restored vs. original

smoke1

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If you restore a dedicated arcade does it lose value, compared to leaving the cab in decent original condition.
 
There seems to be more latitude with arcade games than say fine antiques. The saying goes, "it's only original once", and I think we haven't seen widespread scrunity of restorations (yet).

There isn't exactly an Antiques Roadshow of arcade games instructing the public in opinions of good vs bad, right now it's up to the owner as to what they like.

Would I rather have a mint original, absolutely. Would I keep a blown out water damaged game original just because it was? Not very likely. Patina is one thing, deterioration is totally different.
 
IMO the beauty of these games is that they CAN be restored, and it's kind of hard to use anything cheap in substitute because it is immediately noticeable (ie throwing MAME stuff in something and trying to pawn it off as original).

I think as long as people make an honest effort on the outside of the cab, and keep the innards as close to original specs as possible, these machines will hold their value for quite some time.
 
if value is the focus of your games, you are investing poorly :)
 
if value is the focus of your games, you are investing poorly :)

And to further things a bit more: If there is absolutely anything that has been done to this game(cap kit, light bulb change, switching power supply, new t-molding,a cut harness or any mod whatsoever) it's not original so do whatever you want with it. The term "all original" means nothing more to me than a filthy old video game that needs restoration. Also, the term "all original" in a video game doesn't carry much weight when compared to something like a classic car. People didn't(not even private parties) treated these things like show pieces, and i can't think of anybody that's ever claimed to have spent the weekend detailing their video game to maintain that factory fresh look. These games were built to make money people!
 
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if value is the focus of your games, you are investing poorly :)

exactly!!! i have mine cause they are the games i loved playing as a kid and are the foundation machines to what has led me to play and still play video games of today and yesterday!!! If they are worth something later, good. If not, ohh well, im not selling them in my life time. As for my child selling them? who knows!!!
 
I mainly agree with what's already been said.

But, I must admit, I do like seeing an original monitor in a game for nostalgia purposes. There's something cool (to me) about seeing the same glow, more or less, that someone was looking at in 1982 in some bar or arcade...
 
I mainly agree with what's already been said.

But, I must admit, I do like seeing an original monitor in a game for nostalgia purposes. There's something cool (to me) about seeing the same glow, more or less, that someone was looking at in 1982 in some bar or arcade...

Absolutely. LCD replacements are not going to cut it for me, ever.
 
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