Which website is better for CPOs,side art,etc?

gutsman004

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mamemarquees.com? phoenixarcade.com? Someplace else? I'm just trying to do some pricing and comparing as I will be starting up some restoration and custom projects very soon.
 
Phoenixarcade uses silk screened product where as mamemarquees uses inkjet. If Phoenixarcade ( or for that matter quarterarcade because Anthony buys from him) always use those two. Also - don't forget about our good friend Rikitiki thisoldgame.com. His work is "just" about as good LMAO! Sorry Rikitiki just playin.
 
Ah,I see.I was leaning toward mame due to the fact that they have more of a selection,but I've been told to stay the hell away from inkjet as it will not last.I sure as hell wouldn't want to get a CPO or side art and have it be some reproed piece of crap or it look good but start fading or peeling off not long after I applied it.
 
Phoenixarcade is superb, often relying on the original films to create their reproductions. However, there is no reason to disparage mamemarquees in the process. Simply put, mamemarquees pumps out a very high quality product and has the versatility to print _anything_.

Phoenixarcade simply doesn't have everything I need. Mamemarquees filled those gaps professionally, timely and affordably. Given that the CPO overlays, bezels, marquees and underlays are all for my home arcade, they do not need to withstand the same level of abuse that they would receive on location. With their bullet proof coating, I doubt mamemarquees will be problematic at home.

Mamemarquees silk screens some of their stuff. But, those things which are done via an inkjet are stunning -- they suffer none of the problems a traditional inkjet printing shop might produce. And, again, with the clear coat on top, they feel like they'll last.

I'm a happy customer of both.
 
Well that's good to know.Your post was the kind I was hoping to get.A seemingly fair and unbiased opinion of both.Ever ordered any custom side art or anything of that nature from mamemarquees?
 
Mamemarquees does an excellent job with thier inkjet printing. If you need something that is not available in a silkscreen (This Old Game, Phoenix Arcade, Aracadeshop, Quarter Arcade, Game Stencils), don't hesitate to get it from them.

However, if the same product is available in silk screen, then definitely go that route.

1. Better quality
2. Matches the original
3. Supports the vendors doing these high quality reproductions so that they continue to do them
 
If you need something custom or something that is not currently silk-screened, here are your choices:

arcadeoverlays.com - will print anything if artwork supplied, also has a lot of artwork, I personally have had good luck with
mamemarquees.com - will print anything if artwork supplied, also has a lot of artwork, others have had great success with, seemed slow on email to me...
thisoldgame.com - most don't know, but Rikitiki will print anything if artwork supplied, very good guy, known for all his screened work, KLOV member, amazing work
gamestencils.com - Prok doesn't advertise it, but I thought he printed custom artwork on the side too, correct me if I am wrong....

I am not a big fan of the fact that arcadeoverlays and mamemarquees sell inkjet artwork of items that are screened by others (and sell them for about the same price....). Kind of shady if you ask me. Most of the screen print guys try to work together in order to not duplicate efforts.
 
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If you need something custom or something that is not currently silk-screened, here are your choices:

thisoldgame.com - most don't know, but Rikitiki will print anything if artwork supplied, very good guy, known for all his screened work, KLOV member, amazing work


I am not a big fan of the fact that arcadeoverlays and mamemarquees sell inkjet artwork of items that are screened by others (and sell them for about the same price....). Kind of shady if you ask me. Most of the screen print guys try to work together in order to not duplicate efforts.

I've already PMed him about some custom work as I've heard some rave reviews on the quality of his work. And I'm definitely looking for quality for my custom side art,CPO,etc.
Haven't heard back yet,but I'm sure I'll get a reply soon.
 
If you want inkjet work for something not available silkscreen seek out someone that prints with a solvent inkjet and can print directly on the substrate needed be it vinyl or lexan.
 
If you want inkjet work for something not available silkscreen seek out someone that prints with a solvent inkjet and can print directly on the substrate needed be it vinyl or lexan.

How easy or hard is it to resize an image should it be quite a bit smaller than the size you need it?...i.e,a regular size image off of your computer wanting it made into side art.
 
Well that's good to know.Your post was the kind I was hoping to get.A seemingly fair and unbiased opinion of both.Ever ordered any custom side art or anything of that nature from mamemarquees?

