Poll - Buying Samples... Yay or nay? (43 Viewers)

Should new chippers buy samples or nah?

  • No. It's a waste of time, resources and old advice. HARRUMPH!

    Votes: 4 9.5%

  • Yes. Still good to see product before you buy it. HARRUMPH!

    Votes: 38 90.5%
  • Total voters
    42
Josh Kifer

Josh Kifer

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So I've been stuck in my house for 2 weeks and got two more to go. So ... This will at least keep me busy for a day or two.

@Eriks mentioned he was moving towards the nah on samples, so I'm curious, is this old advice or still the smart thing to do? @legend672 said it too but I don't listen to him. He's weird.

I've always been a strong "buy samples" guy. We still argue about chip colors because a phone camera variations and mold feel on shuffling, so I'm kinda baffled anyone would disagree. But I'm also a fudd and aware of this.

Disappointed In Trouble GIF by Ashley Graham
 
I don't really see a downside, other than making sure you don't overpay for them, so you can resell when you're done with them.

And if you're planning on having a large set of customs made (CPCs, Tina's, etc.) then I think it would be pretty dumb to buy without having handled samples.
 
Josh Kifer said:
So I've been stuck in my house for 2 weeks and got two more to go. So ... This will at least keep me busy for a day or two.

@Eriks mentioned he was moving towards the nah on samples, so I'm curious, is this old advice or still the smart thing to do? @legend672 said it too but I don't listen to him. He's weird.

I've always been a strong "buy samples" guy. We still argue about chip colors because a phone camera variations and mold feel on shuffling, so I'm kinda baffled anyone would disagree. But I'm also a fudd and aware of this.

Disappointed In Trouble GIF by Ashley Graham
Click to expand...
I think samples can be helpful but I’d still want a barrel too to check stacking/shuffling, which I’m arguing you won’t get a feel for handling a handful of chips. And unless it’s for CPC customs I don’t have the patience for all that and just get the set. As long as one doesn’t buy shit sets, they can usually be resold.
 
Eriks said:
I think samples can be helpful but I’d still want a barrel too to check stacking/shuffling, which I’m arguing you won’t get a feel for handling a handful of chips. And unless it’s for CPC customs I don’t have the patience for all that and just get the set. As long as one doesn’t buy shit sets, they can usually be resold.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I still don't understand that. You can 100% get a feel for handling chips with 6-8 chips. Not getting where a barrel is anything different. A half barrel can do the same thing.....
 
Cratty said:
Samples? Nah, I crowd source opinions from folks here. That way my personal bad tastes can't lead me astray.
Click to expand...
You can take a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but wouldn't you rather take the butcher's word for it?

It's your money, if you want to spend it on a Jet2 holiday or take a loss on selling chips you don't like after buying them blind, go for it
 
Alll depends on the budget. If you only have $250 to spend I’d argue against buying samples and just wait on a used Tina set at a killer price that you could later sell at a minimal loss. If you have a bigger budget and no idea what you like samples are a must.
 
Machine said:
You can take a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but wouldn't you rather take the butcher's word for it?

It's your money, if you want to spend it on a Jet2 holiday or take a loss on chips you don't like after buying them blind, go for it
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was semi-joking when posting. But for sure there's some truth in the statement. I feel like samples are nice to filter out what you really don't like.. but when it comes to likes/selection, experienced voices should play a far bigger factor.

Tons of bad decisions and sets avoided on my own end by deferring to feedback here.

So yeah, actual opinion is I'm big on samples, but agree that a ton aren't really needed because I value more experienced input over my own in some cases (especially only things that come with long-term use).
 
Machine said:
You can take a good look at a T-bone by sticking your head up a bull's ass, but wouldn't you rather take the butcher's word for it?

It's your money, if you want to spend it on a Jet2 holiday or take a loss on selling chips you don't like after buying them blind, go for it
Click to expand...
Nothing is worse then being excited for a set, then receiving them and finding out you hate something about it. Got me on the last Abbiati set. Just played one game and sold em the next day.
 
Sample still makes sense. I can see the case that if one is handled a THC or an RHC you don’t need to handle every single one you come across. In the case of CPC given how much they cost now I think having a complete color set is pretty important. Most of the other things you’re gonna come across. Are pretty inexpensive to get. Handling the various Tina molds and what not.
 
If you don’t care about anything but looks and have money, sure don’t get samples. But when I was starting I got a bit of everything and even then thought I found something I liked - then I touched lead and it was gg. Sold/released almost all the sets that I acquired early.

Even Tinas feel different with the variety of molds available now and barrels could be had for dirt cheap. Why someone investing in a set wouldn’t want to try before you buy baffles me - or just another noob sprinting before they can crawl (I was one of those).

(Hope you have a smooth recovery Kifer!)
 
Last edited:
This feels difficult to answer. New chippers have no basis of comparison so samples have a very limited use to them in my opinion. Though I feel you have to start somewhere in learning the differences between material and mold. I have always ordered stacks of 10 chip shuffle stacks in chips I was interested in but had little experience with. I am not sure there is a "right" answer here as our end games are all a bit different.

I am sure there are newbies that come here and learn about some lower end chips that they end up ordering and they are happier than a clam and are never heard from again. They never stay around long enough to understand how higher end chips feel and what else is out there. Yet, they have met their goal of getting something 'a step up' from dice chips. So this person's answer would be different than someone who sticks around and turns into psychos like us.
 
I'm glad I got my Tina hybrid samples. They're not bad, just very different than my expectation. I play with 40mm plastic diamond chips and ceramic chips are just completely not that. If I had gone with the consensus advice for my budget, I would have bought a ton of Tina's to replace my cash set and I would probably like them enough to play with them, but I wouldn't LOVE them and I'd regret replacing my softer "clackier" chips (as cheap and undenominated as they are). Now I'm still considering the Tina's, but as a tourney set to supplement my cash set instead of something to replace it.
 
Tigers might be an edge case. If u see the samples theyd make you want to buy the tigers even more so shouldve just got it to begin with.

Unless you tell me some people bought samples and concluded "these r ugly" or "these dont live up to the hype".
 
Mold and color samples.
IMG_3343.webp

And generic ‘cheap’ samples from poker sites along with some gifted custom samples.
IMG_0078.webp

And expensive samples.
IMG_3728.webp
 

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