Customer Reviews

Star Trek Original Series Phaser Pistol by Art Asylum

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Great toy. Brings me back to when I was a kid and watched the original Star Trek. The sounds are pretty real. Since the documentation is aweful, here's what you need to know. It took me about an hour to figure this all out. The clear plastic tab that you pull out is only for demo mode while inside the box. The number dial on the small phaser has 5 settings (off, and power levels 1-4). I like 4 the most. As you increase the level, the sound frequency gets higher, and the frequency at which the light flashes at the point gets faster. I have no idea what the other dial on the small phaser is for. When you rotate it, a clear plastic little window pops out of the top. I have no idea what that is for. I'm not the most knowledgeable Treki so please forgive my ignorance on this. The dial on the back of the large phaser has 2 settings, normal operation (off and power levels 1-4), and another mode that I think simulates the ability of the phaser to be used as a bomb. When you press the fire button while in this mode, you hear a power build up followed by a simulated explosion. The dial on the front left side is used to turn on and off the light to the point of the phaser where the light comes out of. Also, the large ring on the front near the point can be turned. As you turn it you can increase or decrease the amount of light that makes it to the point (provided that the dial on the front left is set to let the light reach the point). The trigger is easy enough to figure out. And lastly, the yellow pin on the left rear has to be pulled outward (it is under spring tension) to remove the small phaser which lifts out from the rear first. When you remove the small phaser, the trigger is a rubber button on the bottom of the unit. Have fun!!!

Art Asylum has outdone itself with this classic phaser. Unlike past prop toys which were the wrong scale or had bad sound fx, this phaser toy is everything a big boy like myself could ask for. The price ([$$$] on average) is astounding considering the fact so many other "master replicas" or "limited editions" are going for outlandish amounts. My only gripe is the fact these things are flying off the shelves so fast, you often have to get on a waiting list for months just to get new ones. Like so many other reviewers, I too hope Art Asylum soon comes out with a classic communicator and tricorder to compliment the set.

I own two versions of the Original Star Trek Phaser: this one made by Art Ayslum -AA and the expensive one by Master Replica -MR (with a price factor of approx. 15 times more for the MR version!). The MR Phaser is my benchmark for the most accurate & authentic replication of the actual prop.
Verdict: I am truly impressed with this phaser made by Art Asylum. Putting them side-by-side (AA vs MR), they are both almost visually identical in dimensions!(slight difference in color: MR is slightly darker blue-gray body with dark brassy color handle as opposed to black on the AA version; MR has a glossy paint work. The MR phaser is "heavy" (of course, since it is made out of metal) whereas the AA is light & hollow feeling (plastic)... but, hey, what does one expect with the price difference. The key "plus" attribute of the AA phaser (like the MR version) is the ability to separate the top Phaser-1 from the Phaser-2 body (unlike Playmates version). MR version has 3 sound settings on Phaser-1 & 9 sound settings on Phaser-2 whereas, AA has 4 same sound settings for both 1 & 2 (+ one overload effect that ends in with an "explosion"... unlike MR where you have to continually depress the trigger to maintain overload sound sequence with no explosion effect at the end). MR has multi-colored phaser light (depending on selected setting whereas AA has only red).
Operation: after pulling off the little plastic tab (demo purpose only), one needs to rotate the numbered dial on Phaser-1 to activate; the adjacent dial does nothing but raises the "Target sight". Yes, the trigger of Phaser-1 is the same for both AA & MR, ie. button underneath (bottom). Note: removal of Phaser-1 from 2 is tricky requiring the user to grasp & PULL the little brass pin (with force) & at the same time pulling Phaser-1 off (MR version is more intuitive in that the pin is PRESSED instead)...
Enough of the technical-talk, bottom-line: those who cannot afford a $400 Master Replica Phaser can still get a "very" similar looking & functioning prop by purchasing this phaser made by Art Asylum (and not have to break their budget)

This is one of those toys that I just knew I had to have. I own the Playmates version which was nice - it has sound effects and a decent appearance. Not quite right, but acceptable. I bought the "24th Century Pistol" model kit. It was very accurate, but boring since it did not come with electronics.

Art Asylum has responded to both in a big way! Their version has both a Type I and Type II phaser. Not only that, the Type I has electronics! Connect the two units and you have the Phaser pistol you always wanted. Lots of gadgets to play with, power settings on both units, adjustable brightness for the barrel, on/off setting for the lights on Type II...this thing was a blast!

