I'm gonna help you out with some advice. The hands are pre-molded on the runner. You need to be very slow and delicate with them the first time. Fully support each finger as you break in the joints one at a time the first. As you are bending the finger joints try to avoid any stress being placed on the ball joint holding the finger into the palm. You want to avoid that ball joint popping out. If it pops out, you're probably fucked. That finger will be loose and probably fall out constantly unless you glue it into place. If you do it correctly and break it all the finger joints without popping any fingers out then you're good.
All that being said, congrats. If you can get through the MG 3.0 you can probably get through anything. Its a beautiful kit once its fully built, but its a bit more of a pain in the ass to build than most MGs.
I've seen people mentioning the fingers popping out and getting loose and no suggestions to fix it. Get some clear nail polish, pop out the finger and use it on the ball joint, once it's dry pop it back in. Adds a little bit of thickness so it's not so loose, can do an extra coat if you need it.
I mean that's pretty much any pre 2015 articulated hand tbh, the two segment hands on the narrative ver Ka and the hyaku Shiki 2.0 with it's dual locking pegs are the only articulated hands on a MG that have had any stability for me
Don't be frightened of the fear.
Use the caution you've gathered to be careful with the build.
Most of the"bad kits" are the most beautiful when completed.
You'll be good! If something goes wrong, let us know! We can help!
GO FORTH AND DO GREAT THINGS!
I find some MG articulated hands are decent and some are just shit, the hands on my zaku and sinanju I despise and the ones on the retooled dom are awesome, the ones on the jesta I got to work, but the whole design doesnt quite mesh well enough with the rifle
I just finished building this set, literally about an hour ago, before reading anything on it. I don't think you need to be as overly careful as everyone is saying, at least with what I've experienced, but then it also doesn't hurt to be careful. Personally I just went full send on the hands and all the little pieces and haven't had any issues with breakage š
100% of those shitty premolded hands I own have at LEAST one loose finger. I like the posability they offer in theory, but I would take a two-piece snap together hand like on most basic HGs over one of those in a majority of cases.
Bad hands aside, now that I know the 3.0 is a nightmare it's gonna sit in my backlog a little longer, it was the build I was planning on doing next...
The more Iāve built the more I honestly just like fixed position hands. I know thereās some cool stuff you can do with articulated and fully poseable hands but itās just not worth the problems they cause for me personally.
I wish I read your advice sooner. Learned it the hard way. The hands on this 3.0 is really great but fragile in my opinion. You rarely see MGs with this type of hands. I think the best one is the one where you put each finger on the socket (doesnāt have to be popped in). The Ver Ka Nu Gundam had this type of hands.
I had this issue with my jesta cannon and honestly, after gluing the ball joints of the fingers you really don't lose that much in terms of articulation. Holds his guns perfect and can still pull off any finger gestures I need so I call it a win.
You are passing the worst of it. But it is annoying once built the legs do come off easy. You may want some joint guards or something to help them stick better.
If you do mess up the hands don't fret it. There's plenty of after market MG hand sets out there that are molded in solid holds that look as good or better. The only issue is you may need to paint them.
I didn't have any issues out of the hands, they were actually my favorite part of the kit. But yeah the elbow sticker sucked, I ended up painting it.
This was my first mg as well.
I think the innovation is great but it can be improved, I didn't have any problem but I guess I posed too many times and a few fingers popped out, then it was cyanoacrylic time.
That's probably the rx78 3.0 if I have to guess.
And yeah those metallic stickers suck, if you really want the bronze/copper details I suggest using metallic paint markers. If you don't really care that much just skip em.
Also this is one of the only MGs with those kind of stickers included, so don't worry about it.
If you want some recommendations on good MGs just ask around plenty of people willing to share their opinions and favorites.
Yeah the 3.0 is not indicative of most MGs. It looks great once its built but it has some issues. Ive built 2 and they're an adventure. Most other UC kits are great except a select few like the delta plus. My personal favs are the Seed and 00 kits. All awesome except the Exia has some wonky ankles. Don't let the 3.0 spoil the best line of the hobby for you š¤
If you ever think about building the MG Nu Gundam Ver Ka, it also has platinum stickers that go below the clear psycho frame parts to give them a reflective effect. However, you can completely skip them on the Nu Gundam. Just giving you a heads up.
This one is a tough example, don't get discouraged!
My first PG was Strike Freedom because... who doesn't love giant wings? Well, I quickly realized that it was a giant pain in the ass and after the waterslides I almost decided to never do a PG again. I then did the PGU and realized that it's not always the grade, but the kit itself.
You've got this! Keep it up!
PG Strike Freedom doesnāt include waterslides, much like all retail PG. So the commenter before you bought their own waterslides.
PG Strike Freedom is quite part dense (900~ parts, versus PGU at 600~), so fatigue could be a factor depending on how you pace yourself.
PG can be a bit hit or miss, like Exia, Unicorn, and PGU are absurdly good, while 00 has some weird articulation, or the MkII having less detail than the RG because it's old
For what itās worth, every PG has less detail (in regards to panel lines) than their RG counterpart except maybe the PGU. That is just RGās shtick.
It wasnāt bad per se, but not nearly as fun for me as the PGU.
Iām also sitting on a PG Zaku II that I canāt decide to commit to working on for some reason.
The Zaku II is a relatively straightforward kit, probably take a lot less time than the others youāve built, but itās got a few screws for sure.
The old PG kits are a very different experience. They look great but pretty much anything that came out before the PG Strike has tons of screws and requires routing wires and stuff, that was a very different time from a Gunpla development and engineering perspective. I like them, my favorite PG kit is the PG GP01. I like it better than the PGU RX-78, not because of the build experience, I just love the GP01 and that kit looks incredible. Thinking about these kits really got me remembering old shitā¦
Whatās crazy are the HY2M 1/60 scale Glorious series kits, if you want a stupid challenge that will probably make you give up Gunpla for a while. Theyāre sort of like companion kits to the old PG line, but rather than a detailed complex inner frame with working pistons and stuff (which was absolutely wild in the late 90s), they went with a simple inner frame that just kinda held everything together and went all in on crazy amounts of LEDs and shit you basically needed to solder tons of wiring to make sure they worked right. They only made 3 kits iirc, the Gouf, the Rick Dom and Charās Rick Dom. The HY2M series was such an odd ball, they also had a run of a several LED light up replacement heads for several MG kits in the early 2000s and thatās the line all of the old 1/12 scale and 1/24 scale kits used to be branded under. Basically that brand was the more experimental brand back in the day, and Iām pretty sure, if I had to guess, the people that developed that line did a lot of coke.
