Are you a Brickmaster?

[Oky]

Hello there. I was wondering who of you have (or have had) a Brickmaster subscription and what your experience with BM is (or was). Please also briefly explain your votes. Thanks.

And yes, this thread is for Americans only! Or to be more specific, everyone with a BM subscrition and those who have the priviledge of being able to subscribe to it, but choose not to. Sorry for excluding you, rest of the world, but I created this thread to get honest opinions on BM and not to get the usual "Boohoo, we can't get BM!" responses. We know it's unfair and we feel your pain, but there's nothing we can do about it, so please get over it and don't vote in this thread. Thanks.

I for one never had Brickmaster. It always seemed like a waste of money to me as most of the sets that you got with it were nothing all that special. However, with the quality licensed minis that you get with it now, I am quite tempted to change my opinion...

So, what do you think?

Edited May 6, 2009 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[Brickthing]

I know you said America only, but I'd like to point out that BrickMaster should serve all countries.

I would love to get exclusive sets sent to me in the mail-box, and I wouldn't mind the magazines for collective purposes either. If it were possible, I'd gladly fork out the money for that service, and I'd be fine with forfeiting those LEGOland tickets, which seem to be the main America-only thing.

However, because I can't buy BrickMaster, I end up going to places like Bricklink or Ebay to get the BrickMaster sets instead, which is more hassle for me, and LEGO misses out on selling them directly to me.

So anyway, I voted No and Meh, because I can't actually get it.

[DarthSion]

What the guy across the pond said.

[Brickmaster]

Well...

Ironically, no.

[Johnnhiszippy3]

My wife and I had been planning on going to Legoland California, and I wasn't sure if the tickets that came with Brickmaster were only for children. I called and found out they were good for adults too, so we got tickets to Legoland for $40 each (instead of $63 each ) and 6 free sets each, plus the magazines. So if you are already planning on going to Legoland, it's a great deal! My wife, who ins't a huge fan of Lego (like me) really enjoys the Brickmaster magazines.

I'm hoping I can convince her we should go back to Legoland this summer to keep the sets coming

Edited May 6, 2009 by Johnnhiszippy3

[darkrebellion]

I don´t live in the US but I have a Brickmaster suscription (The great part of having family that live in the US ) and I think that it is pretty cool. Before the licensed sets were produced I don´t like it mainly because most of those sets aren´t very good and also the fact that I just collect SW. Now that it has some really good licensed (Especially, the SW ones ) I think it is a great deal. The magazine itself is cool and the fact that some of them have a SW related cover is also a plus .

[Commodore Hornbricker]

Never. I didn't even know there were exclussive Brickmaster sets. What are they like?

[Oky]

I know you said America only, but ...blah blah... I can't buy BrickMaster ...blah blah... I voted No and Meh, because I can't actually get it.

Now see, that's the type of replies I was hoping not to get. Sorry for excluding you, rest of the world, but I created this thread to get honest opinions on BM and not to get the usual "Boohoo, we can't get BM!" responses. We (Americans) know it's unfair and we feel your pain, but there's nothing we can do about it, so please get over it and don't vote in this thread. Thanks.

Well... Ironically, no.

Care to share why not?

My wife and I had been planning on going to Legoland California, and I wasn't sure if the tickets that came with Brickmaster were only for children. I called and found out they were good for adults too, so we got tickets to Legoland for $40 each (instead of $63 each ) and 6 free sets each, plus the magazines.

Don't forget the two $5 off S@H coupons.

That's good to know, thanks! Can you please also tell us if the tickets have expiration dates?

Never. I didn't even know there were exclussive Brickmaster sets. What are they like?

Check the EB frontpage.

[Big Pete]

Care to share why not?

look at his username!

anyways, I am not an American but I also have a Brickmaster subscription. I have a mate who I went to school with who now lives in the US and he gets it for me and posts it on.

Yes, this means I have to pay around £8 to £10 each time he posts me an issue (since it comes in a cardboard) box but it does mean that I get the exclusive sets without having to pay over the odds *and* have extreme shipping costs from the US.

As for whether it's worth it ... sure, I think so ... I made my money back on the subscription costs by selling the free Legoland ticket via Ebay USA :D That said, the actual magazine is a bit crap, imho, but then it's not aimed at adults!

Edited May 6, 2009 by Big Pete

[daxflame680]

I have never had a brickmaster subscription.

I don't plan on going to LEGOLAND [again] anytime soon, so the admission would be useless.

