Guillows fly or hanger queen

[Mitch]

I have built ALL the 400 series last year... some were diecut and some lazer. I also bought some new lazer cut kits of a diecut kit I had in my "warehouse". I did notice that some of the balsa sheets are laid out different.

SO... Yes... I agree the Guillows team spent some time re-designing and layout...and I am sure they spent some time on each piece also. It's more work than we hobbyists realize!

Mitch

[scigs30]

Talking with Guillows most if not all their kits files have been converted over to laser. With that being said I don't think they are going to start laser cutting until old stock runs out, unless the dies go first. You will notice with the Corsair some parts are laser and some die crunched, this is because the die was no longer working. I understand Guillows wants their old stock to be sold off first, but why not allow us model builders to purchase laser cut wood separately?

[Steve Blanchard]

I'm with you Scigs. If I work from a Guillows kit without laser cut, I'm making my own parts. Might as well call it a scratch build from plans at that point. I have toyed with purchasing laser cut parts for some of the kits I have that are die cut. I know I will for some once they move up on my build list.

Steve

[Bill Gaylord]

The transition has been an issue. My LHS puts price tags on models, yet uses the manufacturer's list price for checkout. I believe that each time they get a new shipment of models, they update the system pricing based on MSRP. This causes a real problem when I take an old, die-cut kit version to the counter, and they try to charge me the latest, laser-cut price, when the price tag shows a much lower price, once you wipe the dust off of it so that you can read it. I'm not kidding about the dust either. I think a lot of places like them are simply hoping that the average customer who knows nothing about these kits and buys them as gifts, will not know the difference. I built the last die-cut Fairchild 24 that they had, since they actually did give me the old price, but it likely should have been even less. A lot of places have these kits for years, where they paid very little for them 10 years ago, but keep marking up the prices. With the new laser cut kits, I would want a substantial discount on the old die-cut stock. That holds true for most any other product in the hobby when it becomes obsolete.

[Steve Blanchard]

I agree Bill. The die cut versions really should be drastically discounted, especially when they are on a shelf next to the laser cut versions. Preying on the ignorant is never a savvy business move in my book, and making yourself look greedy to the regular builder is even worse. I'm glad you didn't pay laser cut price.

Steve