Didn't somebody make new G2-styled rifles for Earthrise Optimus? Maybe Matrix Workshop? I've been scrolling back through TFSafari's entire product catalog and not seeing them.

Did I just make up something out of a fever dream?

 

Got the Go Better Optimus Primal and Netflix Soundwave kits in the mail. Both are quite excellent. Will post pics later.

Another shot of the ZX Coneheads missiles. Repainted Dirge and Ramjet sets to matte black. Left Thrust set alone since my son didn't want me to paint the base part black. For Sandstorm, left the Ramjet set alone in stock colors since it matches his deco well.

They're made by ZX and decently sized. Unclebilly carries them as well as various vendors on eBay (who annoyingly don't say ZX). Sweetmall-1 has done recolored versions before.

Edit: @Maverick Hunter Christian
Not Sweetmall, wonderfullys.

ZX Studio ZX-11 3D Mass Productin Upgrade kit for Voyage Optimus Prime,in stock

Sliver + Black Big Gun Weapon Upgrade Kit for Optimus Prime - Toys G1 Guns | eBay
Sliver Big Gun Weapon Upgrade Kit for Optimus Prime - Toys G1 Guns -Sliver | eBay
Big Gun Weapon Upgrade Kit for Optimus Prime - Toys G1 Guns -Black | eBay

 

Are these the droids you're looking for?
ZXB-003 G2 WEAPONS FOR SIEGE/EARTHRISE OPTIMUS PRIME

Edit: also searched eBay with "transformers optimus prime guns upgrade"

 

Got from sweetmall both the Huffer and Ironhide (waiting on Ratchet) filler kits. I don't have much experience with Tim's kits but I read in here about there usually being fitting issues, I can safely say for these everything fits nicely nothing is loose. Just some odd color choices like using silver on Huffers legs instead of grey. The orange is a bit darker but not horrible. The arms look good especially with the black piece painted. The red pieces on Ironhide are all one shade and is slightly brighter than the brightest of the reds on him.

 

Got some more kits in the mail.

1. Go Better Optimus Primal gap fillers set: chest, jetpack, and screw hole covers.

Overall, this kit turned out fairly good, although I have some minor nitpicks. This is the higher tier Go Better quality, so even up close, can't see print lines. The color match of the gray is spot on for the painted grays on the figure and about 90% to the base gray plastic. The chest and jetpack fillers have hinges on metal pins. Everything fits well without any loose bits or pieces that can't fit. TFSafari lists the kit at $17, so is not cheap compared to the figure cost.

The chest gap filler is designed to look like the Kingdom box art. It clips onto the head assembly fairly snug and hasn't popped off yet.


During transformation, the main panel is flipped up and the side panels are flipped to the opposite side.


The chest filler as seen in ape mode.


Go Better's site said the gap filler may create a small gap in ape mode. Well, I wouldn't have even noticed the 'gap' if I hadn't read about it. It's barely there. The chest / head assembly is still able to close and 'snap' into place. Now, onto that jetpack...


The jetpack filler slides and plugs into place. There is a small hinged piece that plugs into the, um, back hinge to help secure in place. This is NOT technically transformable. As shown above, it is possible to still use in ape mode if the back is not transformed. However, the jetpack has to be removed for the figure to transform for 2 reasons: 1) the chest/head assembly cannot open and 2) the waist cannot rotate 180 degrees with the jetpack in place. Also shown are the 2 screw hole covers just above the back of the knees.


The only thing that's going to drag down my rating a bit is the thruster design. It looks like a 5mm port, but it's not. So, they're not blast effects compatible. There's some some tapering bits in there with the design, so they can't plug in. The holes are also a teeny bit smaller than 3mm, so can't plug in Bandai effects or 3mm rod adapters either (which would then allow blast effects to work). The flight stand port is a standard 3mm port.


If one were to mod the ports using a 3mm drill bit, then one can at least use Bandai effects (shown below) or use a 3mm rod as a blast effects adapter.


Extra:
Does the Go Better set play nice with the ZX accessories set? Overall, yes. Obviously, the ZX chest filler will get tossed and didn't work nearly as well as the Go Better filler. The only piece that may get affected is the ZX Mutant Mask. With the head at a normal tilt, the head is locked to only one position: the middle. Strangely enough, the ZX mask and Go Better chest piece perfectly interlock with each other. The chin sits in between the hinges, which then prevents movement. However...


