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Lack of machines for sale

Some people just need a gentle nudge. If I was after a Pin and saw it in someones signature or knew they owned it I'd drop them a polite message enquiring about its availability.

Would it really be that bad to have one fewer Pin for a while until you found a replacement? I assume it's only used Pins you are after rather than NIB?
Selling one if you’ve got a load of machines to play I could live with but if you’ve got less than a handful then it makes a big difference imo.
Like I said earlier there’s too many people looking for a pin so it’s a race to be first in the buying queue, and at my age I can’t run fast anymore. ☹️
 
It’s like a game of musical chairs where nobody dare leave their seat for fear of being the one left standing without one.
Your right I had 4 pins earlier this year, I sold family guy and the spot it left has peed me off ever since . I’d go so far as to say I’d mourned not being able to replace it
 
I honestly don’t see myself selling anything in the near future. 10k is simply too much for me to justify for a new game I simply can’t think of a theme that would resonate enough with me to justify the expense.

I also don’t want to fork out 4-5 grand on a 90s game that didn’t grab me enough in the last 10 or so years for 1.5k or below.

I actually like B list games such as the flintstones and WCS and would normally be happy to pick up another for a while but there is no way I’ll pay 3k plus for them.

So without anything to buy I’m currently not selling. It’s a vicious circle.

If I had another hobby then possibly selling the lot would be tempting. It’s insane to have so much money tied up in toys. I’ve got distinct memories of agonising over spending £500 on my first game.
 
I wonder if more sales are happening before a 'for sale' thread is even started. This year I've sold 3 on here (don't use facebook, won't use e-bay) and one was following a 'wanted' ad - there have been a lot more of those.

One 'gap' was filled from here, but with a promise to sell on to another forum member. That will most likely happen this month, so a sale through the forum, but no 'for sale' thread. When it goes, I'll pass on the details of another forum member who would like 'first dibs' when it comes up for sale again, so the pattern could be perpetuated.

Like others, finding replacements at pricing I'm comfortable with has been tough and in my case, led me to NIB. One of these is CCr, so although new, is effectively a pin from my preferred era, but, of course, like everyone else I'm waiting for delivery. So the pain of 'the gap' was also filled with a 3 month hire - I'd never thought about doing that before, but maybe that's part of the future?

As long as most route their sales through here and resist going for the last 'squeeze' on price through E-bay, I'm sure we'll all be OK going forward.
 
It’s a sellers market as many here have already mentioned. So isn’t it a question of price rather than availability?

Admittedly I’ve only been in the hobby a few years, and I’ve always found it tricky to find games to buy.

I have met a few collectors (very nice people by the way!) holding onto machines, as the prices in recent times seem to be heading in one direction - so if you don’t need the cash why sell?

Again a couple of collectors I know would sell some great machines if the buyer is prepared to offer top price. E.g. £8k-£10k for a MM, or maybe £7k for a TAF. At those prices you can get a really nice BNIB game can’t you?

Thing is most people here (myself included!) don’t want to (or rather can’t) spend top prices, or be prepared to take a hit if there is a sudden glut of machines hitting the market. Doesn’t look like happening very soon - but who knows?

My frustration is that I enjoy the restoration part of the hobby as much as the playing part. Currently finding a fairly priced project in recent times seems very, very difficult.

That’s how I see it anyway.
 
This thread is so true. Price are just crazy at the moment, driven by lack of supply and also by ebay around £2k on average over price on here.

I've a number of machines I wouldn't miss much but not much I'd like instead so makes no sense to sell when don't need cash or space. Almost sold Star Trek last week and glad didn't now! So logical thing to do is to keep for mo and hope market calms although no sign of it happening at mo. I'll probably only sell to free up space and cash when a new game comes along that I want or if I need cash/space outside hobby.

In meantime, temporary loan seems a good way to experience other games without letting yours go permanently, hence my thread here:

 
Certain projects command serious money because everyone wants one, especially ones being sold with all the new parts to complete the job.
I’m at the moment contemplating in selling a project with all the new parts to make a nice machine. Pricing it is the hard part, I know what a fully working completed machine would be but to price for a machine just needing the time spending on it ? I know this is a much sought after thing a project that just needs putting together and old parts replaced for new. Maybe even more so than a fully working machine.
 
