You will need wire cutters to trim your original shell, the ones from eBay come pre-trimmed.
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The older kit I got from leechan didn't require soldering unless you wanted the screen brighter. Is the new one different?
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GB/GBC/GBA Collecting Thread
- Thread starter tiggerkiddo
- Start date
You will need wire cutters to trim your original shell, the ones from eBay come pre-trimmed.
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The older kit I got from leechan didn't require soldering unless you wanted the screen brighter. Is the new one different?
putermcgee
Junior Member
Ah, okay. THe videos I've seen show people trimming some parts from the original casing, so I wasn't sure if this mod was just different.
I was planning on using a dremel tool if I can find mine.
JLateralus
Member
Sumbitch. That Thracia 776 Deluxe Box is sexy.
If you ever want one, definitely use a deputy service and get it from Yahoo Auctions Japan. The prices there are a good $100+ cheaper than eBay.
Maybe some of you here will enjoy this.
Sorry for the blurry video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6KLTMZ5NmI&feature=youtu.be
Its my "consolized" GBA.
Sorry for the blurry video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6KLTMZ5NmI&feature=youtu.be
Its my "consolized" GBA.
What? How did I not know about this...wouldn't have to go through buying an already modded system and hoping they do a proper job -_-
Unless something has changed with the way the ribbon cable is done, it's the same as before. You could always just plug it in without soldering IIRC but the screen is kinda dim. Soldering the extra wire to different points on the motherboard increases the brightness.
Not too hard, it just takes a bit of practice. My soldering iron cost less than $20 NZD and I use it for all my console modding projects with no worries. I don't have a dremel kit, I just use wire cutters for most trimming jobs, and a step-bit drill for making holes in stuff, so I'm not sure how much they are. Someone else here might be able to advise.
Good idea. I wouldn't mind writing up a guide or thread, but I need to finish my thesis first and it would be way too tempting in terms of procrastination hehe. Remind me in about a month and I'll happily put one together.
putermcgee
Junior Member
I'm in the same boat. I've soldered before (I installed an Afterburner kit years back on my original GBA, and that included an on/off switch and more soldering), but I just don't have the time or steady hands to do it anymore.
That makes sense. However, judging by Qblivion's job (below), I think I'll be fine without the extra juice. I guess I'll decide when I try the mod myself.
If you've never soldered before, it can be tough. It depends on how steady your hands are, if you want to buy a decent iron, and if you're comfortable with tiny electronics. Just know that you can render your GBA useless if you mess up. I think some people, even people in this thread, offer to do the mod for you if you provide the GBA. That way, you can get your Suicune model done up right. Even if you don't have a dremel, many people use knives... I think my dremel was like $20 with a million different bits.
I guess that makes more sense. It would be nice the difference between the two levels if anyone has a picture.
jimjonjimmy
Member
I just picked up an original Gameboy at a thrift shop for $10. I tested it and it works great but there was those decal stickers all over it so i peeled them off. When I did though the one on the screen lens made the lens come off too its not in terrible shape so i want to put it back on, but the problem I'm having is I don't know how to get the glue off that was there. Anyone know a (hopefully easy) way to get it off?
Don't bother. Order a replacement lens from ebay. They are dirt cheap, and are as new. You can even get real glass ones.
You don't need to get rid of the glue, but the safest way is to take the console apart and wash it off in a sink.
Honestly, the micro has a lot of qualities but it's very uncomfortable to play. Personally, if I was starting a collection, I'd get a modded first gen GBA. They look much more comfortable.
NinjaCatfish
Member
Did my first ever mod. Pretty happy with it. Screen and shell came from Lee Chan on ebay. The shell is obviously a clone and it is most apparent from the battery cover and bottom seam, but otherwise it feels and looks fine. The buttons it came with weren't that great so I stuck with the originals. It also came with both a glass and plastic lens, but the glass one didn't have any adhesive on it. Not sure what kind of glue would work best so I stuck with the plastic one for now which was pre-adhesed.
That screen looks like it came out super nice!
I have my brother's old Glacier GBA, since this is a solder free mod I could do this easily, I might just take the plunge!
I love my GBA SP to death, don't get me wrong, but the OG GBA is just a more comfortable device.
[EDIT]
Damn, Lee Chan is out of the kits. Guess I'll keep an eye on the page in case they get more in.
Pretty cool.
jimjonjimmy
Member
Gotcha I have it completely taken apart since the stickers left a lot Adhesive. I Got all of it off, I just didn't want the lens on with the glue still there I was thinking of ordering a new lens anyway but I just wanted to prevent dust from getting in. Where would you recommend getting a lens from, also is there a good spot to get backlighting for it or a gameboy color?
I'm not sure that photos show it so well, so I'll describe it.
There are three levels. One without soldering, one soldered to a point which is a bit brighter, and one soldered to a point which is a bit brighter again.
If you have seen or used an AGS-101, level 1 (on the mod) is much dimmer than the dimmest setting, level 2 is slightly dimmer than the dimmest setting, and level 3 is somewhere between the two brightness levels of the AGS-101 (although in my opinion slightly closer to the brightest). Most people just go with the brightest when they mod and leave it at that.
sixteen-bit
Member
Yes
Sure do. One of the biggest advantages of the original GBA I reckon.
sixteen-bit
Member
Cool mod!
drtomoe123
Member
Couldn't pass up boxed GBA stuff when it's this cheap! Already had the Legacy of Goku I & II dual cart so it'll pay for about half of what this stuff cost.
sixteen-bit
Member
Anyone heard of 8-bit evolution? I just heard of them from this review.
http://youtu.be/4VTLF2coGe4
http://youtu.be/4VTLF2coGe4
Couldn't pass up boxed GBA stuff when it's this cheap! Already had the Legacy of Goku I & II dual cart so it'll pay for about half of what this stuff cost.
