously overpriced) soundfont CDs from Nova, but after this.. that is a giant no, can't support this kind of behavior whatsoever.

You make two great points here.  First, many people in this hobby are overpricing their stuff and feel that they deserve to be paid that price so that you (the customer) have the honor of owning a piece of their work.  I am a member of one other forum (I posted a question for a friend and that was my only post) and it is not very friendly toward anyone even people that have been into Star Wars since 1977.  That is a huge turnoff in itself.  

The second, when you insult potential new customers, you lose business.  Nice to know these CD/DVD makers have so much money that they are able to turn away new business.  Also, when did it become someone else's business to tell you how to spend your money?  

Here's what I can tell you about Ultrasabers.  The Saberforum is very friendly.  You ask a question, no matter how many times it has been posted and a little research would yield you the answer, you get treated with respect and everyone is very willing to help you.  

I have tried to build a lightsaber so that I could better appreciate all that goes into making one and I honestly have to tell you that it cost me as much as the Standard Issue Battle Saber V2 and it was no where near as nice looking.  So Ultrasabers makes the nice sabers you can actually fight for the same price as an unexperienced builder can build them for looks.

The Obsidian Soundboard sounds better than anything else I have heard on YouTube.  If you bought one to go into your personal saber, it is already well protected so that you have very little chance of screwing it up when you put it in.  Other soundboards, you have to do all of the wiring before you know it works.  I would have the fear that if you wired it and found it did not work, you would probably be blamed for the malfunction and no replacement would be offered.  That is what set Ultrasabers above others for me, the customer service.

I saw that latest video and at one point I heard a mumble about how disrespecting products was not something they were into.  My comment is this:  if your valued supporters are disrespecting the products of another saber smith and putting YouTube videos claiming that the sabers are bad without independent verification, then you need to put a stop to it.  If nothing else, do something more than mumble how you are not into that.  

I support Ultrasabers because they are friendly and professional.  I don't support others because I feel they are overpriced and rude.  As for YouTube videos, I don't do the video responses because I am a critical thinker and I love to read between the lines.  When I see a video that has Ultrasabers in it and it is stopped and then restarted several times and it goes from a beautiful saber to a haggered mess and you try to claim that (insert Ultra and Deep's real names) are responsible, then I have a hard time believing what I am seeing.  I could easily buy somebody else's product, take it into my garage and beat it to a pulp and then proclaim that Billy Bob at Billy Bob's Sabers sent me this in this condition and told me "HA HA, I got your money!!!".  Did I show myself opening the box?  Did I show emails or recorded phone conversations to support myself?  NO.  Therefore I should be discredited and my viewers should move on.

To me, all of this boils down to jealousy.  Ultra has said at the beginning of this thread that all of this was personal disagreements.  I have yet to find a YouTube video with Ultra and Deep telling the world how they feel about others.  All I hear is attacks coming at Ultra and Deep.  I think the problem is that Ultrasabers has developed a very useful product that cannot be duplicated for the same level of price and professionalism.  Ultrasabers found their niche and customers are coming here. The competitors are mad but rather than try to compete in the world of business, the competition turns to YouTube and makes all of this into supermarket tabloid journalism.  

[Manroon]

Well said, sir! Well said! A point for you! 

[Master Nero Attoru]

Whoa bluespike... I feel like I gotta give you a point too.  You pretty much said it all.

As for the childish bashing of various members of certain forums  , it just makes me shake my head in disappointment.  We had a solid saber community going (albeit with some hiccups) then one legal issue arises and the poo flinging starts.  Sorry but that's immature and completely uncalled for in my book.  Here's what my advice to any "wronged" parties, and I'll even use Ultra's words:

Like I said, true business disputes are fought in court, not the internet.

There ya go.  

Ah well.  Hopefully it can be cleaned up civilly in a private manner, so everyone comes out better (and hopefully learns a thing or two about internet conduct!)

[Ultra]

Does anyone see me making videos and calling out other saber smiths? No...  Legitimate business disputes have an arena (actually it's a court!  ) and nothing is solved by making videos and taking shots at others.

If Caine truly had a gripe about his account, he could have just called me; he has the number.  We could have discussed it, like business men, and we would have come to an agreement.  This could have been handled in private, without a public spectacle, but something tells me that a public spectacle is exactly what was wanted.

