My experience owning my First Pinball Machine (unfortunately things have not been so great so far)

[RetroHeed]

Thanks for all the feedback folks, much appreciated.

Yes there are minor issues I have mentioned on here and to the seller, I am in no way complaining about LED's etc falling of the playfield, I was just mentioning all the things I discovered as they happened.

To confirm the purchase was made outside of eBay, previously we had discussed on certain things via eBay originally.

To some it may come across that I moaning about little problems here, and that these things are expected with old Machines, also problems can happen at any time I get that. I guess I am just miffed that on the two things that weren't highlighted to me, the damaged ramp and the damaged Pop Bumper.

Now admittedly I had seen further photos and a video of the playfield and the machine playing, these were in low light so I could not see the ramp or pop bumper clearly ( since reviewing the eBay photos I can clearly see the damaged pop bumper plastic body now)

I was happy to pay a premium for the machine knowing that the upper ramps were confirmed not to be damaged. The seller is a professional pinball restorer and their partner is an electronics engineer who restores pinballs, and stated it is therefore well maintained. I just think it was morally wrong for the seller to not declare the faults when asked about them, all other plastics were meant to be perfect and intact.

At the end of the day it is what is now, its just the fact that the Pop Bumper being damaged has ultimately led to a complete headache with a burnt out Coil, and shorted transistors, all of which could have been avoided should the damage been highlighted.

I plan to look over the Machine today, I will be posting in the Technical Questions and Help section.

Thanks again everyone

 

[AlanJ]

I've never come across this seller before on ebay? Cant quite figure out who they are? certainly don't appear to be a "professional pinball restorer"

 

[Fubar]

The seller is a professional pinball restorer and their partner is an electronics engineer who restores pinballs

If you got it from a business (rather than a private seller), then the price isn't so inflated as a business will have costs and will be trying to turn a profit. Nonetheless, still dishonest not mentioning the ramp damage especially when explicitly asked.

It would help the community if you would identify the seller - this way people would know to check condition very carefully when dealing with them.

 

[jamiesdad]

Is the back glass a piece of Perspex with a vinyl print stuck to it . And two round holes in the bottom right.

 

[RetroHeed]

If you got it from a business (rather than a private seller), then the price isn't so inflated as a business will have costs and will be trying to turn a profit. Nonetheless, still dishonest not mentioning the ramp damage especially when explicitly asked.

It would help the community if you would identify the seller - this way people would know to check condition very carefully when dealing with them.

It was purchased privately. At this time I do not want to name the seller just now tbh but I fully understand where you are coming from.

 

[RetroHeed]

Is the back glass a piece of Perspex with a vinyl print stuck to it . And two round holes in the bottom right.

Yes this is not the original back glass, this a translate, yip vinyl stuck to perspex. I already knew about that, my plan was to use my very talented graphic designer friend help create a a new higher quality one at some point.

 

[jamiesdad]

I think this is a machine I used to own . Bought it as a non worker about 10 years ago with no back glass found a picture on the internet and got someone to make it . My nephew has still not forgiven me for selling it . And at that price I don’t think I could afford to own another .

 

[Kenny Taylor]

It didn’t even have the backglass, I can guarantee the seller new about this..oh dear.

The problem is the lack of pins being sold and on this forum. Either we’re all hoarders which I know I am or there is a real scarcity now. You used to see the same pins being passed around but even those have dried up!

I am currently one over but am reluctant to sell any of them..

 

[MadNat]

For what its worth my first pin was a DE purchase from eBay - before I discovered this forum.

That was a DE Batman, it also had a hum in attract mode... couldn't hear it while playing. I just figured it was a thing.

Stuff went wrong with it - including a bad TIP. I got great help from here when attempting each repair - which was very scary at the time. Glad I did however, as now I really enjoy the restore part of the hobby as much as the playing part. Appreciate that path isn't for everyone.

My only advice - which is far too late, would have been to check the price on the forum before agreeing to pay. Sounds like with NOS ramp on the machine - it would have been overpriced when I read most of the other messages you've received.

Hope you get enjoyment from playing your first pin, and kicks you on to wanting more.

 

[DRD]

Really sorry that this was your first experience @RetroHeed

You are not the first, and will not be the last first timer to have a bad first experience. Many of us overpay first time out, and still get done after years of experience - so don't be too hard on yourself.

No two pinballers will ever agree on condition. It is hugely subjective. Wahen games are shipped there is a real chance that something Will shake loose, or a connector might fail.

