I've had that but don't know the fix. I kept messing with it and it eventually fit so there must be something that just needs to be gotten out of the way or something but I can't figure out what. Maybe the wheel panel isn't pegging into the hole in the arm?

 

New version of the decal sheet: Uploadfiles.io - jazzdecalsheet4.jpg



I'm pretty sure I've got everything right now. I ultimately decided I didn't care for the fender stripes on the left (sorry, JSix) so I didn't really check their scale much. The ones on the right seem to be just about right, though it was difficult to be sure with using normal white paper and awkwardly trying to wrap it around the toy while following the curves.

The hood stripes were a little too short, the window stripe with the text was way too short, the spoiler sides were too small, the Autobot logo for the chest was completely off, and the hubcap decals were just a little too big. All have been fixed and I checked the Autobot logo against Downbeat's chest and it's now a perfect match to my eye. I also went ahead and added a couple of Autobot logos without the stripes in case anyone wants to keep the bot mode look while still giving him a perfectly sized Autobrand (my suggestion is to use paint thinner to remove the red from his chest shield, being careful to avoid the red stripe, and print the logo on clear paper). I also decided to include a set of the hood stripes without the blue background. Pretty sure that won't be all that helpful though: since it's just toner over clear paper with no white backing, I doubt it'll look good over the dark blue background. But there was free space so I figured what the heck.

 

I really wish MT would have used some sort of transparent blue plastic for the headlights.

 

mean the shaka

 

Yeah same on mine, same side. Seems to be a common issue. I think Emgo's (or maybe it was Skullface) had the same issue too but he didn't point it out. I just saw it and went "huh...just like mine"

 

Fantastic man! Really appreciate your effort and willingness to share your work!

The only thing that worries me about the 'Tekering' fender stripes is having that triangular spoiler mount section integrated rather than a separate decal - I can see it being a pain to fold that end part onto where it needs to go. But then again I haven't tried it yet, nor done anything like this at all, so I'm sure that will be the least of my problems, lol  . Cant wait to have a go though!

 

Has anyone tried shaving down the back of his shoulder to fix the posing issue that makes the chest come untabbed? It seems like that could work to make his arm able to rotate a bit higher, but I'm wondering if someone has already tried it...

In any case, I'll add my voice to the chorus of praise for downbeat. This is one of the best MP-style toys that's been released, hands down!

 

Thanks guys, funnily enough I'm more okay with it now that I know others have the same issue.   If I figure it out I'll reply on this thread.

 

Can't thank you enough for taking the effort and sharing your work. This all looks fantastic.
I still am not sure if I'm gonna wait for some press-down dry transfers from someone like Eness, if they ever materialize. That's just because I like the medium and enjoy how it looks and how durable it is. But I am grabbing this in case I wanna try some waterslides, which I haven't worked with since .... 1984? But me and my plans is besides the point.. the point is you're going out of your way to do something nice for all of us and, well, that's pretty cool.

 

Downbeat really looks fantastic! I really appreciate how folks such as @JazzJunkie, @JSix, @Snaku, and @jream are creating decals for him.

A few question for those who have him in hand: How does one take apart his thighs? They look to be held together by some kind of hollow spring/tension pin. Also, for those of you doing paint additions to him (most commonly the feet and shins), have any of you painted his grappling hook also? I think I saw one or two pictures of the grappling hook itself painted silver, but I was wondering how those who lean towards cartoon accuracy chose to his grappling hook if at all.

On a sillier note, I find it funny that we haven't see anyone who is going for toy accuracy with their decals/stickers place an Autobrand on Downbeat's crotch.  

 

Haven't done any painting yet though I was thinking of doing the gun and grappling hook in silver. Just the hook end, not the handle.

As for toy accuracy, that's not really my goal. I like my MP Transformers to be what I think the character from the cartoon would look like if they were walking around in real life. So Downbeat's colors are toon accurate but I'm not interested in that: the only reason the cartoon didn't have the more detailed racing stripes from the real car is because it would've been too much trouble to animate. In my mind, the cartoon was always meant to represent the look of the real car but was just drawn in a simpler style. So I borrow elements from the toy and from the real car but it's not to try to replicate their specific look, but to make it look like he belongs in the real world.

