Verified JANGBRiCKS accounts

In this post are listed real accounts owned & operated by me. Assume anything else is fake.

These are me:

• YouTube: 
• JANGBRiCKS (main channel)
• JANG's LEGO Reviews (newest, all LEGO reviews now go here)
• JANG Builds It!
• Pure Builds
• JANG's Brick World
• QUiCKBRiCKS
• JangMecha
• Twitch: theJANG
• Instagram: @jangbricks4real, @jangmecha
• Patreon: https://patreon.com/jangbricks
• Twitter: @JANGBRiCKS
• TikTok: @jangbricks4real, @jangmecha
• Blog: http://JANGBRiCKS.com
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/JANGBRiCKS
• Tumblr: http://jangbricks.tumblr.com/ (unused)

Don't get fooled!

• Check carefully for simple spoofing such as:
• Extra spaces.
• Dashes & underscores.
• Substitutions between uppercase 'i', lowercase 'L', and the number '1'.
• Swapped letters & misspellings. 
• If you see any unusual content claiming to be from me, always first assume it is fake, then verify.
• If someone contacts you claiming to me, assume it is fake, then verify (with me, not the faker).
• If someone contacts you claiming to be my friend, personal acquaintance, or family member (whether close or distant), definitely assume it is fake; it most likely is.
• If someone contacts you claiming to have met me, talked to me over the phone, or been messaged by me, you should automatically assume it is fake; 99.999% of the time it is.
• If someone posts a "screenshot" of a conversation with me or a piece of content I supposedly since "deleted," obviously assume it is fake; that's the oldest trick in the book, commonly referred to as "Photoshop."
• If you see uncharacteristic content (foul language, insults, xenophobia, etc.) coming from a source that does appear to be a 100% verified account of mine, assume it is fake as the account may have been hacked.
• If someone tries to impress you with purported "private" information about me, it's either a) fake or b) actually public information copied from a public source. Avoid contact with people who openly represent themselves as stalkers.

Other accounts that I own:

• https://youtube.com/thejang
• https://youtube.com/c/jangmobilvideo
• https://youtube.com/UltimateRCnetwork
• https://www.youtube.com/RCManiaDotCom
• https://www.youtube.com/user/EverythingAnswered
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI-GvuSX3Xsc82W4gY1BwxQ

Other websites I own:

• http://thejang.net
• http://UltimateRC.com
• http://UltimateTraxxas.com
• http://UltimateTamiya.com
• http://RCMania.com

Verify, verify, VERIFY.  The Internet is flooded with fake news, fake content, and fake accounts.  This is extremely well known has been well documented by major media coverage almost every single day.  Any random person can sign up for any random site and give themselves an alias that sounds like someone else.  Elevate your awareness and wariness and don't fall victim to the simplest of traps.

FAQ: Price/part vs. price/weight in LEGO sets

Q: Should we look at price to weight ratios for LEGO sets instead of price to part?

A: No. No we should not.

1. In terms of production costs, the price of the raw ABS that goes into each set is minuscule.  In a quick search as a consumer, not even having access to true high-volume industrial pricing, the price of ABS looked to be around $1/lb. in moderate bulk and I'm sure with the outrageous quantities LEGO deals with, they get a significantly better deal than that. The $800 USD UCS Millennium Falcon thus contains less than $25 worth of plastic.
2. The smaller LEGO pieces are, the more they weigh for a given volume of completed set; 8x 1x1 bricks weigh more than a single 2x4 brick that takes up the same space, and 3x 1x1 plates weigh more than a 1x1 brick. In other words weight and what I simply call "volume of stuff," the total amount of visible/usable product when assembled, are not directly coupled measures.  You can easily make one LEGO model smaller, yet heavier than another with the same general design.
3. The sense of value that consumers derive from a LEGO set has nothing to do with its weight. We care about its size, play features & fun, complexity, level of detail & visual interest, accuracy if applicable, and construction.

