Getting an Arkanoid cab... have some questions...

[aaron7]

Pics are here: http://miltonsoffice.com/arkanoid/

I'm getting it for $150. Now, he told me it needs a 'cap kit' and the game board itself. Where can I get these items? Are they easy to install?

Anyone have experience with this particular cab? Is it worth the $150 asking price?

[FABombjoy]

I don't know about anybody else here, but I wouldn't pay $150 for that thing. No boards, burned/shot monitor, nasty looking converted Super Zaxxon cab.

Cap kits run $10-20 dollars and require some experience with soldering and monitors. They can be had from Bob Roberts and places like Zanen Electronics.

[Arcade Antics]

I don't know about anybody else here, but I wouldn't pay $150 for that thing. No boards, burned/shot monitor, nasty looking converted Super Zaxxon cab.
Seconded. Save your $$ and wait for a reasonable deal.

[aaron7]

Oh, it's not an original Arkanoid cab? Hmm.. this changes things.

What would it be worth?

[ClubNinja]

Being a local guy, let me fill you in on some info. That guy has been trying to sell that cab through various means for like, I'm not sure, a long time. Really, it's junk. It isn't worth anywhere near $150.

Most Arkanoid games were just conversion kits anyway, so an "original" could really be anything. That said, this guy's said that the cab used to be a Super Zaxxon cabaret. It also used to include an Arkanoid game board when he was selling it in the spring.

Do yourself a favor - save the money.

[aaron7]

Sigh. Guess I'll never find a good Arkanoid for my game room!

[wfg97079]

Hi,
Im the one selling it, what do you think is a fair offer?
Im not trying to rip anyone off

[ClubNinja]

As soon as I posted, I saw this coming. Welcome to the forum then? I don't mean to imply that you're "trying" to "rip" anyone off - if that's how it seems, then let me clarify.

You've been trying to sell this cab for months now. I've seen it on craigslist, on the BYOAC forum, etc. I remember seeing it for $300, now this poster says he was going to pay $150 for it. Here's the thing. This cab hasn't sold because it's in rough shape. It's blue, it's been converted, and it's gashed up looking on one side. In your BYOAC post from May, you said that the monitor didn't come up at all. This poster says it just needs a cap kit. Either way, the monitor isn't crisp and clear. It needs work. Finally, apparently the game PCB is no longer included with it? OK. So you've got a beat up old cab with an Arkanoid marquee and spinner on it, a monitor that needs work done to it at best (and has burn-in that can be seen from here), and no game in it. I'd say it's worth 50 bucks, and mostly for the marquee and spinner control.

I don't mean to cut you down, I'm simply trying to be honest with you and this buyer. I've never sold a beat up cab with a faulty monitor for more than $50. I don't think what you're selling is worth any more than that.

Now, if you had a working Arkanoid board in there, then you might be talking a little more. Still, there are more desirable cabs out there for $150-300. I apologize that it was broken to you the hard way. I didn't mean to suggest you were trying to take advantage of anyone.

[aaron7]

Nor did I mean to incinuate that! The seller has been more than kind to supply pictures and he isn't trying to hide anything! I simply asked here as I had no idea what it was worth and what it would take to get me up to a good playable Arkanoid!

[wfg97079]

Im not offended at all guys, believe me. I know how it is, I just wanted to make sure you knew im not out to mislead.
I guess I made the rookie mistake, I bought it without a board for $175 last summer without the board or harness (which it does now include). bought a board and harness got it working, then the monitor starting acting up, I was told by a few people what it needed was a cap kit. (lost its red, didnt light up when it was cold)
I had intended to clean and paint the game and get the monitor fixed but it just isnt going to happen so Ive been trying to sell it. I knew later that it wasnt worth what I paid but I dont feel like its very far from being a complete and decent game. I mean isnt the controller alone worth more than $50? I know sometimes games arent worth the sum of their parts, Id just hate to start gutting this thing and selling parts when its close to a complete game.

If anyone is interested in it or any of its parts please let me know, I could use the cash. Its a pretty rare cab, its kinda to bad it ever got converted.

[Arcade Antics]

I guess I made the rookie mistake, I bought it without a board for $175 last summer without the board or harness (which it does now include). bought a board and harness got it working, then the monitor starting acting up, I was told by a few people what it needed was a cap kit. (lost its red, didnt light up when it was cold)
Yup. Cap kit will work wonders, but it might still need some tweaking after that. First order of business is definitely a cap kit.


I had intended to clean and paint the game and get the monitor fixed but it just isnt going to happen so Ive been trying to sell it. I knew later that it wasnt worth what I paid but I dont feel like its very far from being a complete and decent game. I mean isnt the controller alone worth more than $50?
Given the condition of everything else, I'd have to guess "no way." A brand new spinner can be purchased for $50.


I know sometimes games arent worth the sum of their parts, Id just hate to start gutting this thing and selling parts when its close to a complete game.
Best course of action is to either sell the entire thing for $50 or less, or just give it away and chalk the whole thing up to experience. If it isn't worth your time, it's probably not worth the time to a lot of gamers. One problem you're facing is that the cab isn't particularly desirable to begin with, even if it was in better shape. (Exception: if it was still a dedicated SZ with most of the original parts.)

A lot of gamers who are into coin ops only have "so much" space for their games. If Gamer X only has room for one machine, he or she will probably pass on this one, even if it's free, unless they have a lot of technical know how, tools, time, and money to restore it.

One last thought, you're already here browsing the forums... why not restore it yourself? You've already invested some time and money, you could still fix 'er up and learn a lot in the process. There are tons of extremely knowledgable and very helpful members here that can walk you through the process! :)

[DogP]

I'd say it's worth maybe $50, really nice completely working Arkanoids barely sell for $200. I dunno why, it's a great game, but I guess since they were all conversions, none of them really have that "official" feel to them. Cap kits are easy enough to install, but even after that, it might not be fixed... a lot of times the tube needs to be rejuvenated, sometimes the tube is bad and it can't be rejuvenated, and if you were totally missing red, that could be a bad red gun (repairable or not), or a blown red transistor on the neckboard.

DogP

[wfg97079]

What about $75
Anyone wnat it at that price?

[Flack]

If you are just trying to get out from under it and recoup your losses, here's what I'd do.

Sell the monitor separately, get $10-$20, or use it as one to practice fixing.

Sell the controller, marquee, harness and PCB as a package on eBay.

Sell the cabinet as a Super Zaxxon cab, ready for restoration ("or great for a MAME project" -- that's what every empty cab ad says).

[chadtower]

Flack's advice is solid. That spinner is a real PITA to get off the CP without damaging, though. That's from experience.