A few "stupid" questions from a nervous buyer

[navajas]

Do you know the name of the one on which you've settled? I went through most before I found my favorite.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

Solid input.  I think the confusion was about the RGB color "Sentinel Yellow" vs the yellow you get on a saber with the RGB setup (four switches, seven possible colors).  Ultra has said before that the colors you get with that setup are not necessarily the same as the ones you'd get with a single color - for instance the purple is not exactly Violet Amethyst.  That's probably what Kham-Ryn thought you meant.

I haven't seen Sentinel Yellow in person yet, but when I do I'll be sure to compare it to the filtered silver.  My silver hilt with a yellow Lee filter is definitely very bright and beautiful!

Yes that's what I meant.

It was on an OLD thread but I wasn't sure if I was talking out my rear or not.

I still need to some LEE filters.....

[InverseKnight]

...I didn't expect this many good replies. Or replies, at all, really. Time to get started.

@Kham-Ryn: I'd like to give you a little special thanks for being the person I lurked on to discover Sentinel yellow. Your other points are taken and very well appreciated.

@Zurth: Your explanations are very well done and I appreciate them, very much.

@Shami: Thank you very much, again, my good friend. On the subject on these "convertec clips", where upon the saber are they? The hilt module or the pommel? I'm aware the Initiate V3 can use other Saber's pommel's. I used to lurk custom saber shop, so, I know a little bit here-and-there about the MHS. I have zero technical aptitude, and that's being generous. I'm not drilling anything for fear of destroying it.

@Navajas: I'm not quite understanding you. Could you elaborate what you're speaking of? It sounds to me like you're adding filters unto the end of the blade, a silver one, to be precise, instead of altering a RGB light system. Am I correct? Or am I confused on the whole issue?

@Nero: Thank you for your input, Jacen Solo, I appreciate it greatly. My friend is getting Consular Green; until I can afford my Archon, it'll be two initiates, though. I don't want them to be the same color. It just looks lame. But I might get that replaceable LED thing, and switch green in later. This is my "Padawan" lightsaber and all. I'm not a Jedi Knight... yet.

A new set of questions, now.

This is about the length of the saber blades. I've been working with some Japanese swords, lately; thus reviving my desire to buy a sword. I'm purchasing a bokken at the moment, still debating a katana. But my lightsaber, I'm interested in the length. I've had difficulty with a Wakizashi, which I've been using mainly, because of it's lack of length.

Initiate v3 - 9"
Archon v2 - 11"
Initiate Blade - 24"
Mid / Heavy Grade Blades - 36"

24+9=33 - Initiate
24+11=35 - Archon
36+11=47 - Archon

Altogether, much longer than any japanese sword I know of.
The Katana being 39"
The Wakizashi being 25"
The Kodachi I imagine somewhere around 34"
My Archon would probably be closest to a Nodachi, am I right?

Any opinions from people who use these, like my friend and I (bored, stupid, eighteen-year-old otaku) plan to? To beat the living Hell out of each other?

[navajas]

Oh my God. I just had a lengthy reply killed by this dumb frell netbook.

Sigh.

Ok, quick then, the Sentinel Yellow you get from US will be an RGB LED die with blue turned off and red and green resisted a certain amount to give you their best attempt at yellow. Dig? That's one way to get yellow.

The other way is to get a silver LED and put a filter between it and the blade. They send little discs with the silver, but a far better result is obtained through LEE filters, a professional lighting company. They will send you two swatch books of samples of their gels. You cut them in a little circle, turn your blade upside down, rest the filter over the tube, sandwich your hilt over it, ET VOILA! 100s of colors to choose from.

Too good to be true? Yes. Because filters SUCK at primary colors. However, they're great at secondaries, especially yellow.

If all you want is a static yellow blade (no fancy effects via sound board) then in my opinion, which is not given lightly nor without foundation, is that silver + filter is the way to go. I will post pictures later.

[InverseKnight]

Oh my God. I just had a lengthy reply killed by this dumb frell netbook.

Sigh.

