Note: Vintage review – this review is from an earlier version of our homepage and is correspondingly old!
First impression
At first glance, the Darth Vader ESB FX lightsaber is very screen-accurate and cleanly made.
All details were carried over almost 1:1 from the MR Limited Edition, but everything is a little bigger. The metal of the hilt is nicely chrome-plated, so every handprint is immediately visible.
However, the plastic around the clamp feels a bit cheap. On closer inspection, you'll also notice the difference in the emitter.
Instead of a spring ring, a simple piece of black plastic was used.
Handling
The hilt is surprisingly light and handy. The balance is excellent, and the low weight saves energy during training.
For people with bigger hands, it can sometimes get a bit tight on the hilt, since the spacing between some parts (clamp/emitter) is too narrow. However, this problem also shows up on the Limited Edition hilt, so it's not a new issue.
Otherwise nothing about the saber bothers you, and the grips feel very good.
The activator sits directly on the clamp and is activated by sliding the bubbles.
The switch can become looser after frequent use, which leads to accidentally switching it off.
Light and sound
The LEDs in red blades aren't as bright as those in blue or green sabers. The sound module is from 2004/05 and has 5 swing sounds and 1 clash sound. The sound is quite dark and comes very close to the original.
Wear
After a few fights, cracks can appear in the plastic of the emitter. The cable bridges can come loose after frequent use, since they're only glued on.
Otherwise there are no flaws, even after more frequent use.
Verdict
An ideal saber for every Sith! It's affordable, only needs 3 AA batteries and is sturdily made.
The older version has a metal clamp, while on the newer one it's plastic.
