I took a chance with a grab bag, and got a Blue Liberator with (I think) Guardian Blue blade color. It may not stay mine for long - we'll see whether or not my fiancee wants it tomorrow.
Hilt: 9/10
The weight of the hilt is a little light for my liking, but that aside I'm quite impressed. The blue anodization is a pleasant tone, the smooth lines (and lack of choke) give a bit more freedom in how to use the saber, and the top of the emitter is a really nice touch. There are a few minor scratches, but I knew that such was a possibility when I opted for the grab bag, so no big deal. Also, the blade doesn't sit quite as deep in the hilt as I thought, but that is only an issue with the 36" blade that I have in it.
Color: 8/10
The blue tone is bright as all hell, and that is impressive. The color is very consistent as well. The two points off is because this blue is not one of my favored colors (I prefer reds, deep oranges and purples), but I don't outright hate the color either. And if I end up keeping the saber, I anticipate the color growing on me.
Control: 9/10
The saber flows very smoothly, and with the old 36" mid-grade blade I put in it, feels a lot like wielding a hand and a half sword. I have some experience with this, so it feels pretty good - just a little odd compared to my Phantom V3 with its 32" blades. Effective grip really starts below the holes in the emitter though - that portion is a little uncomfortable to actually hold and the angle doesn't feel quite right holding it there.
And finally, pictures:
The hilt alone
The saber lit up in sunlight
Close up of the blade. The reflected light shows the actual color.
Close up of the emitter.
Saber lit up in a dark room. Man is it bright.
If I end up being the one to keep it, I may battle scar the finish a bit. A story of "I took this saber off the first Jedi I killed" and thus, the saber having been damaged a little in the fight makes more sense for a Sith to have such a saber. Alternatively, the saber could be a tool for when said Sith's traditional sabers would give him away.
That said, not all has gone smoothly with this poor saber... I may have tightened the retention screw too much, and possibly stripped the head trying to get it out. Basically, the blade is now permanently in the hilt until I can figure out a solution. There are worse problems than that, but I had hoped to mess around with some color filters (the discs) that I received with my old Omen, to see about shifting the blue to a darker tone. Guess that'll have to wait.
