HIGHENDTFS.COM - G1 Counterfeit ID Guides

Squawktalk/Beastbox and Grandslam/Raindance ID Guides up! Check them out here:

Squawktalk/Beastbox: http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/64

Grandslam/Raindance: http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/63

Weirdwolf ID Guide is now up:

http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/61

Some recent counterfeits that have been released that I haven't had time to make ID guides for yet...

KO Graphi / Noise
KO Grandslam / Raindance
KO Beastbox / Squawktalk
KO Weirdwolf

Be careful!

Remember that counterfeit Dial and Saur that just came out? Well, two pairs just sold on Yahoo Japan for $720 each:

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h157732018

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g108315361

If you have friends in Japan, please spread the word these knockoffs are out there. It's really unfortunate when collectors get conned like this. Again, here's the ID guide for telling the difference between the fakes and the real ones:

http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/57

Check it out here:

http://highendtfs.com/?q=node/57

Counterfeit Blitzwing is out, including packaging. Astrotrain is coming soon.

ID guides already up here:
Astrotrain counterfeit ID guide
Blitzwing counterfeit ID guide

Here's a quick summary of recent counterfeit TF news:

I've added a short ID guide for ID-ing a loose Counterfeit Menasor. If anyone has any other ID tips, leave a comment and I'll add it to the list.

Counterfeit Japanese Dino cassettes and Slamdance and Squawkbox are coming. They're not from Zhong Jin or Kidi Toys. They are being commissioned by the infamous Mike from KO Toys. He's been posting updates regularly on his web site about them. It sounds like they're almost done, complete with boxes and cards.

Reflector is being re-released by Zhong Jin in an original box that looks more like a normal G1 box, not a mailer box. It's easy to tell from the original because, of course, all American Reflectors came in a mailer box.

A few new counterfeits were released recently, and a few more are on the way.

Currently out:

* Blitzwing (no box yet / only available loose)
* Bluestreak (no box yet / only available loose)
* Blue Slag (Diaclone version)
* Red Slag (red face?)
* Blue Swoop(Diaclone version)
* Gold Wing Swoop

Coming out soon:

* Computron
* Abominus<

Buyer beware!

There are blue and white versions of the counterfeit Bumblebee coming out.

Two real white versions exist: Ehobby Bugbite and white Mexican Bumblebee. Bugbite has a Cartoon Bumblebee head and Mexican Bumblebee had a read red faceplate. In contrast, the counterfeit has a silver faceplate and an original toy Bumblebee head. So that's one easy way to tell the difference out of package.

The counterfeit blue Bumblebee appears to be based on the rare Mexican variant. One major difference is that the counterfeit has a rub sign chest sticker, but the original has a normal chest sticker.

Pics of counterfeits:
http://www.kotoys.com/kotoys.php?id=1333&cat=G1+KO&name=G2+Blue+Bumblebe...

Pics of white and blue Mexican Bumblebee:
http://www.tf-1.com/articles/mini/whitemexbee/wmbcomp1.jpg
Source: http://www.tf-1.com/articles/mini/whitemexbee_template.html

Yep, finally got around to adding in all the missing ID guides. I've added:

* Octane
* Springer
* Defensor
* Red Alert
* Sideswipe
* Menasor
* Superion
* Carded Constructicons

If I've missed anything, let me know, but I believe the guide now covers all counterfeits released to date.