It's still way too early to tell if all Hounds were affected by a weak batch of green plastic. No it's not right but many preordered Hound to find breakages either out of box or after handling through no fault of their own.

Now, if able, they can get a refund or exchange. Most of us aren't in Japan therefore cannot get support directly from Takara. Refunds/exchanges are a hassle. Guys like Jarrod provide fixes for stuff that can be shared and are beneficial.

It doesn't, at all encourage Takara to continue what they're doing. For all we know, they may not know, nor care that fans outside of Japan are getting breakages. I've had insight into Japanese corporations behind the scenes. It's probably finger pointing internally left and right until an engineer realizes "hey....guys...no..we actually did fuck up".

And people do get fed up, this thread is proof, diehard fans overseas advise against getting this until Takara gets the their stuff together.

I made the decision that I wouldn't buy any collectors item overseas unless I was willing to take the risk that it may break and I was willing to fix it. I was used to it with smaller companies, not Takara. Even I didn't get Hound but if I did, I'd sure as hell like to fix my copy.

Guys like Jarrod provide ways for all of us to fix their toys. We shouldn't have to but it's better than endlessly complaining with no solution.

And Takara probably isn't going to provide a solution other than a fix for a rerelease but that doesn't help those who already bought the toy from the current run.

 

Come get your membership card. There seems to be thousands of them in this box. The Piranha was a fun little vehicle.

I guess that’s why some of us take our toys apart. I appreciate the efforts to understand the engineering and potential QC issue with a toy. @Jarrod and @BrutiKing has done a lot of great work in dealing with a lot of problems and developing fixes for us to implement. I agree, we shouldn’t have to effect any repairs, but the only perfect runs of a product is one unit. Where thousands are concerned, there will be imperfections, and it’s been proven from all of these botched glue jobs that human error is at the heart of it.

Like @Dean ML said about Bumblebee, he’s pricey, even the AJ price was debateable, which was made worse by any paint issues. My first Ironhide’s leg panel broke at the hinge some time ago and I’ve had quite a few QC issues with MP-12, Thrust, Dirge, MP-28, Cordon to name a few. Only since Inferno have my figures been QC free except for my second Grapple, which prompted my to buy a third one. For Prime, Bee amd Hound, my robot modes are QC free and haven’t transformed the vehicle modes yet so I can’t speak for those three.

The main pointis that sure, I would be upset at losing the QC lottery either on paint, or deformed faces or some other transfomation aspect. But I also know no run is going to be 100% perfect.

 

I feel like you're now confusing Hound's issues with the "fixes" I was taking about originally. There is no fix for Hound. But there is still a very viable fix for weak materials in Prime's knees. So, Alchemist it is I suppose.  

I think you'll find, actually, they do. Or at least that's what the conversations in these threads would suggest. In my experience, people are very interested about easy fixes, versus returning or exchanging. And...wait hold on...

Let me read that again,

Oh..yep...that's what I though it said. Um...ok. Well....I...uh...you...got me?

 

In addition, even if a toy seems okay for a long time after purchasing it, I still want to know how to fix it. Case in point, bought MP-01 in 2004, never had an issue until last year when transforming it and a vital joint is no longer engaging due to a screw no longer being tight. That's an issue that took 15 years to appear, far beyond any return/exchange policy.

Had I bought Hound, I'd like to know how to fix it should some unforeseen issue come to light in the future.

 

I feel so ignorant (which I loathe). What is this about?

Have you posted tutorials on the "fixes", or do you do commissioned work? You're an amazing kitbasher/creator, so I'd love to see your fixes (and maybe get some of my MPs fixed).

It seems like we could say that not ALL made in the first batch have....defective plastic. I mean, there are numerous persons that have said they don't have any cracks, stress marks, or breaks, despite plenty of handling.

I hope you're right. But, it appears, at least from an objective not-too-close observer that they've been cocking things up for a couple of years: Fire Convoy reissue, Star Convoy, MP-44, MP-45, and so forth. There seems to be a little cockiness and disregard for the customer (at least, the ones outside of Japan). It's tough, trying to support a product, a line, or a company that keeps punching one in the gut (and charging a premium at the same time); I don't know how/why Star Wars fans do it.

Again, could someone PLEASE point me to a link of MP fixes/tutorials?

I suspect the only fixes or alterations they'll make from a non + or repaint reissue is a different plastic mix/composition, and perhaps a change in when/how pins, rivets, and other metal joint parts are inserted. And that might be all Hound needs to be "fixed" from a production standpoint. I perceive that most, if not all problems with MP-47 stems from materials, not design.