With the release of 2019's Ultimate Collector Series Imperial Star Destroyer, many people compared the weight of its package to that of the UCS Millennium Falcon to arrive at a single data point "proof" that LEGO prices all of their products by the weight of the raw ABS plastic (plus bags, cardboard, instruction book paper & binding, etc.). The boxed Star Destroyer came in at $0.055 USD per gram, with the Millennium Falcon at $0.060/g.  That's within 9% of each other or even potentially "equal" if you round off another decimal point.  However the theory falls apart quickly if you look at more than two sets.  Bricklink displays the total weight of just the individual components in each set inventoried in its catalog, sans packaging.  Even sticking strictly to boxed minifig-compatible Star Wars sets from 2018-2019, the range is far too wide for comfort:

• 75229 $0.099/g
• 75217 $0.094/g
• 75220 $0.083/g
• 75243 $0.080/g
• 75222 $0.075/g
• 75203 $0.071/g
• 75234 $0.067/g
• 75214 $0.052/g

Taking matters into my own hands, for my last 50 reviews of 2020 I weighed each set myself (completed, sans packaging & spares) and published a price/gram measure below price/part. The number proved once again a measure of minimal usefulness.  Sets I considered a good value were all over the scale, varying by as much as 106%.  Those I found overpriced, meanwhile, had price/gram ratios often near or below average.

The data doesn't fit the hypothesis, and there's no good logical argument in favor either.

How To: Criticize

[Originally published January 2015, brought to the top & mildly updated June 2019 in conjunction with a relevant debate going on at Brickset.]

You probably don't want to read a bunch of extraneous text, so let's get right to the point.  I think criticism is a good thing -- criticism of people, practices, products, companies, you name it. However, there are good & constructive ways to criticize and there are bad & inexcusable ways to criticize.  Here are some analogous examples from each side of the fence. Backstory for this article is shoved down at the end, if you're interested!

FAQ: Why don't I talk over my Pure Build videos

Q: Can you add narration to your real-time "Pure Builds?"

A: While this sounds like a good idea for people who like the sound of my voice, the reality of such an effort would fall apart almost immediately.  There are only so many ways one can say, "Look how these two pieces go together; isn't that cool?"  Only a tiny percentage of assembly steps in LEGO sets are ever unusual and noteworthy, and it's even more rare to encounter something truly new.  In other words, me narrating LEGO builds in real time would become agonizingly boring and repetitive in the shortest of orders, to viewers and myself alike.  It has been suggested that I fill uninteresting times with small talk, but I hate small talk.  Multiple-hour LEGO builds and me struggling to find entertaining things to say are two things that definitely do not go together.

My YouTube viewer comment moderation policy

I maintain a safe, positive environment in the comments sections of my videos for kids & adults alike.  All viewer comments on all videos of all of my channels are first reviewed by human moderators (including, but not limited to myself) before ever becoming visible to the public.  Bad behavior is rejected, abusive users are reported & blocked/banned.  Be a basically decent, civil human being, or be elsewhere.

Allowed:

• Civil disagreement & dissenting opinions
• Constructive criticism that is actually constructive
• General silliness
• Liking something many people don't
• Not liking something many people do
• Criticizing a manufacturer or brand
• Defending a (legal, legitimate) manufacturer or brand
• References to family-friendly memes
• Video-relevant farcical debate, e.g. "realism" of fantasy objects, canonical appropriateness of character depictions, etc.

Not allowed:

• Foul language, even if obfuscated or abbreviated
• Insults, disrespect, rudeness, nastiness, personal attacks
• Hate based on race, age, gender/identity, eye color, etc.
• Harassment, threats, cyber-bullying
• Mocking the suffering of others
• Creepy, obsessive, or stalker-like behavior
• Spam, "first" & numbered comment chaff, self-promotion, likebait
• Promoting Lepin or other outright intellectual property thieves
• Leaks of confidential information
• Promoting "YouTube(r) drama"
• Spoilers for current/recent movies & shows

(The above lists are representative and not exhaustive.)

FAQ: Why don't you name specific Bricklink vendors?

Here's a question I've answered in varying levels of detail in the past, but only in 1:1 replies that have long since been buried under the shifting tectonic plates of YouTube comments.  Finally the idea developed inside my thick noggin to write this stuff up in a place where it can actually be found for more than a day.

Q: Why don't you name specific Bricklink vendors in your haul videos?