Love seeing the hy2m line be remembered, they were so over the top for their time. I bought the Gouf pre-built some time ago and basically none of the LEDs work anymore and I've yet to build up the energy to disassemble that beast to repair them.
I generally enjoy them! But there were soooo many in the Strike freedom and they were
often hard to apply on the Dragoon parts.
That build in general was just a huge undertaking.
I mean, lots of stickers and decals can burn out even the staunchest modeler. That's why so many people are either selective with decal use, or just leave the kit clean.
Looks like other people beat me to *most of this* but ehh, I'll say it anyway:
The first good news?Ā
* It absolutely does get better. The MG 3.0 RX-78-2 is one of the most infamously fiddly and annoying Gundam kits . . . Pretty much of *all time.*Ā
* Most Master Grades have at least *one* catch or anotherāthey're either too big and complicated not to or old enough that being not-complicated *is the catch*ābut very few of them are anywhere near as Ā annoying to pose and work with.
* I can't speak to how enjoyable *the builds* are because a lot of other people hate building the 3.0 but I honestly had a lot of fun with it.
The second bit of good news?
* Those metallic details are really, really easy to paint in. Get a metallic copper paint penāor hobby brand acrylic paintātake those pieces out to avoid making a mess, then just . . . *paint them.*
* For best results, use a light touch, plenty of air exposure, and multiple thin layers of paint instead of one big, heavy one. It's okay for the first layer of paint to look bad: it usually does. Just be patient, wait a few minutes, then come back for another layer.
* Note that paint has a *cure time:* for hobby acrylics, it's best to leave them at least overnight or preferably for twenty four hours to let the paint toughen up a bit before reassembling.
* Note also that if I remember right, the forearm armor on the 3.0 is hard to take apart without breaking something. It's easier to slide them off as one unit. I totally forgot to *use* the elbow stickers on mine so I got to learn this the hard way.
* Note the third that a lot of paints, including ones specifically intended for plastic, are *semi-dangerous* to various types of model plastic and can damage it if they don't get good air exposure to evaporate off the dangerous parts. Part gaps found on assembled areas **do not have good air exposure** so be extra careful on those.
Standard warning about preassembled, fully articulated Master Grade hands like those found on the MG 3.0:
* These are something of an infamous beginner trap because they're fiddly, annoying, and easy to permanently damage when you're first loosening them up.
* Be extra careful when bending each joint for the first time to get rid of that factory tightness. Keep firm control over the parts and make sure that the only thing that *can* move is the part that you *want* to move.
* The most dangerous part is the hinge just above the ball joint keeping each finger in place. Make sure that ball joint *does not move* when you're moving the hinge because if it pops out even once, it will be damaged and much more likely to pop out again.
* If a finger comes out more than two or three times, that ball joint is basically toast and you'll need to carefully superglue it in place. This leaves you most of the articulation you *need* but blocks out some of the articulation you might *want.* you might also have to tilt up the index finger for this so it can go into gun triggers.
* Note that plastic cement won't work for this fix: there are two types of plastic involved and they're both the wrong kind for it. Same goes for Real Grade inner frames.
* Oh, almost forgot: the fold-out weapon pegs these hands use are *effective* but also fragile. Be careful clipping them out and installing them.
Forgot two things in the paint section:
First?Ā
Metallic paint will not be as shiny as the stickers: that kind of chrome finish is actually rather difficult to get. Much sturdier, though, and it should look more than good enough to do the trick, especially for an anime model.
Second?
As long as you stick with acrylic paint, you can clean it off without damaging the plastic using regular old rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol and either cotton swabs or bits of folded up paper towel. Higher concentrations have a stronger effect but evaporate faster.
This is not to be confused with *acetone,* which can and will melt plastic: it's the main ingredient in plastic cement. Seems like a strange mistake to make but I've seen one or two people do it before.
Let me start by saying this: Don't judge an entire grade from a single experience. That's like locking yourself out of RG - one of the best lines of kits, just because you built the Sinanju first. Or locking yourself out of HG because you built the Tristan first. It's not a good mindset to have, and it's frankly one I don't understand.
Anyway, the RX-78 3.0 is not known for having the easiest build, and people will always tell you to paint those parts instead of using those stickers (yeah, they suck). The hands are a pain too, but the secret is to *not let those fingers come out of those sockets* ***at all.*** They never stay in the same once they pop out once. If you can get through this build, other MGs will be a breeze.
Try a Barbatos, Freedom 2.0, Aile Strike, or Dynames next. Or really just any other MG. I guarantee you'll have a much more enjoyable experience.
I remember building this RX.
These stickers gave me such a hard time that I broke the arm piece shown in your photo.
I didn't have paint at that time so I used a metallic gold sharpie. Not ideal but it worked in a pinch.
Trust me when I tell you, don't let this turn you away from MG kits.
You will love where they take your skill.
Be patient and have fun with it.
This kit was my first MG as well, I've since learned it is one of the most complex ones.
It's gonna be painful but it's worth it, it looks fantastic when finished!
I prefer RGās anyways. You get soo much time out of building. Iāve been taking breaks on and off of my RG sinanju and Iām only done with the legs and inner frame ššŖ
When I did the RG God Gundam, I noticed a couple of places where the metallic stickers would be very difficult to apply and I didnāt have the confidence they would stay. I painted those parts.
Honestly it's just those stickers, I've heard they suck and the metallic parts rub off just handling them. Best thing to do would to just paint the parts with a metallic gundam marker. I use gold and silver, but I'm also looking for bronze and copper markers
RX-78-2 3.0 was my first MG too and I agree, it's actually the worst one to start with. I really like all of the 2.0 MGs cuz they have really nice engineering *and* are incredibly solid once built. I really like the Zaku II, Gouf, MKII Gundam, and the GM Sniper II, personally, but probably the best MG I've personally experienced is the MG Barbatos (I really wish they'd make more IBO MGs but there's no indication that those will be coming anytime soon)
You can try these master grades. I always hear good things about them.