Unless you know the seller, or someone you trust knows the seller - something like this is a real risk. I would never buy a game from an unknown seller unseen.

For a number of years I have bought the seller, I don't buy the game.

Next time, but from a known individual on here.

In the meantime there are plenty of folk on here who have the knowledge to help you get this up and running properly

 

[Itch]

Seller was rossco?

 

[CHRIS B PINBALLS]

I bought it because my son loved the films and was nagging me for years to get one, it looked a beautiful pin but it just wasn’t
Im fussy and I just couldn’t keep it no matter how rare it was so sorted everything but the warped playfield, signed playfield so not doable.

Ah must be lotr le damaged nib and sold at a discounted price originally been round several group members then to Italy before returning back here before a well known group member killed it with lots of nasty mods last sold to Williams amusement and now lives in skipton

 

[CHRIS B PINBALLS]

It was purchased privately. At this time I do not want to name the seller just now tbh but I fully understand where you are coming from.

Why do people refuse to name the seller it’s just waiting for the next person to be stung
If he is a great pinball restoration person then why can he no longer help you information and assistant in repairs are free and a coil transistor and pop bumper ring are hardly going to break the bank on a game he has probably made a nice profit on you have been nothing but polite in picking all these issues with him too

 

[Doggard]

I’m still saving for my first pin, wife has disabilities, so I’m the only earner in my household. So it will be a lot of money for me and a big purchase.
I’ve been lurking around here since august, watching the for sale posts, and getting a feel for prices and the respected sellers. Although I’ve been playing pinball since the early 90s, I know next to nothing about how to fix, or work on these machines. So when I do finally purchase, it has to be a good machine, I really can’t afford to get stung.
I would only ever view in person, and would even be prepared, to pay a respected member on here to view with me as piece of mind ( if anyone would be so kind to do that for me)
it’s a really daunting prospect, especially after reading the horror stories posted on here

i do think these sellers should be named, there are many of us who are yet to own a machine, and knowing who to avoid is a big benefit, and could save some poor soul from a terrible experience

 

[Happypin]

Why do people refuse to name the seller it’s just waiting for the next person to be stung
If he is a great pinball restoration person then why can he no longer help you information and assistant in repairs are free and a coil transistor and pop bumper ring are hardly going to break the bank on a game he has probably made a nice profit on you have been nothing but polite in picking all these issues with him too

You are one in million Chris, if everyone did what you did and do after a sale or helping others that didn’t even purchase a pin from you, the pinball world would be so easy.

Just sold a pin on eBay which is being picked up today the buyer said it’s going in a bar, so to make it bulletproof I’ve done a full cap change on the power supply.
But as we know things do go wrong with machines that are 30 years old regularly.

 

[mark9]

Ah must be lotr le damaged nib and sold at a discounted price originally been round several group members then to Italy before returning back here before a well known group member killed it with lots of nasty mods last sold to Williams amusement and now lives in skipton

Wonder how he Wormed his way out of that one?

To be fair though, I'm guessing when he imported from Italy they didn't mention the issues to him, so was he even aware of them?

 

[RetroHeed]

It didn’t even have the backglass, I can guarantee the seller new about this..oh dear.

The problem is the lack of pins being sold and on this forum. Either we’re all hoarders which I know I am or there is a real scarcity now. You used to see the same pins being passed around but even those have dried up!

I am currently one over but am reluctant to sell any of them..

Yes no original backglass, @Ashbo kindly pointed that out to me on the listing. The seller confirmed it was a repro once I had asked (prior to the sale), there was no mention on the eBay description either that the backglass was a repro. My future plan was to replace that with a higher quality print at some point.

Maybe you see less on here as people are trying to get top dollar for them by selling them on eBay now. I use to buy sell video games back and forth on forums and that has pretty much dried up now, they have resorted to eBay for selling.

 

[M4carp]

Ah must be lotr le damaged nib and sold at a discounted price originally been round several group members then to Italy before returning back here before a well known group member killed it with lots of nasty mods last sold to Williams amusement and now lives in skipton

Yeah and I had to tidy up all the mess that was made doing it.
Sold on here with no mention of this, not by the seller or anyone else chiming in to warn anyone of the damage as it was not mentioned or any pics of it.

I couldn’t sell it like this so sorted the damage as best I could and was solid/clean, the birds nest of wiring was tidied up and faults fixed.
I still have mods here from it

I found out it was bad a while after I bought when I realised the playfield was warped as a ball was getting stuck on a post when it shouldn’t have so crawled underneath to adjust the back legs and while doing the turtle heard and felt a crack, not my back but the bottom of the cab!
You could fit your hand between the cross member and the base of the cab, sorted that too.
Sanded the bottom to get rid of the cracks and came out good.

