When your bait turns out to not be bait delima...

[Maniah]

I just want to go on record and say that I do a price check for every pony I get. But unless its worth is greater than $15, I am like coinoperatedgirl in that its just not valuable enough for me to bother.

The only g1 ponies I like to customize are flutters, sweetheart sisters, and babies. Anything else and I sell it if it is $15 or higher, or I swap or baits that I want.

I AM considerate of collectors to a big degree, and I just happen to have an unpopular stance on this subject. I just wanted to clarify myself in hopes of appearing a little but less of a villain here. No doubt my opinion has already alienated a few folks.

[Buddafly]

just remember, they aren't making G1 ponies anymore.  if you bait any of them, especially ones that are hard too find, that means there is one less for a collector out there that may never get that pony for their collection.

not an argument, just a fact.

[HoustonCollector72]

just remember, they aren't making G1 ponies anymore.  if you bait any of them, especially ones that are hard too find, that means there is one less for a collector out there that may never get that pony for their collection.

not an argument, just a fact.

great thread , I like the opinion above

there is new people coming into the collectors world  all the time ?

[Ellis1342]

I've only had this problem once or twice. Usually when I choose to bait a harder to find pose I make sure to tell the people WHY it was baited. I had a seashell with no tail and got another in a trade. She had a stunning tail, but was quite faded. I switched the tail to my nice seashell and baited the other. Her body had some permanent marker on it and when I tried to wipe it off with acetone her color went Yellowed O.O after that I said "FBR here we come" She is now a very cute g1 pinky pie.

Anyway in the end it is your choice and I rarely have the time to run auctions or what not and I will go through and ID the ponies and make sure they arent hard to find. If they are set it aside, post a trade thread and give it a while to see if anyone responds. You may get something you need while they get what they want. If you never here anything then it is really up to you. You did try.

[Katika]

I treat every pony on a case by case basis, honestly.  For the most part, I only customize ponies that are currently available in stores, because they are readily available.  I, personally, don't like to customize older generations because of the fact that they aren't being made anymore - but I don't expect others to do the same.  The way I look at it, for every G1 that is turned into a custom, that is one fewer G1 on the collector market which, in turn, raises the value of the ones that I do have.  Now, if I don't have that particular G1, yes, it makes me a little bit frustrated (I once tried to buy a "baity" Chief that's only flaw was a hair cut from someone who was going to customize him and they wouldn't budge, regardless to the price I offered or the other baity boys I had to throw in to the deal), but I know that if I want that pony badly enough, I *will* find it, regardless to how many of that particular pony have been turned into customs.  In the mean time, I have probably around 50 G1s and G3s that I don't want to customize but already have in my collection, and I still haven't gotten around to selling any of them.  The way I look at it, those ponies that are sitting in paper bags right now aren't on the market, either, and holding on to them without even appreciating that they're there is no less a "crime" than it would be if I customized them.  They still aren't adding to anyone else's collection.  (For what it's worth, I do fully intend to sell them... eventually.  I just haven't gotten around to listing them.)

[NoDivision]

I know that selling individual ponies every time a "bait" turns out to be too nice is a lot of work, which is why I don't do it. I'd drive myself batty if I tried! I have a box in my apartment for ponies that are too nice to bait but I don't personally want to keep them. I get a lot of common G1s come through my hands that I have no desire to own, but I know other people would like them. And no, most of them aren't worth much, but the monetary value isn't the issue for me so much as the fact that they're ponies in perfectly decent condition that someone else might want.

I let that box fill up over time, then look for an outlet to sell them. The pony fair or other meets are my chosen place to offload unwanted ponies - I've never taken a single pony home with me, they always sell.  Of course I know not everyone has the ability to do that, but it works out great for me

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I've had that happen... the ponies I was dehairing while chatting...

I think people missed the important point that the customizer had already started her project when she was interrupted by the fact that they were HTF.  I have to say, it irritated me to deflock one of the HTF So-Softs I had and knowing she was worth $$$, but once I dripped acetone onto her, it was pretty much over.  After that, it was just easier to finish and move on towards making the best finished product possible.  For Maniah, that was a new pony character.  For me, it was a deflocked So-Soft.

I think we can express our opinion without immediately being judgementally negative.  At least I hope....  

