Where to get classic gaming stuff

jerzakie

Anyone know a good place to find a frontloader SegaCD that isn't $150? I've been combing ebay and craigs and stuff, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of a hidden gem to get good deals on old games and hardware.

Ragnar Dragonfyre

Try pawnshops or specialty mom & pop game stores... Also Value Village if you have one in your area. I got a Dreamcast from there for next to nothing. I've seen most systems from PS2 era down in that store. You may have to shop around or be patient, but you never know what you may find week to week there.

Xaquin

maybe half.com?

jerzakie

I've been hitting garage sales and a few mom and pop shops. Most of the stuff has been easy to find but the front-loading SegaCD has been a bear.

I picked up a PSOne with mem card & controller and PS for $4, that was pretty rad.

I half.com so much.

Madpanda

There are also a few forums dedicated to retro stuff. Racketboy.com nintendo-age.com (not restricted to just nintendo) digitpress.

Don't see the frontloaders around much, look at completed ebay auctions to figure out what they usually go for. I think I paid $30 for my top loader with all the plates and crap to fit the model 1 genesis.

Bartholamue

I'm curious as to why you want a first model Sega CD vs. a top-loader. I mean, the top-loader is way more reliable.

jerzakie

A few reasons I want the frontloader:
1.) Space. It's easier for me to manage a vertical space with my setup.
2.) It looks more awesomer.
3.) It's the older of the two (three, I guess) and I am putting it on a V1 Genesis and I want to keep them together. If I was going to get the toploader I'd stick with a V2 Genesis, but I like the V1 better.
4.) It'll be like, 2' tall then I'm done with the SegaCd and 32x. Which, for some reason sounds really cool to me.

Bartholamue

I guess that makes sense, but I wouldn't be surprised if the drive failed in one of them. It's an early CD drive and all.

Lindsay Lohan

Have any flea markets around you? That's always a good source for retro stuff. Also, call around to local pawn shops, that used to be one of my sources for Atari games when I was a collector. Post an ad on craigslist that you are looking for one. Sometimes local dealers who buy/sell at flea markets or ebay will have auto searches to notify them when ads with keywords like Nintendo or Sega hit and they might see it and get in touch with you.

Vegan

AtariAge and NintendoAge marketplace forums are pretty good about not being inflated.

Just keep in mind that it goes both ways. They don't rip people off (like ebay), but they're VERY knowledgeable about what their stuff is worth. They don't respond well -- if at all -- to lowballs offers.

Bartholamue

I would also suggest going through the Digit Press forums. They usually have some good members, but they know what stuff is worth.

Ziggymon

jerzakie wrote:

A few reasons I want the frontloader:
1.) Space. It's easier for me to manage a vertical space with my setup.
2.) It looks more awesomer.
3.) It's the older of the two (three, I guess) and I am putting it on a V1 Genesis and I want to keep them together. If I was going to get the toploader I'd stick with a V2 Genesis, but I like the V1 better.
4.) It'll be like, 2' tall then I'm done with the SegaCd and 32x. Which, for some reason sounds really cool to me.

Be warned on number 4 some of the AV outputs are limited on that setup for some reason. Otherwise the V1 is more expensive because the fail rate is much much higher than the V2 and standalone. Which region are you after US, Jap or Europe?