• A1:  I don't keep track.
• Most packages arrive without their seller account aliases on or inside them.  I make so many purchases for the Jangbricks channel, both online and at brick & mortar stores, that it would be an unnecessary headache to always match every single purchase to its precise original source.
• A2:  I don't have any favorite sellers to recommend.
• I have purchased from nearly 200 (two hundred) different Bricklink sellers, only 10% of which have I patronized more than twice. When I'm shopping for items that I want or need, I just search for them.  I don't browse a tiny list of "favorite" stores with my fingers crossed, hoping one of them will have 1/4th the stuff I'm looking for. No single seller has ever had anywhere near the breadth of stock to satisfy my needs from order to order, and that's actually perfectly fine.  The multi-seller marketplace system works, and it works really, really well.
• A3:  You don't want to buy from the places I do anyhow.
• You want the items you want presently, not the ones I wanted a week or two ago.  Even if you happen to want the exact things I bought, by the time my haul video is on YouTube the next 20 customers after me may have depleted that seller's stock, or another store may have listed the same items for lower prices. If you want to do like I do, then do like I do.  Look for the items you want, and buy them from sellers that have them in stock at reasonable prices and with good feedback.
• A4:  Some people suck, and I don't need that drama.
• Some packages do arrive with their seller account aliases on or inside them, and it would be no trouble at all for me to read off those names "on air."  However:
• If I name some vendors on video because they include a card or printed receipt, but don't name others who don't (see A1, above), some of the latter will get all mad and make up a litany of slanderous fabrications about me, because, well, they* suck.  I don't need that drama.
• If I name some vendors on video and proceed to have really bad experiences, some sellers will get all mad and make up a litany of slanderous fabrications about me because they messed up and I simply shared my experience honestly, and they can't handle that, because they suck.  I don't need that drama.
• A5:  Some sellers are really anxious to exploit both me and you, and that annoys me.
• I have, in the past, named some stores on camera when packages arrived with their seller account aliases on or inside them.  What followed almost every time were streams of private offers from other sellers whose eyes lit up green with dollar signs.  These were "offers" to use my channel as an advertising platform to get more money from you, my viewers.  "Buy from my store and plug me in your videos and I'll give you a permanent discount [sic]."  To be honest, there's nothing wrong with that, so long as there's no attempt to hide the deal, e.g., "Hey everyone it's YouTuber here and I just happened upon this great new seller out of the blue, all on my own."  However, I personally choose to keep advertisements and core content separate & distinct.  I like being able to tell you that if you see me plugging a product or service in my own voice, it's because I wanted to, not because somebody hired me to do so.  That's not to say anything against anyone who does honest product placements & paid, scripted ad content.  It's just not something I, myself, am particularly interested in, and I don't like being pestered to partake.

* By "they" of course I mean that small minority of exceptionally sucky people who tend to ruin everything for everyone else.  Most people are cool.  Most Bricklink sellers, in my experience, are awesome, fellow hobbyists.  I have to include disclaimers like this because of the aforementioned exceptionally sucky people, who are always on a mission to dissect and de-contextualize everything to fabricate something to get all mad about, because they suck.

FAQ: Why don't you follow & subscribe to anyone?

Q: Why don't you follow & subscribe to anyone?

• A:   There are two big reasons...
1. I work (including the many activities for the "Jangbricks" brand, most of which most people never see), around 14 hours/day, 7 days/week, 360+ days/year. Often I don't even get enough time for sleep, hence the permanent bags under my eyes. So, I certainly don't have ample time to watch other YouTube channels (in any genre), read other sites (Brickset is the only LEGO-related one I regularly follow), catch up on every day's MOC uploads on Flickr, etc.  If I'm not going to consume the content, I'm not going to follow/subscribe to it.  I don't use following/subscribing as a currency -- no sub4sub, no follow4follow, no "Hey you said something nice about me so as a reward I'm going to sub to you."
2. The stuff I'd be most interested in actually following in the brick-based construction world is other peoples' MOC work.  However, I don't want to be influenced by other peoples' MOC work!  I want my own creations to be exactly that, my own.  There's so much amazing work done in the LEGO community and there are so many specific, repeatable techniques to absorb, that it has to be extremely difficult to watch a lot of it and not pick a lot of it up by osmosis alone, even if completely unintentional.  If my creations are going to suck, it'll be because I suck at them, but at least I'll know they're fully my sucky creations.  If they're going to be good, it'll be because I actually did something that's good, on my own.  It's a personal choice, and not to be misinterpreted & rehashed into a dig against anyone else's choices.  In fact, most of the truly great MOC-makers are so amazing at what they do because they combine their own skills & creativity with the cumulative knowledge & experiences of dozens, maybe hundreds of other skilled & creative people.  That's 100% good, positive, commendable.  I, personally, just choose for myself and myself alone, to do things differently.