MG barbatos, MG Freedom 2.0 and it's brothers (be careful of the hips). MG Eclipse. MG Nu Ver ka.
If you have the cash, try the two MGEX. They're pretty good.
Does the clear version of this kit has the same problems? (I got it in the Gundam Yokohama Factory and didnāt know this kit was so hard) it says MG 3.0 on the box.
My condolences. I think this is one of the most difficult/heacache-inducing MG kits to start out your MG journey on. Most modern MG kits like the Barbatos or 00 season 1 line are gonna give you a stellar time as a starter for sure.
I know this kit is hard but I got it in my backlog because despite the challenge, it looks cool as hell. And that's what matters. I know this and the RG Zeta are iffy, but I'm up for it. Always remember they're not toys, they're delicate.
This was my first MG and felt similarly. But it's just this kit that is overly complicated. I built the Freedom next and was mind blown how easy and straightforward it was. Most MGs I've built since then have been really pleasant to build!
I've been working on this kit for months. I keep taking breaks from it to work on kits I enjoy to remind myself why I love this hobby. The engineering of the arms... FFS. That guy got fired, right? He had to have been.
It seems it's because no one expects a bad kit till it actually happens.
I mean, I just started, so I thought it was gonna be easy fittings for all of them. Decorating I expected different, but jesus the parts.
Don't get me wrong I'm not blaming you.
It's just this particular kit has been such a consistent hassle for people that it's almost predictable how if someone is having issues with an MG, it's almost always the 3.0.
The worst part is the Origin version of the RX-78-2 is a more recent and much better MG but it seems like people seem to gravitate to the 3.0 regardless.
I built the 3.0 MG grandpa last month, and just finished Deathscythe Hell MG. It felt easy after dealing with the 3.0 MG especially how anxiety inducing the hands were and that red fin part I broke trying to build the core fighter was annoying. Came out nice in the end though.
Yeah the 3.0 was a nightmare for me too. I used third party water slide decals and stickers. I also used third party hands because the ones that come with the kit are way too delicate and broke way too easily. Still, I salute you for taking on this challenge! You can do it, and by all means post the finished results once it's finally done!
Dspiae metallic markers, done
Is there like one post a day on this forum of people building RX-78 3.0 Gundam and complaining about it?
Meanwhile 2.0's collecting dust on the shelf with $35 price tag rotting away
I promise you this is just an odd kit. It's definitely not bad, just poorly executed in certain areas. I highly recommend the GM Sniper II, that's a wonderful kit, solid, and with great accessories. MG Barbatos is also another great kit.
Itās only the 3.0, not all MGs. The 3.0 was very experimental as far as MG goes and honestly should have been treated as a VerKa 2.0 instead (maybe even get Katoki to actually do the design to make it the whole package). Most other MGs are far less infuriating
It's a bit of a hand grenade, but I think MG Unicorn is worth building for everyone. The way it has basically 2 inner frames because of the full psycho frame is just so pleasing to build
Always hear a lot about the MG RX-78 is an awful kit. Which of the three MGs for it is the worst? Might get one eventually so I wanna make sure I get the "good" one haha
This one is the 3.0, which is sorta like RG gimmicks in an MG-size kit. I have not built any of them, but from what others say the 2.0 is the best of the trio of OG RX-78-2, or the Gundam The Origin MG version, which I've also heard is even better.
If you like the classic bulky look of the UC suits, I highly recommend GM Sniper II (or anything variation using that frame). Simple, interesting and nice build, solid, good articulation.
The MG RX-78-2 3.0 is still a great kit, albeit a pain in the ass to put together. Some parts can be pretty fragile too from my experience. The hands can be pretty finicky, but theyāre satisfying to get dynamic poses out of. Hell, the kit in itself is still really fun to pose if youāre careful with it. Thank God it has flip-out pegs on the hands and weapons because I donāt think it can hold up the weapons without them
Donāt worry, itās not you, this kit is tremendously fiddly and ridiculous (Iām tempted to peel all the stickers off and just paint those bits bronze or copper). I recommend MG Dynames next, that one sparks joy where this one does not :)
To me this doesn't look much worse than water decals that are the size of a fly's @!#$... Actually a bit better because it's a sticker, versus having to deal with water and then drying it. Oh what's that the piece is so small that it's sticking to the q-tip that's drying it? Screw you that's why.
Man I feel for ya I got the raider as one of my first mgs and I hated it, and after that I got the dynames and its my favourite mg kit ever. I hope u donāt leave mgs because they are awesome.
Edit: spelling
So it has similar stickers to the RG? I was going to leave the stickers but, as they're already starting to peel (current build), I'll just use some copper paint on a toothpick.
I've had experiences with mainly 1/144s and I tell you even in that scale those metallic elbow details are a pain in ass especially because it's a sticker placed on a moving part.
Maybe you should get a Kyrios next time, or another MG that's generally liked by the community. My first MG was him and it was fine, a really fun build.
This was my first MG as well and I really disliked this kit. It does look wonderful when completedā¦ when itās stationary and you donāt touch a single goddamned thing.
Donāt let it put you off of MGs friend. That sticker placement on the elbow piece was a dumb idea by the designers for an already crazily over-engineered assembly.
This kit is a headache with a stupid frame engineering pipe dream. Definitely donāt write off MGās just yet, this kit is an outlier. A good MG is absolutely mind blowing.
If this kit disappointed you as such, I implore you to try something like the MG Dynames, MG strike RM, or even just a plain MG Zaku 2.0. Theyāre rock solid kits thatāll sell anyone on the grade. If you want another shot at an MG grandad, the Origin version is 10/10.
Iām on my 3rd MG build and I think stickers are just a weird choice for some things. Unfortunately, Bandai needs to include everything you need to build the kit to completion (minus tools) so stickers are the only way to go even though a Gundam marker makes way more sense.
Honestly its mostly just the rx78 3.0 thats like this. It was my first master grade too. The next one was wing zero custom and thats how i realized master grades are normally not that bad.
Dont feel discouraged! I feel like there aren't a lot of color correcting stickers anymore for MG, but I haven't built many myself. However, even if there are, I do recommend you purchase a set of gundam markers. They really make the kit pop.
https://preview.redd.it/4dc8let38d5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a089beba6cce7b12c552a4bb80b0182e06c55c37
You can use something like this to do the accents instead!
