So you want to start collecting examples of that "elegant weapon of a more civilized age"? Excellent! eBay is a great source for lightsabers--but it helps to know a bit about lightsabers before you plunge into Watto's junk shop and start throwing credits around. Here are some things to consider to maximize your enjoyment and minimize disappointments along the way.

What Will You Do with Your Lightsabers?

This is the most important question, because answering it will help narrow down the huge number of choices you'll be confronted with when you do any eBay search containing the word "lightsaber." Do you want to wear them as part of a costume? Display them? Or do you want to actually duel with them?

What Do Want Your Lightsabers to Do?

Closely related to the question of what you want to do with your lightsabers is what you want them to do. Do you just want them to look great? Then you probably want a detailed replica with a stand or wall rack. You don't need, and probably don't want, a blade--or you'll need one that's detachable. Do you want them to look great hanging from your belt? Then you'll need some sort of belt hardware--probably a Covertec wheel with a matching belt clip. Again, no blade, or a detachable one.

But maybe you want a "working" model. Do you want a lightsaber that lights up? You'll want an electroluminescent, light-emitting diode, or plasma blade, or at least a colored plastic tube that is mounted over a white flashlight bulb. Do you want a lightsaber that makes sounds? Then you probably want one with a Master Replicas or Hasbro sound board, or at least a "Force Resonator."

Do you want a lightsaber that can stand up to dueling? Then you'll need a sturdy model with a durable blade. If you want a "stunt" model--one that doesn't need to light up or make noise because it's going to serve as a prop for action scenes in a fan film--then the blade can be made of aluminum, a tough plastic compound, or even carbon fibers. The hilt can and should be relatively plain in design, so there are no knobs or flanges to get in the way of the fencing moves you'll want to use. Do you want a saber that can produce special effects while standing up to a duel? Then you either want a custom-made lightsaber with a polycarbonate blade (lit with an electroluminescent wire or a light-emitting diode mounted in the hilt) and a sound module, or you want an "MRFX conversion" or "mod"--a Master Replicas Force FX lightsaber that a fan has modified for dueling. Either way, you will want a switch that isn't too easy to trip by accident while you're trying to take over, or save, the Galaxy.

Replica or Custom?

Do you want a saber that looks just like Luke's, Obi-Wan's, or Vader's? Or would you prefer a model inspried by the movies but not based on any particular character's lightsaber? Or are you such a fan that you know characters from the "Extended Universe" (that is, from novels, comics, and the various animated series) and would like to collect replicas of their lightsabers? You can find all of these things on eBay!

How Much are You Willing to Spend?

You can find lots of cool lightsabers on eBay or order them directly from various merchants--just search the Web using the word "lightsaber" and you'll be overwhelmed with choices. But cool costs money, so ask yourself how many Republic Credits you're willng and able to drop on a lightsaber. A realistic hilt made wholly or partially of metal, sound effects, a lighted blade--all of these features add cost.

Enough questions--let's move on to your options:

Blade Options

Here are your choices for lightsaber blades:

