Lego Master Builder Academy

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zaskar
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Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by zaskar » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:16 pm

There was a nice little insert describing the Lego Master Builder Academy in this months Lego Club Magazine.

http://www.legomba.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like the first set will be available in June for $29.99
Sets 2 through 6 subscription is $69.99

Pretty interesting sets.

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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by legitimatealex » Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:41 pm

Hrmmmm not sure the first set is worth $30 by a long shot...2-6 for $70 might be worth it though.
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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by mrfootball » Sun May 01, 2011 12:33 am

The program looks great. We loved Brickmaster, but are happy to have a continued bi-monthly program. This month's Brickmaster btw was awesome. Great issue, with a great little Bounty Hunter Gunship model.

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by Brick & Blue » Mon May 02, 2011 7:16 am

Rip off!

$30 for a 178, funny looking set?

I'll pass...

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by vynsane » Mon May 02, 2011 7:29 am

For the $30 you spend, it's a lot more than just 178 pieces (which, by the way, isn't just one 'funny looking' set). You get a large 84 page 'Kit 1 handbook' (which looks to be high quality) with 3 different sets of instructions (like the Creator sets) and building tips and tricks, the Kit 1 minifigure and accessories, a brick separator (which, while not a huge bonus, is actually cool to have thrown in) and access to the member-only MBA website content. I think this is a much better value than Brickmaster, which gave you a little polybag set and a glorified LEGO Club magazine.

The MBA program, in contrast to Brickmaster, seems to really lean heavily on teaching kids about creative building, which is something that we've all seen go down hill in lieu of building licensed sets and leaving them built. I commend TLG for going out on a limb and bring their brand of creative play to the forefront.

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm due to the fact that the MBA program is more geared towards kids, but the "price per piece" ratio really has no bearing on the true value here.
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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by ncbarrett » Mon May 02, 2011 8:11 am

vynsane wrote:For the $30 you spend, it's a lot more than just 178 pieces (which, by the way, isn't just one 'funny looking' set). You get a large 84 page 'Kit 1 handbook' (which looks to be high quality) with 3 different sets of instructions (like the Creator sets) and building tips and tricks, the Kit 1 minifigure and accessories, a brick separator (which, while not a huge bonus, is actually cool to have thrown in) and access to the member-only MBA website content. I think this is a much better value than Brickmaster, which gave you a little polybag set and a glorified LEGO Club magazine.

The MBA program, in contrast to Brickmaster, seems to really lean heavily on teaching kids about creative building, which is something that we've all seen go down hill in lieu of building licensed sets and leaving them built. I commend TLG for going out on a limb and bring their brand of creative play to the forefront.

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm due to the fact that the MBA program is more geared towards kids, but the "price per piece" ratio really has no bearing on the true value here.
Well said.

I have mine on pre-order. :ugeek:
I have inoperable cancer and am unable to work. Any gifts would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by Brick & Blue » Mon May 02, 2011 10:24 am

It's $30 for a fancy building instructions and ONE set that has 178 pieces.

Brickmaster was pretty much $30 for a full year with 6 sets that probably have more pieces.

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by ncbarrett » Mon May 02, 2011 11:10 am

Brick & Blue wrote:It's $30 for a fancy building instructions and ONE set that has 178 pieces.

Brickmaster was pretty much $30 for a full year with 6 sets that probably have more pieces.
If you think it is overpriced, then it is clearly not designed for you. :mrgreen:
I have inoperable cancer and am unable to work. Any gifts would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by vynsane » Mon May 02, 2011 12:02 pm

Brick & Blue wrote:It's $30 for a fancy building instructions and ONE set that has 178 pieces.

Brickmaster was pretty much $30 for a full year with 6 sets that probably have more pieces.
Brickmaster was $40 for 6 really small sets and 6 editions of the magazine in one year.

2008 2009 2010 2011 Most of them were microscale, only a handful featured minifigures (and those that did had DISMAL piece counts) and the magazine was, as I've said, seemingly a glorified LEGO Club magazine. The earlier ones were the only ones to break the 100 piece ceiling, and some of the models would've been downright disappointing to me had I subscribed and then seen the Bionicle sets arrive in the mail, honestly. Half of them were just impulse-style sets that would have cost between $3 and $4 each had they been sold individually.

Contrast this to the MBA program, and you see a huge jump in the quality of the models. Two of the six kits include 'canopy' pieces, nearly all of them are minifig scale, and each kit includes an 84 page book with multiple build instructions. Judging by the images on the MBA site, most of them are between 150 and 225 pieces each. You get two exclusive Minifigures in one year's subscription (the minifigures in Brickmaster were relatively common/available - these won't be available anywhere else).

But I'm done trying to convince you that this is a better value for the money. If you liked paying more money for impulse sized sets than they were worth, nothing I can say will change your mind.
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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by legogod » Mon May 02, 2011 12:34 pm

No one has mentioned the sorting tray that comes with month one that stores the entire year of parts. I think this is very useful as we all need some storage solutions. Putting everything back in polybags and sealing it with tape is a thing of the past.

