Galaga dilemma Which to sell

TonyH

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I just picked up a early production run galaga. Very nice unrestored condition in a rare particle board cab. Kinda cool how the board cage, power supply is located and look different. The one I have in the arcade is a super nice mdf traditional galaga. So the question is do you keep the early production one for the oddity factor which is close but not quite as nice. Or stay with old faithful. One has to go. Thanks Tony
 
Do I have an early Galaga, too?

I have a Galaga that I suspect is an early production run as well. How can I be sure? I am hoping you could post images of your machine, so I can compare. Are the serial numbers on Galaga cabinets just in sequential order? My cabinet is marked as number 23465, but the board number is AO84-91404-B508, which I gather is very early. Everything appears original, including all labels, etc. it doesn't look like anything has been altered. I'm trying to understand exactly what I have here. I will post some images of my machine, so maybe someone will be able to tell.
 
I have a Galaga that I suspect is an early production run as well. How can I be sure? I am hoping you could post images of your machine, so I can compare. Are the serial numbers on Galaga cabinets just in sequential order? My cabinet is marked as number 23465, but the board number is AO84-91404-B508, which I gather is very early. Everything appears original, including all labels, etc. it doesn't look like anything has been altered. I'm trying to understand exactly what I have here. I will post some images of my machine, so maybe someone will be able to tell.

Mine is 24120 which isn't super low. But low enough to be particle board instead of mdf. The power supply board is a midway medium supply instead of the smaller one. The board set is in a totally different cage also located differently. The exterior looks the same. I don't have them side by side but all the art looks the same. I was going to keep it more from a novelty of having a actual wood cabinet. With matching serial numbers.
 
I just got myself a Galaga to fix up. Mine in number 7637. I don't now if that is low but the monitor sticker says May 1982 and the transformer is stamped 4/17/82 on top. I currently have it apart to fix some water damage. Here is the empty cabinet that shows were the AC power board and PCB rack was. I can also tack pics of the parts out of the cab. as well if that helps.
 
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My serial # is very low -- in the 800's -- and it's nearly an all-plywood cabinet, much like a Pac-Man / Ms Pac. Only particle board is the cross pieces (top, speaker, bottom) -- the sides, back and a couple other parts are all plywood.

I also have a Galaga mini in the 700's for serial number. I really don't need to keep both but don't want to get rid of a plywood full size Galaga, so just have to keep it for that reason.
 
Unless I am mistaken, both Galaga's should be particle board. The early production models were white and were basically Bosconian conversions. Yes, they are rare. But only because Bosconian was such a flop. Hindsight being 20/20, I think gamers these days acknowledge that Bosconian was a "Good" game. When Galaga changed to the standard black cab, it was also particle board, but its the one that everyone recognizes. If you have a plywood cab, I would venture that it was a factory Ms Pac conversion as both games were built in '82...Although, I"ve never seen a factory conversion like this. Other differnences between the white and black Galagas is the plastic cover on the back door for the monitor neck. It was added since the Bosconian was Hor and Galaga was Vert. again....unless I am mistaken.

Personally, If I had a white Galaga, I'd convert it back to bosconian if at all possible. A rom swap and a couple additions to the PCB. I think Bosconian used a speach chip and maybe some extra ram. IIRC
 
My plywood Galaga is something like serial # 840.

It is a combination of a Pac-Man with the profile of a Ms.Pac:

- There is a shelf and square box built to hold a Pac-Man style coin bucket. Not a metal frame and front carriage bolts holding the newer taller bucket like Ms.Pac and later

- The side profile is an exact match to my plywood Ms.Pac right next to it.

- It is not white, and no evidence of it being white in the past, appears to have the original paint on it

- It is not shallower than the Ms.Pacman as Bosconians are and no bump out for the rotated monitor depth difference that would be needed. (Bosco's are 28" deep, Galaga, including mine, is 34")

- There are no other stickers under the existing ones indicating Bosconian


There are other reports of solid plywood Galagas online.. in the serial # 200 range as well and I believe Mike Doyle has a solid plywood Galaga too.
 
FWIW, here is a pic of the Bosconian Galaga:

galaga-white-ls.jpg


Same as a Bosconian with different art. And like the guy said, its more shallow so it needs the plastic cutout thing. I believe this was a particle board cab. BUT at the same time, most Ms Pacs, and Pacs were plywood for whatever the reason. Not sure why early model Galagas would be plywood, but if I had a dedicated one, I wouldn't get rid of it easily. And if I had a white one, I'd try to make it a Bosconian. Galaga and Ms Pac have the same designed cab (I believe) and maybe they were using the same supply until they found a cheaper producer. Galaga did use a 2 board stack, maybe the particle board cab offset the price of the extra electronics. You never know.
 
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