Tomix High Grade

[disturbman]

Since I own two of this so called High Grade series I was wondering what was really the difference between them and the normal line of products from Tomix and the others Manufacturers (Kato, Microace...).

 

[Guest ___]

If I recall correctly, I beleive most everything that is 1:150 is sold today is High Grade. The larger the model, the more details it encompasses.

 

Or at least that was the original intention, hover many groups like Bandai seemed to have waned from the limitations of this system, and have started to base the level of detail with this system. However note there is a lot of variation with this system. The different grades can be in the same scale, but the level of detail can vary greatly.

 

Bandai's scale

High Grade: 1:144/1:150

Master Grade 1:100

Master Grade EX 1:100

Perfect Grade: 1:60

Professional Grade 1:35

 

So for the sake of argument, High Grade would be i nthe middle of the road for detailed parts. It's safe to say anything TomyTec releases is High to MAter Grade. A regular TOMIX building would be Low Grade.

[CaptOblivious]

Tomix specifically markets some of their releases as "High Grade". There is nothing middle of the road about these releases! They have a much higher level of detail than Tomix's regular releases—and a much higher price.

[clem24]

Tomix specifically markets some of their releases as "High Grade". There is nothing middle of the road about these releases! They have a much higher level of detail than Tomix's regular releases—and a much higher price.

 

Quite honestly, I'd have to disagree. The only REAL tangible differences I can discern are the MUCH high price tags and the use of TN couplers over their conventional couplers. Most of the details are all packed there, and even then, you're only looking at the addition of toilet tanks and/or EMU/DMU hoses. Otherwise, the body shell is not much different than the rest of their line up. The ironic thing is that even with High Grade, Tomix still cannot surpass recent Microace releases in terms of level of detail, and yet, MA does not discern between regular Grade and High Grade. That being said, I like converting my trains to TN couplers anyway, and a typical length set (6-8 cars), will tack on another $30 just in coupler upgrades alone. So when that is taken into account the premium on High Grade models really isn't that bad.

 

Also, I might add many of their High Grade releases are new releases of previously released stuff (like 485 series). So what they do is create a new mold, add more details (which I actually expect considering it's 20 or so years later), put on TN couplers and call it High Grade.

[SubwayHypes]

can you post a pic of TN couplers?

[bill937ca]

Isn't high grade made in Japan?