Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Citromon]

46 minutes ago, lelee said:

I like it and can't wait for my annual new year's day trot out to the lego store in Leicester Square to get it.

You may want to wait till late January or early February to get that GWP)

[lelee]

Oh i cant possibly change my tradition after all of these years  what else will give meaning to New Years day, have to take my mind off the hangover lol ill be buying other stuff and get the GWP when it comes out, this hobby is more expensive than a crack addiction but im too deep in it now ha

[AFOLguy1970]

Sure there will always be criticism.  Even my favorites have flaws as nothing is perfect.  I do remember the PR and knew that would be a Day 1 purchase.  It was however much shorter than its predecessors as it had a lot of interior and exterior detail.  This one remains my favorite to this day.  I skipped DO.  I just was not wowed after seeing the likes of the PR.  DOs biggest criticism is likely the "storyline" and parts usage requiring passages and a Prohibition cookie kitchen.  BB was really short, although I like it a lot.  Also, a lot of us thought the laundromat should not have taken space from it, which I felt was a valid point.  DD was like black licorice--you either loved it or you hated it.  I like the colors, the pink car, the fact it could be a "de facto" corner building, and a lot of the build techniques.  My only criticism would probably be using the brittle brown parts on the boxing ring, but the issue has since been fixed.  Assembly Square was really nice.  Only thing is I wish was that the buildings were separable ala Pet Shop.  CG was another skip for me.  It was $200 at the time and I just was not into it for some reason.  The Bookshop is also a favorite.  The fall foliage was a bold move, although I the complaint that there is only one book piece seems valid.  I do like the Dutch gable of the bookstore and the San Francisco vibe of the other building.  Police Station was a Day 1 buy as well.  Similar to DD, there was definitely some division on it.  I ultimately forgave them for the unfinished wall--I mean why would the donut thief need a trap door if you could just climb over the wall?   I like the Hotel almost as much as the PR.  My only real critique is that the floors get progressively shorter, especially that upper level.  I think raising the top floor one brick height will help--just havent gotten around to it yet. 

That brings us to the present one.  Again, I do not hate it.  I think my main problem is inflation.  I am looking at this as a $230 plus tax purchase.  It does not feel like a $230 building to me.  My gut tells me to get Sanctum Sanctorum first.  At a glance, I am not really seeing a lot of new build techniques.  I do like the colors though.  As long as I do not become a statistic of the economy, I will probably end up purchasing it sometime later this year.  It is not a bad modular, it simply is not my favorite.  Honestly, some people seem to be flabbergasted that others would dare to critique a modular.  I think all opinions here are valid, even those I may not necessarily share.  

[Beasty_Boy0800]

3 hours ago, lelee said:

Spot on, he owns the music shop and does a monday night spot at the jazz club, hes even made a CD that his gf yvonne sells in the foyer, its not a big turn out but he enjoys it, they pop next door for a pizza after, one day he will be a star!

This is too funny, I love it! 

[PK82]

My only beef with Brickbank is that I like both sides equally but can only display one side prominently. I love the classic look of the bank and the small laundromat with the brick built signage.

There was something about Downtown Diner that really irked me. Once I figured out to use it as a corner building in my city layout I like it very much.

Assembly Sqare should've been two full baseplates. It messes with my street plates.

Took me over a year to buy Corner Garage but I can kind of appreciate the utilitarian look now. Not every building in a city has to be pretty as long as it looks consistent.

Bookshop is one of my favourites. I really like the facades and the birch tree.

Police Station is another one of my favourites (specially after I installed a bat signal on the roof) and works really well besides Bookshop.

Not very fond of Boutique Hotel. Apart from the colours, the new layout makes it hard to place and there's only so much corner buildings I can use.

But this jazz club just feels like a rehash of buildings I already own. And even though it has more parts than Bookshop it seems even less substantial without redeeming properties.

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by PK82

[RichardGoring]

It was Downtown Diner that got me into modulars. I loved how it looked and feel that it's a shame there aren't others like it. Would love another Art Deco or Streamline modular in the future, but can definitely see that too many wouldn't work.

From there I've come to appreciate them a lot more. Parisian Restaurant, Detectives Office, and Brick Bank are all up there, for me. I personally like how squat the Brick Bank is. If it were taller it would lose its nice composition. It looks solid, like a safe. And I like having the laundromat to give that sense of going down a side street/alley off a main boulevard.

