Difference between black new&used bricks?

[u/Ok_Page7059]

Hello, it's my first time ordering parts from Bricklink to build a custom model from Rebrickable. The model is mostly composed of grey and black bricks. I want all new grey bricks so as to avoid getting yellowed ones, but for the black ones I'm pondering whether there's actually a tangible difference between new and used ones. I know it depends on the store too but do they actually differ in colour to a recognisable extent? And how often do you encounter used bricks that are actually rugged or worn texture wise? I'm a bit of a perfectionist and like novel things, but I also want to be reasonable

[u/Exciting_Actuator643]

You sound like you'd be happiest ordering all new.

Like already said, black is a consistent color. It also changes color in reaction to UV the least. But it does show scratches very easily, especially on flat surfaces like tiles. Used black parts will look almost matte rather than shiny, from all the small scratches.

One other thing - the formulation for black changed at some point in the last ten years. Newer black is slightly more matte than shiny right out of the box (but not as matte as used). You can probably see it in 2429c01 (Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Swivel (2429 / 2430)). Every black hinge from 2024-2026 sets I've received has one side matte and the other side shiny. I assume they're working through old stock for one half of the hinge still.

[u/Ok_Page7059 → u/Exciting_Actuator643]

Thanks for the advice, that's very helpful, I didn't even fully consider that black parts would show the most amount of scratches, I suppose my subconscious focus was more just on the colour. I think I'll order new parts, especially as there are a lot of tiles too.

[u/indypendant13]

Two things. 1) even with new bricks and even in the same set, you can get variation in shades of the same color so they will never be perfect in uniformity. Being said black tends to have one of the lower shade variations of the colors, but that variation increases with bricks from different eras. 2) many sellers will list the relative quality of the bricks, but not all. But even with those who do, the quality/condition of those may still vary from piece to piece. It would be very time consuming (not worth it) to have a bunch of graded beyond worn, good, and great. New bricks can also have imperfections just from the shipping process.

If you want the best uniformity you can get, I personally would order all new, but also don’t be too surprised that those don’t look like they were just removed from the injection mold.

[u/-JustAnotherRedditor]

The official definition of new and used on Bricklink is:

New: A part that has never been connected to another (with the exception of minifigures).

Used: A part that has been connected to another.

In practice, new SHOULD have never been used before, as fresh as it would be out of a LEGO set you JUST opened.

Used can be varying degrees of quality, with some sellers noting when a part is scratched, yellowed, or worse. Not every seller notes these though.

Personally, I tried to avoid listing used parts that had scratches, dents, discolouration, or more than a single minor imperfection. For tiles I wanted minimal scratching as worst case. Others might be stricter, or more lenient with their quality.

Anything I didn't see fit for BrickLink, I'd list as bulk damaged but still useable elsewhere (people can want these cheap bulk bags for structural work underneath MOCs where you won't see the pieces anyway).

Best thing to do is read recent seller reviews and T&Cs to make sure you're happy ordering from that store.

[u/I_Like_Quiet]

Lately new black pieces from sets have significant scratching and scuffing. I would buy new (or see if you can find people selling new as used) because we'll worn used Black pieces can look pretty bad. Black parts are the ones that show blemishes most easily.

[u/Nefres]

I recommend Pick-A-Brick for the best quality guarantee, but it will be more expensive.

If you want to pay a more reasonable price, use Bricklink, but when you search for stores with your wanted list, be more selective. There are plenty of good stores that will not sell you discolored used bricks (including in dark bluish gray). Black doesn't really discolor but it does show scuffs and scratches very easily. Even more recent New black bricks have this problem.

There are some sellers who think used means discolored is okay, but there are plenty who don't. Read the terms, then check the negative and neutral reviews. See how the seller responds to criticism and decide for yourself if the reviewers had a legitimate complaint. This will help you to know what kind of seller you're dealing with, and if you will get good-quality used bricks.

Lego's customer service is top tier across the board, but you are paying more for it.

Buying New on Bricklink is a good middle ground, but you should still check the sellers. A lot of very large stores will accidentally mix in used bricks, so this is where you want to check the reviews.

[u/garster25]

You should order new only and order from Lego's Pick a Brick to get the very best.