Certain projects command serious money because everyone wants one, especially ones being sold with all the new parts to complete the job.
I’m at the moment contemplating in selling a project with all the new parts to make a nice machine. Pricing it is the hard part, I know what a fully working completed machine would be but to price for a machine just needing the time spending on it ? I know this is a much sought after thing a project that just needs putting together and old parts replaced for new. Maybe even more so than a fully working machine.
You've done it now. Prepare to be spammed with PMs
 
you can buy a BNIB cheaper yes but it won’t be a long standing classic like TAF or MM, it’s tomorrows b or c title. especially some of the recent pros with serious bits missing (i really hate stern for pulling this stunt , repeatedly). Also TAF and MM are going to be easily repairable for decades. modern sterns may not be so easy / cheap in the longer run.
 
you can buy a BNIB cheaper yes but it won’t be a long standing classic like TAF or MM, it’s tomorrows b or c title. especially some of the recent pros with serious bits missing (i really hate stern for pulling this stunt , repeatedly). Also TAF and MM are going to be easily repairable for decades. modern sterns may not be so easy / cheap in the longer run.
LOL Alan I love you mate but that's a load of old codswallop! MM is a good game but relatively simple but TAF is so far past its sell by date now even Munsters is better!

There are enough Stern games out in the wild that someone will support them in the long term. I'd keep my eyes open on Williams WPC ASIC supply!

Neil.
 
Lack of pins. Dealers have been snapping up pins that may have done the merry go round on the forum. Of course with those gone. I guess the next time we will ever see large sale of pins is if one of us croakes it..hopefully won’t happen anytime soon!
 
LOL Alan I love you mate but that's a load of old codswallop! MM is a good game but relatively simple but TAF is so far past its sell by date now even Munsters is better!

There are enough Stern games out in the wild that someone will support them in the long term. I'd keep my eyes open on Williams WPC ASIC supply!

Neil.
Each to their own, TAF is absolutely brilliant. 😃😃😃😃
 
TAF > than 90% of any post 2000 pins.

In Neil’s world one direction are better than the Beatles / Rolling Stones as they are newer. 😉

TAF never fails to put a smile on my face when I play it. Stuff like GoG might technically be more advanced but I can take them or leave them. The only way my TAF is going is if there’s a remake of it.
 
TAF : A proper game: don’t need a degree in pinball to understand the rules, contains no flaky node boards and has the on off switch in the correct place. 😂😂
Chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp :D
is a fun game though, we had one in the office for couple years. Never get bored of the music / call outs :)
 
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So if you are an op which would you buy and site?. A new Stern pro or a TAF (assuming it was in a similar condition)
 
Sorry, but Neil is on the money with this one, Adams Family is easily the most overrated pinball of all time. It cannot compete with any modern Stern!
I’ve got to say, I don’t get the love for TAF. It’s… better than average.

MM, on the other hand, is a contender for GOAT. It has a perfect alchemy between the comedy callouts, incredible bash toy, flowy layout, intuitive rules and accessible family-friendly theme. I’ve played a lot of pins that have evidently taken their inspiration from MM, but IMO the original remains the best.

Personally, I also rate MB, especially the zingy music, silly callouts and fun toys, but it’s way too easy, even for someone who’s not great at pinball. MM manages to be equally easy to understand, but presents a bit more challenge.
 
MM very over rated imo. I wanted to love it. The wall shot is great but the destroyed castle is still a bunch of dildos waved in the air. AFM on the other hand I loved from first game.

I think TAF is about the time it came out. Total game changer and a distinctively different theme.

Do LCD games actually see a far bigger coin drop? They look great but is it enough to get younger people to cough up cash?
 
Not bothering with Multiball? One of the most atmospheric starts to a Multiball ever

Chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp chair ramp multiball :D
 
I actually sort of love Addams but it is ridiculously simple and very quickly dull. It is essentially ramp followed by the scoop forever. The theme, imagination of the modes and toys etc are top notch though. I'd imagine something like a Stranger Things would destroy it in a commercial environment though no?
 
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