FAQ: Why does LEGO use so many messy colors for parts?

Q: Why does LEGO use so many messy colors for parts?

• A: Many LEGO fans, myself included, find the multi-colored messes of Technic sub-frames, interior and back-of-model builds to be just that, messes, and quite undesirable.  However, LEGO has previously made it clear that what causes these messes is a very intentional, strictly-enforced design policy regarding ease of building.  In a pile of random parts, friction pins, frictionless pins, friction axle-pins, frictionless axle-pins, and 2L axles all have extremely similar shapes and can be difficult to distinguish if they're all the same color. LEGO thus developed a color-coding system specifically to combat this.  Frictionless axle-pins are always tan, while the friction versions are always blue.  2L axles are red by default, though designers can be granted exceptions on a rare case-by-case basis to use black ones if they can convince the design review committees it's absolutely crucial or if there are no black 2L pins going in the same build steps.  These are just some examples, but the policy is applied to many types of parts, even basic bricks and plates.  It's applied even more frequently & strongly with foundation assemblies that are going to be hidden (or mostly so), and also in builds targeting the youngest builders who may not yet have the patience to do much sorting & sifting. There's a method, backed by science and research, behind the mess.  Still a mess, though.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) master list!

With often 500 to 1,000 comments posted in a given day across my 4,000++ videos, there's bound to be some repetition, or even a lot of it.  Here's a collection of responses to all of the most common inquiries from viewers around the world.

Q: Do you review free products given to you by manufacturers like LEGO?

• A: No.  I do not accept free products to review.  I buy all of my sets to review at full price from public sources as a normal consumer.  On the rarest occasion that I do accept a free product these days, I do not use it for any video or post with "review" in the title and I am very explicit about the circumstances under which it was acquired.

Q: Where do you buy from & how do you get sets "early?"

• A: See my detailed answer.

Q: When will the next update video about your [layout/creation/anything] be posted?

• A: The next time it is updated enough to warrant a new video :) My builds & videos aren’t tied to a regular schedule.

Q: Have you a done a video about [some set]?

• A: Search YouTube or my channel for "jangbricks [name of the set]" to quickly see if I have what you're looking for.

Q: Do you use scripts & narrate your videos separate from filming them?

• A: No. With the very, very, most extremely rare of exceptions, I record live, freestyle audio during filming with no script of any kind.

Q: Do you have any tips for new YouTube channels?

• A: Yes!  See my detailed answer.

Q: Will you sell, trade, or give me one or all of your sets or figures?

• A: No. I only donate to charities & don’t sell to the public.  See my simple stance on selling, & giving away items.

 Q: First? 2nd comment? 100th viewer? Can I get a heart for no reason?

• A: Nope! Pointless number-spam is auto-deleted across my channel! The endless pages of posts saying "1st" and "213th like" and such that are commonplace across most of YouTube have no home on my channel. All comments are manually moderated and spam & likebait is never even seen by other viewers. I choose to encourage thoughtful comments and reward meaningful discussion instead of maximizing empty interactions.

Q: Why do you always complain about products? (or) Why do you always rave about products? (aka) Why do you say both positive and negative things in your reviews?

• A: Because they're neither advertisements or roasts, they're reviews.  See my detailed answer.

Q: Why don't you use price to weight ratio as a value baseline instead of price to part?

• A: I have serious problems with the logic of weight-based analysis, plus real-world data for LEGO sets doesn't show a reliable correlation. I've written up some longer thoughts and included some examples.

