Selling a custom built cabaret multicade

1971camaroguy

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Messages
265
Reaction score
5
Location
Arkansas
Disclaimer: The cab with "arcade classics" is not my photo but the others are

I had a question. I built three pacman style cabaret arcade cabinets out of 3/4" birch. I turned one into a pacman, the 2nd into a galaga tribute...both which I am keeping.

I built a third to sell locally as a multicade.

It's covered in black formica like this one and I had planned on putting in a 17" LCD and a 60-1 board with graphics like this one in the pic below.

So far I have estimated well over $300 - 330 in this project with all the parts, not including labor. Stuffs not cheap.

What could one expect to sell sell something like this one locally? Assuming the buyer isn't a "purist" and just wants something to put in a man-cave or kids room.


I'd like to make a few hundred profit for my labor in building one of these...so I would have sell for at least $500. Trying to decide if I should cut my losses or keep pushing forward on this.
 

Attachments

  • 2017-07-13 20.02.03.jpg
    2017-07-13 20.02.03.jpg
    465.9 KB · Views: 68
  • 2017-07-13 20.02.09.jpg
    2017-07-13 20.02.09.jpg
    287.5 KB · Views: 53
  • Multicade_3.jpg
    Multicade_3.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 83
That's a good looking design IMO.
$600 maybe? Hard to know your CL and what's available...have you seen what others are selling for locally?
 
Thanks

It's hard to say in my area, very few arcades ever come up.

But there are some that come up in Little Rock or Memphis TN and those folks are asking 800-1500 for used arcades and up to a grand for their multicades. Doesn't mean they are selling them though. But my town there isn't any arcades that come up too often.

I'm just afraid of dumping money into this and when I go to set my price I get a lot of "are you high" inquiries lol

If someone was willing to pay $600 for this I would be super happy...just wanted to make sure I priced fairly to hit that sweet spot for both parties.

But if I don't want to build this at a $375 material cost and end up with a $300 machine

Keep in mind I'm also not trying to start a business, this is the only and sole extra I am building.
 
Last edited:
I would think $600 for that all day long on CL to the layperson. You will probably have the best luck listing it around the Holidays, but I don't think $600 during this time of year is out of the question. I would list it for $700 OBO on CL around the Holidays, take $600 for it and ignore all of the $200 offers. My $0.02.
 
I think the Pac Cabaret is the nicest design. I just picked up my second one and have a good lead on a 3rd.
I think $600 is a fair price and shouldn't be a hard sell. Make sure you advertise the fact that it's a smaller cab and great for the home. The word cabaret doesn't mean anything to non collectors, as I always get a blank stare when I say I got a sweet pac cabaret 😐 I always have to explain that it's a smaller cab with a 13inch monitor.
I'm keeping mine with the 13inch monitors as I got a spare perfect one also and the 2 that came in my pacs have very little burn, a 17inch monitor would fit nice also and work nicely with a 60-1. I have a table top with a 19inch LCD and the 60-1 and it is nice.
I'm keeping one as a pac and one as a multi pac and if I get the 3rd not sure yet I would like galaga or some other multi board we'll see if I even get the 3rd that one isn't in my position yet.
Start at $800 then wait for offers good luck.
 
I would think $600 for that all day long on CL to the layperson. You will probably have the best luck listing it around the Holidays, but I don't think $600 during this time of year is out of the question. I would list it for $700 OBO on CL around the Holidays, take $600 for it and ignore all of the $200 offers. My $0.02.

Cool thank, makes me feel better...I thought about the holiday thing to when people seem to have more disposable money looking for a unique gift.
 
