Who loves pinball? (moved)
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BeaglePuss
Mickey's Coach
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I've been heading to Pinball Wizard as much as possible this summer, so I've had a chance to play all the A list pins. Of all the pins there, new and old, the three that I find I play the most are: Bram Stokers Dracula, Juke Yard, and GnR. I plan on adding at least one of the three to my line up in the future. They're just such a finical commitment.
F-14 is currently guilty pleasure. Just need to find one cheap and local.
F-14 is currently guilty pleasure. Just need to find one cheap and local.
Moon Jump
Alfred Garcia's Butler
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My friend got a Super Mario Bros. machine last year...for free. Some guy listed it on the local Craigslist unworking and just wanted it out. My friend got there and the guy was happy to get rid of it because his bitch of a wife didn't want it anymore. He even offered the guy 100 bucks and he wouldn't take it. Basically the DMD on it burnt out and with Gottlieb's they only use a certain style DMD, so for about 80 bucks he got a new one and the thing sprang back to life. He cleaned it up and traded the game for one of his grail games, Dr. Dude. So for about 180 dollars (travel and the new DMD) he got a Dr. Dude in excellent shape.
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BeaglePuss
Mickey's Coach
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That's sick! Dr. Dude is a waaaaaaaay better pin than SMB too.
Moon Jump
Alfred Garcia's Butler
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Sick Tales from The Crypt, Puss. One of Data East's finest. It just sucks that the voice clips get used A LOT. "Who goes there!?" My friend recently just shopped out his Party Zone and the thing plays SO much better. We had to be really careful with the toys and ramps since they don't remake much of Party Zone. I hear the crash test dummy goes for a pretty penny. My friend also recently got a Transporter: The Rescue. Less then 500 made and it's a shame because it's a lot of fun. Trying to get the jackpot in that game is tough. You have to hit the drop targets in order and then sink the ramp shot while keeping the other two balls in play.
Also, last week I finally got to go to Flippers in North Carolina. The guy Dave has been in the business since the 70's and he pretty much bought out all of the business in the OBX. So if your in the Outer Banks and you see a game, chances are it's one of his since most of the competition died. This guy's place is insane. It's a gas station with an arcade. He buys only special edition Stern games so you'll get to see rare ones. He's even got most of the 90's Williams games with ColorDMD displays and one of the 140 Pinball Manufacturing remakes of Big Bang Bar.
Also, last week I finally got to go to Flippers in North Carolina. The guy Dave has been in the business since the 70's and he pretty much bought out all of the business in the OBX. So if your in the Outer Banks and you see a game, chances are it's one of his since most of the competition died. This guy's place is insane. It's a gas station with an arcade. He buys only special edition Stern games so you'll get to see rare ones. He's even got most of the 90's Williams games with ColorDMD displays and one of the 140 Pinball Manufacturing remakes of Big Bang Bar.
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Geez some people get all the luck!
Yeah i went the Northwest Pinball show & they had so many freakin Pinballs there to try out. A game that really had fun with was Black Rose. I might pick that up if i find one locally.
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Flipper rebuilds are pretty easy. Sometimes it does take a lil time to adjust the EOS switch to get the desired feel. This also applies to your lower right flipper, it might be weak due to an EOS switch that needs to be readjusted.
I'd also just change out the flipper bushing as well if its aged, it will save on wear and tear.
Moon Jump
Alfred Garcia's Butler
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My friend Brendan is one of the luckiest SOB's in pinball I know. He's a graphic designer and the company he works for loves arcade games and pinball machines so he keeps part of his collection in the office. So when people see the games they'll say how they might have one. One day he's doing a website for a client and he says to him, "I got that Addams Family pinball!" and my friend automatically offered him three grand and he had it at the end of the week. He held onto it for a few years but when he needed money for a new car and a new condo he sold it for about five grand. He also got a used Riverboat Gambler machine from one of the members in our Long Island Arcade club for free as well. The damn thing looks like nobody ever used it. It's even one of the 200 first run games that had a Diamond Coat playfield so it looks amazing and plays...like Riverboat Gambler... It's hard to see how that game came out the same year as FunHouse.
If you're looking for a game make sure you check your local Craigslist like a hawk. I've heard stories of people getting into fights because they've had two or more people show up trying to get a game. One was from a guy that ran a local Goodwill. Somebody donated a Space Shuttle with no legs and was beat to hell. Two guys where fighting over who would take it and I'm not sure exactly how it ended.
