That a great, in fact magnificent sculpt, can easely be ruined by poor casting is not the first time I have seen in my life. But that a brand like Andrea Miniatures, who does not excist from yesterday, and who makes figures now for quit some years, with competition to other top brands like Pegaso, still casts so poorely, is in fact incredible!

How many more years will Andrea need to realize that a perfect cast is a top priority, for making top bussiness?! Sorry to say so, but when I saw this magnificent bust for the first time, I was affread the moment I saw his releaser,
because it's not the first I got a poor casting from them!

Such a great bust, such a shame...

Eddy.

I think it would be appropriate to post this excerpt from an earlier thread concerning Andrea's quality control issues:

Since Cesar began this thread, and has been on the site since the complaint threads were posted (currently, last activity reads as 29th of April) I'm wondering, are you guys being ignored?

Einion

Obviously Andrea could care less about what we think, they assume that we or going to buy what ever garbage they throw at us.
The only effective way to deal with them is simply not to buy their product, I think this the only language they understand.
As far as their customer service goes, in my opinion they never had one.
A couple of years ago I purchased a very expensive 90mm. mounted Andrea kit from one of the dealers at the MFCA show, when I went home I inspected the kit and found some missing parts. I e-mailed them asking them for the missing parts, I practically had to do a sworn affidavit in order to finally get the missing parts.
I will never again purchase an Andrea kit.

Roc's QUOUTE [ I will never again purchase an Andrea kit. ]

Roc, I think that after (if ANDREA won't correct this MISHAP) so MANY will WITNESS the casting "in the flesh" so MANY will follow suit IMHO

Ray

How about some of you guys who got this badboy take some pictures of the castings and show us how bad it is. Also, send the pictures to Andrea Miniatures and see what they say, if they dont reply within 3 days, send it again, and again until you get a response. These busts are way to expensive to be crap! And Andrea should not sit idly by and do nothing.

Hi to all...........

Cesar Alvarez of Andrea Miniatures wrote to me via a PM and proposed that either I should send the bust back and be replaced by a better cast, or I can ask for a refund........in either case the shipping cost would be at Andrea's expense.........

My reply was, that since I would be making Girona in two months time (GOD WILLING) for WE2008, I would have preferred that I show up there, with the bust and discuss their proposals in a friendly manner, to which Cesar was more then adamant and proposed a couple of beers in the making as well! Well who can refuse that? He also asked me to show the pics which I had been concealing for reasons I've already mentioned before, so here they are.......for all those who responded to my EARLIER posts and whom I didn't have the time to answer........THANK YOU ALL! MUCH APPRECIATED!!

Ok here it goes........please let me finish uploading and posting because I've got quite a few and some CLOSE UPS as well for CLARITY!!!

Warmest Regards to ALL..........

Ray

Batch No2.........

Ray......

No need to see it in flesh my friend, these pics speak clearly ... but at least our grumble showed that Andrea read the forums, hopefully they solve the problem and get rid of that horrid green stuff they are using as resin ... pity such a sculpting and detail was ruined ith terrible worksmenship in the casting process!

Looking forward for the replacment in Girona, and yes if things look decent and casting up to standard I will get my figure from the stand!

Ivan

Ivan, the resin is GREY and MUCH DARKER then its showing in the pics

Ray

Ray
Dont understand the problem you have (tongue in cheek). The holes in the chail mail on BOTH arms are obviously from Saracen arrows. The crap chain mail around his neck, well all over really, has been caused by sand during that last sand storm and the parting line that runs all over the chainmail face and head is just a line where his squire was cleaning the sand off so he can bandage the arrow wounds. Cant really think of any other reason for Andrea to produce and sell such junk.
I believed you when you sent your first post about it, but never thought it would be this bad.
Enjoy Anrea's beer, you deserve it and watch that Ivan does'nt buy one if its not much much better.
Don

Wow....i just saw it , and my piece is on the mail already ....i guess i am already a member of the F****d customers clan by Andrea.... Indeed i had not bought anything from them as i was dissapointed for years. I gave a chance with the Leogante Fantasy figure that was ok . and now i decided to give this a shot...i guess i must make another 5 years off again....

