Fish Butts' $500 silicone tail?

[MerGrrl]

Hi there,

So, I'm considering ordering one of Fish Butts' $500 silicone one-color tails while supplies and prices last...

I'm aware of the company's history and have been watching their progress from the beginning. The current silicone offer is tempting because 1.) $500 for a full-silicone tail, 2.) I really like the scale pattern, 3.) From the video I've seen, the fluke looks really maneuverable underwater.

Does anyone have thoughts on this? Relevant experiences or reviews? It just seems like an extremely well-priced practice/first tail, and like a lot of fun to swim in.

Also, I'm curious if it would be possible for me to mod this on my own later? Could I repaint it at all if it's sealed, tinted silicone, or add fins to the heels or anything?

Thanks for your time and consideration, mer-munity!

Best,

Mergrrl

[Kanti]

I think it would be an awesome thing to get but just consider that you may not get it within a reasonable amount of time.
I don't think Stevi is a con artist or anything and I think she will get you your tail eventually, but she is in a HUGE pinch right now and I'm pretty sure she's having a sale to help her refund her older customers, so you may not be on the priority list.
I'd try emailing her or asking her via facebook before you order, and tell her what the situation is. If you can wait over 4 months, cool, then I think you should go for it. If not, I wouldn't. I've heard a few people ordered their tails back in October and still haven't received them and I'd also heard that some people even paid a "rush fee" and even then didn't get their tails on time, so I'd be very uneasy about getting one from her if you have a deadline to meet.

[MermaidIsis]

Fish butts makes great tails, but saddly, horrible costomer service. I ordered a tail back in december and havent heard a word since we made the final payment. But it seens like shes been getting tails out faster. So it really depends on how long you are willing to wait.

[MermaidIsis]

*seems

[MermaidAlaina]

I agree with Kanti. If you have any kind of deadline, I would definitely not recommend ordering a tail from Fish Butts, and I am speaking from my own personal experience. I ordered one in November and was told it would be only 4-6 weeks until I received my tail. Well...the months went by, and come mid-March I basically learned that my tail hadn't even been started. I have a trip to Hawaii planned in May, and was needing to have a tail by then. Long story short, I ended up accepting the refund option and making my own tail. However I STILL have not received my refund and who knows when I will. Just a crummy situation for me all around. I don't recommend ordering from her until she gets everything under control.

[MerGrrl]

Thanks for your replies!

I believe the Fish Butts' FB page now states the wait is a minimum of 4 months, which is a long time to wait, but I'm not sure who would deliver faster than that for a similar price point?

I would love input regarding the tails themselves, and thoughts on modding after the fact...

[Mermaid Harmony]

Hi, I have a fish butts tail, partial silicone, and will be getting a full silicone from her at some point. You can mod it after with some dragonskin silicone and some psycho paint!

[MerGrrl]

Mermaid Harmony, thanks!

In this video, the tail looks wonderfully light and easy to move: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jiA3gIKiW4

But do you think she is struggling from lack of propulsion?

[Mermaid Star]

I don't think there is any lack of propulsion. It might be harder than using a competitor fin but you would loose the fluidness if you got a more rigid monofin to propel you faster.

[Mermaid Julianne]

On Facebook, Stevie said that the full silicone tails are quicker to make because the scales are already laid, not to mention it's not a custom color job like the partial silicone tails. Overall, if you don't mind having just one solid color and the fact that your tail will take at least four months to make, I think its a great deal. Personally, I don't mind waiting a long time for a tail. I've been waiting my whole life, and even if it takes a year (which hopefully doesn't happen) I can wait a bit longer. Plus, they swim beautifully, and the fluke is so fluid.

[MerEmma]

Also remember that the full silicone is really partial silicone. There is neoprene lining.

[Kanti]

Julianne has a point.
Usually you just pour the silicone into a mold and then all you have to do is just take in the sides. But I still asume she's probably very busy even so, so 4 months is about a good estimate for your wait.
You might get it sooner, who knows.

[Kanti]

Oh I thought she was making them FULL silicone, hence the name?? o_O
They're still lined with neoprene?

[Mermaid Julianne]

Where did it say they were lined with Neoprene? I haven't read that anywhere.

[MerEmma]

They have neoprene. Check around on her FB FAQ, the site and on here. On the thread discussing her sale by Morticia Mermaid, it was mentioned there. I'm surprised you don't remember, Kanti, lol. But yes, there's neoprene in there!

[Kanti]

When she first started selling them she had them lined with neoprene, but I thought she gave up "latex" tails to basically make the "partial" silicone and then she changed it to "full" silicone?
I mean, I haven't really been following her closely, that's just what I assumed happened.

[MermaidSaku]

Awesome i was thinking about getting one in the future after i finish saving up for my first car. : / it seems like it would be alot of fun : X

[MerGrrl]

Per the Fish Butts' website:

Partial Silicone Tails (discontinued):
- Made completely of Neoprene with a thin layer of dragonskin silicone and pressed scales.
- Are painted on the Neoprene underneath the Layer of clear silicone scales

Full Silicone Tails:
-Are lined with a thin layer of neoprene and thick raised scales along with a Full silicone Fluke.

Does that help?

Thanks, Star. I have some back problems so I don't want to start off with a super-stiff monofin - but I'd still like to have some nice propulsion. :)

[MerGrrl]

Oh boy, another silly question, probably, but how did you guys pick/show which color you wanted? It says on the Fish Butts website that you can choose "any color." Like, ANY color? :P

I want to do something turquoisy-sea green, kinda like this: https://www.etsy.com/listing/103361581/fish-scales-animal-print-mouse-pad

but perhaps a bit darker/greener:
http://natureinfocus.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/p1060161ablog6.jpg

Are there ways to see what colors might look like once, er, siliconed?

