Looking for a Canadian Companies that sell Arcade Parts for MAME

[Belrain]

Hi All,

   I have been searching around and have only found like 1 maybe 2 arcade stores up here in Canada on the web. Just wondering if anyone else has some stores they know of. The closer to the east coast the better, I am on the far east coast. Also if I order something from the USA will I get nailed at the border for duty and whatever when the package comes across in the mail?

Belrain

[ShoLouie]

I also had the same issue, i'm from St. John's and its nearly impossible to even get an old cabinet to use let alone parts for a new build which i'm doing.

I would say your best bet would be to buy from ggg and send them over the border.  I haven't received my order yet so i wouldn't be able to tell you about the customs and taxes associated with it.  I was talking to CBSA( Canadian border services agency) and they told me they would no customs fees or duties but only taxes  associated with my $300 purchase.  Hope they didn't lie .

Hope that helps you out a little.

[jan25th]

I have had good results, no duty charges, on a couple of orders from ultimarc and should be even better now if you go to the buy-sell forum and order from divemaster or ponyboy. Just stay away from UPS if you can, they rape you with customs charges, I have had the best shipping experiences using good ol' USPS and Canada Post.

[CheffoJeffo]

First, and most importantly, Belrain -- where are you located, exactly ? Next, most likely you will be nailed for duty (not so much) and taxes (GST, anyway).

As far as Happ stuff goes, Starburst (now known as Playdium) is the official distributor for Happ in Canada. You can disregard the online catalog as they provide most of what Happ has, even if it isn't shown in the catalog.

If you want to choose between Groovy Game Gear and Ultimarc, make your choice based on technical specifications -- I order from Ultimarc fairly regularly and there really isn't any penalty for ordering from the UK over ordering from the USA. In fact, I prefer to order from Ultimarc -- shipping is lightening fast (faster than when I order stuff from the USA) and I never get dinged for excessive brokerage charges.

jan25th is right with respect to UPS (and, say, Fedex ground) ... bad brokerage charges (taxes and duty should be independent of the carrier).

If you are looking for specific things, or perhaps just a cabinet to plant a PC in for MAME, check the forums at cgcc.ca (Coin-Op Corner) or maaca.org.

Both sites have members in the East end of the country and a number of members may have the stuff that you are looking for (they may not want to sell it, but it doesn't hurt to ask).

Here is a must-read guide for folks looking to import coin-op-related stuff into Canada:

http://www.cgcc.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7594&sid=8a8afefbc24b3c1652e717e87e355041

I am a big fan of USPS/Canada Post for shipping stuff -- relatively fast and very fair brokerage fees.

 

EDIT: It is not uncommon to receive an invoice for brokerage fees/duty/taxes several months after the order actually arrives (I got a bill for a monitor 14 months after I received the monitor), so be careful believing folks who say that they didn't get dinged ... although that does happen.

EDIT2: In case it sounds like I am saying to avoid ponyboy or divemaster, that is not the case. Just check with SB first -- for some items, they are better on price and for some they are not, particularly when you factor in shipping. I have had folks ask me to pick up an order from SB (the old location was about 16 blocks from my house) and then ship it from there.

[Ginsu Victim]

I prefer to order from Ultimarc -- shipping is lightening fast (faster than when I order stuff from the USA

I agree with this wholeheartedly (though I'm in the US, I doubt it's any different for Canada). See the shipping section of my review:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=82468.0

[RayB]

The quick answer is, there's no real options in Canada.

Just make sure to order from places that do not ship via UPS or FedEx.

Taxes and brokerage fees are just par for the course with ordering from outside Canada, though you don't get charged anything if the item is worth less than $20.

[Belrain]

Thanks all for replying...

I am building the cabinet myself, I just need the joysticks, buttons, and and I-PAC 4. Which leads me to the next question? I plan on building a 4 player control panel, the only one I see that can handle it is the I-PAC 4, on the other sites I see them with there style of interfaces but none of them seem to handle enough to allow 4 players. Do you combine 2 of them or something, and if I get and I-PAC I would have to order from just one company.

[ShoLouie]

What i'm doing is using a GP-Wiz40 MAX USB Controls Input Interface with a LED-Wiz+GP™ 16 Output + 16 Input, Output and Gaming Controller to give a total of 56 inputs for my panel plus gives me 16 out puts to work with.  I was thinking about using an ipac4 for my build but i opted to go with GGG and get a sweet trackball as well  .

[Hoopz]

Thanks all for replying...