There goes my really hard earned money ....

I thought you were nitpicking. I'm speechless!!

Stephen Mallia

Thats got to be the worst casting I have ever seen. Mine has not arrived as yet. Lets hope they were intercepted before they were shipped.

Lets hope this wakes Andrea up to realize they have a serious problem. Being quiet publically.........is not how you handle it.

Glad to hear you should be getting a replacement Ray!

What he said.

Clearly badly engineered, but poorly executed on top of that. And that's some cheap, nasty-lookin' resin.

Einion

Don, you got me in stitches with you words.....can't stop laughing
Will miss you by my side in Girona like you promised you'll be in Euro........guess I'm gonna be the centre of attraction in Spain.....
El Matador Maltes

Costas, I really feel for you my friend and this goes to anyone waiting to recieve this dude, Guy included.......

Steve, hope you got your voice back by now

Einion, thanks for your support and honest words throughout this thread and everywhere else for that matter (re your honesty I mean)!!

Thanks for everything my friends, much appreciated!!!

Ray

I got mine today in the post and must say that there is some fine detail on the bust itself but a very nasty mould line right round the entire torso which runs through the chain mail and head with a very prominent and nasty step. The detail on the mail of the left shoulder is quite shallow and with the mould line and step after cleaning some of the detail will just not be there anymore.
The overall appearance is very nice but there has not been much precision put into the mould making or casting process? This bust is not cheap either when compared to better quality products on the market.
A lot of re-working is going to be needed on several of the features which should give a pleasing and better result on what is first seen as a stunning looking bust.
Tommi

I canceled my order when the comments started heading south. Seeing the pictures certainly reassured me that I made the right decision. I know others that are canceling their orders as well and rightfully so.

This is clearly one of those cases that the factory (Andrea) should stop production and make a recall so that they can rework the piece and reevaluate their "offshore" production practices or at least look for a different casting house. Sadly...I've seen resin knock offs of Andrea figures that looked better than this "official" Andrea product. Maybe Andrea needs to contact some of the counterfeiters and offer them a legit casting contract.....

This just reaffirms my practice of buying nothing mailorder without first seeing an example of the product, or simply waiting till figure shows where I can touch, see, feel, smell and roll in the product before buying it.

Comparing the pics posted by Ray with the ones of the original sculpt posted on Lilliput (see here) it is obvious it is a casting issue. Those kind of pieces definitely require a one cut mold, but to each his own...

The loss of details as well the blurred areas on the mail are a common side effect when demolding too soon. Very fine and small details like the mail borders on the arms could "implode" and disappear (to say it some way) and everything you touch when extracting the casting from the mold get blurred.

Pure Junk

Those castings in the pictures are just horrendous and completely unacceptable Crap. I`d rather eat worms then spend the many hours required trying re-build chain mail.

It`s clear from reports on other fourms, like Cool Mini, it`s a widespread problem as well and not a few kit out of the run.

How did any of those get past " quality control inspection " at Andrea before being boxed ? Surely they don`t let the overseas " caster " clowns box the work up as well.

Maybe they just don`t give a Frack ?

Tommi, I know the feeling

Mike, wisely said and NOW I wish I would have heeded the warnings especially on EPH........but as I said I wanted to bite the arrow and took the plunge........I've did it before with no regrets whatsoever on Andrea's 90mm Conquistador and what a beautiful cast that was.......Ok the fit of parts have always been Andrea's weak point, but I never envisioned a cast as BAD as this

Luca, if I had seen this thread before I WOULD HAVE BEEN TEMPTED EVEN MORE!!!! What a SCULPT!!!!!! What an even greater UNJUSTICE on the sculptor!!!!! However, the mail still looks it was sculpted a bit on the shallow side IMHO, like it was sculpted as a one of and not with "moulding effects" in mind........just MY HUMBLE OPINION that is as I said.........

Richard, thanks for looking.........can you please post that thread on CoolMini over here, (like Luca did vis a vis the Lilliput thread) maybe I give it a glance and see what's in there.........would you be so kind as to post the link to this thread over there if you're a member or anything

Thanks guys, much appreciated.......

Ray