[Citromon]

3 hours ago, PK82 said:

Police Station is another one of my favourites (specially after I installed a bat signal on the roof)

Bro! Did the same thing LOL )

1 hour ago, RichardGoring said:

It was Downtown Diner that got me into modulars. I loved how it looked and feel that it's a shame there aren't others like it. Would love another Art Deco or Streamline modular in the future, but can definitely see that too many wouldn't work.

From there I've come to appreciate them a lot more. Parisian Restaurant, Detectives Office, and Brick Bank are all up there, for me. I personally like how squat the Brick Bank is. If it were taller it would lose its nice composition. It looks solid, like a safe. And I like having the laundromat to give that sense of going down a side street/alley off a main boulevard.

We kinda have same favourites) DD got me in modulars, it was lobe at first sight, but my first modular was AS just because it was on a great sale)

[Vindicare]

22 hours ago, 24nolf said:

I just saw the new pics and WTF! A couple of chairs seated around a singer and two musicians. It looks like a group Bible study, not a club. How did this even happen?!

That’s how it’s always been though. The interiors of appropriate businesses nevertheless have enough seats. There’s two tables inside PR, two booths inside DD, 6 seats inside PC. We’re never going to get accurate sized interiors. 

21 hours ago, Faefrost said:

We go through this every year. We get pages and pages of negativity and ranting on how much they dislike it and how much previous modulars were better. Until this time next year. when the Jazz Club will now be considered the pinnacle of modular design and pricing and the new one is the object of their ire. They ranted about the Police Precinct, about the Brick Bank, about the Corner Garage, about the Diner, about the Detectives Office, oh how they ranted about the Parisian Restaurant. on and on. Town Hall was derided as a Big Box of Air. Now it's the centerpiece of any Modular Display. Welcome to the Cycle of Life in the Lego world.  

Couldn’t have put it better myself. It’s copy n paste year after year. 

20 hours ago, Ginger Ninja said:

I personally find the box image much more flattering than the front on view.

This. I saw the angled look of it from the box and I find it more flattering. That blue is still too much though. 

[Shiva]

4 hours ago, PK82 said:

Not very fond of Boutique Hotel. Apart from the colours, the new layout makes it hard to place and there's only so much corner buildings I can use.

Maybe have it and some other corner building do a small side street? Pedestrian only?

[BrickFit26]

The box art of the Jazz Club really makes it look so much better. And I still don't understand why the roof of the green house is like that. I don't get it. Is it suppose to open up to let in sun?

[hoppa]

6 minutes ago, BrickFit26 said:

The box art of the Jazz Club really makes it look so much better. And I still don't understand why the roof of the green house is like that. I don't get it. Is it suppose to open up to let in sun?

If you look for the other leaked pictures on Instagram there is a different angle of the greenhouse. Not perfect but it looks a whole lot better

[Ginger Ninja]

1 hour ago, Vindicare said:

This. I saw the angled look of it from the box and I find it more flattering. That blue is still too much though. 

I definitely understand people not loving the blue. Although I do think it makes it ‘pop’ in a way that makes sense for this kind of establishment. I think I’ll have to see it in person to know for sure whether or not I like the colour.

[jus1973]

So this leaks been around now for a couple of days.  How much longer can TLG hold out before announcing it officially?  The more I look at the images I can find, the more I’m warming to it overall.  I’ve not seen the boxed image thats been mentioned, (I try to avoid instagram, which is probably why.) and the rather odd greenhouse on the top does seem a weak design for the sake of a few extra parts.  And yes, the blue still seems a bit strong.  

[chezzymann]

Looking at the modular leaks again and I think it really is just the color scheme that bugs me. Red blue yellow is just too "basic" of a combination for me

I think changing the bottom floor to something else may really help its overall look 

Also, doing the math and it seems like the jazz club is really deep. Should be at least a 20 x 18 footprint. So we shouldnt have to worry about interior space this time around despite the third floor not going fully across 

Edited December 13, 2022 by chezzymann

[Maple]

7 hours ago, PK82 said:

My only beef with Brickbank is that I like both sides equally but can only display one side prominently. I love the classic look of the bank and the small laundromat with the brick built signage.

There was something about Downtown Diner that really irked me. Once I figured out to use it as a corner building in my city layout I like it very much.

Not very fond of Boutique Hotel. Apart from the colours, the new layout makes it hard to place and there's only so much corner buildings I can use.

But this jazz club just feels like a rehash of buildings I already own. And even though it has more parts than Bookshop it seems even less substantial without redeeming properties.

I agree with all of these. The issue with corner buildings is they are weird in corners, and the diner isn't even a corner modular. I never bought the corner garage. I regret getting one missing the roof for $130USD. But oh well.

