Basic information for a beginner

[Janice]

I need some basic information and I haven't found it in the catalogs or the collector's book.  I have the Large King's Castle 3666. The catalog says it is the assembly method and the newer castles are the system x.  Are they at all compatible?  I have not purchased any of the newer things because I don't think they will be.  I have bought all the add on parts that I can find that look like the Kings castle.  I see that most of you enlarge on the sets.  Will you fill me in?   
Thanks
Janice

[Richard]

I have the Large King's Castle 3666. The catalog says it is the assembly method and the newer castles are the system x.  Are they at all compatible?

Hello, Janice ...

Set 3666 is the the Steck-System Large Castle and unfortunately it is NOT compatible with the SystemX construction system.

If you use the "search" function, you will find many discussions regarding the pros and cons of the two systems.

Personally I love Set 3666 (and the entire Steck-System)!
see attachment

[Martin Milner]

Hi Janice,

most collectors prefer Steck - it's stronger, doesn't require attaching dozens of small annoying red & yellow connectors (which can  fall out and get lost/trodden on/eaten by the dog etc.) before assembly with a special tool which is never to be found when you need one, is more versatile for many designs, and has more realistic parts (e.g. there are no round towers for System-X, despite).

System-X has however been around for ten years, and Playmobil are unlikely to revert to making Steck. Thus every Steck part you need to complete your building has to be bought on the second-hand market, or found in old stock in shops that don't sell much Playmobil, or traded for. Its one advantage is that if you kick a System-X castle it falls to bits, but if you kick a Steck castle it might break - if you kick it hard enough to hurt yourself.

The second-hand market at present is sflooded with old Steck sets and parts, as parents clear out the bedrooms of their kids who have grown up and abandoned their Playmobil, but this won't last forever.

[Gepetto]

Martin,

I thought I was glad not to have to decide about Steck or System-X since I had no real choice. I am finding that I would have liked to build my castle walls higher than System-X
allows, is there really that much used Steck out there to be cost effective if you are not already invested in the system.  My main use would be for a substantial Keep but I can use Exin if I have to.


Gepetto

[Martin Milner]

It depends on what you consider cost effective. 

I made the decision NOT to invest in Steck, because I felt I'd be continually bidding on eBay (as the ONLY source of Steck available to me in the UK, except maybe Charity shops), only to get outbid at the last moment, or else paying over-the-odds to ensure I do win the item I needed.

I'd like to have a high walled keep too, but if it's a keep you want, you can build one using system-X parts. The towers are all made from small wall pieces which can be stacked, it's just the outer curtain walls that can't be. It's more versatile than people seem to want to admit, it's just those darn stupid connectors that annoy.

If you know how big you want your keep, and exactly what pieces you would need to build it, you could wok out the cost using system-x, and then see if you can do it cheaper with Steck.

I think Steck is still more easily obtained in the US, as the Playmobil-buying public isn't as big, so it may be you can snap up a 3666 castle or soemthign similar, and have all the bits you need for your keep.

The biggest problem is getting a lot of bits you don't need in an auction, but not getting exactly the bits you do, and that's going to be very hit or miss with Steck, as I don't think it can be ordered through DS anymore, if you're one vital piece short of completing your keep.

[Richard]

It depends on what you consider cost effective. 

I made the decision NOT to invest in Steck, because I felt I'd be continually bidding on eBay (as the ONLY source of Steck available to me in the UK, except maybe Charity shops), only to get outbid at the last moment, or else paying over-the-odds to ensure I do win the item I needed.

I'd like to have a high walled keep too, but if it's a keep you want, you can build one using system-X parts. The towers are all made from small wall pieces which can be stacked, it's just the outer curtain walls that can't be. It's more versatile than people seem to want to admit, it's just those darn stupid connectors that annoy.

If you know how big you want your keep, and exactly what pieces you would need to build it, you could wok out the cost using system-x, and then see if you can do it cheaper with Steck.

I think Steck is still more easily obtained in the US, as the Playmobil-buying public isn't as big, so it may be you can snap up a 3666 castle or soemthign similar, and have all the bits you need for your keep.

The biggest problem is getting a lot of bits you don't need in an auction, but not getting exactly the bits you do, and that's going to be very hit or miss with Steck, as I don't think it can be ordered through DS anymore, if you're one vital piece short of completing your keep.

Hello, Gepetto ...

I think that most of the members here would agree with Martin ...

Some of us were fortunate enough to be able to build large collections of Steck before SystemX replaced it. Now all that seems to be left on the US DS are a couple of buildings. And, since they are "freestanding," they look fine with the SystemX castles.
see attachments

[Gepetto]

Thank you Martin and Richard  for your comments, I can sleep now.


Gepetto

[Martin Milner]

Now all that seems to be left on the US DS are a couple of buildings. And, since they are "freestanding," they look fine with the SystemX castles.
see attachments

These are still on the Uk site too, and as you say, being freestanding they fit with anything. I'm hesitating because of the prices, but I might have to get at least one of each eventually. There certainly doesn't seem to be any likelihood of a system-x version of any of these.

[Richard]

These are still on the Uk site too, and as you say, being freestanding they fit with anything. I'm hesitating because of the prices, but I might have to get at least one of each eventually. There certainly doesn't seem to be any likelihood of a system-x version of any of these.

If you are seriously contemplating adding these two sets to your collection, Martin, you might not want to wait too long, as Playmobil has already discontinued the red timbered house.

Just my two cents worth ...