Nope. I've primarily relied on the things they already have available. However, I am vectorizing a few reproductions (Crystal Castles cocktail underlay and CPOs, Dig Dug cocktail CPO), and will post the results in the distant future. I hope to one day build a mame machine and put out some artwork for it.

I'm sorely tempted to pick up some of their Spy Hunter artwork.
 
If you need something custom or something that is not currently silk-screened, here are your choices:

I am not a big fan of the fact that arcadeoverlays and mamemarquees sell inkjet artwork of items that are screened by others (and sell them for about the same price....). Kind of shady if you ask me. Most of the screen print guys try to work together in order to not duplicate efforts.

I love tangents, and have to disagree. The more people who are capable of producing the product the better. Given that most of these businesses are run as hobbies, and are likely to cease at any given time, its nice that other are around to keep a void from forming.

The only thing I do dislike is that the artwork is not available to download in its native format.
 
The more people who are capable of producing the product the better. Given that most of these businesses are run as hobbies, and are likely to cease at any given time, its nice that other are around to keep a void from forming.

Wrong. That is exactly what puts these guys out of business. What incentive do these guys have to spend time and money to create high quality silk screened work if someone else is going to make the same thing and undercut them on price by selling an inferior product? Good for the cheapskate in the short term, but not good for the hobby in the long term as they will cease creating these.
 
Wrong. That is exactly what puts these guys out of business. What incentive do these guys have to spend time and money to create high quality silk screened work if someone else is going to make the same thing and undercut them on price by selling an inferior product? Good for the cheapskate in the short term, but not good for the hobby in the long term as they will cease creating these.

Exactly my point. There has also been issues in the past where the "inkjetters" (not necessarily the ones listed above) have bought a nice silk screened piece of artwork from Darin and then scanned it, printed it, and sold as a reproduction. That is shady.....and BS if you ask me.
 
I love tangents, and have to disagree. The more people who are capable of producing the product the better. Given that most of these businesses are run as hobbies, and are likely to cease at any given time, its nice that other are around to keep a void from forming.

The only thing I do dislike is that the artwork is not available to download in its native format.

This attitude is the one that kills repro makers honestly. IF we were talking used cars it would apply, but in a hobby like this even two people making the same thing makes it unaffordable for anyone to make it because of the stupid price war that has to ensue as a result. This is why my biggest commitment is to work hand in hand with other great repro companies and not repeat their work and I trust they in turn will treat me the same so we can all continue to exist. There are times when cheap is not the best option.
 
My,I started a heated debate! Bottom line,quality triumphs everything else IMO.I'd much rather pay more in price than cheap out and come away with some piece of crap or something that looks great but isn't durable.
 
Wrong. That is exactly what puts these guys out of business. What incentive do these guys have to spend time and money to create high quality silk screened work if someone else is going to make the same thing and undercut them on price by selling an inferior product? Good for the cheapskate in the short term, but not good for the hobby in the long term as they will cease creating these.

And this is where we fundamentally disagree. I don't think we need them to be in business for the hobby to perpetuate. The entry point to getting something printed in a professional or semi-professional level has dropped significantly and -- barring large scale disasters to society as a whole -- will only continue to do so.

I don't consider it a matter of being a cheapskate, but the hobby becoming more and more self sufficient. This is inevitable. Technology which was once relegated to the professional fields is becoming available to the semi-professional and amateur; and its a mistake to equate semi-professional and amateur as being inherently lacking in quality to the professional. This becomes especially true if the enthusiasts share in crafting and refining source material.

In short, I believe treating the artwork and reproductions like an open-source project is the only way to ensure the hobby perpetuates. These professional outfits, even without competition, invariably go out of business at some point. And when they do a gulf is created and the hobby suffers. For me, I see vastly more value in people sharing and modifying artwork files, achieving loose standards, and being able to bring those files to printing outfits. You can still color separate the artwork and silk screen them to your heart's content. But now you have choice and control. And if someone makes a business out of printing them, the hobby survives quite nicely when they stop.

And getting back to mamemarquees as -- essentially -- a printing outfit, I think the relative worth of their product is highly debatable. The difference between an inkjet print and a silk screen can, and often is, marginal at best.
 
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