Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: cmoses on February 25, 2009, 11:40:37 am
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I see that most empty cabinets in bad condition go for around $50 or so when sold. They are usually missing some pieces or are in need of repair work. I have not seen any empty refinished cabinets for sale and curious as to what people would be willing to pay for them.
I am getting ready to sell my first cabinet that I purchased. It got me started in the hobby and was a great project, but I realized that the control panel wasn't big enough to be able to house everything that I needed. I found a larger cabinet and am almost ready to transfer my components to it, so I will be selling my original cabinet and wanted to get some thoughts on a good price for it.
The cabinet is a old Taito cabinet, it had been converted a few times and was in pretty bad shape. I removed the gray laminate that someone had covered it in. Sanded and fixed all the wood issues with the cabinet. I countersunk all the exposed bolts on the cabinet and filled them with wood filler. I built a new base to replace the rotted old one. The cabinet has been primed and painted a nice satin black. I installed new light blue T-Molding. There is a new piece of tinted monitor glass. I removed and refinished the coin mechanism and repainted it black. There is a new lock with key for the coin mechanism and for the back door. It will come with a bare control panel, 19" vertical monitor bezel and monitor mounting bracket.
Basically all ready for someone to use, just install a MAME computer and monitor or a Jamma configuration and your set.
Since I don't see many cabinets like this for sale I was wondering what most thought would be a decent price to sell it for.
Thanks
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Based on the prices of multi-game cabs i see going at auction, i would guesstimate a cab in nice shape by itself (no control panel, monitor or anything) thats had some work could probably net you $100-$200. Compare this to the $500-1000+ that clean multi-game cabs net. Not really worth the effort IMO.
In my experience, the cab prices are sadly driven by the game(s) inside it to folks who don't know. Lots of these people are just rich folks looking to put a game in their home and don't know any better. I've seen dog pile cabs go for big money just because it had a popular game in it when easily someone could buy the game by itself for a quarter of the price and put it in a cheap cab. Your best bet to make money on it is keep the MAME setup inside (or replace with a cheap popular board or setup) and sell it that way, you'll make out better in the long run.
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Crappy empty cab $15-50
Decent empty cab $50-75
Excellent condition empty cab $75-125
Those numbers are based on how I look at it. I wouldn't pay more than that. Others may differ in their opinion.
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Around $100 - $125 is about what I thought the going rate would be. So I was in the right ball park.
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How about one with a working monitor but no controls. Somewhere in the 21-25 inch range.
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I would take it off ur hands if you are coming up through Illinois sometime. ;D
For a cab in decent shape ready to drop a board or a computer in it I would drop 200-250.
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I would take it off ur hands if you are coming up through Illinois sometime. ;D
For a cab in decent shape ready to drop a board or a computer in it I would drop 200-250.
You live in Illinois?? Anywhere in south IL?
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The midwest I am 30 min from St. Louis.