Hey all,
I've been collecting for a few days... In the last few years I have really picked up the hobby again. I have noticed the quality of carts really declining. It is to the point where cleaning and resuscitating carts is part of the hobby. I have piecemeal cleaning kits and tools; my girlfriend says I'm performing "surgery". It's mostly getting rid of corrosion on the pins, and re-soldering cold joint and broken components, and removing what I can only imagine was orange juice spilled into a cart 20-30 years ago.
This is strange, as most of my carts that I purchased so long ago really don't have this, I pop them in and they work like new, and I was just as grimy as anyone else when I was a kid. But, I don't think I have purchased a single cart in the last two years that worked on first play; i.e. that didn't require "surgery".
My theory, we're at a stage in cartridge/collecting history where the quality, well tended consoles and cartridges are all in collections, and the remaining carts/consoles in the wild are the picked over and less cared for. I am kind of pleased with myself, in a way, because these are carts that in the hands of others may end up in the garbage, but instead are getting a new life.
Any other theories out there? Anyone having similar experiences with carts in the wild? Any fascinating surgery/resurrection stories? What tools/kits/strategies have you for keeping your collection running in top shape?
Thank all!