Big Red MVS Owners - Please Read

[Briggs]

I have a unique opportunity for you.

One of the hardest things to find for your cabinet is a good control panel overlay. Any NOS overlays are non existent, and the current crop of inkjet overlays are sub par in quality.

So...

I made a contact at a very high quality screenprint shop this week that specializes in restoring 1950's pinball backglass and their quality is phenomenal. I spoke with the owner and discussed the possibility of silkscreening new control panels for the big red cabinets and I think we can make this happen. For what it is worth, I have over 20 years in the printing industry and understand what it is going to take to make this a success.

The main difference between what I am suggesting and the currently available ones is that this would be second surface silkscreened - the inks are under the polycarbonate. The LED opening would be just like the original - polycarbonate with a silkscreen pass of red ink. No inkjet dots to be seen anywhere. They also have an i-Cut robotic XY cutter which means that all the button and joystick holes would be cut out as well as the mounting bolt holes.

For this process I would actually send them my whole metal control panel and overlay to ensure that the measurements would be exact and the fit would be perfect. Blaine has agreed to do the vector work from my original panel as he is by far the most talented man I have ever met with the pen tool.

My expectation is that these control panels will be virtually indistinguishable from the originals.

The questions at this point are:

How many people would be interested?

and

What is an acceptable price point?

My plan is to start with the straight BCD button red, black and white panel that will fit the 2 slot and 4 slot US Big Red cabinets as that is the one in the shortest supply. If all goes well, maybe we will look at the gold or one of the other setups.

So, please respond in this thread with your interest and what you would be willing to pay for one as well as any questions you might have.

Thanks,

Briggs

 

[ilazul]

You'll probably get a good bit of support, unfortuately for me, the only big reds I own are six slot machines.

 

[topher]

I'm interested in at least 1 possibly 2. A good price point for me would be <40$ each but I am flexible on that as small runs on things like this generally = $$$..

 

[lithy]

Wow Briggs, cool project.

I got completely lucky back in the day when I had my 4 slot and found an unused CPO on eBay for 30 some bucks. I don't think I've ever seen another one pop up in anywhere near as good of shape.

 

[Crim]

I need to buy one, so depending on final pricing, I'd be down.

 

[Ruell]

If it's cheap then yeah sure. $20 would probably be good In my opinion. Anymore probably wouldn't be worth it. I've seen originals for around that on the bay. I think more people would be interested in the more rare versions such as the gold, mini, or 6 slot.

 

[TheBakachan]

I'd be interested in at least one at the moment.

I scored a rather beat metal CP section from a gold cab on ebay, and I'm going to get it sandblasted and repainted. For now, it'll be an awesome 2-player desktop controller for a consolized MVS I'm building. Though I hope to scratchbuild a shiny new MVS-2-25 around it at some point.

I was looking for CPOs to replace the gold one (which has seen far better days) but couldn't find any that had proper accomodations for the coin counter displays, and most of them are adhesive-backed too.

Getting a run of them professionally printed with those kinds of details in mind sounds like a great idea. I'd also have to agree that $20-$40 would be a good target price. (Preferrably $20-30 though!)

 

[chris1]

Awesome opportunity!!!!!!!

 

[fenikso]

I love this idea. In the under $50 dollar range would be best for me.

Also: A high quality reprint run of the headphone jack/memory card port sticker for my four slot cab would probably land you in my will.

I have a broken four slot cab in my middle room that I bought years ago with the intention of restoring it. This may be the thing I need to finally kick my lazy ass into gear on that project.

 

[Briggs]

I can say with some certainty that $45 will probably be the absolute minimum that you would be looking at for price, plus shipping.

 

[Briggs]

If it's cheap then yeah sure. $20 would probably be good In my opinion. Anymore probably wouldn't be worth it. I've seen originals for around that on the bay. I think more people would be interested in the more rare versions such as the gold, mini, or 6 slot.

I guarantee that you have never seen an original of this model in good condition for $20 on eBay.

