New member | Berkeley bandit TLC

[treefrog]

A good few of my SEGAs don't have the 'Sega' script cast into the front panel.
Can anyone confirm that they are by a different maker?

This topic has been discussed on this forum many times over the years. Having owned many of both types and discussion with Roger from Norfolk who has broken up and sold more than I have had eggs for breakfast, I believe they are not true from the factory Sega. Sega machines should all have correct serial numbers on a sticker on inside right and metal label on base rear (this often drops off). The cabinet parts are not all interchangeable although vary, like rear hoods, metal front cash trays and as Roger mentioned when he made the replacement jackpot glasses seen at auctions for a decade, they only fit proper Segas. Even the lighting set-up is different and the top light box. They may well have Sega parts like mechanisms and escalators.

[aristomatic]

This is one of the threads on pennymachines site but as I stated in my initial response there is a more substantial thread discussing these, but may be on a different forum: Mills or Sega - RENO Slot?

The purple machine in the thread was probably from same origin as yours as the vertical strips are the same polished flat material. The substantial other thread concurs with TF and others that all these non embossed Sega casting machines were built and supplied via a number of different sources during those "competitive" times.

[brigham]

As you may have guessed, I'm now looking for a RENO!

[treefrog]

There are sooooo many variations, Reno being just one, there are even Mills ones.

Interestingly, I believe there may have been a genuine early Mills version predating Sega. You will see one or two on old threads on this site with Mills on the belly and Mills top box artwork. I bought one 10 years ago and still have it, it is Mills all over with parts, MLB stamps and even has a dagger handle. May have been in the transition before Sega took over. Will need to dig it out at some point to get more info.

Would be interesting to catalogue and list all the variants. One of the issues with this site is it is difficult to find all related items and I know moderators try and merge threads, but typically they start off on another topic.....

From experience, Sega machines were much higher quality than most of the variants, some used terrible monkey metal on items like coin entries and escalator surrounds.

[iceollie]

Looks good to me, I have lots of spare glasses including Berkeley and this looks right.

By the way Oliver, I assume you decided not to take up Paul’s generous offer to sort your machine. If it were me, this would be just a service, not a restore, as the look and paint looks good, so half a days effort I suspect.

Hi,

If Paul is Coppinpr, I had a chat and the issue is getting it to his place to service.

I agree with you about just needing a service. I like it looking worn. The only things that I woudl like done from a restoration pov is there are lots of white specs of paint on it that need to be scraped off or wiped off with an appropriate liquid, the glass is cracked (but you said you have spare glass?), and also the white panel inside the glass has cracked a lot and hanging down a bit.

[iceollie]

Hello iceollie,
Welcome to the Forum that Knows!
I have a Sega Berkeley, but it isn't as impressive as yours. It's just plain red, with no top-box.
Apart from the decimal conversion, do you think yours is original?

Yes I love it! It was my grandfather's who gave it to me last year.. Its something I always played on when I was staying over at my grandparents as a child.

[brigham]

Looks good to me, I have lots of spare glasses including Berkeley and this looks right.

My Berkeley is now at the front of the queue. I'm basing the paint scheme on Iceollie's splendid example.
Mine has lost its top-box, although it has provision for one in the casting.
Do you have a top-box glass you could sell me for it? If not, can you do a scan of one, so I can have a go at making it up?

[treefrog]

I will have a look.

I might have top boxes as well, need to check.

[brigham]

I've got a padded envelope waiting to take used notes, as soon as you're ready.
I could take the whole top-box if you have it, otherwise just the glass will do.
Ta!

[treefrog]

Not been to my storage units yet, but will check when I get there.

[iceollie]

Hi all,

I have been trying for 14 months to get my machine service with no luck.. I have tried slotmachinedepot a few times but have not been able to speak/text/email them for months (there is no reply and phone goes straight to unavailable) I have never known anything like it. My machine is now currently sitting at my parents house on the North Suburbs of London and I feel it is going to just sit there indefinitely which is such a shame.

I have just moved into my new flat in Islington, London and really want to put the bandit in there. Any ideas because I can't find anyone and I feel slotmachinedepot is a lost cause in trying to sort my machine out. It genuinely has been over a year and I have got nowhere.

Any guidance or contact details of someone that can service it will be forever appreciated.

Thank you
Oliver

[treefrog]

Ollie do you not have a car and need someone to collect the machine as you had one offer from Paul in Sussex. I suspect Mark is busy in his projects as he mentioned, as I guess we all are. Another option is Henry Powell up in the Noth West which would require shipping it there and will obviously cost a bit for the whole deal.

I would even offer to help and based in North Essex, but not clear whether you are expecting someone to collect the machine

[badpenny]

Hi Ollie ……

I've just checked your previous posts on this matter.
There are plenty of us prepared and competent to do this, however I'm not convinced as to what you want or expect. Like Treefrog says is "someone picking it up, and then delivering it back" your objective?
It's not only the most expensive manner of doing it, but you'll learn nothing, which is also what most new owners want. Even the professional restorers are likely to expect you to arrange delivery.

I also can't see any photos in your posts, which might help somebody to decide there's either too much to do or it's merely detached or missing springs. Both TF and Coppin have good reputations with many rebuilds behind them. They're both in your neck of the woods so I see little point in the rest of us who hang around North of Watford offering.

BP

[malcymal]

A good few of my SEGAs don't have the 'Sega' script cast into the front panel.
Can anyone confirm that they are by a different maker?

This topic has been discussed on this forum many times over the years. Having owned many of both types and discussion with Roger from Norfolk who has broken up and sold more than I have had eggs for breakfast, I believe they are not true from the factory Sega. Sega machines should all have correct serial numbers on a sticker on inside right and metal label on base rear (this often drops off). The cabinet parts are not all interchangeable although vary, like rear hoods, metal front cash trays and as Roger mentioned when he made the replacement jackpot glasses seen at auctions for a decade, they only fit proper Segas. Even the lighting set-up is different and the top light box. They may well have Sega parts like mechanisms and escalators.

I had one pretty much identical to this. I had the same award card, the same Criss Cross wording to the left of reels, the same reel strips and it certainly wasn't compatible on parts with a genuine Sega. The back door is different. The rear top bonnet off a genuine Sega will not fit it (I actually had a Sega and one like this side by side to find out the difference). The escalator off a Sega will not fit it. The mech didn't tie up with the escalator or a Shefras.

What's confusing here too is that this machine award card implies it's a 'light pay' version, e.g. found in cafes where the max pay was 10 due to the law. The fact it has a jackpot on show, I can't help thinking that this has been added for show rather than something that actually works because if it was a club machine the award card would state 18 for bells. Maybe I'm wrong and the operator was just trying to fleece punters out of correct payouts. You might actually find some form of solenoid in there too for a random feature; they stuck transparent symbols on the first reel for something like ten coins paid when feature lit. I came to the conclusion that mine was actually a Berkeley and when a collector from France came over to buy it from me he stated the same.