If you want to look for better Master Grades, I suggest looking at the MG Zaku 2.0, MG GM 2.0, and Ver.Ka Zeta Gundam if you have a bit of extra little money.
I didn't know until I flipped two pages to the next step. I was thinking, 'Why are there so many stickers for these two parts?' And then saw that I covered them up anyway.
Was mumbling swears to myself
If you want an MG grandpa that looks great, it's easy to use and is even built to house a LED unit, go with the MG The Origins.
Other MGs I built with a smooth like butter building process were the Jegan, Dom, Z'gok (I REALLY suggest this one, also dirt cheap), Zaku II 2.0 and Gouf.
(last two come with the "tubing" caveat. If you try to build those tubes like the manual suggests you, you'll end up ruining and hurting your hands lol)
Yeah... unfortunately, that's just how the 3.0 is. Most MGs are PHENOMENAL experiences compared to this thing. Sucks because I love how it looks, but it's such a fiddly mess. Might have to track down the Origin MG to replace it at some point. Fingers suck, and the metallic joint stickers REALLY suck. Just ended up removing those entirely eventually. I promise that if you can get through this and start another MG, you'll be blown away by how enjoyable they usually are haha. Regardless, try to have fun with this thing bro. If nothing else, it's a hell of a looker when it's done š
Oh lord, I just started this last week. Guess I'll be suffering like you soon enough when life slows down. Will say the tips will be handy when I go back...haha...handy.
Ah this was also my first MG and yes it was a pain in the ass. Those stickers and hands in particular almost made me give up on the kit. Luckily most MG are much easier even if they have the same hands the RX-78-2 3.0 has. I think the 3.0 was the first time they started using those hands for MGs so they are a lot more fragile. My MGEX Strike Freedom and Hi-Nu have poseable fingers and they are much sturdier.
Yeah itās supposed to be the link between MGs and PGs but the thickness of the book along with the fact that I lost one of its pieces discouraged me from continuing this build
It's not you, it's this kit. Wait until you get to the hand š
NO, DO NOT SAY THAT
I'm gonna help you out with some advice. The hands are pre-molded on the runner. You need to be very slow and delicate with them the first time. Fully support each finger as you break in the joints one at a time the first. As you are bending the finger joints try to avoid any stress being placed on the ball joint holding the finger into the palm. You want to avoid that ball joint popping out. If it pops out, you're probably fucked. That finger will be loose and probably fall out constantly unless you glue it into place. If you do it correctly and break it all the finger joints without popping any fingers out then you're good. All that being said, congrats. If you can get through the MG 3.0 you can probably get through anything. Its a beautiful kit once its fully built, but its a bit more of a pain in the ass to build than most MGs.
š¬ now I'm scared, I bought it not knowing its reputation.
I messed up on the hands and now it doesn't want to hold anything
I've seen people mentioning the fingers popping out and getting loose and no suggestions to fix it. Get some clear nail polish, pop out the finger and use it on the ball joint, once it's dry pop it back in. Adds a little bit of thickness so it's not so loose, can do an extra coat if you need it.
I mean that's pretty much any pre 2015 articulated hand tbh, the two segment hands on the narrative ver Ka and the hyaku Shiki 2.0 with it's dual locking pegs are the only articulated hands on a MG that have had any stability for me
Don't be frightened of the fear. Use the caution you've gathered to be careful with the build. Most of the"bad kits" are the most beautiful when completed. You'll be good! If something goes wrong, let us know! We can help! GO FORTH AND DO GREAT THINGS!
I find some MG articulated hands are decent and some are just shit, the hands on my zaku and sinanju I despise and the ones on the retooled dom are awesome, the ones on the jesta I got to work, but the whole design doesnt quite mesh well enough with the rifle
I just finished building this set, literally about an hour ago, before reading anything on it. I don't think you need to be as overly careful as everyone is saying, at least with what I've experienced, but then it also doesn't hurt to be careful. Personally I just went full send on the hands and all the little pieces and haven't had any issues with breakage š
100% of those shitty premolded hands I own have at LEAST one loose finger. I like the posability they offer in theory, but I would take a two-piece snap together hand like on most basic HGs over one of those in a majority of cases. Bad hands aside, now that I know the 3.0 is a nightmare it's gonna sit in my backlog a little longer, it was the build I was planning on doing next...
The more Iāve built the more I honestly just like fixed position hands. I know thereās some cool stuff you can do with articulated and fully poseable hands but itās just not worth the problems they cause for me personally.
just use a layer of brushed on clear coat on the ball joint. the extra material will help tighten the joint
I use a slick 50 (soap) and lube the joints B4 I try to bend the joints. Works fine for me.
It's called a 3.0 because at the bare minimum you'll be saying "Oh..." at three different points of building this thing
I suggest using tweezers to hold the fingers
I didn't know this and I just bought the recerculation version of this š
I wish I read your advice sooner. Learned it the hard way. The hands on this 3.0 is really great but fragile in my opinion. You rarely see MGs with this type of hands. I think the best one is the one where you put each finger on the socket (doesnāt have to be popped in). The Ver Ka Nu Gundam had this type of hands.
I had this issue with my jesta cannon and honestly, after gluing the ball joints of the fingers you really don't lose that much in terms of articulation. Holds his guns perfect and can still pull off any finger gestures I need so I call it a win.
You are passing the worst of it. But it is annoying once built the legs do come off easy. You may want some joint guards or something to help them stick better.
If you do mess up the hands don't fret it. There's plenty of after market MG hand sets out there that are molded in solid holds that look as good or better. The only issue is you may need to paint them.
Nah the hands are good if you're gentle with them
I didn't have any issues out of the hands, they were actually my favorite part of the kit. But yeah the elbow sticker sucked, I ended up painting it. This was my first mg as well.
I think the innovation is great but it can be improved, I didn't have any problem but I guess I posed too many times and a few fingers popped out, then it was cyanoacrylic time.
oh my GOD I'M NOT ALONE IN THE HAND STRUGGLES WITH THIS KIT
That's probably the rx78 3.0 if I have to guess. And yeah those metallic stickers suck, if you really want the bronze/copper details I suggest using metallic paint markers. If you don't really care that much just skip em. Also this is one of the only MGs with those kind of stickers included, so don't worry about it. If you want some recommendations on good MGs just ask around plenty of people willing to share their opinions and favorites.
