How do you know if a new doll needs restringing?

[OkamiKodomo]

Most ResinSoul/Bobobie dolls need a restring right out of the box, or at least a tightening, as the elastic is notoriously loose and/or crappy.

One diagnosis I've used is to pick up the doll by the midsection. If he or she flops like a ragdoll, and is loose enough that this flop shows the elastic in the torso, or seems to be coming close to showing, they probably need to be tightened. Every one of my RS dolls got a restring, except for Seona (my double jointed Jun) but that's because he's more of a display doll, due to his heavy paint job that chips if you so much as look at him funny >.< My Ai is ready for another restring, because the strings I used in her were too small, and stretched out too easily.

Sueding also helps RS/BBB dolls a great deal, but it's not necessary. My girl Wu poses quite nicely now that she's had a restring.

[AlmySidaKay]

I made a small video about how to at least tighten a doll http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dFfcl2J5TU maybe that will help?

[Yanagi-sen]

Get a restringing kit, Junkyspot sells them. BBB/RS elastic isn't really thick enough, tightening can help in the short term, but restringing is really the best solution. There are tutorials out there that can help you to restring your doll. My boy is also hot glue sueded, the combination of the two helped instantly. He still isn't the best at posing; I'll sit him, prop him, or put him in a stand if he has to be upright for any length of time, but usually I can get him to cooperate now.

[famedglory]

If she's flopping, she's loose in which case you can just pull the strings tighter and make a new knot. If she's kicking she might be tight or her joints might just need sueding because they're too smooth and not catching on each other enough to hold the pose. I would try sueding her and see how she behaves then. If she still kicks you could either wait for her elastic to stretch out a bit or you could replace the elastic. Mint on Card and Alice's Collection also sell elastic if JunkySpot is out.

[OkamiKodomo]

JoAnn's also usually has elastic in the right size for MSDs, but it's too thin to support an SD. It's what I used in my Ai, and didn't last a year. x.x