Clone vs. Rebuild vs. Reglass etc.

[Cranium]

I often see a number of terms pop up when people are describing certain machines that are related to one another in some way. Clone, rebuild, reglass, conversion etc. I'm just wondering whether someone could explain the difference between them?

The way I understand it, a clone would be a machine that has substantially the same gameplay/programming as an earlier release by the same manufacturer, but differs in artwork and sound package, perhaps? Or perhaps a clone would be a sort-of 'knock-off', taking a popular brand of machine, tweaking the name but keeping everything else very similar.

Whereas a rebuild is a machine that has different gameplay/programming, sounds and artwork but is housed in a cabinet recycled from a different game and is running on the same tech. If I had to guess at reglass, I'd assume that would be a machine kept exactly the same except for a change of artwork, so the art and bulbs might be moved around but it's exactly the same machine in a different guise. I'm not sure what a conversion is, I'm imagining it's possibly another word for clone or rebuild. So much for my uneducated guesses anyway. There are a couple more terms I've heard but the minute I sat down to ask about them, I've bloody forgotten them 

Sorry for the basic questions, I'm probably missing something obvious, but I did have a search around and I couldn't find these descriptions explained anywhere.

Cheers,

Matt

[slotsmagic]

Clones are as you say - basically the same game platform but with different artwork. Good examples would be the recently released King Kebab and Austin Powers DX layouts - exactly the same game, same reel positions, same features - just a different sound and artwork package. Sometimes I use the term clone when a machine is 90% of the same, I probably shouldn't but quite often manufacturers will make a very small change to a machine. A clone isn't really a knock-off, although there are examples where other manufacturers do significantly copy another manufacturer's work.

Conversions and Rebuilds are similar - although in my opinion conversion would often be supplied in kit form to an operator, whereas a rebuild would be where a manufacturer directly sources the cabinets / hardware and 'converts' the machines in-house, supplying a ready-to-use rebuilt machine. An example of a modern company that does this would be Concept Games - they'll provide a factory rebuilt machine, that had an Electrocoin cabinet as a base, but will also supply a kit if you want to upgrade an older machine yourself. On a lo-tech machine such as an Electrocoin it would be a much simpler job to install a kit - just 3 reel bands, and a few panes of glass. Maybe a few bulbs depending on the machine.

As for re-glass, I agree, that's how I'd interpret it. 

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by slotsmagic

[serene02]

There was one main rebuild company back in the 1990’s.   Look up BWB.  They rebuilt Barcrest, Maygay and Ace Coin machines, concentrating on lower stake market.  Same game and artwork but with usually 5p/10p stake, quite often retaining the big brother jackpot prizes.

Another rebuild company mid 90’s was Crystal Leisure, they rebuilt a lot of classic JPM for the lower stake market.

Those two companies are what I would class as rebuild manufacturers personally.

J

 

[Cranium]

Thanks both for taking the time to provide detailed explanations and examples, the context makes a lot more sense now. I felt a little silly asking such a basic question, but glad I did.