Free\Cheap cabs?

[Havok]

Anyone in the Albany, NY area with a cab they want to get rid of? I am just starting out and didn't want to build a cab yet. (Power tools are dangerous in my hands!) I am looking for a freebie or perhaps really cheap cab I could take off someone's hands. Since I am planning on using an emulator, I wouldn't want a true classic, unless it was worth restoring.

Alternately, would anyone know of a place to pick one up cheap in this area?

Thanks!

[AlanS17]

Even converting a cab, you'll likely need power tools at some point. Unless you can find one with a control panel laid out the way you like and either a working monitor or equivalent replacement, you'll probably need to do at least a little bit.

That being said, have you checked Ebay yet? Lots of times people will put their trash there to save them the trouble of having to throw it away.

[CheffoJeffo]

Someone on RGVAM was recently looking for games in upstate NY and reporting having problems finding stuff.

Nobody had any useful suggestions for him.

There is a SpyHunter sitdown on eBay near Buffalo.

I would check on RGVAM/C.

Good luck.

Cheers.

[Zook]

I live 45 minutes north of Albany.   I was looking for the same free/cheap deal in the Albany area.  I got frustrated and finally bit the bullet and built my own.   Although my cab came out alright, I'll never build again.  It was very time consuming and frustrating.  I'd love to find a free/cheap cab and try again.

Quick sob story:

I found one contact in my searches a year ago.  I was in an arcade in Lake George, NY and found a guy that owned his own vending company.  I asked him about gutted cabs and he said that he had an arcade boneyard in his warehouse.  He then said I could come down and pick out anything I wanted.  I asked what he thought the price range would be and he shrugged and said, "$250 to $400".

My heart sank.  I thought I had hit the jackpot until he mentioned the price for an empty cab.  I still played along and set up a time to meet him.   He stood me up.  I went back a few times and never got beyond the front hallway.  They said I'd have to come back when the owner was around and they never seemed to know when he'd be around.

I'll try him again the next few weeks.  This could be a gold mine if I can get into the boneyard and get him to sell a few at a more reasonable price.

[CheffoJeffo]

Having another look at the geography (trying to assess your distances to places which I notice that seem to have free/cheap cabs farily regularly), I thought that you guy MAY want to consider buying from folks in Canada ... maybe Montreal, Kingston or Ottawa.

It's a hike, but something to maybe consider ... if you could line up a couple of machines ...

Cheers.

[paigeoliver]

FORGET ABOUT AMUSEMENT COMPANIES.

Worst possible place to get a cabinet.

Find the local collectors, track them down via ebay, rgvac, vaps, and websites. They have basements FULL of that junk, games bought for the monitor, dead games they will never fixed, minty fresh vector Space Duel cabinets with no parts on them.

The idea that an amusement company is a good place to get games MIGHT have been true in 1992 when a bunch of the arcade collecting FAQ files were written, but it simply isn't true anymore.

[AlanS17]

They say the one's man trash is another man's treasure, but operators tend to really treasure their trash. Of course they're in trying to make money. That's why they're in business to begin with. They seem to have a difficult time evaluating their own stock, sometimes. They may know what all the parts are worth, but it doesn't seem often that they know what an actual cabinet is worth. On top of that, don't be surprised if they try to totally screw you over. I'm sure there are probably a few honest ones out there, but I've had more trouble than success with them.

[alphamonster]

I have at least 4 cabs that you can have for free. I live in Rome, ny 13440, which is a couple hours from albany, but you are more than welcome to a cabinet..

Sega Outrun
generic taito (green)
generic stern
Sega space attack

eric

[AlanS17]

OH! OH! Take the Taito! Those are purdy...

[quarterback]

OH! OH! Take the Taito! Those are purdy...

Dude, I love those Taito cabs.  Especially if the retro Taito side art looks good!

[AlanS17]

I've actually got one of those exact same cabs in good condition. Just haven't had the chance to do anything with it yet.

[specfire]

What about the Toronto area? 

There is Starburst(expensive) and Toronto Coin Machine (Also called the original Pinball exchange) but all I want is an empty cab to convert and it is $200 for a beat up one at Toronto Coin Machine.

Anyone have any suggestions for me? 

(I hope this doesn't constitute highjacking this thread.)

Specfire.

[CheffoJeffo]

What about the Toronto area? 

There is Starburst(expensive) and Toronto Coin Machine (Also called the original Pinball exchange) but all I want is an empty cab to convert and it is $200 for a beat up one at Toronto Coin Machine.

If all you want is a cab, the Starburst auctions aren't too bad ... sure, there's some shilling and The Kid buys 20-40 machines every time ... but you can get a working cab for $150, and the duds typically go for less (classics excepted).

So far I have been unsuccessful in finding empty cabs on my own here -- try London -- those guys seem to horde machines and cabs. A bunch of them hang out here (along with some BYOACers):

http://www.cgcc.ca/forum/viewforum.php?f=9

Cheers.

[AlanS17]

What about the Toronto area?

[SOAPboy]

FORGET ABOUT AMUSEMENT COMPANIES.

Worst possible place to get a cabinet.

Find the local collectors, track them down via ebay, rgvac, vaps, and websites. They have basements FULL of that junk, games bought for the monitor, dead games they will never fixed, minty fresh vector Space Duel cabinets with no parts on them.

The idea that an amusement company is a good place to get games MIGHT have been true in 1992 when a bunch of the arcade collecting FAQ files were written, but it simply isn't true anymore.

Tell that to the guy i bought my Capcom bowling from for dirt cheap.. Orig CP, Marquee, Glass, Coin Door, hell EVERYTHING but the boards.. even the monitor was there.. brand new power supply.. the works..

50 bucks..  local Vending/amusment company..

[AlanS17]

Honestly? That really does sound like a fluke. It sounds like he either didn't know where to get a working board or he didn't have the space.

[CheffoJeffo]

If all you want is a cab, the Starburst auctions aren't too bad ... sure, there's some shilling and The Kid buys 20-40 machines every time ... but you can get a working cab for $150, and the duds typically go for less (classics excepted).

The Kid?

There is a guy here in Toronto who sells machines on eBay (sellerID jnk007). His father owns an office furniture company with lots of space in the warehouse for cabinets. He comes to the auctions and buys up 20-40 machines each time, driving up prices for the rest of us. He is rather young in appearance (he's in his early 20s, but looks younger), hence "The Kid".

Now, while I hate him at the auctions, he is a good eBay seller (I bought the Surf Planet machine I use for my Multi-Jamma from him for C$325 ... beautiful cabinet, working game and bright, clear monitor), although I suspect he has people shill his auctions.

I always watch his auctions as there can occasionally be great deals.

Cheers.