Hello all. I am very new to this hobby, but I already know that every single person on this forum is going to tell me I need to remove all original artwork from a pinball cabinet before applying new decals.

Now - I'm a firm believer in the old saying "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right." I'm also a firm believer that if I'm going to remove the playfield, scrape off the original artwork, sand down the cabinet, etc. I'm actually going to make things worse rather than better.

It's my understanding that "the right way" is vital as any imperfections will be enhanced by covering it with decals. But what if the cabinet is displaying its original silkscreened artwork and there are no imperfections?

I guess I'm trying to understand how "bad" it will look with decals over original artwork - especially when the alternative is sticking with the original faded look. (And to me that would be much more obvious to spot whether you're a pinball enthusiast or not.)

Thanks everyone, and I've slipped on my flame-retardant suit so there's no need to go easy on me.

Yep markmon. That's pretty much how I was thinking if the cabinet is already in good shape. I know that's basically heresy, but I could change my mind if I hear compelling examples of how "bad" this will actually look.

This is good to know. So I'm about to ask another silly question: If the cabinet is already in good shape, why not paint over the original artwork (I'm thinking a good solid white that won't show through) and then apply the new decals?