I'm going to say it now. The set would look amazing, blue and all, if the dark red was sand red. 

[BrickFit26]

3 hours ago, hoppa said:

If you look for the other leaked pictures on Instagram there is a different angle of the greenhouse. Not perfect but it looks a whole lot better

I guess you're right. I'm guessing the roof isn't connected because it's meant to be opened.

[1974]

Ever since the first Modular Building arrived there have been critique ("it's too big!", "No interior!" , "Does not fit with City" etc .. and the next one .. oh boy, that wasn't even a TLG set, but a fan-made one!)

This is the way

Even though that was a decade and a half ago, a fan-build Modular Building might be approved again, who knows?

Comparing this to the sets we'we been offered in the last few  years, I do find this lacking a lot!

The theme is allright (but serving from clear bottles into clear glasses is just lame)

I don't see any fancy techniques, the front of the club is boring. The entrance is nice, but so easy to do with modern parts. The roof of the club is a mess, imho

The pizza building really looks like a Creator 3:1/Friends set

Fancy techniques are what we want and what we pay for

What I've seen of the intterior looks, very CITY style. The stairs better be incredible!

I'm REALLY tired of seeing slapping a tile on a headlight brick to create texture, That was cool +10 years ago. Come on, TLG, make some new parts!

A bunch of standard chairs? Lame too. Both Harry Potter and Friends are beyond this

The pizza shop has no pizza sign? No brick build signs at all?

I've always loved building intricate roof parts , , but this time we got two ... plates?

Since there's no room on the boardwalk for a tree, the club better be deep with lots of nice stuff going on inside

Cheers,

Ole

Edit : If this set had sand-red it would sell like hotcakes! We have sand-blue. There are now a LOT of different blue colours, ditch one (Mærsk is out anyway) and give us sand-red instead

Edit2 : It's nice that ithe Jazz Club is "Kind of Blue", but that phase of Miles Davis is also very much tied up in heroin

If I was the Creator/ICON or wtf TLG calls it now designer, I'd most probably stay clear TOTALLY of anything controversial like that and just do generic EU/US buildings with NO story at all. Loads of nice historical inspired buildings with NO story or background

Afterall, who really swoosh around with their Modular Buildings?

Edited December 14, 2022 by 1974

[Legocentrico]

it seems that at any moment it could turn into optimus prime

[diagonalley]

9 minutes ago, Legocentrico said:

it seems that at any moment it could turn into optimus prime

😂

[RichardGoring]

5 hours ago, Ginger Ninja said:

I definitely understand people not loving the blue. Although I do think it makes it ‘pop’ in a way that makes sense for this kind of establishment. I think I’ll have to see it in person to know for sure whether or not I like the colour.

 

3 hours ago, Maple said:

I'm going to say it now. The set would look amazing, blue and all, if the dark red was sand red. 

I'm with both of you. The blue looks good and is appropriate for the street entrance of a jazz club. It's the red that doesn't work for me. Sand red would be so much better. But it may be better in person. Sometimes the colours don't quite work out on the artwork (although the lifestyle photo looks like it gives pretty realistic colours).

 

In other news, Walmart in the US is selling 10291 Queer Eye for $45 (plus various sites that are offering up to 10% cashback at the moment - Rakuten and Honey). It has nearly 200 masonry bricks and 800 other parts which are useful for buildings, so I forsee some good MOCs coming from this, and a heads up for anyone that wants to get one/some.

[Maple]

45 minutes ago, RichardGoring said:

In other news, Walmart in the US is selling 10291 Queer Eye for $45 (plus various sites that are offering up to 10% cashback at the moment - Rakuten and Honey). It has nearly 200 masonry bricks and 800 other parts which are useful for buildings, so I forsee some good MOCs coming from this, and a heads up for anyone that wants to get one/some.

Darn. I literally just bought one from LEGO for $60 with $7.50 cashback. 

[Citromon]

I just can't unsee it now LOL

[8fifty]

An image of the box has been leaked on Instagram. On the back of the box, the Jazz Club is placed between PS and BH which fits way better in my opinion!

[Dennan]

22 minutes ago, 8fifty said:

An image of the box has been leaked on Instagram. On the back of the box, the Jazz Club is placed between PS and BH which fits way better in my opinion!

See the Instagram post here.

 

Totally agree with you, looks much better.

Looks like there is a separate door for the tailor on the side of the jazzclub (around the corner, behind the Andy Sax poster)

[PK82]

Nah, I don't like how the Jazz Club "hides" the billboard of PS. But the box art does look better.

Edited December 14, 2022 by PK82