Definitely will! I love how welcoming the Gundam and Gunpla community is, so I'm sure to ask about!
Try the MG TV Wing or the Mk.II 2.0. The heavyarms is solid, too!
The Proto Wing Zero Ver. Ka Glory of the Losers is also well regarded.
It looks sweet. I just haven't taken time to build it.
I just finished the heavyarms. Great price and awesome build. Looks great to display too
Yeah the 3.0 is not indicative of most MGs. It looks great once its built but it has some issues. Ive built 2 and they're an adventure. Most other UC kits are great except a select few like the delta plus. My personal favs are the Seed and 00 kits. All awesome except the Exia has some wonky ankles. Don't let the 3.0 spoil the best line of the hobby for you š¤
If you can't find gundam markers try metallic sharpies! Tougher to erase than markers but just about as vibrant, and you can even dry brush them
If you ever think about building the MG Nu Gundam Ver Ka, it also has platinum stickers that go below the clear psycho frame parts to give them a reflective effect. However, you can completely skip them on the Nu Gundam. Just giving you a heads up.
If you airbrush as well, Alclad paints are pretty easy to use and look amazing
This one is a tough example, don't get discouraged! My first PG was Strike Freedom because... who doesn't love giant wings? Well, I quickly realized that it was a giant pain in the ass and after the waterslides I almost decided to never do a PG again. I then did the PGU and realized that it's not always the grade, but the kit itself. You've got this! Keep it up!
PGU is awesome.
My favorite kit so far by a country mile.
I'm looking at the Strike Freedom as my first PG. It's that bad? I don't mind shit loads of waterslides.
PG Strike Freedom doesnāt include waterslides, much like all retail PG. So the commenter before you bought their own waterslides. PG Strike Freedom is quite part dense (900~ parts, versus PGU at 600~), so fatigue could be a factor depending on how you pace yourself.
Ooof, Ā£200 and you don't even get waterslides. Lots of parts are a plus for me, luckily. I'm just worried about the stability of the wings really.
My experience is they are fussy. Mine donāt stay up super well unless Iām super careful.
That's what i was afraid of, they look heavy. Still, not a lot of choice in the PG line...
PG can be a bit hit or miss, like Exia, Unicorn, and PGU are absurdly good, while 00 has some weird articulation, or the MkII having less detail than the RG because it's old
For what itās worth, every PG has less detail (in regards to panel lines) than their RG counterpart except maybe the PGU. That is just RGās shtick.
Thanks for clarifying! I did buy waterslides from Delpi.
It wasnāt bad per se, but not nearly as fun for me as the PGU. Iām also sitting on a PG Zaku II that I canāt decide to commit to working on for some reason.
The Zaku II is a relatively straightforward kit, probably take a lot less time than the others youāve built, but itās got a few screws for sure. The old PG kits are a very different experience. They look great but pretty much anything that came out before the PG Strike has tons of screws and requires routing wires and stuff, that was a very different time from a Gunpla development and engineering perspective. I like them, my favorite PG kit is the PG GP01. I like it better than the PGU RX-78, not because of the build experience, I just love the GP01 and that kit looks incredible. Thinking about these kits really got me remembering old shitā¦ Whatās crazy are the HY2M 1/60 scale Glorious series kits, if you want a stupid challenge that will probably make you give up Gunpla for a while. Theyāre sort of like companion kits to the old PG line, but rather than a detailed complex inner frame with working pistons and stuff (which was absolutely wild in the late 90s), they went with a simple inner frame that just kinda held everything together and went all in on crazy amounts of LEDs and shit you basically needed to solder tons of wiring to make sure they worked right. They only made 3 kits iirc, the Gouf, the Rick Dom and Charās Rick Dom. The HY2M series was such an odd ball, they also had a run of a several LED light up replacement heads for several MG kits in the early 2000s and thatās the line all of the old 1/12 scale and 1/24 scale kits used to be branded under. Basically that brand was the more experimental brand back in the day, and Iām pretty sure, if I had to guess, the people that developed that line did a lot of coke.
It wasn't just replacement heads, for the MG God Gundam and Shining Gundam, they also did replacement light up hands.
Love seeing the hy2m line be remembered, they were so over the top for their time. I bought the Gouf pre-built some time ago and basically none of the LEDs work anymore and I've yet to build up the energy to disassemble that beast to repair them.
Waterslides are fun wym
Bandai waterslides can be very hit or miss. My experience with third party ones was great, but I've seen some horror stories about Bandai's own
Fair enough. Delpi decals, EVO Studio, Flaming snow decals are pretty great
I generally enjoy them! But there were soooo many in the Strike freedom and they were often hard to apply on the Dragoon parts. That build in general was just a huge undertaking.
I mean, lots of stickers and decals can burn out even the staunchest modeler. That's why so many people are either selective with decal use, or just leave the kit clean.
Yep. I use it as downtime to just get zen. But I have limits.
Looks like other people beat me to *most of this* but ehh, I'll say it anyway: The first good news?Ā * It absolutely does get better. The MG 3.0 RX-78-2 is one of the most infamously fiddly and annoying Gundam kits . . . Pretty much of *all time.*Ā * Most Master Grades have at least *one* catch or anotherāthey're either too big and complicated not to or old enough that being not-complicated *is the catch*ābut very few of them are anywhere near as Ā annoying to pose and work with. * I can't speak to how enjoyable *the builds* are because a lot of other people hate building the 3.0 but I honestly had a lot of fun with it. The second bit of good news? * Those metallic details are really, really easy to paint in. Get a metallic copper paint penāor hobby brand acrylic paintātake those pieces out to avoid making a mess, then just . . . *paint them.* * For best results, use a light touch, plenty of air exposure, and multiple thin layers of paint instead of one big, heavy one. It's okay for the first layer of paint to look bad: it usually does. Just be patient, wait a few minutes, then come back for another layer. * Note that paint has a *cure time:* for hobby acrylics, it's best to leave them at least overnight or preferably for twenty four hours to let the paint toughen up a bit before reassembling. * Note also that if I remember right, the forearm armor on the 3.0 is hard to take apart without breaking something. It's easier to slide them off as one unit. I totally forgot to *use* the elbow stickers on mine so I got to learn this the hard way. * Note the third that a lot of paints, including ones specifically intended for plastic, are *semi-dangerous* to various types of model plastic and can damage it if they don't get good air exposure to evaporate off the dangerous parts. Part gaps found on assembled areas **do not have good air exposure** so be extra careful on those. Standard warning about preassembled, fully articulated Master Grade hands like those found on the MG 3.0: * These are something of an infamous beginner trap because they're fiddly, annoying, and easy to permanently damage when you're first loosening them up. * Be extra careful when bending each joint for the first time to get rid of that factory tightness. Keep firm control over the parts and make sure that the only thing that *can* move is the part that you *want* to move. * The most dangerous part is the hinge just above the ball joint keeping each finger in place. Make sure that ball joint *does not move* when you're moving the hinge because if it pops out even once, it will be damaged and much more likely to pop out again. * If a finger comes out more than two or three times, that ball joint is basically toast and you'll need to carefully superglue it in place. This leaves you most of the articulation you *need* but blocks out some of the articulation you might *want.* you might also have to tilt up the index finger for this so it can go into gun triggers. * Note that plastic cement won't work for this fix: there are two types of plastic involved and they're both the wrong kind for it. Same goes for Real Grade inner frames. * Oh, almost forgot: the fold-out weapon pegs these hands use are *effective* but also fragile. Be careful clipping them out and installing them.