My only complaint - and it's a very minor one - is that there is a screw hole on one side of the body of the Type II. There is another screw hole, but that is covered when you are holding the hand grip. Beyond that, I'm happy with the toy (but it more closely resembles a "prop replica").

With the low price, I'm sure a lot of people are going to buy multiples and paint them in the different color schemes seen on the show. It comes grey/black, but you can go with all black, or even black with a white hand grip. You can have all three for less than the price of one "prop replica".

This is definitely a "must have"!

this thing is great!!!!

here's what you can do with it:

- change phaser settings- gives you different sound effects and changes frequency of phaser light.

- phaser also has a self destruct setting like in the tv series.

- miniphaser detaches from the main unit and still works!

- miniphaser can also be set to self destruct!

- focusing ring lets you focus the light beam (doesn't really work well but whatever...)

A wonderful replica!!!!!

I've seen them all: The undersized Playmates prop toys from TOS, the overpriced unlicensed kits, the klunky flashlight toys from the 70's. Through it all, I always wondered why no one had ever bothered to make a decent toy replica of the Star Trek prop. Well, now they finally have.

The Phaser is full size, 1:1 scale, and is loaded with the little touches that make these things so much fun. The Hand Phaser is removeable, and works on its own quite well. It includes a flip-up "site" and the numbered window rotates to different power settings. Even the "snout" of the Phaser I is accurate. Changing the power settings even produces different phaser sounds.

The larger Phaser II operates only with the hand phaser attached (as it should be) and adds a switch for the beam emitter light, and a rear switch that activates the "overload" setting. Fantastic!

On the down side (you knew there had to be SOMETHING), the beam emitter blinks when in use. I'm not sure why this was preferred by the designers, but it's a strange choice. Also of note, when you remove the "Try Me" tab, as it's called (the little plastic tab that allows kids in the store to make the sound and lights work), the toy gets turned off. It took me fifteen minutes of thinking I'd gotten a defective one before I realized the numbered dial on the hand phaser had to be moved off of the "0" setting before the toy would work. Very confusing, and worthy of a note in the manual.

All in all, a rare find: a Star Trek prop toy worth buying. Let's just hope the tricorder and communicator are next.

I just had to write about this phaser. I bought the Playmates phaser in 1994 and thought that was great (It is one piece) but I always wanted one that could separate in two. The Art Asylum is as good as the playmates in durability (but with all plastic toys careful handling is recommended), that is the reason I gave it a 4. The sounds are better along with the destruct and the two piece set up is fun. The reason why I gave the education a 4 was that the phaser blinks and the tv one and the playmates did not. I gave it a 5 for fun because I really have fun playing with it. It separates and still fires, you can turn the round silver switch so the light can be off or on when firing (which can save battery life). You can select the power levels from high to off. After the plastic tab is pulled you need to adjust the selector in order to make the phaser work. That is something the directions do not explain. Also read the directions for separating the two pieces or you can damage it. You have to pull the gold rod on the side out to release it. All in all a great toy. I just hope they make a communicator and a tricorder soon.

I love movie props and Star Trek props even more, I had heard a lot about this one and figured it would cost forty or fifty bucks. But for a Phaser 1 & 2 that separate and function for under twenty bucks, IMPOSSIBLE! But yet this is one of the best Trek toys ever.

Now mind you it's not a collector's quality item, but they got every detail right! From the Phaer 1 fire button on the bottom to the rotating dial for phaser settings. I LOVE THIS TOY!

Not for small kids, but if your a collector that loves Star Trek items, and have wanted to get a great prop that you can handle and not just leave on the shelf, with sounds and lights, you shouldn't pass this one up! If you can't afford a Richard Coyle phaser then this one is for you!

Keep up the great work Art Asylum, I can't wait to see their take on the Communicator and Tricorder.

What an EXCELLENT toy! This is *exactly* the toy I wanted in 1970 when I was ten years old, the detail is outstanding.

My only question is: Who are they making these for? I mean, any kids who watch Star Trek today don't do the Captain Kirk variety. So that means it's all for adults. How weird is that?

The phaser looks great but I would not recommend for smaller kids because it is not durable. The main problem i've found is the batteries. If you take them out you will have trouble getting the phaser to work after you put them back in. You may have to GENTLY adjust the prongs that touch the batteries or on the Communictor from "Enterprise" you may have to add a piece of cardboard between the battery cover and the batteries. All in all I was a little disappointed.