I just want to say how nice it is to have people to whom I can ask these questions. I'm more a lurker than a poster, but very much value and appreciate all the in-depth technical discussion on here. Go savvy mers. :)

[Mermaid Julianne]

I just ordered one, a deep aqua tail. I didn't know how it would look on silicone either, so when I ordered I edited a picture from her site to the color I wanted so she would know what I'm picturing. 10480

And when it says "any" color, I think as long as its one solid color, she can do it. Btw, I love that color! Its really pretty.

[Kanti]

I think the peacock coloration in gorgeous! But like Julianne said, I think only one color is allowed.

[MerGrrl]

Right, yes, one color. I'm tryna decide on/isolate the one color. Not a photoshop-savvy mer. :P

Julianne, I can't see your attachment for some reason, though I'd love to!

I think I will head to the fabric store and pull out lengths of fabric to kinda get a feel for what would look good on.

Thanks for all your help, everyone!

[MerGrrl]

Eesh, I feel really silly. The color I want is teal. I knew what teal was, of course, but then I actually googled images of it and was like, yeah, that's it.

[Marilla]

Oooh, can anyone say tax refund? ;) *spent* lol

xoxo ~ Marilla

[MerGrrl]

Just received a dire warning that "it's impossible to make a $500 silicone tail unless the materials are ill-gotten"? Is this true?

My understanding was that customer satisfaction had improved of late regarding product from this tailmaker, and that methods had become more uniform and reliable.

Thoughts?

[Mermaid Julianne]

Hopefully the photo shows up this time. It's pretty simple anyways, I just edited the main color, nothing too fancy or complicated.
10497

On a side note, I think the tails are so inexpensive because of the fact they're one solid color. Heck, what do I know? But I think on color is a lot less complicated then having to add/mix/(whatever you do) multiple colors. But hey, I could be completely wrong here. Just making a guess here.

[Winged Mermaid]

Just received a dire warning that "it's impossible to make a $500 silicone tail unless the materials are ill-gotten"? Is this true?

My understanding was that customer satisfaction had improved of late regarding product from this tailmaker, and that methods had become more uniform and reliable.

Thoughts?

The "cost to make" discussion has happened on here previously (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4096-Fish-Butts-having-a-sale). She gets most if not all of her materials discount or whole sale, and has a silicone supplier that sells to her wholesale, which most people do not have access to. That is all I know though *shrug*

[Kanti]

I don't see why you couldn't be able to make a silicone tail for that much?
I mean, she does line them in neoprene, someone told me, so that saves a lot of moolah.

But it is a bit strange because if she was selling them at $500 I imagine she wouldn't really be making enough to really profit off it? I mean, that's what I assume. But Iona may be right, she just might get it wholesale.

[Mermaid Julianne]

Well, it is just a tax season sale. It ends on the 15th. The $500 price tag is not permanent. If it were though, I doubt she'd be making a huge profit.

[MerGrrl]

Oh, Juliana - yours is the one on the Fish Butts' FB page that I've been drooling over! Wow, great job with the color - I presumed this tail was a done deal. Don't worry, that's not the color I'm after (I'm planning on greener/darker).

Winged Mermaid, THANK YOU for the link.

Kanti, thanks for weighing in, I was hoping to hear your opinion, since you'd posted the silicone tutorial.

Thanks again for the fin-holding, mers!

[Kanti]

Hehe no prob!
Hope everything works out great!

[Mermaid Zoe]

Don't be afraid to order from them i'm getting one too. except min is 650 because of the custom fluke. ;)

[Mermaid Zoe]

Thats a beautiful tail, enjoy it!!!!! <3

[Ariel-Starfish]

such a pretty tail!

[Meridian Mer-Gyver]

I am not the admin of this page, it was started yesterday and I totally support and back it! If you have been burned, ripped off, or left out to dry then join this group and lets make voice a pod of voice to be heard! Ps. You can also report their page as a scam, if a company is continuing to take money from its clients and NOT delivering on any promises, then it is a SCAM and its ILLEGAL

https://www.facebook.com/phishphanny

[Yulia]

Hey hey hey, take it easy with the cross-posting, will you?

[PearlieMae]

Hey hey hey, take it easy with the cross-posting, will you?

THANK YOU! (I couldn't remember the term cross-posting.)

[Mermaid Marissa]

They still have the neoprene lining. I was talking to one of the Denver mermaids and she says that they aren't happy with the tails :( I ordered a full silicone tail in March and I'm still waiting.

[AniaR]

yeah I heard the Denver mermaids are going with someone else now

[Lyna]

On Facebook, Stevie said that the full silicone tails are quicker to make because the scales are already laid, not to mention it's not a custom color job like the partial silicone tails. Overall, if you don't mind having just one solid color and the fact that your tail will take at least four months to make, I think its a great deal. Personally, I don't mind waiting a long time for a tail. I've been waiting my whole life, and even if it takes a year (which hopefully doesn't happen) I can wait a bit longer. Plus, they swim beautifully, and the fluke is so fluid.
My thoughts exactly.

[Mermaid Syrena]

Completely off-topic, but I happened to browse this thread and I GOTTA say-- Iona, I LOVE your new gif!

Mermaid Zoe- Out of curiosity, when did you order + when are you getting your tail? You seem pretty confident about Fish Butts.