I think the Pac Cabaret is the nicest design. I just picked up my second one and have a good lead on a 3rd.
I think $600 is a fair price and shouldn't be a hard sell. Make sure you advertise the fact that it's a smaller cab and great for the home. The word cabaret doesn't mean anything to non collectors, as I always get a blank stare when I say I got a sweet pac cabaret �� I always have to explain that it's a smaller cab with a 13inch monitor.
I'm keeping mine with the 13inch monitors as I got a spare perfect one also and the 2 that came in my pacs have very little burn, a 17inch monitor would fit nice also and work nicely with a 60-1. I have a table top with a 19inch LCD and the 60-1 and it is nice.
I'm keeping one as a pac and one as a multi pac and if I get the 3rd not sure yet I would like galaga or some other multi board we'll see if I even get the 3rd that one isn't in my position yet.
Start at $800 then wait for offers good luck.

thanks, I kept the old cab and wood patterns if I ever wanted to make more of these. My favorite too.

My pacman is going to have a 13" monitor for sure.. I started with a water damaged one and transferring most of the parts on it. I'm more particular with this one.

My galaga tribute I am iffy on, if I can get the 13" monitor I planned for it working. It's doing some weird stuff and I don't want to spend a lot of time and money on it. Plus the kids wouldn't care either way when they play it if it was an lcd or tube. But I def want to try and use the 13" monitor I have first

The multicade I am selling will def have a 17" lcd, I want the least amount of issues with it since I don't want it to come back once it leaves my hands. The lcd will be less troublesome for this.
 
Last edited:
Not exactly a 'dedicated' Pac/ Ms. Pac cabaret, but my custom Ms. Pac cabaret multi only sold for $600 at a live silent auction. I really went to the nines on it too:

20795651579_44c2ea5654_c.jpg

20777453778_8b0cbe62e5_c.jpg

20970055371_316333b293_c.jpg


After all the work I put into it I was little disappointed. I estimate that I'd have to stick at least $500 into the parts if I were to build another one, so I didn't really think it was worth doing again. If I was you, I'd make a dedicated The Glob out of your extra one and keep it.
 
Not exactly a 'dedicated' Pac/ Ms. Pac cabaret, but my custom Ms. Pac cabaret multi only sold for $600 at a live silent auction. I really went to the nines on it too:

20795651579_44c2ea5654_c.jpg

20777453778_8b0cbe62e5_c.jpg

20970055371_316333b293_c.jpg


After all the work I put into it I was little disappointed. I estimate that I'd have to stick at least $500 into the parts if I were to build another one, so I didn't really think it was worth doing again. If I was you, I'd make a dedicated The Glob out of your extra one and keep it.

Wasn't this when you lived in the ghetto before imitating Mr. Jefferson?
 
I'd ask $1250 and wouldn't take less than $1000 here in NY/NJ area. Also, consider putting in a Game Elf 412 in 1 instead of the 60 in 1. In my opinion the extra 352 games are worth the extra $50 for the card. A customer perceives it as 6 times a many games. It may not sell right away at those price, but it will eventually.
 
Not exactly a 'dedicated' Pac/ Ms. Pac cabaret, but my custom Ms. Pac cabaret multi only sold for $600 at a live silent auction. I really went to the nines on it too:

20795651579_44c2ea5654_c.jpg

20777453778_8b0cbe62e5_c.jpg

20970055371_316333b293_c.jpg


After all the work I put into it I was little disappointed. I estimate that I'd have to stick at least $500 into the parts if I were to build another one, so I didn't really think it was worth doing again. If I was you, I'd make a dedicated The Glob out of your extra one and keep it.
Dynano Solitaire, eh? I've converted a couple of those to multis over the years. If you lower the shelf a larger monitor will fit. 😆

Nice looking conversion for sure!

Scott C.
 
How the hell are you building those for only $300? That's crazy cheap to me....I tried to build a basic cabaret style 60n1 for as cheap as possible and I came out at around $700....ended up selling it for $450 after sitting on it for four months....so that was the end of that.

Best of luck to you, good looking builds.
 
Cabaret multi games don't sell as well as full size uprights Weird but seems to be true. A full size midway style upright multi would sell better
 
Back
Top Bottom