NBA Jam - Lowboy

[stuzza]

Used my holidays well this year to finally finish off a couple of projects.  This one was my very first mame cab I built back in 2003.  It is the third iteration of the cab now and you can see from the photos what a massive difference some custom art can make to a cab.

Here's what the machine looked like back in 2003!! I added the extended control panel not knowing what the hell I was doing. At this time no one really knew what Mame was here in Australia. LOL. Mmmmm... marble contact paper! It was all the rage back then!  Want some art, no prob, just print out random characters on photo sticker paper and stick on your cab!  Luckily my art skills have improved a bit since then.

Cab in 2003:
 

Years later I had a mate who was keen to look at arcade machines and he was handy with woodworking.  We converted the cab to a nice cleaner black gloss with chrome trim:


And now in its third life it has finally come alive!







Yes I realize the player one should really have a blue ball top but the ball tops I had for my sticks (zippys) were the wrong thread as these have a longer thread.  These are the original joysticks I bought back in 2003 and they work great so can't be bothered replacing them.

[wp34]

That artwork is a huge improvement. Very nice. 

[leapinlew]

Looks good. Did it never have a coin door? Also, the ball tops should be basketballs.

[stuzza]

Looks good. Did it never have a coin door? Also, the ball tops should be basketballs.

It had 2 coin mechs (broken) when I got it back in 2003.  I never bothered putting any on it over the years as it always ran mame setup.  I tend to only put coin mechs on my dedicated cabs.

Basketball ball tops, now theres an awesome idea!

[sealcouch]

Cutest little NBA Jam cab I've ever seen.

[Le Chuck]

It is indeed a sharp little lowboy

[processedmeat]

Also, the ball tops should be basketballs.

I second this, but very sharp nevertheless. 

BTW I don't remember playing on these lowboys growing up in the US, are they pretty common in Australia?  I feel like your neck would be sore looking down for so long.

[n3wt0n]

That artwork makes all the difference. It's a very tight cab now and I love it. Nicely done. 

[stuzza]

Also, the ball tops should be basketballs.

BTW I don't remember playing on these lowboys growing up in the US, are they pretty common in Australia?  I feel like your neck would be sore looking down for so long.

Lowboys were huge here in Australia, especially in local corner shops.  We never got the massive range of dedicated cabinets like you guys in the USA.  I think due to shipping costs etc.. it was cheaper for companies here to make their own cabinets and fit the boards from overseas.  The best thing about these is they are a small enough size to move around easily and fit through doors etc..  No problem with viewing angles, they are quite comfortable to stand at.  Bit tight for 2 player on the original metal CP, hence why I build mine out.

[mourix]

Compared with 2003, your cab went from craptastic to a piece of art I would like to own. Well done

[thedarkknight228]

Amazing job you have done.

Just one quick question.
What is the difference between your Start and Coin buttons?
What buttons would they be on a controller that you might use?

The start button would obviously be the start button but what would the coin button be?

[mourix]

What is the difference between your Start and Coin buttons?

Arcade games need to be coined up before playing, right? Unless you just want home consoles you'll want to add a coin input.

What buttons would they be on a controller that you might use?

Joystick, 4 action buttons, start, and coin per player. Some people prefer a dedicated exit and pause button too.

[efp9teen78]

Nice looking cab for a game that awesome back in the day. to bad the NBA is a joke these day bunch of fish out of water flopping makes it impossible to watch. But I am Detroit Pistons fan i.e. Bad Boys days different era of ball for sure. Id love to see how you would do turning it into  2 on 2 Open Ice dedicated cab lol

[morton]

When I lived in Australia, I thought these little cabs neat. Now I am very into them as they're so compact, yet maintain a classic look.

The control panel is great, and was my biggest holdback on a 2 player lowboy, but yours is done tastefully and looks part of the original design. Hats off to you. I only wish I could build a hockey themed cab like this... Stupid NHL 2on2... The math ruins it