Cocktail Table Recommendations

[Jango]

Hi there
I would really like to purchase a good quality Cocktail Table and would like to obtain some advice from others who have them or who have purchased same etc. I DO NOT want a heap of crap Chinese table that houses a PC with MAME. Basically, I want something that is 99% faithful to the originals (style and performance) I played as a kid.

My preference is either of the following:

* An original 1970's - 80's Hankin OR Taito cocktail cabinet in very good condition running a PCB or 60 in 1 board. I am leaning slightly towards a Hankin due to the better ergonomic positioning of the control panel. The Taito's are not that great for tallish adults

OR

* A high quality Hankin reproduction table running a 60 in 1 or better (slightly more games but not 1000's of games) board.

I was directed to the cocktails at Gamemasters (see below) as being very good, but the cost appears quite high at $2350!!

http://www.gamemasters.com.au/Arcade%20Table%20Top.htm

I do not mind paying for quality though, but as I have no knowledge around going rates, build quality etc, I just want to know what the story is and garnish other peoples thoughts and experiences

I also saw this mob on Ebay who manufacture Hankin copies. They look quite good and are 1/2 the price of the others

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/JAMMA-MAM...item20c274c03d

If anyone knows the answer to this, I would really like to know the difference between a Gamemaster Hankin copy vs a Gameroom Essentials Hankin copy as there's a $1000 cost difference there. I guess I just need to know why the big cost difference?

Sooo - it would be greatly appreciated if I could obtain advice from you guys around what the best options are and opinions on great sellers etc. Alternatively, if anyone has an original cocktail for sale, please contact me.


I'd also like some information on what the best all in one boards are. 60 in 1 boards do not have all my favourites, so are there 128 in 1's etc and are there any disadvantages to getting slightly more games on a board etc? I definitely do not want the 2000 in 1 boards though

Thanks for any assistance in advance guys
Regards

[Caveoftreasures]

U can find a excellent table made in 2011 or 2012 for around $1300 tops, so any more $ than that is far too high.

On the first 5 or 6 pages of the pinball ebay listings, there is a $250 second hand space invaders 1979 sit down cocktail cabinet for sale. BARGAIN. Located in Sydney. Get it working, or strip it out and refurbish for a proper retro look n feel.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Space-Invader-Arcade-Amusement-Pinball-Machine-/320854537260?pt=AU_CoinOp&hash=item4ab46bb42c

Buy it and put in the 48/1 game board etc. There is a company up here called "The Games Dudes" who sell the whole internals (joysticks @ $20 each, 48/1 board and the rest of the set up for less than a few hundred etc etc).

I would go that way, and save a heap, or just buy something brand spanking for around the $1250 mark by really shopping around.

[tonyt]

I bought one of these a couple of years ago for my kids and it has been excellent

http://mrpinballa2.cart.net.au/details/2901859.html

[Boots]

U can find a excellent table made in 2011 or 2012 for around $1300 tops, so any more $ than that is far too high.

On the first 5 or 6 pages of the pinball ebay listings, there is a $250 second hand space invaders 1979 sit down cocktail cabinet for sale. BARGAIN. Located in Sydney. Get it working, or strip it out and refurbish for a proper retro look n feel.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Space-Invader-Arcade-Amusement-Pinball-Machine-/320854537260?pt=AU_CoinOp&hash=item4ab46bb42c

Buy it and put in the 48/1 game board etc. There is a company up here called "The Games Dudes" who sell the whole internals (joysticks @ $20 each, 48/1 board and the rest of the set up for less than a few hundred etc etc).

I would go that way, and save a heap, or just buy something brand spanking for around the $1250 mark by really shopping around.

That machine would need a complete strip-out, as it has a B&W monitor and the power supply will need replacing.
Your could replace it with a 15" LCD or a 17" might just fit (17" LCD's are easier to come by).

There is a guy in Adelaide who makes really nice Hankin clones, Danny from Gameroomessentials, he's also on AussieArcade.
His web address is: http://www.gameroom.com.au/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/48

You can get him to fit it out with either a 60in1 or a Mame setup.
He also sells part at ok prices.

If you go down the track of retrofitting yourself, just remember if you use an LCD in a tabletop you will have to have a vertical monitor setup because if you set the screen horizontal the contrast will change from player 1 side to player 2 side. I think the game boards greater than 60in1 are basically a PC and all run horizontal screens, they do have vertical games on them but I think they automatically rotate the picture and fit it to the screen (ie: you have black bands either side of the picture)

If you really want classic gaming the 60in1 is well more than enough games, if you want more, get an upright and put either Mame or one of those 1000in1 boards.
Bear in mind the 1000in1 boards are basically a compact PC running MAME and a built in JAMMA adaptor.

[Jango]

Thanks for the replies guys.  It would be great if there was a joint that offered custom rom (game) selection into the 60 in 1 boards, just to strip out the few that clients would not like and add a few of the ones that will work etc.

I think I am swaying towards the Hankin clones, purely because of the position of the buttons and joystick.  I'm not 12 anymore and the joystick position on the old Taito's is not ideal.  The Gamemaster clones do look a heavier build though than the game essential ones.

Does anyone have either from these guys at all who can comment?

I have been scouring Ebay and have seen what's available but nothing really pops out and grabs me, hence why I was looking at a new Hankin clone but great quality

[Boots]

Thanks for the replies guys.  It would be great if there was a joint that offered custom rom (game) selection into the 60 in 1 boards, just to strip out the few that clients would not like and add a few of the ones that will work etc.

You can disable any of the games on a 60in1, but you can't add any.

[Strangeways]

Thanks for the replies guys.  It would be great if there was a joint that offered custom rom (game) selection into the 60 in 1 boards, just to strip out the few that clients would not like and add a few of the ones that will work etc.

I think I am swaying towards the Hankin clones, purely because of the position of the buttons and joystick.  I'm not 12 anymore and the joystick position on the old Taito's is not ideal.  The Gamemaster clones do look a heavier build though than the game essential ones.

Does anyone have either from these guys at all who can comment?

I have been scouring Ebay and have seen what's available but nothing really pops out and grabs me, hence why I was looking at a new Hankin clone but great quality

Contact Felix at Gamemasters and see what he can do for you. I saw these on the assembly line and I thought they were very well made 

[Boots]

 The Gamemaster clones do look a heavier build though than the game essential ones.

From memory the gameroom essential ones are around $1100 to $1200, half the price of the gamemaster ones

Are they twice as good, not really sure

[Caveoftreasures]

$1200 shld get u the best thing since sliced bread. anymore than that is HUGE HUGE money. The electronics inside are worth a few hundred tops, plus a flat pack wood set up.

even $1200 ish is BIG money for this technology.  just look around heaps n heaps.

[Jango]

Thanks guys... I bought an original Hankin that I am currently restoring

[Retropin]

Very hard to play CENTIPEDE with a joystick... really need a trackball to enjoy all the games fully

[goodolddays]

Thanks guys... I bought an original Hankin that I am currently restoring

Pics ?

[Jango]

Apologies... just saw the request for pics... here they are. 

I recently located and purchased an original Hankin Cocktail table.  It was a little beat-up cosmetically as it had been in a pub earning $$ for 15 years straight!  Anyway it had a brand new 60 in 1 Jamma installed when i purchased it and when I got it home, everything worked perfectly.  It was just filthy and needed some TLC.

Here are some pics of the machine as I received it.  As you can see its a beautiful original Hankin table that should polish up nicely.

[GORGAR 1]

That looks nice and with a spit and polish you will have a nice original Hankin, what are these worth these days?

Peter

[goodolddays]

Great find and should clean up really well