• None--best for display or costume wear.
• Removable--important if you want to wear your saber but also want to be able to duel with it occasionally. Removable blades are usually secured with a screw of some kind. You may need an Allen wrench (hex key) to remove the blade. If removability is important to you, ask the seller before you bid!
• Extendable Plastic Blades--colored telescoping plastic tubes that have been compared to "golf club tubes," usually mounted on a hilt that conceals a white flashlight bulb. This is the sort of blade used by Hasbro for their "Light and Sound" toy lightsabers and by a company called Rubies for their costume sabers. The Hasbro models also conatin electronics for sound effects, so the blades do not retract all the way into the hilts. The Rubies models just light up, and the ones I've seen have blades that retract all the way. These blades are usually fixed, not removable.
• Electroluminescent (EL)--sturdy polycarbonate tubes (usually 3/4 inch) that contain a light-diffusing film and a length of wire that glows a particular color when current is applied to it. Even lighting all along the length of the blade, but no extend/retract effect, plus some people find the blades a little heavy. ("Real" lightsaber blades are of course supposed to be massless.) Also, EL lightsabers produce a slight hiss when activated. But if you buy an EL saber, you can easily change the blade color by popping in a different blade--they have a plug on the end just like a standard headphone plug, which fits into a jack in the hilt. Some older EL blades have a black line running down one side of the blade. If this bothers you, look for one of the newer, "no-line" models.
• Master Replicas Force FX Saber Blades--sturdy 1-inch polycarbonate tubes containing a light-diffusing film and a string of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that are very bright and light up sequentially, so you get the movie-correct blade extend/retract effect. Even lighting along the whole length of the blade. But those LED strings will break if you duel with a Force FX lightsaber, leaving "dark spots" in the blade. These blades are permanently attached to the hilts.
• Luxeon LED blades--like the MR Force FX blades, except that the string of LEDs is removed. Illumination comes from a single (1-, 3- or 5-watt) Luxeon Star LED in the hilt of the saber. 3-watt Luxeons are currently the most commmon type, but lately I have seen a few 5-watt versions in sabers. Luxeon LEDs are very bright and come in a variety of colors. White Luxeons can also be used with colored filters in case you want a color that isn't offered, though this will not be as bright as an unfiltered LED. Also, because there are no electronics in the blade, a Luxeon lightsaber is very sturdy and can stand up to dueling. The blades are fairly lightweight, which many people prefer, and are usually removable. The downsides: LED blades tend to be brightest at the base (near the LED) and then fade a bit farther on, and usually have a "tip flare" because of the reflective tip at the end that is used to keep the potentially dangerous laser light from beaming into someone's eye. (Yes, these LEDs are classed as laser devices. Looking directly into one can cause blindness!) Most Luxeon sabers have no extend/retract effect, though there is a way to simulate this--look for a lightsaber that uses the "Corbin LED driver" and the "Corbin blade." This driver allows the LED to ramp up and down rather than switching on and off instantly, and the special blade film Corbin uses takes advantage of that to approximate the extend/retract effect. I haven't seent this myself but have heard it's quite impressive. Luxeon blades can be found on Master Replicas Force FX "conversions" or "mods" as well as on custom sabers built from the ground up. Most LED lightsabers use a 1-inch polycarbonate tube as the blade, but some use a 3/4-inch tube. While they are lighter, I find the smaller tubes less sturdy for dueling--they bend more visibly on impact--so ask about the blade size before bidding!
• LumiLEDs blades--use a type of LED that was popular with saber smiths before the brighter Luxeon LEDs became available. Some LumiLEDs emit UV light that can illuminate a flourescent blade.
• Plasma blades--reported to be the most beautiful blades available (I've never seen one, so I can't say for sure). They contain tubes filled with gases that are excited by an electric current. Some plasma blades can even be adjusted for length, just like "real" lightsabers. The downside--glass tubes are fragile! One blow and a plasma blade will break. Absolutely not for dueling!
• Laser saber blades--there is at least one seller out there that offers a lightsaber that is essentially a green laser mounted in a saber hilt. There is no physical blade. As I have read a bit about lasers, this thing scares me. There's nothing to stop the "blade" from going on and on as lasers do, which means it would be really easy to hit someone in the eye at a great distance, causing blindness. I'm told that even a reflection of this sort of laser could blind someone. Personally, I think I'll stick with Luxeon LEDs (with secure reflective-tipped blades) and EL blades.
• Acrylic Blades--at least one saber smith uses blades made of clear, frosted acrylic that transmit light from a hilt-mounted LED. They look nice but are heavier than most polycarbonate blades.
• Stunt Blades--intended mainly for dueling in fan films, stunt blades can be made of any durable, lightweight material. Most I've seen are made of aluminum, carbon fibers, or acrylic or some other tough plastic. 
• Color: Blue vs. Blue vs. Cyan--thanks to differences in the color of the Luke/Anakin and Obi-Wan sabers from Episode III to Episode IV, saber smiths have varying ideas about exactly what color a "blue" lightsaber blade should be. There are 3 different colors of LEDs that some people call blue--as far as I can tell, two different "true" blues (dark, as seen in Episode III, and light, as seen in Episode IV), plus cyan (which will be familiar if you have a printer that uses a cyan ink cartridge). If you're buying a "blue" LED lightsaber and you don't see a color picture of the blade, ask just what the seller means by blue!

Hilt Options

• Movie Replica--the name that comes to mind here is Master Replicas (MR). This company makes extremely detailed but non-working official replicas of the movie designs, both full size and .45 scale. Another famous name in replica hilts is HK Larbel. Many fans consider Larbel's hilts to be the most accurate and best constructed replicas around, better even than Master Replica's. (Larbel now works for Master Replicas, which shows how good the company thought his hilts were.) Larbel sometimes constructed his hilts to work with EL or plasma blades. Now that he works for MR, he obviously can't make hilts on his own, so the ones he made while he was an independent are becoming valuable collectables. The Larbels I've seen for sale on eBay have all been Obi-Wan Episode I/II and Qui-Gon Jinn models. Some fans build replicas out of metal and/or plastic parts. These range in quality from laughable to exquisite. Other fans cast resin copies of the movie lightsabers. These can be painted and finished to look like the real thing for costume wear.
• Movie Props/Prop Replicas--original movie props usually look a bit "scruffy" compared to movie replicas. (Original props are also usually very expensive! They're unique collector's items, after all.) Prop replicas are lightsabers that are made to look like the often beat-up props actually used while shooting the action scenes in the movies, not like the "cleaned up" versions used for most close-ups. Props, whether original or replicas, don't "do" anything.
• Collectables or "Near-Replicas"--Master Replicas makes a line of "Force FX" lightsabers that have light-up blades and sound effects digitized from the movies. The hilts are based on the movie hilts, but are not exact replicas, as the company freely admits. They're made somewhat larger than the movie hilts to accommodate the electronics, and they lack some of the movie hilts' details. They are usually made from a mix of metal and plastic parts. The blades are not removable, neither do they retract, so they don't work well for costume wear. They are "big kids' toys." Hasbro's Light and Sound sabers are another step removed from the Master Replicas versions. Hasbro makes "little kid's toys"--the hilts are plastic, are larger than the Master Replicas FX hilts, and have blades that telescope when you flick your wrist (but they don't retract fully). The Hasbro sabers are made to look pretty close to the movie versions and to light up and make noise when kids smack two of them together.
• Graflex/Heliand Hilts--the original Luke/Anakin lightsaber was based on a Graflex flashgun, and the original Vader was based on a Heiland model. Graflex lightsabers are fairly commonly available on eBay. In fact, they're so popular that some manufacturers have started producing low-cost replicas of Graflex flashguns specifically for use in building lightsabers. You can find EL and LED Graflex lightsabers; some of the LED versions I've seen have sound effects. Recently, I've also seen some lightsabers made from Heliand flashguns.
• Custom Hilts--some are made to hold EL or LED blades, others are made just for display or costume use. "Stunt sabers" are made to be durable for choreographed dueling and may hold a blade made of aluminum, carbon fibers, acrylic or some other sort of tough plastic. Some duplicate, or are inspired by, hilts from the movies or from the Extended Universe, while others are totally original designs. Custom hilts can be made of machined aluminum, copper, and/or brass; plastic; resin; plumbing and hardware parts; or some combination thereof.

