Difference Between 1:18 Production & Customs

[Fritzkrieg]

It seem to me that the difference between 1:18 Production & Custom items has been blurred, over the last year. We have Limited edition 21st & BBI items out there, that are considered production items, and we have Custom kits produced by Skyworks and Pickelhaube, that we call customs I feel that if a Custom kit is made repeatedly, it has to fall into the production category. It is just a mater of perception, that differentiates to two. In my minds eye a Pickelhaube or Skyworks kit, is every bit as legit a 1:18 production model, as anything produced by 21st or BBI.

I'm couriouss how this is percieved by the rest of the board.

[Threetoughtrucks]

The custom kits can not be considered a "production" item any more than the "one of" items that have been made in the past and continue today.

Counting a production run of 5,000 units up against a run of 20 custom kits just doesn't wash. Any more than the very limited run of customs I bought from one of our members who turned a half-track into a Scout Car and a Tiger into a Sturmtiger and did excellent job on both.

My "custom" items, including PH kits, I value highly.

TTT

[grunt1]

Great question. It's one of those things where a lot of people can easily identify which is which, but find it harder to explain what the key differences actually are and where something crosses the line from one category to the next.

Is it the packaging with a bar code, a certain quantity of units produced, a company with an 800 number, a federal or state Tax ID. Or is it the fact that there is actually a manufacturing process of some sort allowing the same item to be re-produced repeatedly.

Oh and aferg, seems like it's more fun and relevant to discuss this than what Tiger Woods has been up to.. Or maybe I'm on the wrong board.

[Fritzkrieg]

I imagine the completist, would go nuts, if these Garage made kits were considered part of the 1:18 product lines.

[c44]

Completists are already nuts... oh, yeah, and Happy New Year!