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TOPIC: Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+

Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60646

  • HotRod
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Saberforge Bastion

Now here is one I have been itching to review for a few reasons. One of which is I purchased two more of these hilts for custom builds so I can get some experience in before tackling my Redeemer.

This is my first apprentice hilt. It is full of surprises....so let's dive in.

- The Look -





I have nothing but good to say here. The detail work here is outstanding. This little saber is packed with detail. Starting with the pommel, you've got 4 columns with slots that mirror the design of the emitter. It is worth noting that pommel is hollow and I believe exists to add length to the hilt. The body has nice detailed lines without being overly ornate. The switch section continues the "column" motif and yet stands out having its own design with wider columns allowing it to fit in to the overall aesthetic. The choke is all black, which I thought I might not like at first, but I really do in hand. I had originally requested the choke be silver, but I am glad it turned out this way. Leaving the best for last, the emitter, which is a GLORIOUS design of columns, slots, and emitter windows (4 columns, 8 windows = lots of light!). The emitter is why I bought this saber and it does not disappoint. If you like windowed emitters, you have to get your hands on this one!





So, Surprise number 1: The emitter shines brightly and exceeds expectation!


One little knock to the appearance....I wish they had aligned the retention screws for the blade and LED on the same side as the Covertech wheel. I feel like I can always see them when firing the saber up or powering it down since they face the same way as the AV switch. However, this is by design and they are black, so it's a minor nit-pick.



Also to boot, I got one of those awesome blade custom blade plugs I wanted. This may possibly be from Laser Forge. (Thank you OvrcAHst for permanently putting Dr Evil's voice in my head when I think of "Laser Forge", ha). Unfortunately, the blade plug does NOT shine this pattern on the wall like the rest of my blade plugs. It diffuses the light, so you get just a dimmed light, but I love that pattern!


- The Build -

Everything feels solid...and I want to clarify here...solid = no rattling, durable, well made, and high quality. Solid does not equal weighty...but more to come on that. I found no scratches, or imperfections.

The only issue I had out of the box was the LED, which was mounted too high in the emitter. This meant the blade did not go far enough down which in turn caused blade wobble. I almost contacted customer service about this, but decided to do some checking first. Since the top of my blade plug was sitting above the top of the emitter, that was a big clue. I reseated everything and, BOOM, problem solved. I hope this helps anyone else who might encounter this issue.

Ultimately, this hilt feels like a Tonka truck...small but tough.


- The Feel -

I expected this saber to be shorter than the rest of his new family members. That, I am happy to say, turned out not to be an issue. It is shorter, but not too much so. Where I was surprised was the weight!

Surprise number 2: This saber is LIGHT...almost too light.

Yeah, I have to admit, this little guy is very light in hand. Now I am used to Elite and CR sabers, so this was a big surprise for me. There is a lot less aluminum here. If I compare the Bastion to the outside diameter of my Epoch or Monarch, it looses 1/4" if not more. This really changes the feel you get.

The choke was much less significant in feel than I thought it would be.

Surprise number 3: The choke is neither an advantage or an hinderance.

I expected the choke to be both deeper, but also sharper. Instead, it is much less apparent in hand and not sharp at all. So the good news here is that the choke is certainly usable space as you won't be cutting your hands on it. However, it is not a focal point, either, being that it is so narrow and high on the hilt...so it does not serve as a point of leverage for me. Point being...it is not in the way nor does it bring performance advantages...say like the Epoch or a thin-neck might. It just gives a textured surface to the saber.

The Bastion feels very blade-heavy to me. But this is not all doom and gloom. Just read on to performance.


- Performance -

So, it's blade heavy and it's small. You would think this means swinging would be a pain. Once I started playing with it and spinning it around, I found the second thing it does well, perform.

Surprise 4: Light weight and smaller diameter = speed and fun.

This is a saber for a specific kind of Jedi. It's light, fast, and fun. My wife picked it up immediately and said, "This is the one I want you to build for me". Funny enough, with the other, bigger, beasts in my collection, I was a little apprehensive of letting this one go to her. :-) I am able to swing, flip, toss, and play with this saber effortlessly. This is a FUN saber...he's going to be the light-hearted, mischievous member of my saber family. :-)









There is a LOT of usable space here...being just about everywhere.



- Lights and Sound -

This is a saber...so let's get on to the light show!








