Which Marker to Polish

[jokers]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the MCB community,
I have decided that for a Graduation, and Birthday gift I will be giving a marker to my god son, I would like it to be a marker that he can enjoy, maintain by himself and hopefully upgrade. I have a list of markers that I am thinking about and would like your opinion. I have updated this thread with pictures of the markers and added a couple that might be fun. I am leaving this open till January to allow for the most time for people to vote and to give me from January till May to get the marker ready for him.
Some back story on the young man in question. He will be graduating in May of 2025 and is going to college soon so there is a chance that he will not have time to play for quite a while so I do not want to give him an electro that he could have problems with in the future. His first time playing was at Supergame Oregon 2024 and even though it was wet and muddy he had a blast and loved it. While he was playing there, there was only one thing he did wrong in my opinion, the whole game, it was he called himself out off a bounce. He did use a couple of electronic markers and one or two of the listed markers already and liked all of them, he said.
Included with the marker will be a case, tool kit, lube, and a small oring kit with the orings that are required for that marker. If I have spare barrels for the marker I will include a barrel or two for him. I am also thinking of a tank and a hopper. He already has most of the clothing and a mask so he should be good there.

[jokers]

Tippmann 98 and 98 Custom



I can see these being a good marker for his first marker. There are still plenty of upgrades to be had and he could make it his own however he wants. I also have multiple barrels for these and would likely give him a J&J ceramic as well as an empire with apex 2 tip.

[jokers]

Spyder Shutter, Ion, or PM 68




I can see one of these markers being something fun and nostalgic but worry that it would be more about me and not about not about him.
For the Ion I would convert that to mechanical and I have a DW null barrel that I would include there.
The PM68 would be funny in my opinion since it is such a heavy beast and on the old side so he would get a lot of comments about it.
The Spyder shutter is an easy marker to maintain and looks cool. With it being mechanical it will just work and be something fun for him.

[jokers]

Nova



This Nova N4 Odin is something that he has already played with the only item i am hesitating on is it is slightly more difficult to repair, also aside from the upgraded trigger which either I would put in or give to him to put in there are not a lot of upgrades. With that said there are more 3d models out there for this so he might be able to 3d print something if he gets into that.
I do have quite a few AC barrels that I could include for him.

[jokers]

A5


Again another marker he has played with. Both are good little shooters, both have been recently updated, cleaned and rebuilt by Trbo323 and they are working good.
I am leaning toward the Spec ops version only because it does not have macro line and regulator.
There is a barrel for the Specs Ops version but I think I only have a stock version. and maybe a 9" Lapco from a TIPX that is not currently in use.

[jokers]

SignOfZeta You are not wrong, the 98s are in there because they can be modified and would give him a good platform to learn on, the A5s are there because they are premodded and ready to go and he can learn the maintenance of those, the spyder is something I have sitting around that is shiny. The Nova N4 is there because it is a good entry level marker that I can hand to him and he can go. The down side to that one is there are no mods for them yet.

[Sneak Miester]

I vote Spyder, so easy to maintain

[Chappy]

Of those I would pick the 98 custom. Itll be the easiest to keep running for the longest with the least maintenance.

[Riot]

Definitely a Nova.. at least it’s modern. The Odin is a fantastic little shooter with minimal, though effective, upgrades should he so desire. The rest are markers bought at Walmart for punks and newbies.

Second choice would be an a5, simply because that cyclone system is cool.

[martix_agent]

I'm genuinely curious how you're going to polish an ION.

SignOfZeta The Nova N4 is there because it is a good entry level marker that I can hand to him and he can go. The down side to that one is there are no mods for them yet.

I don't see this as a downside, especially fora new player. He can get into the game without having to worry about wanting to drop more money on any sort of upgrade.

[jokers]

My plan for the Ion would be do a WTB for a body and maybe frame. Convert it to Mechanical and maybe add an on off.

[DarkApollo]

I honestly wouldnt gift him any of those. It is a fun thought but those are relics of a bygone era. There are a lot of GOOD entry level options that would be a much better choice over a Spyder or 98. There is a reason those have fallen out of favor. Also, modern electros are far from the troublesome markers they were 20 years ago. You want something reliable that can be thrown in a gear bag and left? None of those would fit that.

I’m not saying this to be mean. I gifted my oldest a well kept E-Spyder and it was just awful for him. Slow, heavy, loud, kicks like a mule, and went through a 48/3k a game. I wanted to give him something he could maintain but then I realized, I spent more time trying to get my ‘upgraded’ spyders to work then I did playing back in those days. I just picked up a new EMEK with agitated hopper for him for christmas.
Modern markers are just so much more user friendly than any of the ones you have listed. My vote: get him an EMEK. Mechanical, upgradable, easy to maintain, still has a warranty, still has manufacturer support, and isnt old enough to remember Y2K.

[jokers]

I thought we were all relics of a bygone era here. The Nova N4 is likely the only one that meets your criteria since it is new (2023 or newer), has a warranty and still has good manufacturer support.

[jokers]

I have added photos of the markers more markers as well as a brief description on them. I greatly appreciate any and all thoughts concerns and ideas. If there is something else I should include or if there is something that I should make him buy please let me know your thoughts on that.

[Dusty Bottoms]

I voted Nova only because you don't have anything more sensible like an Emek or Etha 3. All of these other markers are outdated and obsolete to various degrees, and he doesn't have any attachment to them like you do to justify using them. He wasn't even born when these came out, so I think your attaching your own nostalgia to something for him. I'd guarantee he'd rather have something light, fast, and reliable that you can just grab and go.

[jokers]

The reason that there is not something like an Emek or Etha 3 is that I do not own one. I have many pumps, cockers and even a couple of electronic markers but I went through my stash of simple markers and this was the list that I came up with that I could give to a new player. I want him to learn but I do not want to drive him mad that is why there is not a Cocker, automag or an invert mini on this list.

[Number six]

Nova, if you want people to talk to him at the field.
Spyder, if you want him to earn his own respect.
The Ion would be false advertising. We've been playing long enough for that to not matter, but he hasn't.

[jokers]

I think maybe I need to clarify something, I am giving him a marker from my collection, I have many others that I have eliminated for various reasons, the autocockers while flashy and pretty would drive him mad with the tuning, the automags would be in the shop more then in his hands, the other Novas would work well except when they do not. There is no way I am giving him a pump unless it is to use for a game. I have way to many markers, these were the ones that I thought would be good for him to play with and learn on. There is a chance when he is more then toe deep in paintball I will give him something fancy and new (or super fancy and old) likely when he is graduating college. While I would love to go out and buy a new marker to give to him I worry that if he decides not to play that this marker will make it's way back into my collection and I have enough already.
I do not have an issue buying or adding parts for these markers. I could even see on one or two getting them powder coated or anodized if they need it, or even laser etching is not out of the question. In my mind that would be polishing a marker up to give to him. I do not see him enough right now to have him over to modify the markers so anything we do together would need to be during Supergame or a single trip to see him.
PM me if you would like a list of the collection and if you see something better I can give to him I am all ears.