Where do you find games?

tebright1

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Not sure if this has been asked on here. I am looking for some advice and wisdom from other collectors.

So i recently joined KLOV and after lurking around on here, I have been wondering how people acquire games outside of Craigslist, KLOV and Ebay. I have been reading about KLOVers who have gone one several warehouse /arcade raids and come home with a bunch of stuff. Without KLOV, I do not know how I would find parts for my restore. I would love to go to a warehouse full of arcade cabinets. I have been slowly building a list of websites / resources of where I can find parts. This includes Mikes Arcade, etc. Looking for advice on places to look for games and parts including auctions.

Thanks guys.
 
Unfortunately you are a few years late to the party on warehouse raids/cheap games/parts. While there are still deals to be had in the wild most warehouses and large caches of games/parts have been sold off since the start of Ebay. Supply is low and demand is at all time high for everything arcade related. I am one of the lucky few who has access to a large stash of games from a retired operator who is allowing me to do a 70-30 split on everything I sell. It also helps that Arkansas has less than 3 million people in the entire state. Dallas is 4-1/2 hours away and has about half the population. My only issue is shipping games and hauling to large cities like Dallas are my only options. Nowadays you will have to get lucky on finding something on Facebook or Craigslist but since there are notification apps you have to be on point. I will send you a private message of a website a lot of people don't use to look for games.
Good luck
 
this boring topic comes up every week/month/new user... sigh

u gotta dedicate 90% of all your life into this hobby if you think you can get lucky
and find the games around your area?

people are insane setting up computer scripts to email or notify them with keyword
searches on ebay, craigslist, kiijiijii, and 5 other sites i can't recall right now.

some people refresh CL every 1-5 minutes, and some people search 4-5 states across their
own state and not afraid to make that 500-1000 mile one-way journey.

it's so easy to find games, i'm already at 25 when i started this hobby just over 3-4 years ago.

and not one of my games have been over the $500 mark, but i've put in $1000s into
parts. restoration, hours, beers, blood, sweat, tears. so when i sell them all, they will
be going for around $2,000 each mark. sukkas. that's the way this works! :)

all the grandma's moving out and selling their rare $100 classic 1980's era games are
all mine, even if you're down in ohio. i will snatch it up 5-10 seconds before you hit your
refresh and have already paypal'd the seller and driving my van on the way for pickup! :)

^ all joking aside. that's really how much of this is done. having friends in the hobby helps
too, more so then you will ever think. so there ya go. i can't believe i responded to this
troll of a post, but oh well. it's fun typing out all these words endless cuz it's fun to type.
 
this boring topic comes up every week/month/new user... sigh

u gotta dedicate 90% of all your life into this hobby if you think you can get lucky
and find the games around your area?

people are insane setting up computer scripts to email or notify them with keyword
searches on ebay, craigslist, kiijiijii, and 5 other sites i can't recall right now.

some people refresh CL every 1-5 minutes, and some people search 4-5 states across their
own state and not afraid to make that 500-1000 mile one-way journey.

it's so easy to find games, i'm already at 25 when i started this hobby just over 3-4 years ago.

and not one of my games have been over the $500 mark, but i've put in $1000s into
parts. restoration, hours, beers, blood, sweat, tears. so when i sell them all, they will
be going for around $2,000 each mark. sukkas. that's the way this works! :)

all the grandma's moving out and selling their rare $100 classic 1980's era games are
all mine, even if you're down in ohio. i will snatch it up 5-10 seconds before you hit your
refresh and have already paypal'd the seller and driving my van on the way for pickup! :)

^ all joking aside. that's really how much of this is done. having friends in the hobby helps
too, more so then you will ever think. so there ya go. i can't believe i responded to this
troll of a post, but oh well. it's fun typing out all these words endless cuz it's fun to type.

I like your enthusiastic response (even if you are from Michigan... I kid). Most likely this is my last new user post. :musicus:

Thanks for the insight. I will def expand my search radius.
 
I like your enthusiastic response (even if you are from Michigan... I kid). Most likely this is my last new user post. :musicus:

Thanks for the insight. I will def expand my search radius.

most of the trades these days the kids are doing are all on facebook groups now. so much
drama. i quit facebook. it's the ass of the internet. no thanks.

also, right here on klov. but u gotta be refreshing klov every 30-60 seconds cuz when
something juicy comes up (it'll be gone within 5 minutes of the post).
 
Search for games listed without key words

I got this pacman last week Had original caps on the monitor, so thinking never routed. is ridiculously clean and a good wipe down made it look really nice.

Note the ad which was up 5 days does not say arcade or video game

I was searching Joust, Pac man, and Lair.

Bought Robot Ron, a couple of Joust and a couple of Trons all around $100 by searching specific games. Now games show up every 6 months this way but you can get them cheaper.

Good Luck.
 

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Networking is key.

