After years of painstaking searching for a reasonably priced original G1 Soundwave, I finally found one. And got him for FREE! Well, pretty much, my cousin wanted all my YuGiOh cards, so I handed the dumb things over (only use for those was currency with him). Now, onto the Soundwave himself. First off, he is in pretty good shape. Joints are kinda loose, but that is to be expected of a 22 year old toy. Stickers are in great condition. There is some chrome wear on his silver buttons/tabs etc. His chest door stills works, something which suprised the hell out of me. He has metal feet, not sure if all G1 Soundwaves had them or not. His copyright information on the back raises an interested question though, it just says: (insert funky japanese symbols here) (C) TAKARA CO. LTD. '74, '83, JAPAN There is no Hasbro stamp. Was this present on the American release? Or did I end up with a Japanese release? Either way, with my birthday being a week from tommorow, this isn't a bad haul. BTW here is a list of the parts that I need for my Soundwave to be complete.
Well, that'd be the Japanese markings for the Microchange release. '74 refers to the release of Microman, '83 to the instatement of Cassetteman. I'm not sure though if Hasbro's Soundwave had different markings, or if this is a pre-TF piece. I know some Microchange made it over before TF launched, so odds are that's who you have.
Just talked to my cousin, he said he has the Buzzsaw minus the weapons lying around somewhere. But he made the comment that his head looks funny. So Look's like I'll need a head (the head may actually be gone). Still SWEET deal.
Im thinking it is the Hasbro version, I dont recall the Japs putting the rub symbol on their bots. And SW here has a rub symbol on his chest/door/thingy. PAGING NEVERMORE AND/OR MAZ!
Odd, my Soundwave is pre-rub and has the Hasbro logo on it. Ah, just checked Fred's. http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vrubby.html#stamp It seems as though this is nothing uncommon. You can also read about the Soundwave variations here. http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vdecep.html#sound
If I remembered correctly some of the first few batches of the TFs that Hasbro released in 1984 used some of the left-over stock from Takara's Diaclone and Microman series. Also the first batches of TF toys didn't have the rub signs. If I remember correctly, the rub signs were used by Hasbro as a marketing tool to differiate TFs from Gobots.
Close, but as a kid I remember many transforming robots were on the market that were KOs of Diaclone. I even picked up a set of KO Insecticons from a grocery store. The rub signs were an authentication mark to prove they are real transformers.
