Do you upgrade your Doll's Bodies?

Hello!

Aquiring my Mochi-Ashi with the new f-3 body got me thinking. I started in the hobby wenn the DDIII Body was new, so I never really thought about it because my Dolls already had the newest bodies.

Do I want to upgrade all my dolls bodies? Do you plan to or already upgraded your dolls bodies?

Does upgrading the body actually lower the worth of a fullset doll? For example Emilia with a DDIII Body vs Emilia with a DDf-3 Body. 

Has the f-3 more advantages than the DDIII? 

I'd really love to hear what you all think about it. For me it's a question of "Is it necessary?" or if my FOMO is just going crazy like always in this hobby... Also I'm not really selling my old DDS (III) Body, so I think about keeping it, but would I want to have a new body for a new doll?

 

I hope posting it here rather then the Q&A section is okay. I feel like this is more of a discussion!

I think my Saber is a DDIII body (it was bought a while ago), and I've looked into the DD-F3 body a bit but I'm not sure if it's worth the upgrade really.
Perhaps it would make more sense if you still had a DDII body.

I feel that it's justified if I'm buying a new doll, but I don't think I'll be upgrading to the F3 body myself.

 

upgrading most of my older 1/6 anime girls' bodies to the new OBITSU 26cm. has bestowed them a new lease on life.

for example, my To Heart 2 Konomi Yuzuhara, shifted from her stock 2000's-era OBITSU 23 the modern, beautiful 26;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Tasuke

At the end of the day, DDIII is still an excellent body, and even the DDII is serviceable, so don't feel as though you need to upgrade.  That said, I can't see having the current gen body as lowering the value at all, especially since the F3 body costs more than DDIII.  

Now, if you've got a DDI, strung body, definitely upgrade.  Or the MDDII (first MDD body).  Volks made huge improvements to the MDDIII, and I can only imagine the MDD-F3 is even better.  I upgraded both of my MDD girls to DDP, and am very happy with it.  

So far I've upgraded 11 of mine from DDII or DD3 to f3. There are some definite aesthetic improvements to the f3, and for the dolls I photograph a lot I think the upgrade is worth it.

I'm not selling mine, so I am not worried about lowering the value.

When I got into the hobby DDII was the default, thus it's the only body I have and have handled. I was still around when the first limited editions with DDIII bodies came out. Then I didn't want to upgrade because those bodies were still rare. This thread reminded me that the body I own is already very old...

I think before upgrading the one I have I want to get the f3 for the new girl I have incoming. If it's a new girl, I think it's reasonable to grab the newest body as well. From there I will decide if I want to upgrade to a newly f3 or try to look for a gently used DDIII instead.

I'm sure if I already had a DDIII I wouldn't want to upgrade to a f3 just yet based on what I have seen so far. An upgrade from DDII tempts me more, however. As long as there's not a huge difference between models I'm fine with having an older one. There's also the hassle of selling the old body because I wouldn't be able to keep it due to space and finances if I'm honest.

The III is still a very mice body.  I recently received a brand new one with Youmu Konpaku and my only real complaint was the vinyl smell that came from sitting in a box for years (literally.  The original owner only wanted the swords and only took her out to take pictures of he YJA listing.  I liked how tight it was, and the only real difference I noticed from the F3 i the occasional snap back of wrists that kind of reminded me of a tightly strung resin doll.  But I figured that'd go away after playing with her for a while.

 

However, I have considered upgrading my DDDyIII Miko body, since she's a little bit loose/floppy, and I have to periodically take her apart to tighten her up.  I've also considered upgrading one of my DDS bodies not so much for a new frame, but a larger body.  Considering her upgraded bust size, I feel she might need a more 'mature' DD body.  Granted, the character has always been shorter than her friends/sisters of the same age.  But still.

I've got more DD2 and original DDdy bodies in my doll family than any other bodies.  I actually prefer the older DD2 bodies to the DD3 ones.  They're stronger and with some messing around they pose just as well.  I've been buying older bodies for spare parts recently in case my girls happen to have an accident and they don't sell for much. So upgrading to add value for resale later with the F3 bodies is a good idea if that's what you're after.

As for upgrading bodies on existing girls I own, I rarely do that but have in the past.  I upgraded Manami several times so she's now on a DDdy3 body with silicone bust and sometimes silicone lower torso.  I did upgrade ALL my MDD girls that used the original body.  Those things looked cute but they were a nightmare to try and pose and stand.  I updated all those girls to the MDD3 and MMDF3 bodies and I'm extremely happy I did.

