Fanbrick Urban Nightlife Tattoo Shop Review – An Imperfect Model, but a Refreshingly Different Idea
Fanbrick Urban Nightlife Tattoo Shop Review – An Imperfect Model, but a Refreshingly Different Idea
Manufacturer: Fanbrick
Designer: TyrolMocs
Collection: Urban Nightlife Series
Model: Tattoo Shop
Piece Count: 692
Overall Score: 6.5/10
Having recently reviewed the Boutique Shop from Fanbrick's Urban Nightlife series, I was interested to see how the Tattoo Shop would compare.
Both models come from designer TyrolMocs and explore a slightly different approach to the traditional building block city. Rather than beautiful architecture, pristine streets and colourful shopfronts, the Urban Nightlife collection focuses on the grittier, less glamorous side of urban life.
I really like the concept. Not every building in a city needs to be attractive, and there's certainly room for models that represent the sorts of businesses and environments we don't typically see in building block collections.
My experience with the Boutique Shop was somewhat mixed, particularly when it came to brick quality, so I was interested to see whether those issues would carry over into this smaller model.
Building Experience – 5.5/10
Much like the Boutique Shop, the Tattoo Shop offers a relatively straightforward building experience.
At 692 pieces, it's a modest model that can comfortably be completed in an evening. The construction isn't particularly complicated, and there aren't any especially unusual techniques to contend with.
The unnumbered bags weren't an issue for me. With a model of this size, organising the pieces is manageable, and I never found myself becoming frustrated trying to locate particular elements.
There weren't really any moments that surprised me during construction, but equally, there wasn't anything that caused me significant problems.
And I think that probably sums up the experience.
It's perfectly serviceable, but there's very little here that makes the construction particularly interesting or memorable. I wasn't frustrated by the build, but I wasn't especially impressed by it either.
Not every model needs to introduce revolutionary techniques, and I certainly appreciate a straightforward building experience. However, when I'm assessing the construction itself, I also want to consider whether the designer has done anything particularly interesting with the pieces available.
In this instance, there wasn't a great deal that stood out.
It's a pleasant enough way to spend an evening, but a fairly average building experience overall.
Brick Quality – 5.0/10
Brick quality was one of my biggest criticisms of the Boutique Shop, particularly the specialist elements such as doors and windows.
Thankfully, the Tattoo Shop was an improvement.
The bricks generally fitted together better, and I didn't encounter the same frustrations that affected my experience with the previous model. However, clutch power was still questionable in places, and the overall quality wasn't particularly impressive.
I think that's worth acknowledging because it demonstrates, at least to some degree, that the problems I encountered with the Boutique Shop aren't necessarily present to the same extent in every Fanbrick release.
However, there's a difference between being better than a previous model and being particularly good.
While the Tattoo Shop was more consistent, I still wouldn't describe the overall brick quality as being on the same level as some of the better alternative brick manufacturers I've experienced.
This is something I'd really like Fanbrick to address.
Personally, I'd prefer to see the company using GoBricks or an equivalent manufacturer across its range. I appreciate that this might affect production costs, but I think consistency is incredibly important.
When purchasing models from the same company, I want to know that I'm going to receive a similar standard of brick quality every time.
The Tattoo Shop was certainly better than the Boutique Shop in this regard, but I still think there's considerable room for improvement.
Instructions – 10.0/10
I really don't have any criticisms of the instructions.
Everything was clearly presented, easy to follow and made the construction process extremely straightforward. I never found myself questioning what the designer was asking me to do or having to revisit earlier steps to correct something.
There weren't any particularly clever or surprising moments, but equally, there weren't any frustrating ones. And that's absolutely fine. Sometimes a build can be technically impressive but unnecessarily complicated. Other times, poor instructions can make even a relatively simple model frustrating to assemble.
Neither was the case here.
The instructions were excellent, the progression was logical, and the entire experience was enjoyable from beginning to end.
For me, instructions should make a model accessible and straightforward to construct, and these did exactly that.
Absolutely no complaints.
Exterior Design – 5.0/10
The exterior of the Tattoo Shop is noticeably less involved than that of the Boutique Shop.
There's less architectural detailing, and the overall construction is considerably simpler. If you're looking for elaborate building techniques or an especially impressive façade, you probably won't find them here.
However, I don't necessarily consider that a complete criticism.
The designer clearly has a particular aesthetic in mind for the Urban Nightlife collection, and I think the Tattoo Shop fits that theme well.
This isn't supposed to be a beautiful, pristine building. It's intended to represent a slightly rougher urban environment, and the relatively understated exterior makes sense within that context.
I appreciate what the designer is trying to achieve, but I also think it's important to distinguish between understanding the design intention and being particularly impressed by the finished result.
For me, the exterior is fairly basic.
There's nothing especially interesting about the construction, and very little that makes the building stand out on its own.
Could the exterior have been more involved? Absolutely.
Would that necessarily have made it a better representation of what the designer was trying to achieve? Not necessarily, but I do think there was room for a little more creativity.
It fits the theme, but that's about as far as my enthusiasm goes.
Interior Design – 6.5/10
The interior was probably my favourite part of the Tattoo Shop.
You can see that the designer has put genuine thought into what they're trying to achieve, and I really enjoyed the approach taken here.
The design is clean, nicely organised and makes good use of the available space. Rather than filling every possible area with unnecessary details, everything feels considered and appropriate for the setting.
One particular highlight for me was the tattoo chair.
