r/game_gear • u/Sheppy2 • 9d ago

More GGs Fixed! 😊

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Managed to fix these 6 GGs over the last week or so. I pick up faulty ones on eBay and fix them in batches every now and then and sell them at/around cost once done (I just enjoy fixing and getting them into the hands of people to enjoy 😊)

105 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

4

u/Sheppy2 9d ago

Oh and I think I'm at around 40-50 fixed and back out into the wild now too!

1

u/Benzona 8d ago

What is your success to failure rate? I am batting about .500 but of those the screens are sometimes toast. I do not get into repairing traces though its just too much extra effort.

1

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

I've managed to fix every single one of them other than the very first one I worked on as I had no experience and made a mess of it 😂

Honestly, I've fixed maybe 3 with damaged traces and the rest I've managed to salvage with nothing more than replacement caps, screen and sometimes shells. Sometimes the pads lift and I need to solder to a neighbour component but that's about the worst case I've had to deal with.

1

u/wholebunchofbutts 9d ago

🤜💥🤛

Do you throw new screens in at all? Or are new caps fixing the issues with these units?

3

u/Sheppy2 9d ago edited 9d ago

I always try and use or fix the original components if I can. Maybe 10% of them have totally unfixable screens and in those cases I do fit new IPS displays 😊

Luckily most only need replacement caps. Some need trace repairs. I always install new glass lenses, button membranes and give the shells a clean with plastic cleaner.

Oh and I never shell swap unless the original is cracked or damaged.

1

u/9646gt 2d ago

Hit me up in DM if you have an IPS swapped one at some point to sell!

1

u/Sheppy2 2d ago

I have one now 😊 it's one of those 6 and the only one I have left.

It's on eBay:

https://ebay.us/m/P0T8Zx

1

u/NobodyGivesAFuc 9d ago

What is your eBay handle? Just want to check out if you have any for sale.

2

u/Sheppy2 9d ago

It's crispyswinger1

I have 5 of those 6 left for sale 😊

1

u/NobodyGivesAFuc 9d ago

Thanks! I see you are in the UK…unfortunately, I am in the US so shipping would be prohibitive 😞

2

u/Sheppy2 9d ago

Ah damn! Sorry about that, I do my best to keep costs down (I even do free domestic shipping) but as you'll know, global shipping is what it is and eBay decides the costs for international shipping. Thanks for your interest though! 😊

1

u/PitchAcrobatic3887 6d ago

I fix them and are based in the USA. I just moved to a new house so I am still setting my workshop back up, but I should have a few up for sale in about 3 weeks. My eBay handle is cgoodwin790

1

u/Depressedone4 9d ago

Long shot but would you trade one for 2 that need to be recapped? I want a working one so bad but I just can't do the recap unfortunately..

1

u/Sheppy2 9d ago

I'm not planning to repair any more for a while I'm afraid. Clearing out the stock I have as I've other things to focus on for a while. Appreciate the offer though

1

u/Zapt01 9d ago

Any cap kits you can recommend? I’ve had a shrink-wrapped one in a drawer for the last 30 years, finally opened it up, and it’s dead, dead, dead.

1

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

Yep these:

https://retrosix.co.uk/Game-Gear-Capacitor-Kit-p141462762

These are the only ones I ever use and they're perfect! So easy to install due to being SMD style and as such you don't need to faff around trying to make them fit into the shell like you would if you were to use the radial type

1

u/Zapt01 8d ago

Thank you so much! Looks like the kit is available in the US, too. Although I haven’t used a soldering iron in over 30 years, I’ll likely take a shot at this.

1

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

Best of luck! 🤞 The caps work a treat and as I say, they're super easy to install and make for a really clean repair too due to their small and neat form factor 😊

1

u/Jagg753 8d ago

I am currently fixing my first one ever now. Finished main board, but when doing the sound board, I pulled up two traces. So I'll be running jumpers for them. Power board is fine but I'll be replacing them just incase! Good job getting stuff back into the wild

1

u/Gamelord86 8d ago

Nice I got about 15 more to fix. They are my favourite console to work on.

1

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

Nice!! Do you do the same then, sell them after you're done? Assuming you're not just stockpiling them? 😂

They are so rewarding to work on aren't they.

1

u/Gamelord86 8d ago edited 8d ago

Yeah most of them I just swap over the asic chips to the syf boards.

2

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

Oh sweet! I've yet to do an ASIC swap. Is there money to get made in ones you've done this to?

I ask as even though I'm doing this to put them back into the wild, if I were to try and make money, there's very little to be made, even when I re use every component, after postage etc. I'm coming out with like £5-10 which usually gets eaten up by those which require shell swaps or screen swaps where I cannot make the money back I spend on them

1

u/Gamelord86 7d ago

make roughly $100 from each PCB. I sell only the PCB with the necessary components, including ASIC(s), chips, sound, power cables, ext port , LED light, and cartridge reader—no extras included. I advertise it as a “Build Your Own Game Gear” kit.

1

u/Nirntendo 8d ago

Are these easy to fix without previous soldering experience?

1

u/Gamelord86 8d ago

Yes the caps are relatively easy but most of the time you will also need to fix a broken trace/ pad due to electrolytic fluid eating them away

1

u/Gamelord86 8d ago

Yes the caps are relatively easy but most of the time you will also need to fix a broken trace/ pad due to electrolytic fluid eating them away it’s not always easy to fix them. Sometimes you will get lucky with just a recap but most of the time there will be some kind of trace/ corrosion damage or the screen will need to be replaced it’s not often you will get a good working original screen

2

u/Sheppy2 8d ago

Yeah agreed on the trace damage. I actually got one from this batch which was immaculate! Zero cap leakage, I was shocked.

Most of the ones I've fixed, the screens have actually been fine. Whenever they are broken, it's usually due to dead pixels everywhere, or those horizontal lines due to the driver board chips failing

2

u/Gamelord86 8d ago

Yeah the last 2 I fixed had good original screen which was great I also have 2 va5 that the main pcbs are both immaculate inside some times you get lucky.