These were taken outside in direct sunlight. AH, that emitter....is.....so.....Awesome! This brings me so much joy (see Surprise 1 above). This is a 12w+ Medium Blue LED. This has quick connects, so I have not decided on a final color. I am leaning towards Arctic Blue. I now have Light Blue, Medium Blue, and Deep Blue in my possession. Once I get Arctic and enough hilts, I am going to try to do a side by side comparison.




The light does not disappoint. Strong LEDs with this hilt = complete win. There is nothing more I can say here.

As for the sound, this is where I take a detour. This is a Champion saber, so it has as Sabercore 2.0 board with light side (Viridium) font. I have to be honest...after playing with many of the hero tier sabers, this font is not my favorite. I LOVE the dark side Crimson font (see my Juggernaut review). This however, left me wanting. It's not a knock on the hilt as it performs well, but it's not my first choice. I ordered this before I had my others in hand.

It's also worth noting it is also SLIGHTLY quieter than other hilts....not quiet...just softer. I also have the volume set to low on the board.


- Final Thoughts -

I am glad I picked this guy up. He's fun, beautiful, comfortable, and well designed. He's also very specific in use. I would akin this to a Mazda Miata vs a Dodge Charger. Sleek, fast, fun to take out once in a while, but it is by no means muscular or brutish.

Is it worth your time and hard earned money....YES! Is it for every saber wielder....well, your mileage may vary. I can't see my collection with out it and cannot wait to customize one. However, I can see others who will not be able to get past the size and weight. And I could see their point of view.

Fortunately for me, it's an excellent fit. I cannot stop looking at that emitter! B)


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
Last Edit: 1 year 1 day ago by HotRod.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60647

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Very beautiful, one of, if not my favourite looking apprentice hilt, and a very versatile one as well, in terms of LEDs that suit it. I don't believe any of the SF LED colours would look out of place in this hilt, and I cannot wait to recieve mine.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60648

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More pics....

Blade Plug in Daylight



Blade Plug Inside





Speaker is not on the very edge of the bottom so I think there is some room in there, lengthwise. Plus you can see the pommel height.



Family Shots





The pommels can be swapped. I believe the inner diameter is the same amongst all these hilts from what I can tell.





I would never do this, but wanted to show it can be done.



- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
Last Edit: 1 year 1 day ago by HotRod.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60650

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TheGrandAdmiral wrote:
Very beautiful, one of, if not my favourite looking apprentice hilt, and a very versatile one as well, in terms of LEDs that suit it. I don't believe any of the SF LED colours would look out of place in this hilt, and I cannot wait to recieve mine.

Thank you and I completely agree. I really want to put a Spark Color 2 with RGB LED in and then I can change colors on the fly.

I'm definitely pleased and believe you will be too.


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
Last Edit: 1 year 1 day ago by HotRod.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60651

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Another great review of another fantastic saber! This is another example of a saber that I was initially not overly excited about, and has now (thanks to reviews like this) inched its way towards my "gotta have" list. I have a Consular, so I know what you mean when you talk about the light weight, and the blade-heavy posture. I got a 26" blade to offset that a little, but even with that, the balance point is 3 or 4 inches forward of the emitter.

I have been very impressed with the Apprentice line of sabers in general, but the Consular, and the Bastion stood out to me so far.

Congrats man! Great buy!
Imagine what you will know tomorrow....
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60654

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It's funny, I was going to say the same thing about your Consular. I would never have thought about getting one, but your review really changed my tune. I think your Consular might outperform this one given that has those perfect spots for your fingers just below the emitter.

If I want to save money, I need to stop reading peoples reviews. :lol:


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60655

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HotRod wrote:
If I want to save money, I need to stop reading peoples reviews. :lol:

Literally how I feel each time I see a review pop up haha. "If I click this theres a risk I'll be putting my credit card details into an order form in 20 minutes"
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60662

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Another great review Hotrod! The Bastion is a nice looking hilt and the blue LED looks good on it. I also agree that the Consular looks like a fun hilt (like the weathered look for it)
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60663

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Beautiful Bastion. Beautiful color. Congrats Hotrod!
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60665

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Excellent review HotRod! Probably the most detailed and informative review i have read here, great job! The Bastion looks wonderful--it is definitely my favorite of the apprentice hilts! Congrats & Enjoy!

