need help

[brady_381need72c10]

ok heres the situation-
somebody i work with has a son that has built a model before but thats it just one so this person wants to get her son which is about 12 years old another model to get him away from the video games it needs to have no issues with the kit and it needs to be a good kit for a first timer so can you all help with making suggestions on what to get him?

[tuned.by.twenty]

Although they're pricer, I'd suggest a kit from Tamiya, since it'll go together easier. Probably curbside, and obviously a street car-something without miles of decals. Their Honda Today snap-together kit goes together beautifully, if you can find one.

[brady_381need72c10]

Originally Posted by brady_381need72c10

ok heres the situation-
somebody i work with has a son that has built a model before but thats it just one so this person wants to get her son which is about 12 years old another model to get him away from the video games it needs to have no issues with the kit and it needs to be a good kit for a first timer so can you all help with making suggestions on what to get him?

also it has to be relativly inexpensive! or at a reasonable price!

[MPWR]

It doesn't matter at all, does it?

He's 12. Whether or not he plays video games will not be decided on how good/bad a model kit he gets. It won't even decide if he builds another model. Let him pick it, and it will be the kit he wants. There are almost not kits that a 12 yr old can't have fun with.

Get him something he wants to build. Done. Don't make it harder than it is.

[blubaja]

One of my customers was telling me about his son one day. He said all he did his whole youth age was play video games, day and night. Ave even failed out of high school. His son is now running an outfit of the military where they are controlling the unmanned surveillance flying things...So the video games aren't so bad.

But agreeing with Andy. Let the kid pick what they want to build, or not build at all. Forcing anything on youth is only going to make them not want to do it even more.

[jayll]

Originally Posted by blubaja

Ave even failed out of high school. His son is now running an outfit of the military where they are controlling the unmanned surveillance flying things...So the video games aren't so bad.

That's certainly an exception and not the rule.

[brady_381need72c10]

well you guys see this person i work for wants to get one for her son for christmas!

[MPWR]

Too many rules, too many expectations.

So this is supposed to be his new hobby, get him off of video games, be cheap, and be the perfect secret christmas present? Not going to happen, I think.

-If it's going to be his new hobby, let him pick it- if he even wants a new hobby at all.

-If he needs to be weened off of video games, perhaps his mother (or father) might consider spending more time with him.

-If it needs to be a perfect super-secret christmas present, there's no time like the present (so to say) to explain to him (or his mother) the unpleasant truth about Santa.


Without knowing him, we can't really pick a model for him- and definitely not one that meets an ever expanding set of requirements. Perhaps we should pick his new favorite movie or favorite food instead?

[klutz_100]

c'mon guys, help the man - not dish on him for wanting to help someone chose an Xmas present!

I'd suggest Tamiya New Beetle. It's simple, satisfying and goes together by just shaking the box
I see that Tamiya are also releasing their Pre-Painted body kits so this might be an option for a more sporting subject
Tamiya Porsche Boxster is another relatively easy kit with no fit issues and is curbside.

These kits can also be assembled without painting.

Also give him the link to AF since he is so internet wise and he can browse here to see that building kits is not just a toy.

My

[Spike2933]

a Renaissance Super Kit j/k

what kind of cars does he like, throwing him kit like a Fiat Panda, I highly doubt hes gonna care.

but getting on of the older Tamiya kits will be a great bet, they have alot of detail and the prices are normally pretty cheap. you can get a great older kit for 10-15 bucks

[hirofkd]

It also depends on what type of game he plays. (At 12, it's probably not the violent FPS stuff.) If he likes car racing, like Gran Turismo, he should have several cars in his garage, and he'll probably like to have models of them.

But if he's into rhythm or sports games, I'm almost 100% sure he won't appreciate a model kit because model making offers a completely different type of fun. Instead of a model kit, he'll needs a real thing, like a guitar or a baseball set.

If the Mom doesn't know what her kid likes in video games, there's a communication problem she must worry about before wondering what to choose for Christmas.

Another thing is that there should be an adult companion who'll play together and keep inspiring the kid, whether it's model making, gaming or playing musical instruments or doing sports.

My father built only a few model kits, but he did it right before my eyes, occasionally asked me to help him. He wasn't exactly good at it, and didn't even bother painting, but watching pieces coming together was some of the coolest things I had ever seen as a kid. I was also inspired by my mother who makes clothes from scratch, which she still does. In other words, I was in the right environment to appreciate making things on my own. If the kid isn't interested in anything but video games, his parents are probably not showing other awesome things that inspires the kid.

[blubaja]

Some of the gundam hguc kits are pretty awsome out of the box. If the car models don't work out...Anyone know what's up with that model of the model making machine?

[gionc]

Wey guys! I got a 12YO daughter, she didn't built much, she likes to farm tropical plants, paint and read but occasionally she built something choosen (read stolen) from my stash: at 6YO she hadn't any trouble with decals or stuff (obviously she didn't care much about softener and other stupid unuseful tools ) to mount her racers.

I suggest a racer, more motivating and cool, wouldn't be few decals the troubles, and I'm sure the guy will find someone around that will be helpful.

I understand the surprise thing, but a good surprise would probably be also a "coupon" to visit the hobby shop and pick one good model and few necessary tools: may be starting to breath the modeling smell at shop.....

[Twowheelsrule]

The Revell tuner cars like the Civic, Focus, and Subaru are good if the parent trusts the kid with glue. There are also some Star Wars kits that are snap together but, my experience is that they are not easy snap together kits because of fit issues.

The screw together diecast models that are at Hobby Lobby are easy and quick. They also look good to a beginning modeler.

I think there are some good airplane snap kits out there but, that is not my area of modeling.

Mark

[Drift F.C]

I would Suggest a AMT Curbside Model. 08 or 09 Dodge Challenger. Pretty easy to go togather and no hard parts. It has some of the interior panted already!!!