[Honeycomb]

I really wouldn't want to buy even a wonderful custom knowing fully well that a HTF and maybe good condition pony has been sacrificed for it. The thought makes me extremely sad.

[Summer-blade]

I just want to go on record and say that I do a price check for every pony I get. But unless its worth is greater than $15, I am like coinoperatedgirl in that its just not valuable enough for me to bother.

I think that's a good and fair rule of thumb.

I research baits especialy G1s before I do anything with them for fear that I'll destroy a valuable pony and so far I am happy to report no mishaps. I did end up getting a nice bunch of baits from someone only to get a G1 Twilight a pony that I've been looking for and she's really in not that bad a shape I was going to bait her but I think I can save her. I'm rather happy that I can restore her so I can have her for my own but this begs a question while we're talking about restores...

At what point is a pony a 'restore' and at what point is it a 'custom' and can you devalue a pony by restoring?   

[Taxel]

I really wouldn't want to buy even a wonderful custom knowing fully well that a HTF and maybe good condition pony has been sacrificed for it. The thought makes me extremely sad.

I'm this way too. If someone describes a custom's previous state as something I'd be happy to have in my collection, I won't buy the custom. Though I will admit to being less picky than most, as I'm primarily a "bait" collector (though most G1s labelled as bait are far from it imo).

This is also why I refuse to sell or trade baity G1s, as they'll likely just end up "destroyed". As much as I love G1 customs, I'd rather salvageable G1s not be ruined. I won't willingly contribute to less perfectly fine G1s being in the world.

[Colorscapesart]

I love restoration!  I love customizing! I love collecting!  This combo makes every pony an absolute treasure, regardless of cost.  I will go to great lengths if necessary for a restoration as I love a challenge and the bonding it creates.  I've repaired split pony faces and chewed off ears.  That being said, I want every pony to be adored.  Those ponies that are common and have lived a rough life get a new one.  (Cancer spotted Cotton Candy Concave foot with no hair and highlighter marks can become a stunning new pony!)  And the collecting, yay!  This gives me the knowledge of pony rarity and value as well as the ability to save and keep whichever lovelies are in nice shape.  So I think there is a positive for all view points.

[EmberBright]

I know that selling individual ponies every time a "bait" turns out to be too nice is a lot of work, which is why I don't do it. I'd drive myself batty if I tried! I have a box in my apartment for ponies that are too nice to bait but I don't personally want to keep them. I get a lot of common G1s come through my hands that I have no desire to own, but I know other people would like them. And no, most of them aren't worth much, but the monetary value isn't the issue for me so much as the fact that they're ponies in perfectly decent condition that someone else might want.

I let that box fill up over time, then look for an outlet to sell them. The pony fair or other meets are my chosen place to offload unwanted ponies - I've never taken a single pony home with me, they always sell.  Of course I know not everyone has the ability to do that, but it works out great for me

Dude, just send them to me.

[Baby Sugarberry]

It makes me sad to see otherwise perfect ponies turned into (often gaudy) customs, but there isn't exactly anything to be done about it.  It's a free world, all you can do is avoid purchasing people's work if you don't agree with their ethics.

[Kazzellin]

I have this problem right now with a lot of bait ponies I won from ebay right before vacation - has a pony in it I was going to use for the Grail swap, along with a couple of boys (Wigwam and QB), two scoops, and some other ponies. I was actually surprised it went for as little as it did, given how popular boy baits are.

I returned from vacation to find the package had already arrived, and upon opening it I realized something very important: I've never held the intended pony before. This meant I didn't have one in my collection, which means I needs one, I does! So despite her having been written on both sides with big letters in ball point pen, she's standing on my East-facing window doing a sun fade, along with three other ponies - two were decorated with what looks like permanant marker, and I don't know if paint will properly go over it, so I figured I'd sun fade them a bit before trying. The last is a Scoops with a red knee that's virtually perfect - no fading to the sodas, has her original hair, etc. Of the boys in the lot, Wigwam is definitely bait - no tail, no eyes, no cuties, half his mane gone - yep. Bait. QB, on the other hand, well... His hair has been hacked off, and he has what I think are age spots, but his cuties and eyes are virtually perfect, so I'm thinking I'll restore him. Not sure whether I'll sell him or keep him, though.

So, not what I had in mind for a bait lot, but I'm not going to complain about it either! ;P