So then, I'd be paying $40 for:

-about 10 extra pages in LEGO Club Magazine [i would never pay money for this]

-A free exclusive set with every Brickmaster magazine [these sets look like they were made using parts from a bucket set]

and:

-2 $5 S@H coupons. [HEHE, THAT DOESN"T EVEN OUT ]

[Lt. Col. Thok]

I was gonna....and then I didn't. As has been said, $40 a month is a lot for ten pages, a set and some other stuff. However, some of the sets look promising!

[Spyder]

I have never subscribed and don't plan to. The sets are of average quality, but not very big, and most are mini-scaled. Like daxflame680 said, it doesn't all even out. The five dollar coupon for S&H might cover the shipping and handling at most. I will probably never go to Legoland, and Lego.com says the est. price for the six sets is $36. Yeah right. I already get the Lego Club magazine, and the Brickmaster magazine just has a couple more "sneak peaks", alternate builds, and all that crap that would appeal to little kids. I'm sorry that I was so harsh, but I'd rather save my $40 and spend it on a Lego set and get my money's worth.

[Oky]

I was gonna....and then I didn't. As has been said, $40 a month is a lot for ten pages, a set and some other stuff.

Wait... It's $40 A MONTH?! I thought it's just $40 for the whole thing! If this is true, you are right - that is WAY too much money for six crappy sets and some other stuff!

[Oky]

Edit: Oops! Double post.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[darkrebellion]

Wait... It's $40 A MONTH?! I thought it's just $40 for the whole thing! If this is true, you are right - that is WAY too much money for six crappy sets and some other stuff!

It is $40 for a whole year suscription but in my opinion it isn´t so much considering the 6 sets you receive cost like $10-$20 each in eBay or Bricklink .

[Oky]

It is $40 for a whole year suscription but in my opinion it isn´t so much considering the 6 sets you receive cost like $10-$20 each in eBay or Bricklink .

Oh, good! That's what I thought.

Thanks for almost giving me a heart attack, Thok!

[WesternOutlaw]

I purchased a membership for the Indy Jeep exclusive. I like the free ticket to Legoland, which I used. Aside from this, I got tired of SW minis as the exclusive sets. I wanted a City/Town set, and perhaps Castle, which I never saw. The magazine is geared to children, so I wasn't too impressed.

Needless to say, I did not renew and now just get the regular Club magazine, which is almost the same.

Unless there's a special set (like the Indy Jeep), I won't buy again.

[Johnnhiszippy3]

That's good to know, thanks! Can you please also tell us if the tickets have expiration dates?

As I recall, they expired in January of the following year. I got them around June, so they were good for quite awhile. I'd assume if you subscribe later in the year they give tickets that last longer. If you're going to subscribe and are planning on using the tickets, I'd call Lego to check.

[prateek]

i've never had one, but i do think its kinda woth it since you get those nice sets. too bad they dont have it canada

[Darth Legolas]

I really love it! I love the exclusives to death! The Indy Jeep was an A-plus in my book, and four SW minis in one year? Woohoo!

If only I could get one subscription longer than a dang year!

Not to mention, the added bonus, it's something to read while relieving ones self!

[prateek]

those new castle and pirates exclusive sets make it even more worth it now

[Oky]

As I recall, they expired in January of the following year. I got them around June, so they were good for quite awhile. I'd assume if you subscribe later in the year they give tickets that last longer. If you're going to subscribe and are planning on using the tickets, I'd call Lego to check.

I see. Thanks.

those new castle and pirates exclusive sets make it even more worth it now

Those have nothing to do with the Brickmaster subscription.

[Mraz Skintas]

I have it, but think it's only meh. I say that cuz there's really nothing special about it. It only has a few extra pages which generally just contain contests. I think that there should at least be some exclusive news or previews for upcoming sets for the price you pay. But I guess that price is only because of the mini sets. Sadly, thats almost all we get nowadays. The only set I got with a fig was that Indy thing back last June, and I sold it cuz I wasn't into Indy then. But something that would make it better would be sets with figs.

[prateek]

Those have nothing to do with the Brickmaster subscription.

Actually, they are Brickmaster exclusives (check the front page)

[Oky]

Actually, they are Brickmaster exclusives (check the front page)

No, they are not. They are idea books from DK with bricks attached to them and just happen to be called "Brickmaster" for some reason. They don't have anything to do with the US-only subscription. If you would have read the threads where these sets are being discussed and would have looked at the links to the DK website, you would know that.