Was much better after I sorted it all out, put 3mm ply under coin box area from outside where there had been damage and Stevie Wonder filled it, could have poked my dick through that!

My son was gutted, I was bored of it anyway. It just sat there annoying me.

Life goes on and another lesson learnt.

 

[VeeMonroe]

I still have mods here from it

Out of curiosity, which were the ‘bad mods’ causing the problem? I ask as someone who is currently heavily modding a LoTR.

Although I’ve been playing pinball since the early 90s, I know next to nothing about how to fix, or work on these machines. So when I do finally purchase, it has to be a good machine, I really can’t afford to get stung.

I wouldn’t worry about not knowing how to fix or work on a pin. We knew nothing about pinball repair in July and, since then, we’ve fully LED‘d a Fish Tales, installed two LCD screens, rebuilt the Caster’s club, fixed a ball jam, replaced the auto plunge on our LoTR (the plastic snapped - probably due to our overenthusiastic young players) and I have all the parts for a reproduction fish topper!

You just need to be willing to take advice, ask questions, and give it a go!

I would recommend picking an older pin that had LOTs of units. Replacement parts for Bally/Williams 90s era pins tend to be quite cheap and, if there’s a lot of a particular model, they tend to be readily available. Fish Tales is a great example. You can pick up spare parts, even ramps, etc. quite easily. There’s only one part we’ve had a problem getting hold of (the switch cover over the reel entry ramp).

The most important part of the pin is the playfield - that needs to be in good condition. This is because a new playfield is ~£1,000 and you have to strip everything off the old one. It doesn’t matter about stuff like broken bumper camps and lane guides; you can pick them up for a pound or so from Pinball Mania. We’ve already replaced one bumper cap and four lane guides on our Fish Tales. Likewise, I’d suggest making sure the cab is in good condition. Again, if you want to re-decal the cab, you have to strip out the playfield and completely whitewash the box before re-decaling, which is - in turn - a relatively specialist job. So, probably not something you want to do in a hurrry.

 

[Rob zombie]

It was purchased privately. At this time I do not want to name the seller just now tbh but I fully understand where you are coming from.

The problem with not naming the seller is that now it makes us all wonder who this Nottingham based restorer and seller is....and it casts suspicion on people who aren't involved. Also, the fact that this seller is using their supposed community reputation to add value and legitimacy to the eBay listing means they certainly should not remain anonymous.

 

[M4carp]

Out of curiosity, which were the ‘bad mods’ causing the problem? I ask as someone who is currently heavily modding a LoTR.

Not really bad mods but just not for me, volcano mod that goes on the back and ball returns through it from the ring was dodgy and blowing a fuse, back glass led mod which was a big mesh screen hanging down over the boards tied in to the game lighting and flashing the back glass, the sword mod that goes over the lock sword and blocks your view of the ball, that now hangs over my pinroom door, pinstadiums that get in the way when you forget to move them out of the way to lift the playfield. More that I can’t remember.
Just add the eye mod, decent speakers, led’s with led ocd if you like LED’s, plastic protectors from Col and be done with it.

 

[VeeMonroe]

Not really bad mods but just not for me, volcano mod that goes on the back and ball returns through it from the ring was dodgy and blowing a fuse, back glass led mod which was a big mesh screen hanging down over the boards tied in to the game lighting and flashing the back glass, the sword mod that goes over the lock sword and blocks your view of the ball, that now hangs over my pinroom door, pinstadiums that get in the way when you forget to move them out of the way to lift the playfield. More that I can’t remember.
Just add the eye mod, decent speakers, led’s with led ocd if you like LED’s, plastic protectors from Col and be done with it.

I was going to get the volcano mod. I’ve got the Eye of Sauron, Palantir and Ring of Fire mods on order, and was planning to add the illuminated tower and sword hilt (not the long sword that blocks the view of the ball) as well.

I guess I’ll need to add the mods one at a time to ensure the circuitry holds up, I guess.

 

[russdx1]

The problem with not naming the seller is that now it makes us all wonder who this Nottingham based restorer and seller is....and it casts suspicion on people who aren't involved. Also, the fact that this seller is using their supposed community reputation to add value and legitimacy to the eBay listing means they certainly should not remain anonymous.

