Note: Vintage review – this review is from an earlier version of our homepage and is correspondingly old!
First impression
At first glance, the Darth Maul FX lightsaber looks just like the film replica.
It's exactly as long, but at 38.85 mm its diameter is a bit bigger, which isn't unpleasantly noticeable. All the details of the Limited Edition were faithfully carried over.
With the included connector, 2 Darth Maul FX lightsabers can be joined into a double-bladed saber, which makes this saber so very interesting. A single Maul FX also has a „battle damaged“ design, so you can look directly at the crystal inside.
Handling
The saber is relatively heavy, even though each one runs on 3 AAA batteries. On top of that comes the weight of the thicker polycarbonate tube, which is twice as thick as that of the other FX blades.
With a single Maul, the balance isn't particularly good – most of the weight is in the blade, making it quite head-heavy. But if you take a second one and connect the two, it's a dream for any fighter. The balance point is exactly in the middle, so even fast tricks can be done cleanly. Thanks to the screw ring, separating the two sabers is quick and easy.
Another special feature: the activator has to be turned on with a rotary knob, so switching it off by accident is almost impossible.
However, exactly these knobs can also be annoying; especially during longer training sessions, they can scrape your palms.
Light and sound
As with all other Sith sabers, the blade glows a nice red. The sound module is the one from 2005. Like all Sith sabers so far, it has one clash and 5 swing sounds. Unfortunately, Master Replicas left out the typical „double twirl“ sound.
Wear
There's no wear worth mentioning. The blade is very sturdy and the whole hilt is made of metal. However, the 3 AAA batteries drain quite quickly, which adds up to high costs with frequent use. Rechargeable batteries are recommended here.
Verdict
The Maul FX lightsaber really only makes sense in the double version; as a single saber it's too poorly balanced.
Disassembly can be done with a bit of force. However, this saber doesn't have a plug&play connector. There are also several editions: the first is matte, the second glossy. In the second, the on/off switch was