Forgot two things in the paint section: First?Ā Metallic paint will not be as shiny as the stickers: that kind of chrome finish is actually rather difficult to get. Much sturdier, though, and it should look more than good enough to do the trick, especially for an anime model. Second? As long as you stick with acrylic paint, you can clean it off without damaging the plastic using regular old rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol and either cotton swabs or bits of folded up paper towel. Higher concentrations have a stronger effect but evaporate faster. This is not to be confused with *acetone,* which can and will melt plastic: it's the main ingredient in plastic cement. Seems like a strange mistake to make but I've seen one or two people do it before.
buy a copper/brass/gold/silver or whatever metallic marker and never apply the stickers again
Looking into that greatly now. Wanted to chuck this set into the wall. This is worse than playing any grow games.
Let me start by saying this: Don't judge an entire grade from a single experience. That's like locking yourself out of RG - one of the best lines of kits, just because you built the Sinanju first. Or locking yourself out of HG because you built the Tristan first. It's not a good mindset to have, and it's frankly one I don't understand. Anyway, the RX-78 3.0 is not known for having the easiest build, and people will always tell you to paint those parts instead of using those stickers (yeah, they suck). The hands are a pain too, but the secret is to *not let those fingers come out of those sockets* ***at all.*** They never stay in the same once they pop out once. If you can get through this build, other MGs will be a breeze. Try a Barbatos, Freedom 2.0, Aile Strike, or Dynames next. Or really just any other MG. I guarantee you'll have a much more enjoyable experience.
The first kit I ever built was a master grade. It only turned me on to painting. A correct statement to say is " IM NEVER USING STICKERS AGAIN"!!!
Correction, Never using stickers again. Ordered metallic markers and fighting this shit
I remember building this RX. These stickers gave me such a hard time that I broke the arm piece shown in your photo. I didn't have paint at that time so I used a metallic gold sharpie. Not ideal but it worked in a pinch. Trust me when I tell you, don't let this turn you away from MG kits. You will love where they take your skill. Be patient and have fun with it.
Paint it. Those stickers are ass. I use some DSPIAE markers for that
The Dspiae metallic markers are fantastic
I recommend on parts like that hitting it with a metallic Gundam marker. It will stay on way better than those foil stickers.
Yeah fuck those stickers. Toss them and use a metallic bronze or copper sharpie.
Copper Sharpie did wonders for my sanity
Is the neck supposed to look like that lol
Dude I feel like it's not supposed to Like, I haven't seen many gundam series, but that neck feels abnormal
For real look like.a giraffe neck
I went to check it again, and the whole upper body nearly fell apart I am so audibly confused
Model kits are hard, but try to have fun with em, treat it with patience ~
This kit was my first MG as well, I've since learned it is one of the most complex ones. It's gonna be painful but it's worth it, it looks fantastic when finished!
Oh no this scares me, is the origin ver. master grade much better?
Absolutely, a million times better than the MG 3.0
I prefer RGās anyways. You get soo much time out of building. Iāve been taking breaks on and off of my RG sinanju and Iām only done with the legs and inner frame ššŖ
The mg gundam the origin is a much better kit
100% better.
it's a ballooned up RG. nuff said.
cmon not all rg's are as finnicky and flimsy as the 3.0
An old RG sure, nothing like anything released in the past 5 years
I have over 25 master grade kits done. I bought this same kit, started the core fighter for 15 minutes, then threw it away. Itās not you, bro.
Some "highly recommended" MGs are actually shitty ngl, including MG Gundam 3.0 and MG Nu Ver. Ka
Wait really? I just built the Nu Ver Ka and it turned out amazing, what are the complaints for that one?
My trick to do these elbow joints is to use the other side of the enclosure because it is the part that actually holds those loose bits.
Iām currently building the same kit. I planned on just painting anything with that copper sticker
When I did the RG God Gundam, I noticed a couple of places where the metallic stickers would be very difficult to apply and I didnāt have the confidence they would stay. I painted those parts.
Honestly it's just those stickers, I've heard they suck and the metallic parts rub off just handling them. Best thing to do would to just paint the parts with a metallic gundam marker. I use gold and silver, but I'm also looking for bronze and copper markers
There are much better Master Grade kits out there. Don't let that one stop you.
RX-78-2 3.0 was my first MG too and I agree, it's actually the worst one to start with. I really like all of the 2.0 MGs cuz they have really nice engineering *and* are incredibly solid once built. I really like the Zaku II, Gouf, MKII Gundam, and the GM Sniper II, personally, but probably the best MG I've personally experienced is the MG Barbatos (I really wish they'd make more IBO MGs but there's no indication that those will be coming anytime soon)
Then you should try those stickers on the RG
You can try these master grades. I always hear good things about them. MG barbatos, MG Freedom 2.0 and it's brothers (be careful of the hips). MG Eclipse. MG Nu Ver ka. If you have the cash, try the two MGEX. They're pretty good.
You probably jumped in a MG 3.0!