Furthermore, the responses being made show that professional discourse was never the goal:

"I suggest going back to your Saberforum cave and staying there, son. This doesn't concern you. Ultra will give you a treat for sticking up for him and you'll be happy." -Caine

"Good doggy! Keep it up and I'm sure you'll earn a treat! " - JediExile

These are not the words of professionalism, nor are they the words of diplomacy.  These words are meant to instigate more pettiness and negativity, to stir the pot and create more drama.  Unfortunately, I took the bait and in anger, I called him a poser... I guess I'm human after all  .  I have since retracted that insult, but this whole public display has made me lose a lot of respect for a man I once admired and considered a friend.  I don't think I can ever get that back.

[Osmethae]

Who is the JediExile guy anyways? The thing Caine told me is like he's a god or something. The only thing JediExile is God of is calculator watches.

[LordDesann]

I've seen ridiculous arguments over the most stupidess things. This....has to be a joke. I salute ultra and his way of handling things. However the immaturity just stenches and completely digusts me how a disagreement can turn into a temper tantrum found on youtube. What is this ?!!! Pre-school?!!

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

I posted on the Anti US page and had a huge response because I posted "This is sad.."

It turned into bickering and that I was disappointed to see Caine publicly being a turd to people who would post their positive testimonies about US.

Ultra, I own 25 of your sabers, the only problems I've ever had with only 2 them were my own fault. One of which you offered to fix for me (though after the rest of my purchase money is tight. XD)

I feel like I am reiterating what others have said but it just makes me disappointed to see something like Star Wars; a universe created full of diversity and there are people that need to "Besturdize" it into an actual segregation of communities.

[Osmethae]

It kinda shows those guys' true colors when they basically make fun of people just getting into the hobby. Not all of us can afford to spend $1500 for one lightsaber just to fight with, and pay $43 alone for sounds. Ultra has the *best* affordable alternative which is what brought me here, and then the quality of the first saber I bought which was the Archon v2 was so astounding I had to get another.. then another. Why pay $1500 for one saber, when I could spend that amount and have 4, 5, or even more without sound just to fight with!?

You have to be a pretty big a**hole to have the gull to tell someone "I've been in this for 20 years, you've been in it for a week and don't know anything". Yeah, great way to make others want to hop into the hobby.

[Massassi]

          @Ultra; Wow. I just discovered this thread today and I'm glad I did. To reiterate what others have said, thank you Alex for being transparent on this issue. After the initial conflict between your company and Nova/Caine, I tried to find any information I could on the dispute, (Not for tabloid interest but for the sake of being an informed consumer) to no avail. I'm sure this was due to the possible legal ramifications of discussing the issue. At that point I resolved not to spend any more money with either party until I had a better idea of what was going on. Well, after reading this thread, spending some time reading the forums at FX Sabers and watching the YouTube videos, I would like to express my sympathies for what you have likely gone through these past few months.

          It is rare occurrence in this world that a person gets to do something they are truly passionate and enthusiastic about for a living and your passion shines through in the work you do and your dedication to customer service. But to have someone, especially someone you once considered a friend, slander you, mock you and strip the joy from what you do and make you question yourself in the ways you alluded to must be an awful feeling. On  That said, it's obvious from the comments and posts in not only this thread but all over your forum that you are overwhelmingly supported and loved by your customers. However, those of us who love and support you and your company might make one demand of you, and that is to never let these cancerous human beings make you doubt yourself again. Like I said, not many people get to do what they love for a living and you do it too well to give it up. So, as long as it is the passion that is driving you, don't ever, ever give this up.

          I will end this long-winded post with the famous quote from Sun-Tzu: Sit by the river long enough and you will see your enemy float by. Or, more literally, continue making the most creative, innovative and fairly priced products in this hobby and you will see your competitors fold in your wake. Live well and be easy.

 

[navajas]

Caine always rubbed me the wrong way and much like Jammo rolled my eyes and zipped my lips while he was here. He seemed put out by honest interest and simply refused an answer and/or ignored my questions: Not exactly behavior I'd expect from a moderator on a hobby forum. That said, honestly, I was sorry to see Nova go. We had more than one constructive exchanges about the state of modern fencing, directing, etc... It's a bummer. 

I say the above without even knowing to what videos the above are responding.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

I say the above without even knowing to what videos the above are responding.

Good on you!

I've always admired your honesty.

[Manroon]

As have I.

You know, I think it's safe to say Caine rubbed a lot of people the wrong way when he was here. I know several people confided dissatisfaction in his conduct here to me then, but I personally never had much to do with him one way or the other. In hindsight, and even back then to some extent, I could see some of his behavior wasn't exactly what I'd have expected. As I said though, I didn't have much to do with him then, and I sort of didn't judge cause I figured it wasn't my place and I hadn't had any negative experience with him one on one. From what I've seen and heard of his acts lately though, looks like they speak something of him. Most sad, but what can you do? If a person is set to be in bad ways, only they can change themselves.