Vintage set of the week: Basic Set
Posted by Huwbot,
This week's vintage set is 4 Basic Set, released during 1973. It's one of 11 Universal Building Set sets produced that year. It contains 230 pieces.
It's owned by 64 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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4th set ever. Not sure how that works, LEGO was in business with plastic bricks long before 1973, but I'm not one to ask for logic.
At least the set's name is honest.
I really like those vintage sets of the week from the 70's.
But I never liked the universal building sets.
And those houses are still better than the buildings we get in modern City.
These are the kind of parts I had as a kid: an ice cream pail full; except we had no transparent parts or wheels until I got my younger sister to steal the latter from her kindergarten class. They were the 2x2 brick size ones and we probably got as many as ten. I still feel guilty about it even now, and over the years no matter how many LEGO clubs at my kids’ various schools I have supported with donations, I always add extra wheel parts to compensate. Maybe I should send some to that original school and be done with it.
@MCLegoboy said:
"4th set ever. Not sure how that works, LEGO was in business with plastic bricks long before 1973, but I'm not one to ask for logic."
Logicwise, LEGO was inspired by the real world.
Anyway, I suspect this is more of a line-series number than a cat.
@jkb said:
" @MCLegoboy said:
"4th set ever. Not sure how that works, LEGO was in business with plastic bricks long before 1973, but I'm not one to ask for logic."
Logicwise, LEGO was inspired by the real world.
Anyway, I suspect this is more of a line-series number than a cat ."
The fact the database lists this as 4-3 indicates there are at least 2 other sets numbered "4". There are actually FOUR other sets numbered "4".
4-2
4-3 (this one)
4-4
4-5
4-6
Whoa this is what I call basic. Are there even any plates here?
I miss wheels with studs on the hub like that, I’d always add stuff to them to Mad Max up whatever wacky car I built :D
Can’t do that so much with modern wheels
@MCLegoboy said:
"4th set ever. Not sure how that works, LEGO was in business with plastic bricks long before 1973, but I'm not one to ask for logic."
Yoda was in charge of Lego set numbering, he was
Similar to 1,2 and 3 comes with a green 16x32 brick base, but not shown in any of the box photos. Where there any instructions or did you just have to guess how to make the models shown as unable to find any? A question was asked before about the studs on the wheels ever used? There are models where the wheel axle brick is vertical to place a plate on the wheel as a turntable or for attaching the main helicopter blades.
All those basic parts, yet it still uses those shutters for the windows. I had no idea those were that old!
Do those figures even fit through those doors?
But all jokes aside, I just love the variety shown here made from very basic bricks. Sure, these aren't display models, but for kids to start with this is still pretty much perfect.
The basic building techniques used in this set were very useful for my sister and I as children. The Building Blocks you might say of my matured technique.
This set was my very first LEGO set. It was a gift I received in the mid-70's from my grandmother. So she is the one to blame I guess for my attachment to collecting LEGO 45 years afterward. Yes, the set was simple, an creating many of the models required some imagination and curious viewing of the pictures on the box, but it was doable. And that was also half the fun. Several of these universal building sets I would later receive fostered so much creativity. In a way, I sorely miss them. Thanks Nana!
Clearly the truck in the bottom left is transporting Pokemons
Those doors, shutters and wheels were common parts in those days. Buildings sets w People (with those huge figures) came out around the same time and had a similar range of special parts. There were also forklifts, “jaws”, conveyer belts, turntables, ball and socket connectors, plate-type hinges, smaller and larger wheels, and a range of windows. And headlight bricks.
@EvilTwin said:
"Clearly the truck in the bottom left is transporting Pokemons"
That's one way to make sure they don't escape after "You Catch 'Em All"... stuff them in a box truck. Much roomier than the standard small ball, IMO.
The thing that stands out to me is how much Lego photography has changed in 50 years. Look at all those shadows on the train. I was trying to figure out what those black pieces were for a minute before I realized they were super dark shadows. I know camera technology has improved tons since 1973, but lights definitely existed back then...
@EvilTwin:
If someone shoved a bunch of Pokémon up its backside, that would certainly explain why it’s doing the “o.O” face…
I remember my first opening doors (370, 555, 690). It was a HUGE step forward versus what I had before (358, 570). I still like 358 a lot though (because to me it is the first ever 'space' set - even 565 came much later).
Windows shutters were also very neat (miss those pieces) and would add 'functions' to many sets.
The US equivalent (125-2) of this set was the second LEGO I received. With no instructions for any of the models, you had to discover on your own that you had to use the remaining windows and black bricks to complete the three little houses. A little “deceptive advertising” frequently used on alternate and uninstructed models from that time-the front will look great, but the back is a hodgepodge.
@ryderfan:
People used to complain about fast foot burgers being deceptively advertised, but they were doing the same thing. They were legitimately showing you all of the condiments on each burger, carefully arranged along the forward edge only. The tricky thing is, if they showed you a burger exactly as it’s prepared, you often wouldn’t see any condiments, and a fairly limited amount of bulkier toppings like lettuce, unless you can see through buns and burgers.
Using the windows on the back would make sense if they’re placed similarly to what we can see in the box art, but if they’re stacked, or the wall color doesn’t match*, that is cheating somewhat, especially since the person on the left can only stand upright in the center of the red house, so the interiors aren’t useful as play spaces.
*There are times when buildings legitimately have mismatched exteriors. Sometimes an addition is made using different materials, often due to material availability, limited budget, or occasionally due to aesthetic choices. In urban construction, when buildings are constructed with shared walls, or close enough that there’s no open space between, rough materials like cinder blocks may be all that’s used on hidden walls. Where alleys occur, they often use less decorative construction than on street-facing surfaces. But for row houses to have mismatched back walls, that just looks like part of the structure recently got torn down, or the existing structure is being prepped for an addition.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Lego's "Attack on Titan"...
Seriously, look at the size of those 'figures' compared to the houses...either: something 'bad' happened here, or these are folks walking though Legoland's 'Miniland'...
Oh, also: Train with...tires???:?
@Brickalili said:
"I miss wheels with studs on the hub like that, I’d always add stuff to them to Mad Max up whatever wacky car I built :D
Can’t do that so much with modern wheels "
Got lots of them in my lego, I agree that the modern wheels aren't as much fun