 

[Briggs]

Just for reference:

http://www.arcadeoverlays.com/Store...temdetail.aspx?sfid=17232&c=383928&i=11008377

http://www.arcadeoverlays.com/store...d.aspx?sfid=17232&i=14764759&mpid=3943&dfid=1

Two basic vinyl overlays with no holes cut out, both for $30+

http://www.quarterarcade.com/Game.aspx/3631

One NOS conversion overlay for $50

 

[Angel]

well,

depending what your supplier charges for a setup, we bill $36 net for our setups, you could spread that between everybody that wants one to reduce some cost. Once you have the screens made, there's no reason for them to bill you for a setup for each order.

Now, will you be billed a run charge for each different color? that woud also factor into the price as that would need billed into the cost of the piece.

I am very familiar with screen printing and pricing so I'm not going to suggest a price. I don't know the cost of the material used as I don't deal with those materials. If you took pre-orders, found out how many people would order, split the cost of the setup between those people, I really can't see the thing costing more than $30, but that's just my guess, I seriously doubt the cost for material would be much more than $25, but again, I could be wrong.

With that bein said, yes I would more than likely be interested in one, I have a v3 big red 4 slot.

 

[payment_due]

I'd definitely be interested! 2 Slotter here!

 

[lithy]

I'd definitely be interested! 2 Slotter here!

Keep in mind the button layout may not be the same.

All four slots use a CPO where

.BCD
A

While one and two slots use more of an arch through all the buttons, something like.

.....D
...C
.B
A

Its hard to describe but if you see pictures you should be able to see the difference.

 

[payment_due]

I know what you mean, but I think the 2 slots have the straight BCD panel. I think only the 1 slot machines have the arching pattern. HardMVS has the same info.

check it out:

 

[chris1]

Note:

The CP layout is different on my two slot and 4 slot..it's also different on the 2 slot neo gold/woody..

I have a spare used CP overlay that I bought on ebay for the 4 slot.(sold for 4 slot).but when I went to put it on it didn't line up..I didn't have the 2 slot big red then so I've yet to see if it fits that(if I could figure out where I put the overlay)

Notice the R,Y,G,B are "lower" on the CP on the 2 slot then on the 4 slot..

 

[topher]

I can say with some certainty that $45 will probably be the absolute minimum that you would be looking at for price, plus shipping.

Alright, anything around that price range is fair (higher or lower) put me down for 2. The chance to score brand spanking new CPO's is just to hard to pass up. Come on people, stop being cheap -- high quality arcade repro stuff is not cheap. If you want it for 20 dollars, you might as well print it out yourself on cardstock and throw a piece of plexi over it. This is going to be pre-cut and high quality.

 

[payment_due]

well I'll be damned.... I think someone mutated my 2Slot! Check it out:

Here's a closeup of the cp front end: Notice it has the 2slot memory/audo plate, but it looks like it's got something else, a plate above it. I'm not sure what that might be used for. Maybe the 4slot version? Could it be that someone put a 4slot CP on a 2Slot? Is that even possible?

Here is the button layout. Whoever did work on it before swapped buttons B and C (they work correctly though)

 

[TheBakachan]

I'd pay any reasonable price for one, but the higher the price, the longer it'll take to scrape the money together...unless I want to eat ramen for a week, which I am not totally opposed to. (I could always use more cart storage!)

Speaking of Headphone/Memory plates, I'd be in the market for one of those for my 2-slot project too.

 

[terry.330]

I think the $45 price point is fair.

I'm in for one to put on my 4 slot if this project gets going.

 

[EVIL NICK]

I would be interested in 1 or 2 as well.

 

[Cut Chemist]

I have been interested in a high quality overlay for my 4 slot for a few years now, so I could definitely get behind this.

 

[jtslade]

sounds perfect, I'll order one!

I am in need of a control panel overlay for a MVS-4-25 close button set. [update] Maybe mine was a MVS-2-25 version 1 ???? since it has the close button set. Is there any way to know from just looking at a cabinet???

a reproduction that is the exact same as the originals would be very worth $45!

Just please ship to military APO !!

 

[Briggs]

The first one won't be for that layout sorry... but we will see how it goes.