If the head is tilted all the way back, then yes, one can get more head movement with the Mutant Mask on.


Overall: 8/10. This is a good set, but the lack of blast effects compatibility and the price bring down the rating a little bit.

2. Go Better Netflix Soundwave gap fillers set, including forearm flip panels.

I was looking forward more to this set, and I was not disappointed. This is a great set and a must have for anyone who has Netflix Soundwave. The kit includes 2 forearm flip panels, several gap fillers for the back of the arms and legs, and gap fillers for the feet. This kit is NOT compatible with Siege Soundwave or Soundblaster. Go Better has kits already out there for these figures and is now offering the new feet gap fillers as their own separate small add-on kit. None of the parts interfere with transformation. No loose parts. The forearm panels fit rather snug, which is good, and they haven't popped out yet. The color match is about 90-95% depending on the area. This kit is the higher Go Better tier of print quality, so print lines aren't seen even up close. Pricing is still relatively high.

This picture shows the new forearm panels.


This shows the smaller gap fillers in the rear view.


This shows the new forearm panel flipping open.


This shows the new feet gap fillers.


There's no interference in alt mode.


Extra:
I had added red pinstripe tape to our Netfilx Soundwave figure. Added on stripes to the new forearm panels.


Overall: 9.5/10. Great, great set. Only thing bringing down rating is price.

That's good to hear if they start to become more consistent in getting better kits out there. My first 2 kits were bad, like really bad. I unintentionally bought a 3rd set of kits from them and didn't know it was Tim Heada. At least I think it's Tim Heada. Bought transformable null rays which ended up being pretty good. Tim Heada also mentions other groups projects on their weibo. The null rays were mentioned in one post only and was clumped along with other sets that are definitely Tim sets.

 

What is the purpose of the concave pieces in the Soundwave gap filler's feet ?

 

ZX has been hitting it out the park with their kits, however, there are some exceptions. The OP axe from one of their first kits was jank and ours ultimately ended up broken in multiple pieces. Their Datsun kits also aren't hitting the high quality level of their other kits.

Regardless...

ZX Earthrise Barricade accessories kit

Wasn't thrilled with the Prowl set we got. Quality was rough (for ZX standards but on par with MW) and wrong length pegs (fits but too long). Added on the Barricade set to another order. It's slightly better than the Prowl set but not by much. Pricing is still relatively high as well.

The set includes 2 shoulder blaster replacements, 1 main blaster replacement, 4 hubcap covers, and 1 nightstick.

The lavender color matching is spot on. The gold color is much better than the stock blaster (which looks bronze). The quality is a mixed bag. Must be something about the printing beds for the Datsun kits. One side of the pieces will look pristine but then others a bit rough. Annoyingly, the support struts on the hubcap covers weren't cut off.

BEFORE USING, FIX BARRICADE'S HANDS. There's an issue with the Datsun hands in that the mold is ever so slightly offset. This is why blaster pegs feel tight in their hands and likely contributed to people breaking their stock blasters. Use a 5mm drill bit to fix: twist by hand until no resistance is felt. Not all that much material needs to come off, but then, the pegs will start to fit correctly. The pegs on the accessories are correct for 5mm ports but will feel like they're too tight or don't fit if Barricade's hands aren't fixed first.

Anyhow, right off the bat, yep, the pegs are too long like the Prowl kit. Used a precision file to get down to the right length for the shoulder cannons and side port of the nightstick. Using a side cutter is risky and may break the peg outright.


Ok, that's better now and looks like the preview pics. Again, the main blaster and nightstick won't fit right until Barricade's hands are fixed first. The nightstick can be held 3 ways: hands, side port, and upper thigh. For the hubcap covers, cut off the support struts off all 4 pieces and then installed.


Side view. In the above picture, the top view of the blaster shows great quality. On the right side, there's bit of a quality downgrade. The left side looks pretty good in comparison, though.


The nightstick can also plug into the mushroom slot on the upper thighs.