Ok, quick then, the Sentinel Yellow you get from US will be an RGB LED die with blue turned off and red and green resisted a certain amount to give you their best attempt at yellow. Dig? That's one way to get yellow.

The other way is to get a silver LED and put a filter between it and the blade. They send little discs with the silver, but a far better result is obtained through LEE filters, a professional lighting company. They will send you two swatch books of samples of their gels. You cut them in a little circle, turn your blade upside down, rest the filter over the tube, sandwich your hilt over it, ET VOILA! 100s of colors to choose from.

Too good to be true? Yes. Because filters SUCK at primary colors. However, they're great at secondaries, especially yellow.

If all you want is a static yellow blade (no fancy effects via sound board) then in my opinion, which is not given lightly nor without foundation, is that silver + filter is the way to go. I will post pictures later.

I've heard of doing that, but I'm technologically retarded, and afraid I'd screw it up. How difficult is it?

[ed_ification]

From what I understand, one places a small filter disc between the LED and the blade, then tightens the blade in place.  That's it.  If you order Adegan Silver, Ultrasabers will send some filters along.

The process that navajas describes really is that easy.

To illustrate using a crude text diagram:

-------------------    |   ---------------------
                      |>   |
-------------------    |   ---------------------
                      ^    ^                       ^
                      |     |                        |
                    LED   Filter                Blade

[navajas]

My sons pick their own colors and are able to make the switch on their own. They are six and three years old. The technological tools involved are as follow:

A pen
Scissors

After you cut the first circle out, you are able to cull 50% of the above supplies from the process (the pen) because then you can just use your existing circle of filter as a template.

I'm not sure I'm adequately conveying what's involved here. As explicitly as possible then:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You've got your saber sitting in front of you.

You pick up the hex wrench that came with it and remove the blade. This is the most technical step. It involves putting the wrench into the screw and turning: Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

You look through the swatch book and pick a color.

You use scissors to cut out a section of said color.

You take your blade and put it, open side down on the section of filter and draw around it with the pen.

You cut out the resulting circle. Go ahead and cut a little inside the line to make sure it;s not wider than the tube.

You take the blade, turn it upside down and rest the circle on the open end.

You put the hilt back over the blade and then tighten the hex wrench.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's as utterly complicated I can think to make it sound. It involves no skills or tools taught later than kindergarten. It is much, much more difficult to change the batteries than it is to swap a filter. To cut a new one takes about 60 seconds. To switch them out takes about 15. Well, for a grown up. Multiply both times by about four for a little kid.

[InverseKnight]

Other than making me feel like a gigantic idiot for doubting myself on rudimentary skills, you have both given me a good deal of information.

I just watched the video for Initiate V3; at the moment, I'm ordering it bare-bones. If I want to upgrade later; I just send it in and they'll add whatever? Like, "I want my Obsidian now". Right? I'm sorry for being so neurotic, I just want to be careful with an expensive buy.

[ed_ification]

Other than making me feel like a gigantic idiot for doubting myself on rudimentary skills, you have both given me a good deal of information.

I just watched the video for Initiate V3; at the moment, I'm ordering it bare-bones. If I want to upgrade later; I just send it in and they'll add whatever? Like, "I want my Obsidian now". Right? I'm sorry for being so neurotic, I just want to be careful with an expensive buy.

Yes, you certainly can.  However, if you plan on getting sound at all, I advise that you save up and do so all at once.  Ordering without sound and adding it later is very costly - you have to re-ship the saber to Ultrasabers, and the saber essentially has to be re-wired.  Better to do it on the first go-round.

[InverseKnight]

Yes, you certainly can.  However, if you plan on getting sound at all, I advise that you save up and do so all at once.  Ordering without sound and adding it later is very costly - you have to re-ship the saber to Ultrasabers, and the saber essentially has to be re-wired.  Better to do it on the first go-round.

I'm extremely limited in funds right now; I'm just rewarding myself (for once) with a lightsaber I've wanted since I found this site years ago. I'd get the Archon right-away, but, I don't have the money. $95 atop $65 would clean me out. Added up to my specifications, the Initiate LE v3 is running 85. Jesus Christ, deliver me from bankruptcy. Thank you, again, everyone.