I've also moved girls to different bodies because it better suited their characters.  Like Louise, she came on an MDD body but I felt she needed a larger one to better fit her anime character.  So I had her on an Obitsu 45 for a while then put her on a 50cm one.  But when they released the DDP bodies, I was all over that one for her.  It's perfect for how I wanted her to look.

I do think the new F3 bodies are better than the DD3 ones because you can adjust the tightness of most of the joints and to me, the vinyl feels softer and warmer to the touch.  Plus they don't have that awful thigh gap the DD3 has.... that annoys me to no end.  LOL  😉 

 

 

Billy

21 hours ago, baldylox said:

I've also moved girls to different bodies because it better suited their characters.  Like Louise, she came on an MDD body but I felt she needed a larger one to better fit her anime character.

I’ve done that on numerous occasions to better fit the character to the original art, or just for overall aesthetics. Like recently I’ve recently been trying Kos-Mos on a DDS S-bust just to see if her itty bitty head works better on the smaller frame.  

One area where you and I are definitely opposites, of my 6 girls who came with an L bust exactly zero currently have an L. In fact you’ll probably be horrified to know that my Nero now has an SS bust. My only remaining busty girl now is Towa, but my new Excellen head may go on a DD-L or a DDDy. 

Surprisingly, I like the DDDy body more than I thought I would. I’ve found that the curvy body needs curvy Jessica Rabbit style poses and as long as you do that it looks great. If I try straighter more traditional poses it really looks kind of strange.

Towa is spending a lot of time with her clothes off as I try out different poses with her to see what works for her looks. XD

She also says “Eat your heart out Barbie.”

Edit: Almost positive Excellen is going on DDDy. 

So far I have upgraded all of my DD2 bodies to DD3 (except for one doll, that I don't handle often enough).

I'd upgrade my favourite ones to DD F-3, but the price is too high for me at this time.

I don't move and pose them to the point that I need to do an upgrade.

The looks of a DD3 and F-3 is basically the same, so it doesn't really matter that much to me.

I'd rather get outfits or static figures, instead. 

23 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

In fact you’ll probably be horrified to know that my Nero now has an SS bust.

<Shock and horror on my face>  YOU CAD! YOU BEAST!  <passes out>

23 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

Surprisingly, I like the DDDy body more than I thought I would. I’ve found that the curvy body needs curvy Jessica Rabbit style poses and as long as you do that it looks great. If I try straighter more traditional poses it really looks kind of strange.

Heh, the curves always win!  I seriously LOVE the DDdy bodies because not only are they sexy, they just look GOOD.  Especially if you like the anime aesthetic.  I'm glad you're finally coming around!  😄 

23 hours ago, BeyondTime said:

Edit: Almost positive Excellen is going on DDDy. 

<In Mr. Burns voice>  Exxxxxcellent.  😉   Excellen looks amazing on the DDdy body as you already know.  As soon as I got mine that's where she went and I just adore the style she exudes.  Make sure you show her off once you get her set up!   

 

 

Billy

I‘m thinking of buying a DD-f3 as my first Dollfie Dream.
 

Should my first DD be from the latest generation or a DD3 that is a generation behind the f3 and a generation ahead of the DD2? I almost bought a DD3 thinking it was the same as a DD-f3.

Then again, I don’t have $350 plus shipping and sales tax for a new DD-f3 straight from Volks, so it’d be more practical to look into a gently used DD3.

1 hour ago, Rneiro said:

I‘m thinking of buying a DD-f3 as my first Dollfie Dream.
 

Should my first DD be from the latest generation or a DD3 that is a generation behind the f3 and a generation ahead of the DD2? I almost bought a DD3 thinking it was the same as a DD-f3.

Then again, I don’t have $350 plus shipping and sales tax for a new DD-f3 straight from Volks, so it’d be more practical to look into a gently used DD3.

Volks no longer makes the parts needed to maintain the DD3.

14 minutes ago, BeyondTime said:

Volks no longer makes the parts needed to maintain the DD3.

Yes, I’m aware of that. DD-f3s are the most up-to-date while DD3s are older and have been discontinued by Volks. 

I don’t see prices for new or used DD-f3 bodies going down anytime soon, so I’ll either have to save for a new DD-f3 plus option parts or settle for an older but less expensive DD3 and find option parts elsewhere.

44 minutes ago, Rneiro said:

so I’ll either have to save for a new DD-f3 plus option parts or settle for an older but less expensive DD3 and find option parts elsewhere.

the second hand DD3 body market at least based on mandarake hasnt been that appealing to me personally. at least nothing I've seen there is a huge bargain. for instance an obvious ex Kos-Mos DD3-L bust body with heavy stains caused by the leg and arm stockings going for 25k yen, which seems to be the starting price for anything.