Alt mode. The main blaster doesn't look good on top, and I would just leave off. [custom purple / silver lightbar is my own and NFS]


Overall: 6, maybe 5.5, out of 10. The shoulder cannons and hubcaps are pretty good. The main blaster would've been a lot better if it had the same quality on all sides. I may end up redoing the deco on the nightstick (strip paint, dye black, then paint over non-handle area matte black). Points lost for quality issues on the main blaster, wrong length pegs, leaving the support struts on the hubcap covers, and price (high upgrade kit to figure cost ratio).

-----

Unclebilly and some eBay sellers already have the Shockwave Lab Core Megatron and Warpath sets in stock. I got a shipping notice on the Go Better Beast Megatron set finally. I don't know about Inferno since didn't order and don't have the figure. The ZX Grimlock kit seems forever stuck in pre-order limbo.

 

Thanks for the new GoBetter reviews, got them on the way so it's good to know they came out good. The only stuff of his I had prior to this was the guns for the Studio Series dreads and them I had no issues with. But I guess there's not much to mess up with a single gun haha. Shame though you had such bad expensive with the kits you got.

 

Hoping Go Better would try their attempt at making those ER Ironide/Ratchet feet upgrade kit & fillers. So far Utopia's stuff seems to be a bit oversized and requires additional sanding.

 

Got my first batch of eBay upgrade kits this morning - ER Ironhide feet replacements/fillers, Netflix Soundwave fillers and Kingdom Primal chest piece thing and jet pack. Still waiting on the Huffer, BW Megs, Inferno and Jazz sets.




So, the Ironhide set is new feet/back of the van and bicep and forearm covers. Easy to fit and an excellent colourmatch, I haven't transformed him with the new feet yet, but they look fine in robit mode to me. Can't decide if I want to paint the back window or not though.




Soundwave fillers do the job - good fit - but they're a bit dark, really. I can live with it though, but I REALLY need to lop those lumpy fold-out skids off his forearms PRONTO. I hate 'em on both molds.





Primal's kit is, again, a great fit, but I need to figure out if the chest filler bit needs paint or not. It's VERY 'obvious'.

Really need a flying stand for miladdo now!

 

Sweetmall-1 appears to be the first to list the ZX Kingdom Dinobot kit, but the listing is odd. The listing has both the Dinobot parts set and the metal coins. At least they give you the option of getting either or both.
Claw Stone Hammer Metal coin Upgrade Kit For War For Cybertron Kingdom Dinobot | eBay

 

Man, I wish someone would do an Upgrade kit like this for Kingdom Cyclonus


K Cyclonus is literally MMC Scale with G1 aesthetic. Is it too much to ask for a new head?

 

Swords, yes. Face, no. If you know how to take apart heads despite glue bonds, the ears are their own separate piece.

Taking apart the head will likely break one of the tiny head pegs since they're glued. Doesn't matter since the head is screwed anyways.

 

I mean, I already have the sword. @wheeljackfan16 made one and it is really good!
Sword For Transformers Kingdom Cyclonus JRC DESIGN | eBay


I would just personally like an IDW style head.

 

Looks like the DNA Design DK-13 and DK-14 re-issues are starting to trickle in to various shops, as well as the new DK-14K for Kingdom Ultra Magnus. The first runs of the kits were plagued with QC issues, though, in addition to very strange design choices that aren't apparent until seen in person. I somehow doubt the QC was fixed, but I could be wrong (some would need newly molded parts to fix).

Unclebilly's pricing is rather odd too and almost 50-80% higher than most other places.

Wonderfullys on eBay is putting up what looks like duplicate listings for some items, but the main difference is that those are shipping from US. They ship from both US and China, so pay attention to the individual listing.
Items for sale by wonderfullys | eBay

Edit: Also filter search for US Only under Item Location.

 

I believe that Dinobot kit has the specific palm adapters so that he can hold the discs. Just seems like an opportunity to cross promote the two items.

 

If anyone does that I hope they'll throw in a better G1 head too.

 

Heads up, 6hk666666 is now 7hk-zrelxg

 

Is this good/bad/neutral?
Checking the China Ebay Sellers list, last mention of 6hk666666 was in August 2020 but reviews are generally positive.