The thing with pinball now is the prices FUCKING SUCK. Everybody thinks they got something that's so rare and the prices are jacked up. Sites like Pinside don't help because they see other people get outrageous prices and they think they can too. Condition is everything so if somebody gets a good price on a home use only game to one that's been routed for years it's going to be different. Also for some reason on Pinside every game is great, if you say you don't like a game for any reason you'll get into a flame war with other fans of the game. So even shitty games like Stern's NFL Football and Big Buck Hunter will have people defend it because they want to try to keep their prices up.
If you're looking for a game make sure you check your local Craigslist like a hawk. I've heard stories of people getting into fights because they've had two or more people show up trying to get a game. One was from a guy that ran a local Goodwill. Somebody donated a Space Shuttle with no legs and was beat to hell. Two guys where fighting over who would take it and I'm not sure exactly how it ended.
The thing with pinball now is the prices FUCKING SUCK. Everybody thinks they got something that's so rare and the prices are jacked up. Sites like Pinside don't help because they see other people get outrageous prices and they think they can too. Condition is everything so if somebody gets a good price on a home use only game to one that's been routed for years it's going to be different. Also for some reason on Pinside every game is great, if you say you don't like a game for any reason you'll get into a flame war with other fans of the game. So even shitty games like Stern's NFL Football and Big Buck Hunter will have people defend it because they want to try to keep their prices up.
BeaglePuss
Mickey's Coach
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The one thing that is broken on my PZ is the crash dummies left arm. Limb replacements are easy to come by though, and the torso and other limbs are still rocking. The playfield is nice and clean and plays super fast.
I also love me some Transporter! The artwork is second to none and the game play exceeded my expectations. I knew it was rare but had no idea it was limited to 500 units. It's the first game you see when you walk into Pin Wiz, and is usually the first game I dump coins into.
I also love me some Transporter! The artwork is second to none and the game play exceeded my expectations. I knew it was rare but had no idea it was limited to 500 units. It's the first game you see when you walk into Pin Wiz, and is usually the first game I dump coins into.
Moon Jump
Alfred Garcia's Butler
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Uncle Lloyd at SS Billiards in Minnesota is the new home of Bill Paxton Pinball. Hope I can make it there one day. Also, Ben Heck did one hell of a job with his new game, America's Most Haunted. I got to play one of the first production models at the Allentown Pennsylvania Pinfest show and I have to say, I like it a whole lot better then Wizard of Oz!
BeaglePuss
Mickey's Coach
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Good to know. I did fuck around with EOS switch a month or so back, and it certainly plays better now. The ramps, especially that right one, can be a pain with weaker flippers on this game. I might go ahead and rebuild regardless.
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That's every hobby (including Neo.)
Pinball got ridiculous at the end of the 90's and stayed there. I remember going to SuperAuctions and passing on a TZ for 900 because everyone thought that was a ridiculous price.
Pin guys are particularly arrogant and militant and I don't know why. I think it's the price of entry.
You can find really nice games cheap but like everything else, patience is key.
I got my BK2000 for an absurdly small amount money but it took me close to a decade to get it.
I picked up 2 pins this year and you'd hate me for how little I had to shell out. The deals are out there to be had, just don't get impulsive and stupid.
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I picked up my Eight Ball Deluxe LE for $250, tossed $300 worth of needed parts in, to include new plastics and not counting hrs of shopping it. Sold it for $700 locally and that is passing on the buck. Most go for $1300+ in that condition.
However, its why I do this very rarely with pins, as VT stated, some are particularly arrogant and militant. It wasn't even a flip as I enjoyed the pin for almost 3yrs.
However, its why I do this very rarely with pins, as VT stated, some are particularly arrogant and militant. It wasn't even a flip as I enjoyed the pin for almost 3yrs.
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When it comes to Flippers and Coils I don't go cheap, if you checked everything and adjusted switches (including EOS) and it still under performs just do a rebuild.
BeaglePuss
Mickey's Coach
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Will do. Any recommendations as to where to pick them up from?
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Check the prices on Marco and compare.
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Right on brotha
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Very Nice! How do you like Party Zone? There was a beat, dirty one at a local restaurant, and it seemed fun but not terribly deep. Love that left ramp shot, though.
Flipper rebuilds aren't hard to begin with and are a cakewalk after the first couple you do. Personally, I'm a fan of just replacing the mechanical parts, coil sleeve, and bushing; I don't bother changing the EOS in most cases. I wouldn't replace a coil unless it's actually bad.
I've only done flipper rebuilds on Bally/Williams system 11 and DMD games, early solid state Ballys, and maybe an older Gottlieb or two.
They're usually expensive, but when searching for oddball parts their search functions are nicer than most.
I like to buy from Pinballlife.com for most modern stuff, and if you're getting stuff for older games, Pinball Resource (pbresource.com, I think) is great.