Q: Can you show your studio? How do I make my videos look exactly like yours?

• A: See my detailed answer.

Q: How do you restore old, discolored LEGO parts?

• A: See detailed answer & video tutorial.

Q: Where do you get clear stands for LEGO models?

• A: See detailed answer.

Q: How do you deal with dust on your LEGO layout?

• A: See my video tutorial.

Q: Why does LEGO use so many random colors for parts, especially Technic pins & such?

• A: There's actually a method to the mess.  See my detailed answer.

Q: Can I use your music?

• A: No, nearly all music I ever use is either very expensive, licensed material, or my own copyrighted creation. It is strictly illegal reuse this material without license and you risk permanent banning from YouTube if you utilize copyrighted material without permission.

Q: Will you make a how-to/tutorial or instructions for a custom creation?

• A: I don't have the time, I'm afraid, but I try show enough detail in my videos to let anyone Pause & see how things are made.

Q: Why don't you follow or subscribe to lots of people?

• A: See my detailed answer.

Q: Is Disney licensing jacking up LEGO Star Wars & Marvel set prices?

• A: That's a major (though common) misconception. See my detailed answer.

Q: How come [some products] used to be good but now they're just making them for money?

• A: They were always making them for money. See my detailed answer.

Q: Why don't you name Bricklink sellers in haul videos?

• A: See my detailed answer.

Q: What tables do you use in your city layout?

• A: Linnmon from Ikea with Adils legs.

Q: Why do you pronounce "AT-AT" phonetically?

• A: See my detailed answer!

Q: Why do you pronounce "ninja" that way?

• A: See how to pronounce Ninja. It's a Japanese word that's easy to pronounce correctly. Having watched a lot of Japanese TV & movies as a child and having participated in Japanese martial arts training in my teens, I cannot bring myself to use the Western "ninnn-jyuh" mispronunciation. I'm thankful that none other than Jackie Chan himself backed me up with his pronunciation as Master Wu in The LEGO Ninjago Movie.

Q: A video was just uploaded; how does it have comments from days ago?

• A: YouTube's "uploaded on" text is wrong, is all. The video was just previously unlisted & linked from here and/or social media.

Q: It's [X] o'clock, why are you posting?

• A #1: It's [X] o'clock, why are you posting about me posting?
• A #2: Time zones.

FAQ: How come [some products] used to be good but now they're just making them for money?

Q: How come [some products] used to be good but now they're just making them for money?

• A: All products and services that are sold for money are sold for money, including the ones that you previously liked.  The "now they're just doing it for money" comment is terribly overused these days and used to create an insult to divert attention from reality.  You simply don't like the series anymore, and there's nothing wrong with that! Just say what you mean.  There's no reason to attack the morals of the company and its employees. 

Q: But [some product] seems like just a money grab, how come?

• Again, all products and services that are sold for money are sold for money, whether you like the value or not.  Remember the reason you have Internet access, a place to live, food, etc., because of people (yourself or your parents) working, generally for companies, for money, to pay for all that stuff.  The single largest expenses of nearly every company in the world are employee salaries and benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, etc.).

JANGBRiCKS Bionicle 2016 wave 1 FAQ!

It's frequently asked questions time!  This post specifically covers questions applicable to my 2016 wave 1 LEGO Bionicle set reviews.

• Q: Why change the speed build style? Where are the clicking sounds?
• A: The previous way took an inordinate amount of time to edit.  I need more time to work on (city) MOCs, so this was a conscious and essential compromise.  I will not change back.
• Q: Why did you not show all of the new parts in the _________ review?
• A: Going into depth about the same new parts in every review would be unbearably repetitive and annoying to viewers.  I will do some summary work after all of the reviews.
• Q: Which do you prefer, 2015 or 2016 sets?
• A: After reviewing all of the sets I will cover this in a summary video.
• Q: What's your favorite set from 2016 wave 1
• A: After reviewing all of the sets I will cover this in a summary video.
• Q: Will you do 2016 Bionicle MOCs?
• A: It depends upon whether inspiration strikes.  My city is my top priority for MOC work.
• Q: How do I make my videos look exactly like yours?
• A: See this answer.

FAQ: Why do you pronounce "AT-AT" phonetically?