Damn you!
I have been after the Jackie Chan game for a while, but I have only seen the game by itself for sale. You got it very cheap!
Yeah, not really impressed. My buddy got one of their models from eBay and it had food? in the headphone jack and a bunch of debris behind the screen. Basically the GBA innards they used were beat to crap and the volume button looked chewed on.
They had a display at Too Many Games here in the Philadelphia area recently and something just felt really 'cheesy' about their offerings overall. But in any case, based on my friend's experience....
sixteen-bit
Member
those shells are definitely tacky as fuck
Tacky sums it up perfectly.
putermcgee
Junior Member
If the kit doesn't have the piece of wire to solder to the motherboard, is it easy to add? I was looking around and saw people scoring the actual ribbon cable and adding extra wires to it. There's no way I can do that myself, but if it was just a single lead somewhere else on the unit, I might give it a shot.
It all depends on how the solderless job goes.
Eww...
You have to connect a point on the ribbon cable to a point on the motherboard. They're both quite small, particularly the one on the motherboard, but easier to do if you use very thin wire (I use kynar wire).
What do you mean by scoring the ribbon cable?
putermcgee
Junior Member
Like cutting open the ribbon cable to solder the wire to it. This one's a bit extreme, but for example:
Yeh nah, nothing like that. Just soldering a wire between these two points. They're small, but no you don't have to do anything like that.
I'm pretty sure they're the ones I bought a GBA from back in the winter. I ended up sending it back. It was painted a solid blue color, but there were light and dark spots on the shell where they didn't use enough paint in one spot and too much in another. The shell was sticky from the paint. The screen was darker than the AGS-101's lowest setting and it had a lot of ghosting and interlacing. It would have been unplayable to me. The screen was a blurry mess.
Damn, maybe the screens really have run out.
I see, but even level 1 seems like a big improvement versus the default GBA, based on Qblivion's image.
Maybe I'll try it myself someday.
Don't say that. Don't you EVER SAY THAT.
Yes, because it's comparing no-lit to back-lit
I don't know. The price has been on the increase lately, and now even leechan doesn't have any left? Seems suspicious to me. I think I'll buy up large just in case...
Well, at least enough to mod all these GBA systems I have lying around now.
NinjaCatfish
Member
Yes, because it's comparing no-lit to back-lit
I don't know. The price has been on the increase lately, and now even leechan doesn't have any left? Seems suspicious to me. I think I'll buy up large just in case...
Well, at least enough to mod all these GBA systems I have lying around now.
Where can you buy up large though? I want one ._.
There's other sellers on eBay, Taobao, Alibaba, etc. You'd probably have to buy the screen separate from the ribbon cable though as I haven't seen anyone else sell a "kit" as good as leechan did. I have a bunch of GBAs sitting here ready to mod so I might just order enough parts to do them all. Well.. maybe a couple more parts for future proofing, but it's hard when you don't know what mobo revision you'll get.
putermcgee
Junior Member
Wow, I'm glad I jumped on Lee_chan's merch then. There were only three left when I bought mine.
I kind of wish I had bought two, though, since I ended up ordering the midnight blue GBA, and that's a 32-pin motherboard (the backlit screen I bought is for my existing 40-pin board). That would have been nice to have a backup if I messed up, or one two sell if it turned out well.
Maximus.
Member
Finally got an Atomic Purple Gameboy Color and a Gameboy Micro! The Gameboy Color was in decent condition, but I gave it a thorough clean and removed the stickers off the back. The speaker sometimes has a random hum sound to it, and the screen is scratched, but after cleaning it, it looks basically new.
The micro was given to me from a friend, so I appreciated them doing that!
I have replaced a battery in my copy of Pokemon Gold, but surprisingly all my other games still work.
The micro was given to me from a friend, so I appreciated them doing that!
I have replaced a battery in my copy of Pokemon Gold, but surprisingly all my other games still work.
Yeah. Honestly i'd be okay with blemishes if I found it at a goodwill or something on the cheap, but for anything more expensive i'd expect more quality.
Ah. I suppose it is always an option. Maybe next tax return season or something if I do go that route.
I really just need the headphone jack. I'd use my DSes but the hinges are broken on them, so it's not very worthwhile to use them. I do have a front-lit SP I had from when I was younger and it works fine, but I really would like a better quality screen.
Any recommendations as where to get a modded gen-1 GBA? I've seen a few links posted in here but am unsure of what's best. I don't want to do the DIY method on my Gen-1 GBA because I lack confidence in my soldering skills lol
Ah. Yeah, the decision to require an adapter for the headphone jack was a weird decision. I couldn't recommend a place for a modded GBA but the last two or three pages are pretty much just about that so I'm sure someone will chime in.
sixteen-bit
Member
Around the time of the SP launch I read it was done to appease 3rd-party accessory manufacturers, since the SP eliminated the need for so many of their existing accesories (worm lights, battery packs, screen guards, etc.).
The Pelicans and Madcatzes and InterActs of the world could at least make weird AM/FM radio and headphone adapters that could interface with the link port. They'd even have pass-though ones that still allowed for link play while using headphones.
Friend of Sonic
Member
Damn, I had no idea people were modding the original GBA like that. That looks sexy. My big monkey hands get cramped on my AGS-101 and the idea of comfort seems awesome