I still think a thread where people can post there selling experiences would help out other people when buying games. Almost like a selling feed back system.

 

[Rob zombie]

I still think a thread where people can post there selling experiences would help out other people when buying games. Almost like a selling feed back system.

Yes definitely. Maybe some sort of rating system attached to people's profiles? Although I guess that could further encourage sales elsewhere. To be honest, this is a trickier than usual one. The buyer knew he was overpaying before the deal was done and was happy to do so. I don't think this is a case of needing to get the hankies out in sympathy. It's not a Rossco or a Backhouse type sale. I don't really see that anyone has had the wool pulled over their eyes in terms of machine value. But this is now making all the Nottingham folks look suspicious so the seller needs to be named and their community reputation rides or slides on how they address it going forward.

 

[DRD]

Nottinghamshire is bandit country. Folk here still celebrate wronguns from centuries ago ...

And the current local villains even steal the most famous local villain's arrow every couple of weeks ...

"they just need to protect it from hen parties and schoolkids better"

'It's an atrocity' - residents react after the Robin Hood statue was damaged

"It's ironic, the prince of thieves has had his arrow stolen."

www.nottinghampost.com

 

[Rob zombie]

Nottinghamshire is bandit country. Folk here still celebrate wronguns from centuries ago ...

And the current local villains even steal the most famous local villain's arrow every couple of weeks ...

"they just need to protect it from hen parties and schoolkids better"

'It's an atrocity' - residents react after the Robin Hood statue was damaged

"It's ironic, the prince of thieves has had his arrow stolen."

www.nottinghampost.com

View attachment 155468

Yeah, I lived there 20 years ago. Can't say I miss the place. I think there probably should be a sellers premium for living there without topping yourself.

 

[cmrl9]

Out of curiosity, which were the ‘bad mods’ causing the problem? I ask as someone who is currently heavily modding a LoTR.


I wouldn’t worry about not knowing how to fix or work on a pin. We knew nothing about pinball repair in July and, since then, we’ve fully LED‘d a Fish Tales, installed two LCD screens, rebuilt the Caster’s club, fixed a ball jam, replaced the auto plunge on our LoTR (the plastic snapped - probably due to our overenthusiastic young players) and I have all the parts for a reproduction fish topper!

You just need to be willing to take advice, ask questions, and give it a go!

I would recommend picking an older pin that had LOTs of units. Replacement parts for Bally/Williams 90s era pins tend to be quite cheap and, if there’s a lot of a particular model, they tend to be readily available. Fish Tales is a great example. You can pick up spare parts, even ramps, etc. quite easily. There’s only one part we’ve had a problem getting hold of (the switch cover over the reel entry ramp).

The most important part of the pin is the playfield - that needs to be in good condition. This is because a new playfield is ~£1,000 and you have to strip everything off the old one. It doesn’t matter about stuff like broken bumper camps and lane guides; you can pick them up for a pound or so from Pinball Mania. We’ve already replaced one bumper cap and four lane guides on our Fish Tales. Likewise, I’d suggest making sure the cab is in good condition. Again, if you want to re-decal the cab, you have to strip out the playfield and completely whitewash the box before re-decaling, which is - in turn - a relatively specialist job. So, probably not something you want to do in a hurrry.

The problem with mods that draw power the machine wasn't designed for it so it blows fuses .

If fitting lighted mods then you need a power driver board, pinball bizaar sell one called feed frenzy and a separate power supply

 

[cmrl9]

I

I was going to get the volcano mod. I’ve got the Eye of Sauron, Palantir and Ring of Fire mods on order, and was planning to add the illuminated tower and sword hilt (not the long sword that blocks the view of the ball) as well.

I guess I’ll need to add the mods one at a time to ensure the circuitry holds up, I guess.

It won't based on collywables advice, need a separate feed

 

[cmrl9]

I

It won't based on collywables advice, need a separate feed

I was going to get the volcano mod. I’ve got the Eye of Sauron, Palantir and Ring of Fire mods on order, and was planning to add the illuminated tower and sword hilt (not the long sword that blocks the view of the ball) as well.

I guess I’ll need to add the mods one at a time to ensure the circuitry holds up, I guess.

This sword mods non intrusive, doesn't block the sword ball view and pretty cool, fitted mine yesterday, back in stock

https://www.pinballlife.com/lord-of-the-rings-sword-handle.html

 

[RetroHeed]

For those asking I believe the sellers username on here is ClaireMac

Thanks again for those also helping with the fault finding.