Q: Why do you pronounce "AT-AT" phonetically?

• A: The term "AT-AT" is never mentioned in any of the Star Wars movies -- they're referenced only as "Imperial Walkers."  However:
• ILM model maker Charlie Bailey, who physically worked on the AT-AT scenes in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, says the English word "at" twice in rapid succession in the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-Ray extras.
• J.J. Abrams, director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, uses the phonetic pronunciation on the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-Ray when referencing the AT-AT that Rey lives in.
• See the very first public mention of the AT-AT by name in the original 1981 Kenner commercial. Phonetic.
• See the second commercial mention.  Phonetic.
• Even LEGO previously used the oldest & once most common, military-style phoneticism.
• In the canonical video game Jedi: Fallen Order, the main character Cal Kestis says "att-att."
• This phonetic pronunciation was once even "correct" (or certainly at least quite valid) by a Lucasfilm representative.

I do pronounce the letters of AT-ST, AT-TE, AT-DP, etc. I'd say the vast majority folks who were actually alive during the times of the original trilogy use the original phonetic pronunciation, while much younger folk gravitate towards uniformity across the entire AT line.

The fact is, pronouncing the letters is always perfectly fine for acronyms*! 

• Dave Filioni, Star Wars: Clone Wars (animated TV show) director and Star Wars: Rebels director, casually called out the phonetic pronunciation, "My favorite Imperial's the at at driver," in this interview at the 3:27 mark.  He then immediately pivots the conversation directly towards the vicious worldwide fan debate over the pronunciation of the 4-legged walker's designation:
• "I say you can say at at, you can say ay-tee ay-tee, and you can say walker. I'm for all three. And that's canon because in the show I have Imperials say 'walkers,' I have them say 'at at,' and I have them say 'ay-tee ay-tee.' But you get these extremists that just want to say it's one way all the time..."

So to be even more clear on my own personal stance, you can (and should) quote me when I say there's absolutely nothing wrong with saying "ayy-tee ayy-tee." However, being a 30+ year fan of the franchise I personally choose to stick to the original way.

How come nobody ever complains about phonetic pronunciation of "TIE," "ARC-170", or "4-LOM?" Talk about double standards.  Can't we all just get along... together?


* I had to make that sentence ridiculously huge a year in because detractors always conveniently, intentionally tried to ignore it every single time they read this FAQ just to be stubbornly argumentative and falsely claim that I said the exact opposite. Sigh.

FAQ: Is Disney licensing jacking up LEGO Star Wars & Marvel set prices?

Q: Is Disney licensing jacking up LEGO Star Wars & Marvel set prices?

• A: That's a major (though common) misconception. Actual data shows that on the whole LEGO spreads license costs across their entire product range; licensed sets on average have nearly identical price/part ratios to non-licensed, original themes. You can research the numbers for yourself on Brickset. A quick example search for 2016 shows 60108, a fire helicopter set, at $0.156/part with 3 figures, compared to 75139 Battle on Takodana (which is unquestionably expensive for what it is) at $0.147/part with 5 figures. City police 60128 is $0.136/part with 2 figures, compared to the SW Resistance Transporter at $0.108/part with 4 figures. The reality is, LEGO sets are becoming ever more complex with ever more parts, and prices are growing with that complexity. Take the 1999 X-Wing, with 266 pieces ($0.16/part adjusted for inflation), compared to the current one, with 717 ($0.11/part).  For a fascinating, purely objective, data-based exploration of this phenomenon from a few years ago, see the Reality Prose article "What Happened to LEGO."

FAQ: Where do I get clear stands for LEGO models?

I've identified a recurring viewer question about the "clear stands not included" that I occasionally use when displaying sets in reviews.  For the most part I just use regular LEGO parts that are available in sets.  From Bricklink's color list you can filter by trans-clear, though decorated and old frosted parts also show up, so the real list of good potential candidates is much smaller.  I've put together a quick video showing the easy-to-obtain, regular parts that I use most frequently, including more than shown above.

• Video: Transparent LEGO parts I use for stands (FAQ)

Update: Link fixed.

FAQ: Where do I buy from & how do I get sets so "early?"

