LED christmas tree - pre-lit

Darell

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If we're slipping into the cooked animal flesh smell category, I'm simply going to have to go with bacon. But if brisket floats your boat, I'm in full support of your olfactory party.
 

Darell

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Well, now we're on the other side of Christmas... and as promised, I'm back to tell you how things went.

Not so great.

The HS tree will be enjoying an all-expenses paid trip back across the country. I left a detailed review on their site about my dissatisfaction - and I see that my review isn't on the site, and that the tree is no longer available. Here's a brief run-down:

Light string is just wound around the tree, and is totally visible. I was expecting *integrated* LED lights, not just a string of cheap LED lights set on the branches.
The molded tips have the plastic "flash" left on the ends. Not quite so "real looking."
Hinges are uber-cheap and loose. Branches all wiggle when you touch them.
Had to bend the lower branches significantly to get them up to at least level.
Lower section is open and airy (as I'd expect from a Noble Fir). Upper section is dense... and where the two sectoins transition is painfully obvious.
The box it comes in (that I'd use for storage) is "one size fits all" - meaning it's the same box in which they ship the 7.5' tree. The box is HUGE, and of no use to me.
Stand is terribly welded, not flat, and already rusting.

Really, really not impressed. Especially for this price. QA is non-existent, and it's just another low-quality product farmed out to china. China is capable of FAR superior product... and this isn't it. If I'm gonna buy "cheap" I'd rather not spend a bunch of money, if you know what I mean.

Grrr. I didn't let it ruin Christmas of course. But I'm also not thrilled that I now have to pay to ship this back, and go through the process again!

Nightshade - if you're still with me here, I have one more question: In your fancy Italian-lit tree... are the lights "integrated" into the branches? I've seen some great ones where the wire is just wrapped into each branch, and the bulbs poke out every now and again. THAT's what I'm looking for. And HS definitely didn't deliver.
 

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

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Well that's a total bummer. Sorry to hear it didn't work out.

As I was going to the Christmas departments of some local stores up here in the NorthEast I stopped to take at some of the trees. I was blown away that some of the 6-7' trees were up around $600-700. For the price I would've expected something amazing but was disappointed to find flimsy branches and some of the same marks on the molded branches and leaves that I think you are talking about.
 

Darell

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Crazy, right? I'm finding the same thing. Here I am, poking around AFTER Christmas, and there are none on sale it seems. What the heck is going on? It wasn't long ago when I thought $250 seemed a bit "expensive" for a plastic tree. Regardless of price, where are the super-high quality ones... like the one I *thought* I was buying originally?

I still want to see in person the unit that Nightshade likes and pointed to originally.
 

StarHalo

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Incandescent, but 7.5', $140 at Target, nice brushy needles, wires buried deep. Throw in a $15 box of Target ball ornaments and an angel topper from Rite-Aid; one complete Christmas tree in ~30 minutes. No complaints..

551519_image.jpeg
 
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Darell

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Pretty!

Of course my family has enough ornaments for about six trees, so THAT isn't a problem. And if I could bring myself to buy another product with incandescent lights, this would be somewhat easy. And then there's the nagging issue about size. BUT! Thrilled to see how great that turned out for you. Second option is to find just the right UNLIT tree, and integrate my lights into it myself. That's a bit more my style anyway, as several here will agree. :)
 

StarHalo

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It comes down to the time investment for me; I'd definitely rather have a quality LED tree, but how long is it going to take to find one (let alone make one?) I'll live with 19th century bulbs blowing from time to time if I can just pick up the tree on the way home and have it resolved in a half hour..
 

Beamhead

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gone "Squatchin" :p
Hmmmmmmmm................. the Darell I knew would have designed, engineered and meticulously assembled a pre-lit LED tree that all would envy. :p
I don't buy it for a minute, where is the real Darell............you pod person.:p

Second option is to find just the right UNLIT tree, and integrate my lights into it myself. That's a bit more my style anyway, as several here will agree. :)
There is the Darell I know.


We demands pics. :D
This thread is useless without pics of your Charlie Brown tree.......................... :whistle:


EDIT: Can someone please fix this site?
 
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Darell

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This thread is useless without pics of your Charlie Brown tree.......................... :whistle:

Yeah... because I was a wee bit grumpy about the situation, it got all boxed up before photos could be taken. Just look at the picture in the sales link, and reconfigure it in your mind to look somewhat crappier - and you've got a good idea of what I was dealing with.

I'm stumped about the fact that they have a reviews section... but won't post my review on the site. Hmmm.
 
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