Don't be afraid to mention the hobby when you meet new people. Some people might think it strange (f--- them), but a bunch will find it cool. Better yet, some will know of machines that have been in basements, garages, storerooms, etc. of friends and family and will gladly offer that information up. Found my Funhouse, Swords of Fury, and just last week my Tapper (the one I used to play on location!!) that way. Also got in to a few operator stashes like that as well. Never hurts to mention it to people.

Get to know the collectors in your area. The cool ones will give you a heads up if they see a machine they know you are looking for. The ones that become your friends will put up the money to get that machine for you and bring it to their house.

On the subject of operator hordes/stashes/warehouses, they're still out there. At least around here. Obviously not as many as there were 5/10/15/20 years ago, but some second and third generation ops are still sitting on a bunch of stock. It's out there.
 
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this boring topic comes up every week/month/new user... sigh

u gotta dedicate 90% of all your life into this hobby if you think you can get lucky
and find the games around your area?

people are insane setting up computer scripts to email or notify them with keyword
searches on ebay, craigslist, kiijiijii, and 5 other sites i can't recall right now.

some people refresh CL every 1-5 minutes, and some people search 4-5 states across their
own state and not afraid to make that 500-1000 mile one-way journey.

it's so easy to find games, i'm already at 25 when i started this hobby just over 3-4 years ago.

and not one of my games have been over the $500 mark, but i've put in $1000s into
parts. restoration, hours, beers, blood, sweat, tears. so when i sell them all, they will
be going for around $2,000 each mark. sukkas. that's the way this works! :)

all the grandma's moving out and selling their rare $100 classic 1980's era games are
all mine, even if you're down in ohio. i will snatch it up 5-10 seconds before you hit your
refresh and have already paypal'd the seller and driving my van on the way for pickup! :)

^ all joking aside. that's really how much of this is done. having friends in the hobby helps
too, more so then you will ever think. so there ya go. i can't believe i responded to this
troll of a post, but oh well. it's fun typing out all these words endless cuz it's fun to type.

Pretty long post for you calling it boring.
 
This. Befriend local collectors, they are always the best source.

This^^^ There was another guy I knew in my town collecting games also, many games that I have come across I have passed on because of price, he has bought a few of them, he is now leaving the state and I got all of his games for less than half of what he paid for them! Patience is key!
 
This^^^ There was another guy I knew in my town collecting games also, many games that I have come across I have passed on because of price, he has bought a few of them, he is now leaving the state and I got all of his games for less than half of what he paid for them! Patience is key!
That is awesome. I need to located some locals it sounds like!
 
I've found and purchased games from Craigslist, LetGo, Facebook Marketplace and KLOV. I recently purchased a Joust and Robotron because a fellow KLOV member was looking for me and tipped me off.

Networking with fellow collectors is a big advantage.

Best tip: Stay hungry and diligent. You have to be looking constantly! Every. Single. Day.

Make a short list of games you want and go after those from every source you can.

Have cash in hand ready and buy quick. If you hesitate on a deal, then it's already gone.
 
I will give you some great advice.

Finding cheap games isn't all it is cracked up to be. I do like working on games but I like playing them more. So you need to find that balance. Honestly, the best deals to be had (when everything is considered) are usually here on klov from a collector that already cleaned and fixed the damn thing. You will spend several hundred in time and materials finding some broken ass, dirty as hell, swollen POS cab, so you can say I got this for $100. pay the 500 (1000+ for rare games) take it home and play the shit out of it.

edit>>obviously this doesn't apply to klov members that buy a PoS for $50 from some Grandma that answered their "wanted" CL Ad and then try to pawn it off as a deal here for $450. Experience will show who those ass clowns are. drinking Flying Dog Raging Bitch tonight so feeling real nice!!
 
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Another thing I forgot to mention, when you find something for sale, ask if they have any other games they are thinking of getting rid of. I got my Joust from a 1000 Mile Rally CL ad.
 
As a fellow Ohio guy, I agree with the Facebook group, that is a great resource. It also depends what you're looking for and how bad/quick you want it. If you just want "games" that will be alot easier to achieve than if you want a restored Warlords cocktail or some uber rare pin, etc. If you're just looking for games in general, Facebook, CL, Let Go, and Offer Up are probably the best routes. Once you get to know some of the Ohio guys and make connections that makes life alot easier. I have a few collectors within a 15 minute radius from my house that I've met through going to look at a random game, on the FB group, and joining a pinball league. I tell them what I'm looking for, don't flake out, bring cash, and eventually they start proactively letting you know when things pop up and give you the good prices. If you're looking for "THE DEAL!!!" that's just a waiting game and a right place/right time situation. The same goes for me, I've sold games and made trades with people I've bought from in the past after knowing they're good people.
 
Games seem to find me now, its great.

I used to hunt for them and enjoyed the chase.

Now I get an e-mail or text from random people asking if I will buy their game/s.
 
most of the trades these days the kids are doing are all on facebook groups now. so much
drama. i quit facebook. it's the ass of the internet. no thanks.

You post ass-tastic things like this ----> "this boring topic comes up every week/month/new user... sigh" - but Facebook is the problem... Riiiiiggghhht.....

-
 
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