What Brand is the best?

[JeepJeepers]

I just got back into bulilding. I was wondering what model brands are the best to get. All I can find at model shops that carry level 2 and a couple of level 3. I like to bulid level 3 or higher. Some of the models have no levels on them. I like to build cars, trucks and semi's. Getting back into modeling is so fun. I am only 28 and I havent bulit since I was 16.

[RodBurNeR]

Opinions will vary on this subject. Really what matters is the model you want to build, versus who makes it. Sometimes more than one company makes , or has made the same model kit. The choice of the two depends on your expectations. One might have more quality and detail, while the other is less and still satisfying.

There are literally hundreds of companies that make kits either aftermarket or store bought. Many different brands are no longer available since going out of business either recently or years ago. Check this site to kinda surf some of the more well known brands. www.thedpmcc.com/instructionsintro.html

My personal likes are

AMT

MPC

REVELL

TRUMPETER

JOHAN

IMC

ITALERI

GALAXIE

Granted all brands I listed are not liked by everyone, I like the kits I have.

There are more brands that I want to try out like AOSHIMA, FUJIMI and TAMIYA.

WELCOME BACK TO THE HOBBY!

[RJWood]

I don't think the skill level of a kit is important, unless you are buying the kit for a child that is just starting to build models.

It is the subject that attracts me to a kit. If I like the subject I want it. If its something that I don't care for I leave it for someone else. Skill 1 or skill 3 if I like the Model I build it.

[Aaronw]

Tamiya is frequently thrown out as "the best" but there can be some problems with Tamiya. #1 if you like American cars, Tamiya doesn't do very many. #2 if you want to detail a motor many Tamiya kits do not have a motor in them.

This same goes for most of the other Japanese kits, Hasegawa, Fujimi, Arii, Bandai etc except the quality is not as reliably good as Tamiya (or so I've been told, I don't have a lot of experience beyond Hasegawa and Tamiya for car models).

If you want to build American muscle cars you are pretty much looking at Revell, and AMT. Both of these companies have been around since the 60's so they have their great kits and they have their not so great kits. AMT and Revell each have their supporters which will tell you why their preferred brand is better.

Lindberg has a lot of old not very good kits from the 60s they got from various sources. They also have some good kits they picked up along the way. The kits they designed in the 90s are supposed to be good kits comparible to the better kits from AMT & Revell.

There are other brands you may find on ebay but they have mostly been absorbed (MPC) or out of buisness / barely in buisness (Johan).

Galaxie is a small kit manufacturer that makes a great 1946-48 Chevy.

For the most part you are best off asking about a subject you want to build and getting suggestions for a kit.

Edited January 24, 2009 by Aaronw

[CAL]

Best engineered kit TAMIYA

Fujimi makes some awesome kits too.

Accurate Miniture

Italeri

Revell

Revell AG

Hasegawa

Are all good

AMT is hit and miss.

[RodBurNeR]

One thing I should have said.

Don't expect a perfect kit from any of the manufacturers. Every single one of them requires work and some of them take a real modeler to build them....while others it takes an assembler complete out of box. If the kit is too much of a pain to build, try a snap kit or something that is not a challenge.... Bottom line, if you want something to take out of the box and assemble with no effort and a nice appearance.....they do make diecast, prepainted and detailed kits which require a screwdriver and no skill.

With that said AMT is sometimes a challenge...but they have a lot of great subjects and still harness a lot of the "good ole' days" of modeling when people had to work at them for satisfaction.

[Peter Lombardo]

Right now, there is a great selection of GREAT kits out there. If I were starting a collection of American kits to build, right now, knowing what I know now, I would be picking up…. Revell kits first, 49 Mercury coupe…58 Chevy coupe, 32 Ford, coupe, roadster and/or sedan….yes, get all three, they are great. 68 and 69 Dodge Charger coupes, either one or both. 69 Chevy Nova coupe…any and all Corvette C5 and/or C6 coupes and convertibles. Any one of the 69 Chevy Camaro kits, Z28, convertible, Yanko or Baldwin…any and all are great. Any of the new Mustang coupes, GT, Hertz. Shelby and Shelby KR. If you like street rods, there are many, but the 41 Willy’s coupe is a classic, so get one or two.

AMT has a great new version of the 60 Ford, don’t miss it. The 62 T Bird roadster is very well done, the Chrysler 300C is worth a look and the newer edition of the 57 Chevy coupe is always a great build, stock or custom.

Testors does a great Dodge Charger in a few versions, so look at that and Accurate Miniatures, where still available, has a great 64 Grand Sport Coupe race car in a few versions that is always a fun build.

Look, I just scratched the surface here, there are so many great building kits out there that you just need to find ones that you want to build. Anything is better then nothing, so this weekend, get to your local hobby shop and get the collection started. What are you waiting for? Go help the economy and buy some kits. We all have to do our part to get things moving again, I know, I am doing my part.