 

got mine today. first transformation from alt to bot and back was a little tricky, but enjoyable. i cant wait for my reprolables sticker set to arrive. has a very nice heft and feel in hand.

 

Finally got around to transforming mine. Overall verdict: very nice toy, and I pretty much echo what everyone else has already said, ie:

• Vehicle mode is a real beauty, but very light on the decals, stickers are pretty much mandatory here.
• Bot mode is really on point, great representation of Jazz. It's nice that you can pull the doors in or out for a cartoon/toy look very easily too. Good weight.
• Poseability is pretty good, about even with the TT carbots, but not exceptional (eg, FT Willis or MMC Sphinx). Head articulation leaves a bit to be desired too.
• Helmet/swappable face gimmick is perfect, frankly they should all be like that. Accessories are also really good.
• The transformation overall is great, especially the front, though the legs are a bit fiddly.
• For me the worst part is the "faction logo" on the chest, I don't know what they were thinking. Just leave it blank sheesh.
• The chest tabs really like to pop out, they need to be a bit more resistant. Also one of my legs doesn't quite tab in right, might just be random QC there.
• Swirly plastic feet... why? Everything else has a premium look. One lick of grey paint at least, sheesh.
• The gold rims might bother you, personally I kinda like them.

So yeah, overall a great toy, though not perfect. They got a lot of things right, and the biggest area of improvement IMO would be more paint/tampo detail (particularly the lighter blue inner striping and better placement of the 4 on the doors, IMO that's a little unforgiveable) and removal of the "logo" area.

 

The logo wouldn't be so bad if it were correctly proportioned, the white border weren't so big, and you could get clear Autobot logo stickers off the exact size needed.

The leg panel is a known issue that pretty much everybody has. A few pages back it was discussed that you can fix it by shaving the plastic a bit or just by rocking the panel back and forth past the rubbing point until it wears down a bit.

I didn't know there was anybody who didn't like the gold rims. The complaints I'd seen were over the large silver pins in the middle of them. That's why I included decals for the pins in my decal sheet.

 

clear transparent blue headlights would certainly help with accuracy.

 

I just threw a white-backed autobot logo over the whole thing. Covers well enough. Doesn't look out of place. I'd rather this than something like Warbotron or even MMC Trailbreaker where you get no flat surfaces to put a symbol anywhere.

 

Overall this is a great Jazz and is currently the best one out there, so much so I'm really curious to see if Takara can top it.

There are some things I don't like, though...I think the decision to paint the upper legs silver instead of white is curiously pointless--why not just make them accurate to the toy AND cartoon? Yeah, it's well painted and it doesn't look bad, it's just an odd decision. The unpainted swirly gray plastic is another odd decision, and looks very un-MP...if it was a matter of cost, I wish they had just made the upper legs white plastic and put that nice silver paint on his shins and feet! It's unfortunate that it seems a bit complicated to disassemble, I would really like to paint these areas to "fix" it.

The abdomen area is very plain like the cartoon, much like Takara is doing with their recent MPs. This is an area I wish they had incorporated details from the toy like the older MPs would have.

Car mode looks great, I was a little bothered by the undercarriage junk in the back at first but you grow to ignore it. I guess they were shooting for a toon look with the decals, but I really wish they had gone with the toy/real car that it's based on. I am looking forward to applying the decals though--options! Everybody wins! Kudos to those taking the time to make them.

My quibbles with this guy are so overshadowed by everything it does right, though, and I can't write a review of this guy without mentioning how fantastic the head/face is, I can't imagine a better one.

 

Depends on what you're being accurate to.


Personally, I prefer the clear black plastic and would've been disappointed with blue.

 

Has anyone tried these decals out? I'm curious if they're good to go cause I really want to print them out and apply them