[navajas]

Not trying to make you sound like and idiot, trying to impress upon you how much a non-issue the filter gambit really is. Plus, you save $5. I think it ends up a wash if you order the samples from LEE, but...

Here's the thing. If cutting out the circles and ordering from LEE freaks you out, just order the sentinel yellow or the adegan and use the discs included. With nothing with which to compare it, you'll never know, nor care, and it'll still be a cool lightsaber.

Have fun.

[navajas]

Oh, and by the way:

LEE Filters Swatch Book

See the swatch book link?

I wonder if LEE ever has meetings and wonders why they get so many swatch orders from emails addresses like, darkvadersaber666, sta4warz4lif3, darthdarknesstheblack and darthdarthluke that never ever ever result in sales.

[InverseKnight]

Not trying to make you sound like and idiot, trying to impress upon you how much a non-issue the filter gambit really is. Plus, you save $5. I think it ends up a wash if you order the samples from LEE, but...

Here's the thing. If cutting out the circles and ordering from LEE freaks you out, just order the sentinel yellow or the adegan and use the discs included. With nothing with which to compare it, you'll never know, nor care, and it'll still be a cool lightsaber.

Have fun.

That was more self-deprecation than anything, my friend. No need to be worried. And I'm not ordering my Archon for a half-year or more, so I have time to decide.

[navajas]

By the way, you may notice from my sig that I have a number of pretty fancy ass sabers. And, when I say this, I also realize some of the fallacy inherent: If asked, I wouldn't trade mine for yours for instance. However, that said, probably my "favorite" would be the first we ever purchased: My son's Dark LE Initiate v2. It's just so damned handy. It feels great in your hand. My wife has the V3. I like the v2 a lot better.

Regardless, just because it's low on the price sheet doesn't mean it's low on fun. Or practicality. In a fight I'd definitely take the boy's Initiate over my custom.

How are you configuring it?

Finally, I'd get the notion of upgrading the thing with sound right out of your head. It'll make much more sense to just buy a fancy one later on.

Finally finally, Ultra Sabers has sales often. Those sales are often pretty hot. I don't think I've ever bought full retail. Hmm. Maybe my Mom's. If I were cash strapped (which I sure as shell am) I'd wait for a sale and see if I could save a buck or two. No guarantees obviously.

Take care.

[InverseKnight]

By the way, you may notice from my sig that I have a number of pretty fancy ass sabers. And, when I say this, I also realize some of the fallacy inherent: If asked, I wouldn't trade mine for yours for instance. However, that said, probably my "favorite" would be the first we ever purchased: My son's Dark LE Initiate v2. It's just so damned handy. It feels great in your hand. My wife has the V3. I like the v2 a lot better.

Regardless, just because it's low on the price sheet doesn't mean it's low on fun. Or practicality. In a fight I'd definitely take the boy's Initiate over my custom.

How are you configuring it?

Finally, I'd get the notion of upgrading the thing with sound right out of your head. It'll make much more sense to just buy a fancy one later on.

Finally finally, Ultra Sabers has sales often. Those sales are often pretty hot. I don't think I've ever bought full retail. Hmm. Maybe my Mom's. If I were cash strapped (which I sure as shell am) I'd wait for a sale and see if I could save a buck or two. No guarantees obviously.

Take care.

Wednesday I'm putting an order in for a Initiate V3 and Dark Initiate V2, first Guardian Blue, second Consular Green. Both UltraEdge Blades. Standard Blade for the V3 and Initiate Blade for the V2. Everything else standard. His is clearly the "Shoto" and we've established that. He prefers short-swords and we don't mind sharing for duel- wielding every now and again.

Before Celebration Six, I plan to buy an Archon (or whatever the upgraded version is, if there is one). UltraHeavy Grade Blade. Lithium-Ion Batteries. Obsidian Sound-Board. Sentinel Yellow (maybe FoC to Fire Orange). That's all I have planned so far. I'd like a Violet Prophecy somewhere down the line, but, hey, that's somewhere down the line.