I am building the cabinet myself, I just need the joysticks, buttons, and and I-PAC 4. Which leads me to the next question? I plan on building a 4 player control panel, the only one I see that can handle it is the I-PAC 4, on the other sites I see them with there style of interfaces but none of them seem to handle enough to allow 4 players. Do you combine 2 of them or something, and if I get and I-PAC I would have to order from just one company.

Check with Divemaster127 in B/S/T.  I can't recall but I think he ships with USPS.  I don't know how that affects the situation going to Canada (i.e. additional fees), but he is a reseller of Ultimarc products.

Andy ships via DHL but, again, I am not sure how fees affect that.  I can't imagine it would be different for DHL than for UPS or FedEx, but I'll defer to someone else for that answer.

[CheffoJeffo]

Check with Divemaster127 in B/S/T.  I can't recall but I think he ships with USPS.  I don't know how that affects the situation going to Canada (i.e. additional fees), but he is a reseller of Ultimarc products.

USPS is good -- they hand off to Canada Post, who charges $5 as their brokerage fee.

Andy ships via DHL but, again, I am not sure how fees affect that.  I can't imagine it would be different for DHL than for UPS or FedEx, but I'll defer to someone else for that answer.

DHL was good last time I used them -- their brokerage fee wasn't $5, but it also wasn't $50+, which I have had from UPS before. They also sometimes forget to bill you for duties and taxes.

[Hoopz]

They also sometimes forget to bill you for duties and taxes.

Always a good business practice.... Helps keep shareholders happy.  At least the recipient doesn't mind.   

[Ginsu Victim]

I haven't been happy with USPS ever since one their postal workers stole my marquee from Emdkay somewhere around Memphis (someone else in my state had their marquee stolen as well during the same shipment). Luckily Brent replaced it free of charge and shipped it Fedex instead.

So far, DHL impresses me most. I guess they are still pretty new and have something to prove. Great tracking and super fast shipping.

[CheffoJeffo]

So far, DHL impresses me most. I guess they are still pretty new and have something to prove.

Agreed with everything except the new part -- I was using DHL when I was in university and that was a LONG time ago.

[Protoplazm]

I'm also in Canada (St. John's) and am preparing to build my first cab.

I ordered all my control panel parts from Divemaster a few days ago, and shipping was relatively cheap. I'll have to report back soon on speed and possible customs charges.

[Ginsu Victim]

So far, DHL impresses me most. I guess they are still pretty new and have something to prove.

Agreed with everything except the new part -- I was using DHL when I was in university and that was a LONG time ago.

Ah....I just looked at their site and I understand my mistake. Though they've been around for 35 years, they weren't in my area until 2003 when they bought out Airborne Express.

[ShoLouie]

Wow, another builder in my neck of the woods, you definitely have to post when you receive your parts and what torture they were to get here, haha

[mattnb]

I'm in Moncton NB

I got two 360s from Andy which worked out very well
Buttons and joysticks and interfaces from GGG which was awesome as well
Used trackball on ebay
Tmolding from Tmolding.com

It wasn't too hard or expensive I found.

[Avrus]

What i'm doing is using a GP-Wiz40 MAX USB Controls Input Interface with a LED-Wiz+GP™ 16 Output + 16 Input, Output and Gaming Controller to give a total of 56 inputs for my panel plus gives me 16 out puts to work with.  I was thinking about using an ipac4 for my build but i opted to go with GGG and get a sweet trackball as well  .

Mini-PAC also which can come with an optional harness.  If you want to read my Canadian experience building a cab check out my project site:

http://avrus.blogspot.com/

I also have some supplier links there that I used and recommend.

My advice would mirror much of the advice here.  Ultimarc is great to deal with, as is Starburst.  Avoid UPS like the plague (no exceptions). 

[Belrain]

Yeah I am in Halifax, NS

I have been researching this for a bit now and have my plans laid out on paper for what my cabinet is going to look like, just refining it. I have looked over the websites of where to buy so figured I would see what other people have experienced with ordering these things.

Plus I will have to speak to Divemaster and get a quote.

I was looking at his items, and I should ask this to see what ppl think. I was thinking of getting the Super 4/8 way joysticks so I can switch them back and forth for games. Is this really needed or should I just go with the 8 way ones, will I have no prob playing DK or Pacman with a 8 way, or will it give me grief if I move the controller diagonal?

Belrain

[mattnb]

I was having the same debate with myself and then I said "what the hell, you only live once" and dropped $120 on the Ultimarc 360s. Worth every penny.

[Ginsu Victim]

Definitely worth it. I spent $160 on two U360s with medium springs, circular restrictors, and a wire harness. Next to my Minipac order, some of the best money I've spent in a while.