I buy the sets I review at full price from public retail physical and online stores. I am not given them.  If I have a set, it is released, and you could have bought it just like I did!

Q: Where do you buy from?

• Amazon.com* (also Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.jp, etc.)
• LEGO Shop* (physical stores + online)
• Target (physical stores + online)
• Walmart (physical stores + online)
• eBay* (be sure enable the 'Worldwide' option in searches)
• Bricklink.com
• ToyWiz
• Items above marked with an asterisk ("*") are are affiliate links, meaning if you choose to click one and then buy something, you will pay normal prices with no additional markup, but I may get a tiny commission (typically around 50 cents), which I'll then usually apply towards the purchase of more sets to review or more parts for MOCs. No store or advertiser paid or even asked me to put these links here -- these are the places actually I buy from all the time, and I proactively chose to sign up for affiliate programs with a few of them.

!! If you cannot find a specific product at one of the above locations, try other places that sell toys, and also keep reading below !!

Q: How do you get sets "early" or before they were originally expected to be released?

• All of the products you see me review I have bought at full retail price from public stores where anyone & everyone else can (see above).  There's no secret and I do not accept offers of free products to review on my channel before they're released. Period. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is lying to your face. If I bought an item, you could have bought it too.  When it's new product release season, viewers expect timely reviews. I check stores (both online and traditional) very regularly and aggressively to try to find items as soon as they're available.  Toys are never released at every location in the world at the same time, so if you see me review a set and you can't find it in stores in your region (and you know they stock the product line), just wait, but keep checking everywhere like I do, and it will surely show up.  If you can't find it online, it may have sold out already.  Again, be patient, keep checking, and it should re-appear.
• Too many people look at the date on shop.LEGO.com (which is just another retail store) as being "the" release date and then refer to any store putting them out before that date as "early."  It's not the case at all.  Only a limited sub-set of licensed themes like Star Wars and new movie-related Super Heroes sets have embargo dates (before which sales are contractually disallowed). Everything else is fair game; once stores have the product, they can (and should) sell it.

Also, do note that LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.  I am not associated in business with Mattel, McFarlane Toys, or any manufacturer. Spread the word!

If you wish to challenge these assertions, please contact the manufacturers yourself to verify these truths at their sources.  I have explained my independent status very clearly and no longer waste my time engaging with conspiracy theorists who wish to assault my character, often for their own personal gain.

DISCLOSURE:  I am NOT under the employ of any of the above companies, and NONE of them have ever paid me to create content for them.

FAQ: How do I make videos that look like yours?

Let me very quickly get one thing out of the way.  I will not share any precise lists, photos, or videos of what I use in my own studio for two big reasons:

1. I don't want to give or in any way support the impression that you must use the exact equipment I do to get nice results, or that copying my methods will copy the popularity my work has been so lucky to acquire.  Both of these ideas are miles away from reality, plus I hate copycats, whether or not I'm the one being copied.
2. The overwhelming majority of my setup is home-grown and hand-built by me (with raw materials & tools) to my own design that's specifically tailored to my needs and quite different from any commercial product or industry standard arrangement I've seen.  I also change & evolve it continually over time.

So, let me redirect & morph all of the relevant questions into a more useful form.

FAQ: How much did [some item] cost & where can I buy it?

Q: How much did [some item] cost and/or where can I buy it?

• Here are places I most frequently buy from:
• Amazon.com* (also Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.jp, etc.)
• LEGO Shop* (physical stores + online)
• Target (physical stores + online)
• Walmart (physical stores + online)
• eBay* (be sure enable the 'Worldwide' option in searches)
• Bricklink.com
• ToyWiz
  