I personally dont have a perference towards the F3, infact both examples of the fourth gen bodies have been a bit of a nuisance for me at first, but now Id make a recomendation of saving up for a f3, and wouldnt have to worry about the possible cracking issues -- the hips arent a biggie as F3 legs (at least on DDS size) sort of work on a DD3, but the upper frame is not interchangeable between the two, and the F3 arms if the DD3 elbows crack (which is a issue i've found in practice) dont fit directly and need something to make the peg a big bigger (Classic Scotch-tape, heat shrink, or maybe make a groove for a O-ring ?)

There are repair/reinforcement parts available, but that narrows the gap between the two choises in terms of price.

As far as my own little thoughts on the subject...:

The only upgrade I've done intentionally was getting a S-bust yui hirasawa body when they were an exclusive thing to upgrade my Nagato with (though now the correct current available body probably is a M-bust DDS, but anyways...), other than that there hasnt been much urge to get the latest shiny, even back when I did have the funds for it (which I now dont ... but quality of life choises)

What photo sets I do, I've found very little practical differences between the generations I have (lacking a stringed DD1 for actual stringed reference), though maybe the DD2 with the firm-locked hips makes upright sitting poses a bit more of a chore... hence my tendacy for Rude-boy layed back sitting poses. Visual things are a thing, the shoulder fake ball, and when using the DD2's double hinged elbows and kneas that are normally tucked away the gaps a re a bit jarring, but on fully clothed sets these shouldnt be an issue.

I mean the DD2's wrists can be modded for rotation (the DD3's cant, but you can buy upgrade bigs that do rotate), and then you are at this point:

junior022

But that said, the F3 does have quality of life improvements over the DD3 in the form of the more durable shoulders and hips ... though they seem to cause their own share of initial conundrums.

Edited May 14, 2021 by finnleo

I poked around here looking into this and ultimately I felt that upgrading my one DDIII body didn’t make sense unless it got badly damaged though I must say I do like that the ddf3 is quieter when you move it.  My DDIII is quite squeaky in comparison but once moved they pose pretty much the same.  

I also probably wouldn’t buy a used DDIII Girl body that wasn’t part of a full set.  So far from what I’ve seen there’s not enough of a discount to justify making it so I can’t easily get replacement parts etc. With the boys being harder to come by and replacement parts being an issue regardless, I could see doing it for them depending on the circumstances though I would prefer not.

For full sets I feel upgrading bodies wouldn’t hurt, but likely wouldn’t increase resale value all that much?  

my Saber was originally a DD base-2, and once DD base-3 was out, she totalz got an upgrade (for a while poor girl was L-bust too, as that's what it came with)
it didn't feel quite right, so a bit later she was put on DDS which just suits her best!
 

II to III felt quite a difference, in posability & replacing some bits (flashbacks to bust changing on the older dolls..oooh boy)
base-3 to F3 doesn't feel as necessary .... they both have plenty of pose options

 

PS: for resale values, on Special Collab dolls i believe the true value lies in their clothes/wig, original headmold & face-up, not the body itself. Unless its Yoko who had a unique bust back then... but Volks makes smooth busts too now, so it isn't as unusual anymore

19 hours ago, Chise said:

PS: for resale values, on Special Collab dolls i believe the true value lies in their clothes/wig, original headmold & face-up, not the body itself. Unless its Yoko who had a unique bust back then... but Volks makes smooth busts too now, so it isn't as unusual anymore

I agree about the collab dolls.  

As for the Yoko body, it wasn't just her bust that was different, her lower torso was too.  It has a more pronounced curve in it and it's slimmer at the point where it goes up into the bust area.  Also, the Yoko bust is a one of a kind.  Even tho Volks does make smooth busts now, none of them are the same size or shape as Yoko's.  Her breasts are wider apart and less round than the new nip-less ones are.  😉 

 

 

Billy

22 hours ago, Chise said:

Unless its Yoko who had a unique bust back then...

2 hours ago, baldylox said:

Also, the Yoko bust is a one of a kind.  Even tho Volks does make smooth busts now, none of them are the same size or shape as Yoko's.  Her breasts are wider apart and less round than the new nip-less ones are.  😉 

Damnit, why'd you have to make me aware of this!?  Now I'm never going to stop pining for this bust piece!  It's so much more beautiful than the standard DDDy busts! 😭 How does it compare to the DD L Bust (Flat Version), though?

