I've got the news on in the background while I have fun discussing Lego and off brand Lego products. Today I wanted to share out about mu positive experience with "Brick Me Up Scottie" via a successful online order.
In case you don't know, "Brick Me Up Scottie" is a YouTube personality in Hong Kong with a store that sells off-brand Lego products. He provides reviews, tells stories, and is quite funny and entertaining with his presentation.
I decided to buy from his store to help support what he does and because I trusted him as an international seller; I have read stories online about some international sellers being scams and not providing the product. His wife helps with the business, so when I placed the order she emailed me with the total with shipping and everything and I sent my payment in. There was a shipping delay, out of their control, because the package was sent back to them the first time they shipped it out.
As an apology for the delay, Scottie gave me a personalized note with 2 free minifigures (who just happen to look like Lego versions of my parents) and a free keychain. Thank you Scottie! I give you bonus point for the branded box that they were shipped in.
What did I order? I went for 2 modular facade buildings from the company Enlighten: the "Sunshine Hotel" and "City Hall." Both products look like original creations from the company and not rip offs of Lego designs or MOCs that I have seen online. Both buildings came with a car and minifigures.
First, let's look at the Sunshine Hotel and the victory-mobile (and the strange gray brick separator that came with it); NOTE: this set was 18 studs wide, not 16 like I expected:
Here's the Enlighten City Hall (and the somewhat normal-looking dark blue brick separator they sent with the set); NOTE: this set was 22 studs wide:
Here's my combined review for the products:
The GOOD:
*I actually like the Enlighten brand instructions books more than Lego brand because they gray out the stuff you've already put together to make it obvious what the new pieces are going onto the set.
*There are some pieces Lego doesn't even make, like the royal woman' dress and the roses.
*They have nice-looking building facades that easily blend in with the Lego modular buildings; I could see me adding my own pieces to them and making them part of my modular city.
*I love the April O'Neil reference from TMNT that is the news reporter at City Hall!
*These sets take place in some sort of Steampunk reality, as seen with the wheels on the cars and the gears on the gold horse statue.
The BAD:
*Strangely the news reporter is the only figure with flesh-colored skin; the rest of them are all the traditional yellow flesh figures.
*The people don't look Steampunk enough for the theme going on here.
*The Sunshine Hotel's sign for "Today's Special" misspelled "Special" as "Speical."
*I was missing one piece from the City Hall set, but it was a plate so it wasn't a big deal (easily replaced with my Lego collection).
*Some of the white-colored bricks were off-color; some of the window glass was all scratched and dirty (like used Lego, instead of new)
*The worst thing of all was that my hands really hurt after putting these together; the pieces don't go together as smoothly/easily as Lego brand bricks. My fingers needed some lotion and a day to rest.
I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you are not furious over my inability to be a Lego brand purist; there's just too much great stuff out there and Lego isn't providing enough of what I want (modular buildings and sets easily converted to modular buildings).
That's it for today. Be safe out there and I'll be safe at home!
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