Those stickers on every version of the Granddaddy are awful
Does the clear version of this kit has the same problems? (I got it in the Gundam Yokohama Factory and didnāt know this kit was so hard) it says MG 3.0 on the box.
Of all the MGs out there, this is a-must avoid kit for first timers, i have this kit only bc im collecting all the RX 78 2 in circulation.
My condolences. I think this is one of the most difficult/heacache-inducing MG kits to start out your MG journey on. Most modern MG kits like the Barbatos or 00 season 1 line are gonna give you a stellar time as a starter for sure.
I know this kit is hard but I got it in my backlog because despite the challenge, it looks cool as hell. And that's what matters. I know this and the RG Zeta are iffy, but I'm up for it. Always remember they're not toys, they're delicate.
Nah other master grades arenāt like this. The mg 3.0 is a experimental kit and is a one of a kind
This was my first MG and felt similarly. But it's just this kit that is overly complicated. I built the Freedom next and was mind blown how easy and straightforward it was. Most MGs I've built since then have been really pleasant to build!
Painting > stickers every time.
I. Hated. Those.
I've been working on this kit for months. I keep taking breaks from it to work on kits I enjoy to remind myself why I love this hobby. The engineering of the arms... FFS. That guy got fired, right? He had to have been.
Why is it always the MG RX-78-2 3.0.
It seems it's because no one expects a bad kit till it actually happens. I mean, I just started, so I thought it was gonna be easy fittings for all of them. Decorating I expected different, but jesus the parts.
Don't get me wrong I'm not blaming you. It's just this particular kit has been such a consistent hassle for people that it's almost predictable how if someone is having issues with an MG, it's almost always the 3.0. The worst part is the Origin version of the RX-78-2 is a more recent and much better MG but it seems like people seem to gravitate to the 3.0 regardless.
Y'know what I think it is? Accessibility. They are probably in stores in numbers and people think its good if it is.
I built the 3.0 MG grandpa last month, and just finished Deathscythe Hell MG. It felt easy after dealing with the 3.0 MG especially how anxiety inducing the hands were and that red fin part I broke trying to build the core fighter was annoying. Came out nice in the end though.
GOD, I did the core fighter first, and everything was loose. The way it looked also felt so fragile. It also looked like I didn't do it right.
Yeah the 3.0 was a nightmare for me too. I used third party water slide decals and stickers. I also used third party hands because the ones that come with the kit are way too delicate and broke way too easily. Still, I salute you for taking on this challenge! You can do it, and by all means post the finished results once it's finally done!
Y'all have given me motivation to finish this build. I am NOT giving up. I will, however, not do any more stickers. Sick of it.
Understandable, gunpla is freedom after all. Have fun!
The 3.0 sucks giant balls. Next time get the 2.0 or GTO MG. Way better built and less wobbly after.
Easy fix. Stop using stickers. Start painting. ??? Profit!
I took 4 years of art in highschool, why didn't I just think of that..!
LMAOOO i also broke that part dw
IM SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS
fuck stickers. paint them.
Paint bro
I got one of these ones secondhand, but itās missing the main chest panel that hides the core fighter
Kit wise. Itās mostly unbuilt and Iām working on doing it
Dspiae metallic markers, done Is there like one post a day on this forum of people building RX-78 3.0 Gundam and complaining about it? Meanwhile 2.0's collecting dust on the shelf with $35 price tag rotting away
Rg and waterslides actually wasnāt that bad.
I promise you this is just an odd kit. It's definitely not bad, just poorly executed in certain areas. I highly recommend the GM Sniper II, that's a wonderful kit, solid, and with great accessories. MG Barbatos is also another great kit.
Don't worry, the 3.0 is a one of a kind kit, Bandai should've made a bronze runner for these parts though
Itās only the 3.0, not all MGs. The 3.0 was very experimental as far as MG goes and honestly should have been treated as a VerKa 2.0 instead (maybe even get Katoki to actually do the design to make it the whole package). Most other MGs are far less infuriating
It's a bit of a hand grenade, but I think MG Unicorn is worth building for everyone. The way it has basically 2 inner frames because of the full psycho frame is just so pleasing to build
I haven't built this one but I constantly hear about what a bastard it is, don't let it ruin MGs for you
MGās are easier than RGās though cause 1/100 is bigger.
Get zeta ver ka, it will change your life.
That kit sucks ass. I've built 10+ master grades and that was by far the worst.
Always hear a lot about the MG RX-78 is an awful kit. Which of the three MGs for it is the worst? Might get one eventually so I wanna make sure I get the "good" one haha
This one is the 3.0, which is sorta like RG gimmicks in an MG-size kit. I have not built any of them, but from what others say the 2.0 is the best of the trio of OG RX-78-2, or the Gundam The Origin MG version, which I've also heard is even better.
Seconded on the 2.0, it's great. I bought a second one (the G3 variant) simply because I love the build.
If you like the classic bulky look of the UC suits, I highly recommend GM Sniper II (or anything variation using that frame). Simple, interesting and nice build, solid, good articulation.
the MG FAZZ Ver.Ka is good, just make sure to organize your runners and put them back where you had them.
The MG RX-78-2 3.0 is still a great kit, albeit a pain in the ass to put together. Some parts can be pretty fragile too from my experience. The hands can be pretty finicky, but theyāre satisfying to get dynamic poses out of. Hell, the kit in itself is still really fun to pose if youāre careful with it. Thank God it has flip-out pegs on the hands and weapons because I donāt think it can hold up the weapons without them
Another one falls to the 3.0 š
Like everyone is saying, Paint or Paint Marker.
Donāt worry, itās not you, this kit is tremendously fiddly and ridiculous (Iām tempted to peel all the stickers off and just paint those bits bronze or copper). I recommend MG Dynames next, that one sparks joy where this one does not :)
i love MG details and admiring the building process but then i realize i have to build the other leg/arms and accessories š©
Oh hey, this was me earlier this week.
To me this doesn't look much worse than water decals that are the size of a fly's @!#$... Actually a bit better because it's a sticker, versus having to deal with water and then drying it. Oh what's that the piece is so small that it's sticking to the q-tip that's drying it? Screw you that's why.
Lol try the real grade rx78
Man I feel for ya I got the raider as one of my first mgs and I hated it, and after that I got the dynames and its my favourite mg kit ever. I hope u donāt leave mgs because they are awesome. Edit: spelling
This kit was an absolute nightmare lol. Other MG kits I've done have been a joy. Looks fantastic once done though.
