Upgrading from Defender to Stargate...worth it?

TheDrewster

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So I am currently talking with a local about buying a Stargate. Seeing as how I already have a Defender, I am unsure. I have only played Stargate once or twice at an arcade in Lake Tahoe. Seems like a nice improvement over Defender.

I offered $300 for the Stargate and he declined, so I bumped up to $400 only because it has an excellent cabinet and artwork and he seems like a nice guy. The monitor is apparently DOA and it has a Willis overlay. I have a spare monitor I can toss in the game, so that isn't a huge issue for me. I am currently awaiting a response from the seller on my $400 offer. But my question is, is it worth $400 for a nice Stargate? Is it worth the effort to upgrade from my current Defender?
 
Keep them both. Defender has a beautiful cabinet that is second to none. You gotta keep it. Stargate has some new features making it a bit harder and more fun than defender. Price seems fair. Replace the overlay. Can't stand the Willis stuff
 
If you think defender is too easy, get stargate. Personally, I only have stargate. I am no good at either game, but I respect it.

Your defender is worth more(like +$100). I think the defender cab looks better(especially if it has the chrome door). The advantages stargate has is it has a better PCB hardware and some have a real glass monitor bezel. Defender bezel is plexi and its usually messed up.

If space is an issue, you could always go jrok set it to play just those 2 games.

$400 is way too much to pay for willis overlay and doa monitor. Its probably a g07, so its a $50 fix. But the overlay is a deal breaker. I would say $200-$300 max. Tell him its $100-$125 to fix the monitor (it would be that if you did not do the work yourself).
 
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I love Stargate!

Challenging! Addictive! ...and I totally suck at it!

According to the price guide:
http://www.arcade-classics.com/exidy_arcade_price_guide.html

I think your original offer of $300 might have been spot on if the cabinet is in great condition.

The fact that the monitor does not work (it could be more than just caps, think flyback as well - you don't know until you get into it...) and you also need to get a new overlay, $300 would be max that I'd offer on it because at this point you're spending money to repair anyhow.

I would also test the boardset before purchasing and make sure that it boots to "0" - if it gives a 1-3-1 error on boot, you have other problems! I wouldn't fork over that much money for the Stargate until I knew for a fact that you have a working boardset.

Heck, if nothing works - "it may just be a fuse"

Good luck!

Post pics if you bring it home!
 
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Welp, the seller still hasnt returned any emails or text messages, I am assuming he thinks he has gold. Oh well, I would rather find a converted one to restore. :)
 
If you are going to restore a converted one then you might as well work up a Multiwilliams instead. Cost is probably actually a little less than restoring a converted one.
 
There is a newly restored defender about five or six hours away and the seller is asking 900. I think your seller is being fairly reasonable. Yes I am in Canada but defenders are rarely seen in my neck of the woods.
 
So I am currently talking with a local about buying a Stargate. Seeing as how I already have a Defender, I am unsure. I have only played Stargate once or twice at an arcade in Lake Tahoe. Seems like a nice improvement over Defender.

I offered $300 for the Stargate and he declined, so I bumped up to $400 only because it has an excellent cabinet and artwork and he seems like a nice guy. The monitor is apparently DOA and it has a Willis overlay. I have a spare monitor I can toss in the game, so that isn't a huge issue for me. I am currently awaiting a response from the seller on my $400 offer. But my question is, is it worth $400 for a nice Stargate? Is it worth the effort to upgrade from my current Defender?

I love Stargate and I miss the one I used to have but $400 with a dead monitor. It would have to be made of gold for that kind of money.
 
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