I've definitely been considering upgrading my Miku to the f3 body from III ever since I got her, and even more so after receiving my MDD f3 body.  I just really love the feel of the newer vinyl, and though I'm pretty sure my III body doesn't have any cracks, she is very noisy, and I'm far more careful when posing her than I am with my MDD, mostly because she just feels less fragile in hand, if that makes sense.  The only thing holding me back honestly is just that I don't feel like dropping the full $350 at the moment, even though I would sell her III body once I switched her over.

21 hours ago, OccultBeast said:

Damnit, why'd you have to make me aware of this!?  Now I'm never going to stop pining for this bust piece!  It's so much more beautiful than the standard DDDy busts! 😭 How does it compare to the DD L Bust (Flat Version), though?

Hee hee, sorry!  😉 

This doesn't have the smooth bust in it but you can see good photos of the Yoko bust and body here: 

 

 

 

Billy

6 minutes ago, baldylox said:

This doesn't have the smooth bust in it but you can see good photos of the Yoko bust and body here: 

Bless you and your thousands of comparison photos for the rest of us! 🙏  It really is such a lovely bust, I wish they'd offer it as a standard bust piece!  It'd be so perfect for swimsuit and lingerie sets~  Even if they didn't want to spring for the lower torso piece as well, though it is very interesting to see just how many little tweaks they made for her.

I think I've already been infected with Baldylox Syndrome anyway, because I abruptly bought myself a DDDy body today... whoops 8)c

Most of my dolls are DDIII, only Arle and 9S (and Meiko, when she arrives) is f3. I don’t feel any need to update bodies despite liking the f3 a lot, because with that money I could buy multiple new dolls instead. I’d only do it if one of them broke - i’d probably rather use that excuse to upgrade to f3 rather than bothering to look for DDIII parts. Or if I ended up with a doll on the DDII or original MDD bodies which I do not like at all and would replace ASAP.

Of course, two of my DDIIIs are boys and one is tan, so replacing their bodies could (currently) only be done by doing a Dream Choice order and selling the head. A random flesh skin DD head might not be difficult to sell, but a tan one with no body sure would be. Unless someone who already had a tan doll really wanted another head to use for an alternate expression for their character.

13 hours ago, Monty said:

Most of my dolls are DDIII, only Arle and 9S (and Meiko, when she arrives) is f3. I don’t feel any need to update bodies despite liking the f3 a lot, because with that money I could buy multiple new dolls instead. I’d only do it if one of them broke - i’d probably rather use that excuse to upgrade to f3 rather than bothering to look for DDIII parts. Or if I ended up with a doll on the DDII or original MDD bodies which I do not like at all and would replace ASAP.

Of course, two of my DDIIIs are boys and one is tan, so replacing their bodies could (currently) only be done by doing a Dream Choice order and selling the head. A random flesh skin DD head might not be difficult to sell, but a tan one with no body sure would be. Unless someone who already had a tan doll really wanted another head to use for an alternate expression for their character.

About my opinion also. At around 330$ a pop for the new f3 bodies I rather just stick with the older ones. I have enough bodies to just simply swap them around. Atm I have Alsty in sabers dds f3 body. I do all my photography with Alsty so the newest body is the best. 

Gotta spend those $$$ on clothes you'll only have your dolls wear once... 

22 hours ago, OccultBeast said:

Bless you and your thousands of comparison photos for the rest of us! 🙏  It really is such a lovely bust, I wish they'd offer it as a standard bust piece!  It'd be so perfect for swimsuit and lingerie sets~  Even if they didn't want to spring for the lower torso piece as well, though it is very interesting to see just how many little tweaks they made for her.

I think I've already been infected with Baldylox Syndrome anyway, because I abruptly bought myself a DDDy body today... whoops 8)c

Ha ha, you're quite welcome! I need to do some more comparison threads on silicone busts and the newer bodies like DDP.  Maybe when I go on vacation in June...

They called Yoko's bust the "natural" bust for some reason.  Maybe due to the shape but at the time she was the only one with it due to Gainax being very protective of her character and how she was portrayed.  The story goes she has no nips because of her age in the anime being 15 and they didn't want her to have them.  Why I have no idea since she already h as an outrageously shaped body for someone that age.  😉   But hey, Volks does what they do.

And hooray for new DDdy bodies!  They're my favorite because of the shapes and curves it has.  Make sure to share pics when you get it!

 

 

Billy 

13 minutes ago, baldylox said:

Gainax being very protective of her character and how she was portrayed.

There was a long history of people making porn with Evangelion characters, so I can understand why they might be a bit gun-shy in that regard. 

Excellen did get her DDDy body, so now I have two DDDy. I’m short on space for stands, so she’s buddy buddy with Rin & Mash.