The Black Pearl

[zoly99sask]

This is a Zhl kit on 4Hmodel,4Hmodel is the chinese forum

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

the kits have different laser cut parts

this one is 4hmodel



this one is ZHL



is ZHL making different versions? these are Both Black Pearl kits but totally different and both have a ZHL logo and a 4hmodel logo.

 

[mrshanks]

Thank you Dave. I don't know who 4hmodel is, but you indeed are helping to show that ZHL makes different versions of the Black Pearl. In-fact, 3 different versions. Yes, with different laser cut parts. I described this thoroughly in post #73 of this thread. The upper picture is the newer KL15 kit and the lower is the older KM506 kit.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

after searching I found a Black Peal kit by DIY models so I searched DIY models to find out if there are any other kits. The name DIY Model produces a lot of toys and kits.
the DIY Black Pearl kit does look a lot like the Hachette kit project. So this might be the mystery copied kit. What i am wondering about is DIY Models and ZHL models one in the same?

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

if ZHL and DIY are totally different companies I see why ZHL might of been blamed for the DIY model of the Black Pearl because the DIY kit does have the ZHL logo.
that is confusing

 

[Uwek]

I think "DIY" stands for "Do-It-Yourself" and is not a company

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

the above kit I have seen sold under 3 names 4hModels, ZHL Models and DIY Models so what's up with that?

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

that is what I thought Do It Yourself
but the more I look into it the more it looks like DIY is the name of a company because it is used as a logo but at this time I can not confirm that
so when I search for product information on the Black Pearl kit I get this
manufacture is not ZHL or DIY it is Sevenmore

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

so what or who is Sevenmore

well it looks like Sevenmore is the manufacture of the Black Pearl kit and more model ship kits
in this case DIY is a do it yourself kit made by Sevenmore

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

it seems like a generic product is manufactured. Then a retail company buys a load of them and slaps there name on it and sells it.
A model ship kit is manufactured then 5 retail outlets buy the kit and each one puts their logo on the product. The manufacture can care less they are selling the product wholesale to all the retailers.
Actually that sound like a good way to conduct business.

 

[mrshanks]

Dave - have you found a company other than ZHL that makes and sells a wooden scale model kit of the Black Pearl as depicted in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies?

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

ok I went back to post #73 and got it straight the DIY in this is actually Do It Yourself and not a DIY Model company
so there are different versions of the Black Pearl which you state as original designs
All Scenario Version is a ZHL design that came out in 2016

All Scenario Version: 2016 - 2020. KL15. Plank on Bulkhead design. All original. This is a completely new kit from ZHL. It is 1:50 scale, 38" long, same exterior details as the KL15S kit but also has a cut-a-way interior similar to the old Hachette kit but with much more detail and much more accurate. For people looking for a top of the line kit of the Black Pearl to build... this is it. This kit currently sells for $459 from ZHL. https://www.zhlmodel.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=50

it is still confusing why Sevenmore is listed as the manufacture post #178 and not ZHL for the All Scenario Version

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Dave - have you found a company other than ZHL that makes and sells a wooden scale model kit of the Black Pearl as depicted in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies?

that is a no

confusing information in the listings but still NO other than ZHL

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

all roads seem to lead back to the very original ZHL kit regardless if the manufacture is listed as Sevenmore or whatever.
and rather than start from scratch for each version it looks like ZHL just kept changing their original design

 

[mrshanks]

To all of our readers, I apologize in advance for getting ahead of ourselves here. We have a lot more very objective information to provide regarding the Black Pearl. But before we do, I would like to take just a moment to ponder a few questions.

Who is complaining about this?

- Disney? No public complaints found. Nothing in the press. Disney does not compete in the wooden scale model kit market.
- Hachette? No longer sells their Black Pearl. Is not competing in the market. Not a wooden scale model kit.
- Amati? Never sold a Black Pearl model kit. No complaint found that we could find.
- Zvezda? Does not compete in the wooden scale model kit market. Their kit is plastic.
- Facinations? Does not compete in the wooden scale model kit market. Their kit is a unique metal model.
- Model Ship Master? Does not compete in the wooden scale model kit market. Their model is a $2500 prebuilt masterpiece.
- Old Modern Handicraft? Does not compete in the wooden scale model kit market. Their model is prebuilt.

ZHL makes the only wooden scale model kit of the Black Pearl available on the international free trade market. They make 3 different versions to provide consumer choice. All three kits are very good.

WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS AND WHY?

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

this is a focused blog on the Black Pearl kit and that kit alone sold by a number of on line sales such as ebay, amazon, hobby kit retailers and others world wide no one has a problem with it.
ponder this
if a model company, any model company produces a line of kits and say 1 of those kits are a little sketchy, maybe to close to the copyright line. do you condemn the company and their entire product line and the country they do business in plus anyone who does business with them or any forum or blog that mentions them?

ok back to the Black Pearl story there is more to tell

 

[mrshanks]

As promised here is a timeline chart of the various Black Pearl models we have discussed:

 

[mrshanks]

Thanks everyone for your PM's with comments and questions. We will try to answer them all in time. It seems this topic is even deeper than I thought.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

the time line shows clearly ZHL was first on the market with a Black Pearl kit by a long shot years!

there is no way ZHL copied anyone you could flip that around and wonder did everyone else copy ZHL?
or maybe

Max at ZHL has a time machine in his shop and in 2007 went to 2011 copied Hachette then went back and designed his black Pearl.
if Max has a time machine he is wasting his time with model ship kits.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

keep in mind there was an "image" of the black pearl in the movies so that served as a basic design concept, but there were no drawings of a ship it was ZHL that was first to come up with a set of modeling kit plans and that is at the beginning of 2008 so he would have to be working on those plans before 2008 it takes time to design a model.
ALL the Black Pearl kits and drawings and products after 2008 have the same general appearance as Max's original work. Logic would seem to dictate it was Max and his kit that set the foundation for everything that came after 2008.
You need a set of bulkhead drawings for the basic kit design and there were none until Mellpapa did his drawings back in 2007 then ZHL comes out with a kit. Now did Mellpapa influence Max? maybe but so what Mellpapa offered his drawing free and clear. Moving on in the time line next to appear is the plastic kit and the Hachette publication which were well after ZHL has established the design of a Black pearl kit. A 5th grade child can see 2008 comes before 2011 and the kit design concept was already established well before 2011.