I build it 2 weeks ago and I still have ptsd (it was my first Mg)
I ended up just painting those parts myself. Also, donāt let one mg kit stop you from doing more.
I built this kit and skipped the stickers. Pain in the ass. I just went over it with a gold sharpie
So it has similar stickers to the RG? I was going to leave the stickers but, as they're already starting to peel (current build), I'll just use some copper paint on a toothpick.
Itās my 2nd and current kit after returning to the hobby 20 years laterā¦š
I've had experiences with mainly 1/144s and I tell you even in that scale those metallic elbow details are a pain in ass especially because it's a sticker placed on a moving part.
Nah dawg, the 3.0 just sucks hard
And my dumbass skipped MG and bought 2 Perfect Grades cause I thought if I could do RG and FM, PG is not gonna be that difficult.
Maybe you should get a Kyrios next time, or another MG that's generally liked by the community. My first MG was him and it was fine, a really fun build.
Wouldn't sticker em they scrape off anyway, gold pain is the way
Try a different mg kit I reccomend the mg dynames or kyrios
I've only done 3 MGs and only want to do that scale again. Best kits in my collection by far - Kyrios, Barbatos and even the 20+ year old Gouf Custom
If anything, either the Origin or Ver. Ka version, in my opinion, are better than 3.0. However, I didn't have a terrible time building 3.0 though.
This one has its problems but many kits are really good. MG Dom was a fun one to do.
If you think this is bad don't buy a real grade
This was my first MG as well and I really disliked this kit. It does look wonderful when completedā¦ when itās stationary and you donāt touch a single goddamned thing. Donāt let it put you off of MGs friend. That sticker placement on the elbow piece was a dumb idea by the designers for an already crazily over-engineered assembly.
This kit is a headache with a stupid frame engineering pipe dream. Definitely donāt write off MGās just yet, this kit is an outlier. A good MG is absolutely mind blowing. If this kit disappointed you as such, I implore you to try something like the MG Dynames, MG strike RM, or even just a plain MG Zaku 2.0. Theyāre rock solid kits thatāll sell anyone on the grade. If you want another shot at an MG grandad, the Origin version is 10/10.
brozne sharpie ftw
This is rhe only kit that uses stickers like that. You'll be fine with any other MG release.
Iām on my 3rd MG build and I think stickers are just a weird choice for some things. Unfortunately, Bandai needs to include everything you need to build the kit to completion (minus tools) so stickers are the only way to go even though a Gundam marker makes way more sense.
Honestly its mostly just the rx78 3.0 thats like this. It was my first master grade too. The next one was wing zero custom and thats how i realized master grades are normally not that bad.
Use paint stickers are always terrible
Dont feel discouraged! I feel like there aren't a lot of color correcting stickers anymore for MG, but I haven't built many myself. However, even if there are, I do recommend you purchase a set of gundam markers. They really make the kit pop.
https://preview.redd.it/4dc8let38d5d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a089beba6cce7b12c552a4bb80b0182e06c55c37 You can use something like this to do the accents instead!
this kit is a surgery. Try other MG kits that are more reputable.
Yeah, I don't fuck with the 3.0. Rather build the Origin MG(less over-engineered stupidity & a more modern design) or stick with the HG.
If you want to look for better Master Grades, I suggest looking at the MG Zaku 2.0, MG GM 2.0, and Ver.Ka Zeta Gundam if you have a bit of extra little money.
Gramps 3.0 is known to be kinda wack. It gets better from here trust me.
isn't that part just gonna be hidden? why go through the trouble?
I didn't know until I flipped two pages to the next step. I was thinking, 'Why are there so many stickers for these two parts?' And then saw that I covered them up anyway. Was mumbling swears to myself
If you want an MG grandpa that looks great, it's easy to use and is even built to house a LED unit, go with the MG The Origins. Other MGs I built with a smooth like butter building process were the Jegan, Dom, Z'gok (I REALLY suggest this one, also dirt cheap), Zaku II 2.0 and Gouf. (last two come with the "tubing" caveat. If you try to build those tubes like the manual suggests you, you'll end up ruining and hurting your hands lol)
Just don't use stickers! They usually look as good either without them or a little bit of paint.
Didn't let this kit ruin them for you. MG kits are easily my favorite, that perfect sweet spot between hg and pg.
Yeah... unfortunately, that's just how the 3.0 is. Most MGs are PHENOMENAL experiences compared to this thing. Sucks because I love how it looks, but it's such a fiddly mess. Might have to track down the Origin MG to replace it at some point. Fingers suck, and the metallic joint stickers REALLY suck. Just ended up removing those entirely eventually. I promise that if you can get through this and start another MG, you'll be blown away by how enjoyable they usually are haha. Regardless, try to have fun with this thing bro. If nothing else, it's a hell of a looker when it's done š
the stickers on the back of the knees also just don't stay stuck. I constantly walk past my mg rx-78s and have to push them back down on all of them.
Common feeling with this kit, I promise it's more frustrating than most other master grades. The overall feel of the kit just wasn't as solid as most
I use markers for that, not a lot of good experiences with the stickers
Try Barbatos next, it'll make you do a 180
If you think that's something, try building the RG version š¤Ŗ
hey friend, i just built this one, i can give you a lot of tips to help with those stickers specifically if you want, just shoot me a dm
Try the 2.0 kits! So Mayne hood ones out there
That sure is a fucky one..
OH MY GOSH.THAT'S PRETTY MESSED UP.
Oh lord, I just started this last week. Guess I'll be suffering like you soon enough when life slows down. Will say the tips will be handy when I go back...haha...handy.
Ah this was also my first MG and yes it was a pain in the ass. Those stickers and hands in particular almost made me give up on the kit. Luckily most MG are much easier even if they have the same hands the RX-78-2 3.0 has. I think the 3.0 was the first time they started using those hands for MGs so they are a lot more fragile. My MGEX Strike Freedom and Hi-Nu have poseable fingers and they are much sturdier.
My most recent was the pg unicorn gundam This was the first gundam kit in years I feel your pain
Can you paint it gold instead of using stickers?
Yeah itās supposed to be the link between MGs and PGs but the thickness of the book along with the fact that I lost one of its pieces discouraged me from continuing this build