  Items above marked with an asterisk ("*") are are affiliate links, meaning if you choose to click one and then buy something, you will pay normal prices with no additional markup, but I may get a tiny commission (typically around 50 cents), which I'll then usually apply towards the purchase of more sets to review or more parts for MOCs. No store or advertiser paid or even asked me to put these links here -- these are the places actually I buy from all the time, and I proactively chose to sign up for affiliate programs with a few of them.
• !! If you cannot find a specific product at one of the above locations, try other places that sell toys, and also keep reading below !!
• The price of every product I review can vary from store to store and country to country, plus it will change over time as old stuff either gets discounted or becomes rare.  For current, accurate information for the region in which you live, do a web search for the product by name.  For LEGO set info, check out Brickset.
• Availability also varies by region and changes over time.  If I tell you I bought a product from one place, by the time you see the video it may be sold out there and thus the information I gave you was useless.  Alternately, I may have had a really tough time finding something, but in your local area, there are tons of the thing on store shelves.  This is why I avoid stating where I bought products in my reviews -- where I got something when I got it is irrelevant, and what you need to know is where you can get it, when you want to get it. For current, accurate information for the region in which you live, do a web search for the product by name.  Some stores that sell both locally and online may also have stock checking tools to let you see from the Web whether an item is available at a physical location nearby.  

See also Where I buy from & how I get 'early' sets.

DISCLOSURE:  I am NOT under the employ of any of the above companies, and NONE of them ever pay me to create content for them.

How to Restore Discolored LEGO Parts!

Here's just my second general how-to video for LEGO maintenance.  I use hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution to safely & almost completely reverse yellowing of old parts. White & gray parts show their age in the most obvious way, but this technique works on all colors, and I'm especially happy with past results with blue pieces and transparent windows & windscreens.

• Video: How to Restore Discolored LEGO Parts!

Your mileage may vary!  In this video I show exactly what I, personally, do, and I also show the very real results.  It's important to be attentive during the process, as there are a number of easy mistakes that can negatively affect the outcome.  I hope this is helpful!

FAQ: Tips for new YouTube channels

It's frequently asked question time again, already!

Q: "Do you have any tips for making a new or smaller YouTube channel a success?"

• My top tips sound simple & obvious, but to me, they really are the most important things.  First & foremost, you have to enjoy it, yourself.  Don't try to only do what you think the most viewers want at that moment.  Make sure you stay true to who you are and what you like to do & share. A lot of people will hear that in your voice and appreciate that you're being genuine. 
  
  On a related note, be original.  More specifically, do something other than a plain white background!  When I started using that style in 2009/2010 on my three toy review channels, it was refreshing & extremely rare. Fast forward to today, though, and a huge portion of LEGO-related content on YouTube follows this exact setup, with search results returning groups of nearly identical thumbnails. Even I am tiring of the look.  If you want to boringly blend in, do more of the same.  If you want to be noticed, do something to stand out.  Something other than a plain white background.
  
  The secret to true, lasting success is not copying the video style, naming convention, and tag keywords of one of "the big guys."  While it's good to learn from other successful producers, if you try to pick who you think is best at it and emulate every last thing they do, you'll end up a copycat and many potential viewers will see right through you.  Try to carve out your own space and find a style that's uniquely yours.
  
  Now here's something I must tell you that you don't want to hear or believe.  When you start out, you will be bad.  Really bad.  Trust me.  When I first started LEGO reviews, I positively sucked at it.  I was inexperienced with the material. I was inconsistent in video structure. I rambled. I was boring.  Seriously!  This isn't being humble at all, this is being brutally honest. Go try to watch my a review of mine from really early in 2013, beginning to end.  It's not enjoyable.  What changed?  Everything did, but it happened very, very slowly.  I regularly self-critiqued, and gradually worked to correct things that I did not like.  Even to this very moment, I'm continually looking for (and implementing) ways to improve, and that statement holds true no matter when you happen to read this.
  
  Don't obsess over subscriber & view counts.  Focus on making your work the best it can be, and you will rightfully earn fans & viewership. If you enjoy what you're doing, believe in it, and continuously and intelligently work hard to improve while staying true to yourself and your viewers, you can create success.  

FAQ: My simple stance on selling, trading, or giving products to viewers

Time for another frequently asked question!

Q: "Will you sell, trade, or give me one or all of your sets or figures?"

• No.  Much of what I buy strictly to review is eventually donated to reputable charities. Anything I actually sell is handled very privately.  Things I retain are generally disassembled for parts to use in custom creations later on. With the very rarest of exceptions, I do not sell or trade with the public, and I do not make exceptions by request.

P.S.: Yes, I really do get requests to give away all of my sets or figures!