I'm curious to see how your Redeemer build turns out--i just ordered a Redeemer myself 2 days ago!
Last Edit: 1 year 1 day ago by DK44.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60667

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Congratulations HotRod, with delivery and with such an extraordinary addition to your Collection.
If I want to save money, I need to stop reading peoples reviews.
I may too be wading in some troubled waters here.. :blush:

Well written and Thank you for sharing. It isn't an option however I'm imagining a Twin Pair of Bastions with the Pommel double-threaded to be used as a coupler. That would streamline and accentuate the Staff configuration to new heights. Even better still, accent LEDs inside the Bastion (Pommel)Coupler the same as Main Blade shining through the series of vents. That IMO would make something already great, greater.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60672

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Honestly this was a great review, it made me want this... It's not like I didn't want it before... But now, idk why I even look anymore cause I don't have money, but your review made it be tourture that I can't get one
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 1 day ago #60675

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DK44 wrote:
Excellent review HotRod! Probably the most detailed and informative review i have read here, great job! The Bastion looks wonderful--it is definitely my favorite of the apprentice hilts! Congrats & Enjoy!

I'm curious to see how your Redeemer build turns out--i just ordered a Redeemer myself 2 days ago!

I really appreciate the compliment considering the number of typos I have in my reviews, ha. I get so excited I cannot seem to type my words fast enough.

I have a tracking number on my Redeemer, so hopefully that will be coming soon. I just haven't decided if I'm going to review before or after I do the build.
OvrcAHst wrote:
Congratulations HotRod, with delivery and with such an extraordinary addition to your Collection.
If I want to save money, I need to stop reading peoples reviews.
I may too be wading in some troubled waters here.. :blush:

Well written and Thank you for sharing. It isn't an option however I'm imagining a Twin Pair of Bastions with the Pommel double-threaded to be used as a coupler. That would streamline and accentuate the Staff configuration to new heights. Even better still, accent LEDs inside the Bastion (Pommel)Coupler the same as Main Blade shining through the series of vents. That IMO would make something already great, greater.

Thank you, my friend. It's funny that you should mention this. The VERY first thing I thought back in February when I saw this hilt was "ooh, SABER STAFF"! If that vented area had been at the bottom of the body instead of on the pommel, I could see it. I agree though. Without that vented area at the bottom, it would loose something as a staff. Reverse threading the pommel is a good idea. Not saying it would be all bad without it...but MAN WOULD THAT BE AWESOME!

I was surprised not to see Bastion parts in the ASP builder, but I believe this hilt is all one piece unless I am mistaken (excluding the pommel).


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 20 hours ago #60702

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this would've been one of my first hilts had i not ordered asp. the windows with medium blue are awesome!

couldn't really tell, but is the bastion 10 1/2 inches long?
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 12 hours ago #60734

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HotRod wrote:
I was surprised not to see Bastion parts in the ASP builder, but I believe this hilt is all one piece unless I am mistaken (excluding the pommel).

My understanding is that all of the apprentice sabers are two piece (pommel and rest) and that is how they are able to offer them cheaper.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 9 hours ago #60763

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Gnost-Dural wrote:
this would've been one of my first hilts had i not ordered asp. the windows with medium blue are awesome!

couldn't really tell, but is the bastion 10 1/2 inches long?

10 1/8 to be precise. The more I play with it the more I like it. It's a good hilt. Right now, the Medium Blue is my favorite Blue until I see the Arctic blue. :-)
WookieeGunner wrote:
My understanding is that all of the apprentice sabers are two piece (pommel and rest) and that is how they are able to offer them cheaper.

That makes complete sense. Thank you. That confirms what I am seeing.


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 8 hours ago #60770

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My arctic bastion is in pre-ship ;) Medium is the last blue I need then lol.
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 7 hours ago #60788

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BoostinIX wrote:
My arctic bastion is in pre-ship ;) Medium is the last blue I need then lol.

I can't wait to see it. I think your Arctic Blue will trump the Medium.

The Deep blue is nice but I feel it can be a bit dark. The Light Blue is really just regular blue I believe since it is 4 Blue dies, but is also nice. Savannah did a write up on her Arctic Blue with one of her hilts that really made me want to check it out. I'm hoping it is darker than Cyan and yet still a vibrant blue.


- RGBA+ Monarch, FW Epoch, Juggernaut, Exhalted
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Champion Bastion Standard Finish Medium Blue 12w+ 1 year 3 hours ago #60828

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HotRod wrote:
Gnost-Dural wrote:
this would've been one of my first hilts had i not ordered asp. the windows with medium blue are awesome!

couldn't really tell, but is the bastion 10 1/2 inches long?

10 1/8 to be precise. The more I play with it the more I like it. It's a good hilt. Right now, the Medium Blue is my favorite Blue until I see the Arctic blue. :-)

cool. good to see the actual hilt/color combo. i might still get one in the future. thanks!
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