It's a really nicely constructed piece of furniture, and I genuinely appreciated the design. In fact, I liked it enough that I've subsequently used the same construction approach in some of my own movie MOCs.
For me, that's a pretty good compliment to give another designer.
I'm constantly looking at different building techniques and considering how they might be incorporated into my own creations. When I come across something that I like enough to use myself, it generally means the designer has done something particularly well.
The chair was one of those examples.
That said, beyond the chair and the general layout, there isn't an enormous amount that stands out.
It's a nicely designed interior, and I certainly enjoyed it more than the exterior, but it's also relatively modest in terms of what it offers.
Overall, I think the designer has done a good job with the space available, even if the finished result isn't especially elaborate.
Display Appeal – 5.0/10
This is probably where the Tattoo Shop struggles the most.
As a standalone display piece, I don't think it's particularly impressive. The exterior is relatively simple, and there isn't a great deal that immediately draws your attention.
But then, that's rather the point.
The Urban Nightlife collection is supposed to represent a grittier, dirtier side of city life. These aren't beautiful buildings surrounded by perfectly maintained streets and colourful flowers.
They're supposed to look a little rough around the edges.
And honestly, that's part of the charm of the whole thing.
Real cities aren't made up entirely of attractive architecture and beautifully maintained businesses. There are plenty of unremarkable buildings, questionable establishments and neglected streets that contribute just as much to the character of an urban environment.
I think the designer understands that.
The Tattoo Shop isn't necessarily something I'd choose to display prominently on its own. However, incorporated into a larger city environment, particularly alongside the other buildings in this collection, I think it could work considerably better.
It's one of those models where the wider setting makes a difference.
I appreciate the concept, but as an individual display piece, the Tattoo Shop doesn't do a great deal for me.
Its lack of conventional beauty might be intentional, but that doesn't automatically translate into strong display appeal.
Value for Money – 5.5/10
I don't think the Tattoo Shop represents particularly bad value for money, but equally, I wouldn't describe it as exceptional.
It's a relatively modest model, and while there are some enjoyable details, particularly within the interior, the finished result is fairly basic.
The straightforward construction, limited exterior detailing and average display appeal all influence how I assess the overall value.
My broader concern remains the consistency of Fanbrick's brick quality.
While this particular model was noticeably better than the Boutique Shop, I would still prefer to see the company using GoBricks or a similarly reliable alternative to ensure a more consistent experience across its products.
I don't necessarily mind paying a little more for a model if I know the quality is going to be there.
As it stands, I think the Tattoo Shop represents reasonable value for someone particularly interested in the Urban Nightlife collection, but there are certainly other models available that offer more for the money.
Final Thoughts – 6.5/10
Having now built both the Boutique Shop and the Tattoo Shop, I remain interested in what Fanbrick and designer TyrolMocs are trying to achieve with the Urban Nightlife series.
There are certainly issues. The building experience is fairly ordinary, the exterior is basic, and the finished model doesn't offer particularly strong standalone display appeal. While the brick quality was better than the Boutique Shop, I'd still like to see greater consistency across Fanbrick's products.
However, there's one thing about these designs that continually wins me over, and that's the subject matter.
There's a tendency within the building block hobby to make everything clean, polished and immaculate. Beautiful bookshops, pet shops, bakeries, diners and traditional pubs. Lovely buildings filled with charming little details, surrounded by perfectly maintained streets.
And don't get me wrong, I enjoy those models as much as anyone.
But there's an entire world outside of that.
Cities aren't made up exclusively of beautiful buildings and respectable businesses. There are tattoo parlours, questionable establishments, neglected shops, dirty streets and all sorts of places that rarely find their way into building block collections.
And that's what I really appreciate about TyrolMocs.
He's willing to explore those environments and bring them to the forefront. Rather than producing another attractive modular building that we've effectively seen a dozen times before, he's creating something different.
I have enormous respect for that.
It doesn't mean every design is going to be successful, and it certainly doesn't mean I'm going to overlook shortcomings in construction, brick quality or display appeal. Those things still matter, and they're reflected in my scores.
But I think there's genuine value in designers who are prepared to explore the less conventional aspects of everyday life.
The Tattoo Shop isn't an exceptional model. The exterior is fairly basic, and the finished build leaves me somewhat underwhelmed. However, I enjoyed the interior, particularly the tattoo chair, which I've since incorporated into some of my own movie MOCs.
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give this model is that it inspired me to build my own tattoo shop.
Despite its shortcomings, TyrolMocs has created something that got me thinking about what I could do differently and how I might approach the same subject in my own work.
And that's something I genuinely value.
I don't need every model to be perfect, and I certainly don't expect every designer to share my tastes. But I have enormous respect for people who are prepared to explore subjects that don't ordinarily find their way into building block collections.
The Tattoo Shop might not be an exceptional model, but it represents an approach to design that I'd love to see more of.
Overall Score: 6.5/10
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Review Disclosure
This review reflects my own personal experience and opinions of the Fanbrick Urban Nightlife Tattoo Shop. My reviews are based on the building experience, brick quality, design, display appeal and overall value for money. I always aim to provide a fair and balanced assessment, highlighting both the things I enjoy and the areas where I believe improvements could be made. Any products supplied for review do not guarantee a positive assessment or influence my final scores.
Thank You for Reading!
Thank you for taking the time to read another of my reviews.
If you've built the Tattoo Shop or any of the other models from Fanbrick's Urban Nightlife collection, I'd love to hear what you think. I'm particularly interested in whether others have noticed differences in brick quality between the various models.
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Until next time, happy building!
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