Jared

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by ncbarrett » Mon May 02, 2011 12:50 pm

vynsane wrote:...
Most of them were microscale, only a handful featured minifigures
...
You get two exclusive Minifigures in one year's subscription (the minifigures in Brickmaster were relatively common/available - these won't be available anywhere else)...
and the two sets (per level) without minifigs come with stuff to build accessories, which is a nice touch I think.
:ugeek:
Two of the six kits include 'canopy' pieces
actually three of them come with one.

kit 1
kit 3
kit 4 (used on glider and jet plane)

Judging by the images on the MBA site, most of them are between 150 and 225 pieces each
if the pics show actual piece count on bags then, kit 2 comes with 222, kit 3 comes with 155 and kit 4 150, no picture of kit 5 or 6 but would assume to fall in your range.
I have inoperable cancer and am unable to work. Any gifts would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by vynsane » Mon May 02, 2011 2:00 pm

ncbarrett wrote:
Two of the six kits include 'canopy' pieces
actually three of them come with one.

kit 1
kit 3
kit 4 (used on glider and jet plane)
Ah, I hadn't noticed the Kit 4 canopy! Sweet! The canopy from Kit 1 looks to be the same as the one from the new Imperial V-Wing. Kit 3 is the bubble canopy style used on the Atlantis Typhoon Turbo Sub and Space Police Undercover cruiser in trans light-blue, and the one from Kit 4 is the new new style (hinge handle on the front instead of the 2x2 plate front) of the cone canopy from the likes of Creator Sonic Boom and Space Police Raid VPR.
Judging by the images on the MBA site, most of them are between 150 and 225 pieces each
if the pics show actual piece count on bags then, kit 2 comes with 222, kit 3 comes with 155 and kit 4 150, no picture of kit 5 or 6 but would assume to fall in your range.
Yeah, I was guestimating based on the ones that were visible. I could see them dipping (but not too far) below 150, and probably not going higher than 250.
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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by Timetempest » Mon May 02, 2011 6:24 pm

mrfootball wrote:The program looks great. We loved Brickmaster, but are happy to have a continued bi-monthly program. This month's Brickmaster btw was awesome. Great issue, with a great little Bounty Hunter Gunship model.
Is brickmaster over? I know the code I had expired on April 30th.

How are people signing up for it?

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by mrfootball » Mon May 02, 2011 7:34 pm

Looks good, but we loved Brickmaster. My son is 7 and he really enjoys the cool mini sets. Looking at the afternmarket prices on some of these, the program was a heck of a value. I understand a lot of that had to do with the exclusivity of it, but that part made it cool too. The last 4 issues or so, have followed a different format, differing from that of the Club magazine and offering up a lot more alternative builds, etc.

We'll miss Brickmaster. But I'm sure we'll be all over Lego MBA too, though the pricing worries me.

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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by Brickbuilder0937 » Mon May 02, 2011 9:59 pm

Timetempest wrote:
mrfootball wrote:The program looks great. We loved Brickmaster, but are happy to have a continued bi-monthly program. This month's Brickmaster btw was awesome. Great issue, with a great little Bounty Hunter Gunship model.
Is brickmaster over? I know the code I had expired on April 30th.

How are people signing up for it?
The BrickMaster magazine signup was only available until August 2010, so the last magazine shipped will be July/August 2011.

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by ncbarrett » Tue May 03, 2011 5:04 am

mrfootball wrote:...
We'll miss Brickmaster. But I'm sure we'll be all over Lego MBA too, though the pricing worries me.
It is $100 for 6 sets and 2 exclusive mini-figures, along with great building tips, and nice storage box and tray.

If you break it down, that is only $16.67 per set.
:ugeek:
I have inoperable cancer and am unable to work. Any gifts would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by ncbarrett » Tue May 03, 2011 6:58 am

Just looked on s@h top 25, and MBA set 1 is #3 and MBA2-6 is #16
so it is obviously selling well, a good sign.

Also set 1 now says will ship by june 1, and sets 2-6 say july 1.

and noticed sets 2-6 have a total piece count of 947, which breaks down to just over $0.07 a piece, anyone who says that is expensive if only fooling themselves. :mrgreen:
I have inoperable cancer and am unable to work. Any gifts would be appreciated. Thank you!

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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by mrfootball » Tue May 03, 2011 11:10 am

Correct, the last issue is July/August 2011...the 2nd to last issue just shipped out along with the Bounty Hunter Gunship mini model.

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Re: [USA] LEGO® Master Builder Academy

Post by Luciant » Tue May 03, 2011 8:42 pm

So I'm torn.

I ordered the Set 1 and Set 2-6 preorder via S@H and I was GOING to put in the VIP member code promo, but lo and behold what was I offered? Why an exclusive star wars Minifig for spending over $75!

I wasn't sure if it was an error, but I figured I would rather have the Minifig over the PAB Box (Closest Lego store is 4 hours away). Even got the email confirming the minifig should come with the other stuff I ordered, so crossing my fingers ;)

If they catch it and don't ship me the minifigs, I'll give Lego a call and explain to them I couldn't put the promo code in because of the minifig already taking up the promo code... (come on minifigs!)
I have mixed feelings about new releases: I can't wait to see and get the new sets... but I can't figure out where I'm gonna put them or store them.

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Re: Lego Master Builder Academy

Post by legitimatealex » Thu May 05, 2011 6:46 pm

So is there anyone here who will be going into the program? I'd like to hear your reasons why.
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