Sound Options

For some reason (I suspect having to do with the electronics), many Luxeon lightsabers have a sound module (a sound effects circuit board with shock sensors attached), while most EL sabers don't. (However, at least one saber smith makes EL lightsabers for which a separate sound module can be ordered.) If you want sound effects, you've got essentially 3 choices:

• Hasbro--the toy manufacturer makes a series of Light and Sound Lightsabers that have illuminated blades that flash on power-up and -down and on contact, while producing a number of sound effects. The older Hasbros I'm familiar with make a sound like thunder on power-up and -down, have an "idle hum" sound that is close to movie quality, and make "clash" effects (sort of like loud static) when striking something. (I am told that newer Hasbros have improved sound that is "close to the early Master Replicas sound," but I can't say because I haven't heard it.) Hasbro sound modules are cheaper than Master Replicas modules, so many saber smiths use them. If you are particular about the sound effects in your saber, ask before you bid!
• Master Replicas--the Force FX Lightsaber series uses sounds digitized from the movies, so they're excellent. You get power-up/-down, idle hum, swing, and one or more clash effects. Master Replicas sound boards are not all alike--Vader is different from Obi-Wan which is different from Mace Windu, etc. Some saber smiths use these sound boards, usually called "MR FX sound." If a listing says "sound" but doesn't specify, ask before you bid to avoid disappointment!
• "Force Resonator"--an option offered by at least one saber smith, this sort of saber uses a small pager motor to create a hum and a vibration in the hilt that is supposed to simulate a device that has a high voltage running through it. Sometimes unofficially called "hum sabers." Some sabers have the hum option in addition to a sound module, others have hum instead of sound. Personally, I prefer MR FX sound without the Force Resonator option, but this is a matter of taste.

Switch Options

What sort of switch a lightsaber has is very important if you're going to duel with it and pretty unimportant if you're just going to display it. Many saber smiths seem to be unaware of this fact because they use switches that get in the way while dueling. Once again, ask the seller before bidding!

• Microswitches--excellent choice for dueling or display. The ones I'm familiar with both look cool (they have flashing LEDs) and are hard to trip by accident during dueling. But not too many saber smiths use them, because they're more expensive than other switches.
• Toggle Switches--bad for dueling because they're too easy to turn off by accident.
• Push-Button Switches--probably the most common type. They work well enough if they're out of the way, but can trigger sound effects or even turn your saber off in mid-duel if you bump them.
• Slide Switches--work about as well as push-buttons in my experience.
• Bottom-Mounted Swtiches--usually push-bottons; excellent for dueling because they're totally out of the way, being located on the pommel. Unfortunately, most sabers with sound modules mount the speaker in or near the pommel, so it's hard to find a saber with sound that has a pommel-mounted switch.

Belt Hardware

This part is easy because there aren't many options:

• Covertec wheel--this is a round, flat knob made of plastic or occasionally aluminum. It fits into a slot on a holder that can be worn on a belt. I believe these were originally designed for carrying cell phones or other small gadgets. This is the most common way of carrying a lightsaber on your belt.
• D-Rings--a few sabers use these. Can hang from a hook.

Power Source

• 9-Volt Batteries--the most common power source for EL blades.
• AA or AAA Batteries--3, 4, or, less commonly, 6 such batteries power most Luxeon lightsabers. Some LED sabers use a component called a "Micropuck Driver," which is a very energy-efficient device that requires just 2 AA batteries. The only drawback is that (to my knowledge), the Micropuck Driver can't accommodate a sound board.
• Rechargeable Batteries--some saber smiths prefer to use some sort of rechargeable battery pack.

As you may have gathered, asking any questions before you bid is the best way to make sure you'll be happy with whatever lightsaber you purchase. I hope this guide will help you to ask the right questions in your search for the ultimate Jedi or Sith weapon.