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[...]G1 - I went to my first MLP Fair and dug through every bait bin to find new collection ponies for cheap! As I've grown and spent a decade+ collecting as an adult, I look back on these ponies and think, 'oh no... you really were kind of bait!' Chopped hair, stains, missing symbols! But they're still precious to me because of the memories associated with them. For myself now, I want to have multiple unfixable issues before I can comfortably bait a pony - damaged/no hair, symbols scuffed/missing, stains, body damage. A pony will often have their eyes intact, so as of late I've done some customs where I modify the existing eyes, without outright wiping and repainting them. I suspect a lot of folks on eBay put 'bait/TLC' either because they're not collectors and don't know the terms (and want to avoid 'item not as described' claims), or don't know how to fix those issues, either restoration or rehairing. Since I'm a customizer, I'm in a better position to be able to fix the ponies I don't think are ready to be baited yet! G2 - I have only found one truly 'bait' G2, and that was a pony who had her hair buzzed to the skin! Most G2s seem to be in pretty good condition, or maybe they just don't show up enough in beater lots on eBay? I don't think missing crystals should classify them as bait, since those are pretty easy to replace. G3 - during the years they were on the shelves, I actually deboxed a MIB to make a custom. At the time, they were plentiful and we never thought they'd run out! Oh, those were the days... I've bought tons of 'bait' ponies for $1 who really just need new hair, so eventually I'd like to do some alternate rehairs on them! I think folks do bait them a bit indiscriminately, but personally I'm trying to make customs only out of the ones who really need the help. That said, they're still pretty cheap and plentiful, especially those Core Seven poses, so I don't feel quite so bad for those. (I also still have some blanks I've been customizing! I wonder how long they'll produce those? Indefinitely I hope!!) G4 - My mindset has been, 'if it's on the shelf, I'm supporting the line by taking it home to customize.' Hasbro still gets $5 either way! Since they're still making them by the pound (or were until this year), I don't feel so bad baiting any of the Mane 6, unless it's got some kind of cool gimmick or extra paint. And, sadly, many of the G4 I get secondhand have hair that's absolutely destroyed already... It's not exactly a product made to last. Fun fact, I actually bought a Plumsweet to customize for a friend, never made it, then flipped the MIB pony for a profit last year! Procrastination can be good sometimes, actually!
Ultimately, any pony that you own is your property; it isn't community property. If you are happier with your collection pony looking a certain way, it's your right to modify or change (or even destroy) your own property. BUT: if you then come into a collector community and show off your modified/damaged pony, you are opening yourself up to criticism of your actions, even if it is still your property. And even more, if you then try to sell that pony, you are open to criticism of the destruction of that collectable item for the sake of profit, not even personal enjoyment. If you are worried about people judging your bait choice, you don't even have to tell them! Just show off the finished project.
How do you personally determine if a pony is bait?
Do you feel the same about all gens?
What about the Basic Fun ponies or HQG1C?
Have you ever witnessed someone customize a good condition pony?
Would YOU customize a good condition pony?