Nintendo cabinet production question

eightbitwhit

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Does anyone know whether during a production run of a specific game if Nintendo would run plywoods early in the serial number range and then particle boards later in the range - meaning there is a definitive serial number 'cutoff' between plywood cabinets and particle board cabinets, or would they intermingle the production and serial number 50021 could be plywood and serial number 50022 could be particle board, and so on?

Reason I'm asking is that I'm trying to determine (from afar) whether a specific cabinet is plywood or particle board and the owner isn't able to definitely tell me one way or another and the pictures are indeterminate. I'm curious if the serial number might be any indicator, as well.

Thanks!
 
As far as I know, all the cabinets up to a certain point were all imported from Japan, and they were plywood. All the particle cabs were made in Washington state. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look at the t molding at the top back of the cabinet. If the spline is centered its ply, if the spline is offset, its particle.
 
As far as I know, all the cabinets up to a certain point were all imported from Japan, and they were plywood. All the particle cabs were made in Washington state. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look at the t molding at the top back of the cabinet. If the spline is centered its ply, if the spline is offset, its particle.

Ok, good to know. I've always wondered about a definitive way to tell. Thank you!
 
If you're able to get a glimpse inside the cabinet, I thing all the plywood cabs have black paint only going down the cab half way, where as the particle cabs have the entire inside black.
 
Also, if there is some truth to the manufacturing location (Japan vs US) you could have him look at the metal serial number tag on the back and see if it say's Made in Japan or Made in USA.
 
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