That said, the stories here have me not ever wanting to convert Hound into vehicle, and I'll have to pack him away in (heavily padded) robot form....So with his box, twice the space. AGAIN, I really wish TT would put figures in bot mode in the box. It's not like the window boxes....You don't need to see the alt-mode in the window, next to art of the figure - Both forms are represented plentifully on packaging.

 

Not being alive in the 80s, my M.A.S.K. experience was after-the-fact in a collection setting. Always thought Condor and Piranha were fantastic toys, but M.A.S.K. in general had great designs, especially in the first couple years.

 

Minor/Repaint: - MP-44 General Fix Thread

 

Well, I finally opened my Hound today, after having put my kid to bed. I was VERY apprehensive, but on first inspection the only flaw is a hairline crack on the left ‘door’ hinge (fender side, not on the door itself). I very carefully transformed him, using Emgo’s very clear video, and I can safely say that I encountered no other flaws at all, no cracks, no paint flaws and no factory glued parts!
In robot mode, he’s absolutely stunning. After the disappointing Bumblebee, but before all the encountered problems, I had high hopes for Hound, and in hand, he most certainly lives up to my personal hype! He poses insanely well, he looks like he stepped off the screen, and he still looks like the G1 version (short arms!) which I’ve always adored (and lusted over for years before getting finally both a Takara book reissue and an OG Takara Diaclone MIB figure). I really wish the material Takara used would have been better suited, and I wish more people had good figures, but I’ll definitely be game for some repaints (and probably an extra reissue of this version if it gets rereleased by Takara with better plastic!).

Oh yeah, my motto says it all: I’m a huge M.A.S.K. fan and I’ve always been very partial to Stinger, the orange GTO muscle car!

 

Nearly every transformer i get i end up modding in some way.
I'm no expert by any means, and painting is out for me as im just not good at it, but @Jarrod is completely right, even minorish mods certainly can improve a figure (well) beyond new.
I have on occasion returned figures for major issues, but if possible (and i was capable) a pre-emptive fix would be worthwhile to me.

All of the following i have used to genuinely improve how a figure works or transforms, and/or to extend the life of the figure: Flash removal, tab/post adjustment (size reduction / increase, or removal), joint or locking point adjustment (eg hounds over tough shoulder panel lock), ratchet adjustment, glueing screws in place which turn where joints move, tightning/loosening of screws, complete section disassembly and careful reassembly, and of course joint lubrication.

That said, some of the breaks seen on some copies of this figure are ridiculous, and the level/type of issues is way beyond an odd bit of bad qc. TT have dropped the ball with this one and seriously need to look at what has gone wrong, and fix it - they have clearly lost some loyal customers, and worried others, but imagine if the next MP is affected in the same way.
Thankfully my copy remains in excellent condition (an odd small paint scrape and mushy hip ratchets excepted - work fine as friction joints), and i have now transformed a good few times, with the last time under normal (not delicate) handling. Hopefully the good copies remain good.

 

Ha, the reference might just be a bit too British.   It’s a picture of Christine Keeler, who was at the centre of the Profumo affair, a scandal in 1960s UK politics that was the basis for a 1980s film entitled “Scandal” - it was just a very silly reference to the claims that the “Hound affair” is a “scandal”.

 

"Houndgate" Lol.

 

When I took MP-04 apart, I did discover some weakening in the waist joints. This surprised me because my MP-04 was in the box for years. I think the bottom line is that everything that is man-made will breakdown.

 

Also shows that it's better to know how to fix stuff should stuff go wrong years down the line.

 

I have been loving my Hound since it arrived a few weeks ago. Fantastic design and no issues on mine.

After reading this thread over the past few weeks, I have to conclude that the problem is 100% user error. Not the ham-fisted kind, but rather the ham-eyed kind. You ham-eyed motherf-ers are just looking at this figure too damn hard. And the harder you look, the more cracks appear. Just look at it more gently.

 

Reminds me of a joke.

“I can cut wood just by looking at it. I saw it with my own eyes.”

 

Well then... This'll be me when I get the eventual reissue.

 

I wanted to share my own experience with this figure.

Original from AJ: K1219 / I2619 - cracked waist hinge on both sides and bad paint throughout.

Replacement from AJ: K0519 / I2619 - absolutely flawless  

Edit: I forgot to mention that the replacement was double-taped.

What’s the secret to getting a good copy I wonder.

What an awesome figure! Possibly my favourite (I’m a Brit) MP.

“Just turn me loose Prime. I’ll sniff ‘em out.”

 

The first time I genuinely laughed out loud at something on this site. Thank you!

 

How do you get a refund on full shipping through Amazon Japan? I am talking a customer service rep and they seem clueless.

On the returns process it says they just refund up to 2000 yen

 

Send a copy of your shipping receipt to:

[email protected]