"Set" Completers?

Melissa

Melissa

Teeny Tiny Baby Pony
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
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I've been thinking today and I was wondering... What do you all consider to be "sets"? I know I see all the time "Oh this will be a set completer." But what does that really mean to you?

For instance, I would generally be inclined to think of sets as each pose. Since some G3s were sold many times with the same pose but just different accessories (maybe it's the same with G1s but I don't know as much about them to know if that's the case), and I get most of my collection from thrift stores and flea markets, it would be impossible for me to figure out "Oh this Pinkie Pie I is the Disney Princess, but this Pinkie Pie I is the one that came with Baby Bellaluna" I know there are very tiny differences, but without having them side-by-side it's kind of impossible to really tell. So doing sets by release date just doesn't work for me since I don't collect MIB/MOC ponies.

Of course, then there are other things that I think could be sets like scented ponies or super long haired ponies or styling ponies... I just don't know. What does a set mean to you?
 
Well, I'm mainly a G1 collector so the 'sets' are a little more pre-defined than G3's seem to be. For example, the Rainbow Curl Ponies, Rockin' Beat Ponies or Twinkle Eye Ponies...

Actually, now that I really think about it, I have no idea what you would consider to be a set in G3's other than a few of the special releases like the core 7 with the writing on them.
 
Yeah that's basically exactly what I was thinking. Other than the exceptions I mentioned (giant styling ponies, SLH, and scented ponies), I really have no clue for G3s. The reason I thought of it is because I have Styling Pinkie Pie and Styling Rarity on their way to me so I will have a complete set of giant ponies, lol.
 
Maybe a set could be of all the ponies that mean the most to you? :) With my g3's i get the ones i fall in love with, and i think Baby Keen Bean is my set completer for my g3's :) though I keep finding more to love, so it never ends... D: but al the moment Baby Keen Bean is my set completer of g3's who have won my heart :D
 
Like Derpy said, the G1 sets are a lot more clear-cut than the G3 ones, and that's usually what I think of when talking about "sets".

From what I've seen, G3 never really cared about trying wildly different gimmicks or themes around much, at least not as much as G1 did. They do have specific sets, but the guidelines between them are much more vague. Distinguishing a Dream Design Pony from a Jewel one is fairly easy, but telling a Sparkle Pony apart from a Glitter Celebration one, or a Glitter Celebration Pony from a Shimmer Pony becomes slightly tougher without a keen eye for detail.
Then there are the ponies who were released together, either on their own or with a playset. I, for example, would consider the ponies that came with the Wonder Waves Surf Shop a complete set. Waterfire and Strawberry Reef, being part of the Shimmer Ponies set as well, could thus be considered "set completers" for both.

Of course, you can make up your own sets as well. Set completers depend entirely on the collector's mindset and will, so pretty much any pony can be a person's set completer. For example: back when I started collecting, I decided I'd like to represent me and two friends of mine as Sweetheart Sister ponies. I chose Spring Song, Wild Flower and Flowerburst. I've managed to get the first two, so Flowerburst is a set completer for me, despite me not having the rest of the Sweetheart Sisters. I've actually been thinking if I should mix things up a bit, and have the three be from different sets instead, but I'd always consider the last one of the three a set completer even if it was the only one I got from a specific set.

At least that's what I think. :p
 
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I've been assuming that a set was defined as all the ponies in a specific release type for that year (ie 2005 Butterfly Island), since that is how they appear on most collector checklists I've seen. I have no desire to collect that way, but I just thought thats how some people did. Excellent thought, Melissa.
 
That was one thing that puzzled me about the g3 line. I started collecting a few of the butterfly island ponies when they were in stores. I only bought the g3's I really loved.

When I was little I did enjoy the "collecting" aspect and didn't really play with the ponies. Singles would come with the mail away offer, but clearly showed the rest of that pony's set on the backcard. Larger ponysets came with these fold out pamphlets with a checklist for everything available that year- I thought that was the coolest thing ever. :) I've kept extra checklists I've gotten that have come to me filled out by little girls from childhood lots too, I wasn't the only little collector. :)

Even with G1 sets mean different things to different people too-
example: so-softs
Complete store issue 85' set -22 ponies
Complete store issue 86' set -6 ponies (counting 1 re-release)

Complete so soft collection- all 85' store ponies, 86 store ponies, 85' so soft Pegasus from party pack, 85' so soft Sundance and so soft mail order bride pony.
 
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To me, A set completer only means G1s. I never really went with any completed sets on G3s. Also when I complete a set of G1s I really feel like I accomplished something important to my collection. Example if I bought Red roses. That would mean I finally finished that set. I always am happy about little things like that. :first: I have a complete so soft collection except for Taffy which she is my deflock. (though she still is a so soft)
 
For my purposes, a G3 "set" is a bunch of similar ponies. For example, my set at the moment is the Target winter ponies <3
I'd also like to have all the donkeys, but that's not really a set and I just figure I'll get there when I get there. Just my 2 cents lol.
 
Angel_Foil said:
For my purposes, a G3 "set" is a bunch of similar ponies. For example, my set at the moment is the Target winter ponies <3
I'd also like to have all the donkeys, but that's not really a set and I just figure I'll get there when I get there. Just my 2 cents lol.
Click to expand...
I always think of you when I see Donkey Pose now!
 
For g3's, I categorise by year if they aren't specific sets, like '03 rainbow ponies, or the '03 wave one ponies, which overlap, but I'm only missing one 03 single pony, so I have all the 03 rainbows, but sparkleworks I would be a set completer for both the '03 singles and the '03 glitter ponies. I also consider sets across years, like unicorns or babies... g3's are all about how you want to classify them, there's no real right answer.
 
Usually a set has a promotional name and is in stores for a short period of time, sharing a theme or similarities between products. Right now, it's the Canterlot wedding. There are also the Summer wings, Fashion Stlyes, Princess Ponies, and So soft newborns. In G3 there were the gradient ponies, birthflower ponies, scented ponies, super long hair ponies, ect.

G1 is most commonly known to have "sets" . Big Brothers, Twinkle eyed, flutters, ect.
Blind bag waves can be considered a set as well.
 
For me.....completing sets only applies to G1's with some exceptions. G3 birthstone and birthflower ponies are sets. I don't collect reissues, so OC G4's in the same wave are sets to me. I guess G3.5's are one big set to me. lol. G2's have to set in my mind, and most G3's don't have sets to me either. Although, I do know that G3's did have sets. Like SLH or Butterfly Island. I just don't think about it when I am getting G3's.
 
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