simonclarke
Registered
Well worth considering; Pinball Arcade was most of my experience and I've just got my first.
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- Thread starter Sgt GrizZ
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Welcome to this great group
Hi all
what a great forum you’ve got here! i’m just waiting to get my first pin for 20 years down from Scotland! As a small machine operator it haunts me to this day that I sold all my old pins off in 2000/2001 for peanuts to go to Eastern Europe! What I would do to get that CFTBL and twilight zone back! May be one day soon. Time on my hands over the next few months so have just brought a Cyclone, in my all time top 5 but never had one before. Can’t wait to tinker with a few pins again after so long! Everything I operate these days has no soul!
what a great forum you’ve got here! i’m just waiting to get my first pin for 20 years down from Scotland! As a small machine operator it haunts me to this day that I sold all my old pins off in 2000/2001 for peanuts to go to Eastern Europe! What I would do to get that CFTBL and twilight zone back! May be one day soon. Time on my hands over the next few months so have just brought a Cyclone, in my all time top 5 but never had one before. Can’t wait to tinker with a few pins again after so long! Everything I operate these days has no soul!
simonclarke
Registered
Welcome
Good morning all.
Sad to say that whilst I've had a fascination for pinball for many years I've never actually owned one and haven't even played a table for several years (I can hear a chorus of boos, grunts and derision
)
I guess it all started back in the early seventies when as a kid, during the school holidays, I'd travel around the east of England with my dad in his lorry delivering crisps (and eating loads!) and every day we'd stop off at a transport cafe for lunch. Needless to say each and every one of these greasy stop offs had a pinball machine and I was hooked, in some ways it was the highlight of the day, even better than a bag of knock off Wotsits.
I've played whenever I can but sadly there seems to be fewer and fewer machines around for which I blame the video / AI generation (although really, I can see the appeal of them).
So this year it's time to do what I've wanted to for nearly 50yrs and get a machine (it would be another motorbike but head down, **** up and losing my licence is probably not a good idea, not yet anyway)
Not sure what I'd go for but got a budget of around 5K so should be able to get a decent table for that (Yes I've seen that GOT one on fleebay for 4800 and oooh I am tempted but I'm not gonna rush it)
I'll probably get one from someone on here, best way to go I'm sure.
No doubt I'll be asking some pretty stupid questions, please bear with me.
Thanks for letting me join.
ATB
Paul
Sad to say that whilst I've had a fascination for pinball for many years I've never actually owned one and haven't even played a table for several years (I can hear a chorus of boos, grunts and derision
)I guess it all started back in the early seventies when as a kid, during the school holidays, I'd travel around the east of England with my dad in his lorry delivering crisps (and eating loads!) and every day we'd stop off at a transport cafe for lunch. Needless to say each and every one of these greasy stop offs had a pinball machine and I was hooked, in some ways it was the highlight of the day, even better than a bag of knock off Wotsits.
I've played whenever I can but sadly there seems to be fewer and fewer machines around for which I blame the video / AI generation (although really, I can see the appeal of them).
So this year it's time to do what I've wanted to for nearly 50yrs and get a machine (it would be another motorbike but head down, **** up and losing my licence is probably not a good idea, not yet anyway)
Not sure what I'd go for but got a budget of around 5K so should be able to get a decent table for that (Yes I've seen that GOT one on fleebay for 4800 and oooh I am tempted but I'm not gonna rush it)
I'll probably get one from someone on here, best way to go I'm sure.
No doubt I'll be asking some pretty stupid questions, please bear with me.
Thanks for letting me join.
ATB
Paul
simonclarke
Registered
Welcome to the group Paul. There's a great forum on here for questions such as enquiring about value of a particular machine. I'd also recommend looking at past machine sales to get an idea for what you're looking for.Good morning all.
Sad to say that whilst I've had a fascination for pinball for many years I've never actually owned one and haven't even played a table for several years (I can hear a chorus of boos, grunts and derision
I guess it all started back in the early seventies when as a kid, during the school holidays, I'd travel around the east of England with my dad in his lorry delivering crisps (and eating loads!) and every day we'd stop off at a transport cafe for lunch. Needless to say each and every one of these greasy stop offs had a pinball machine and I was hooked, in some ways it was the highlight of the day, even better than a bag of knock off Wotsits.
I've played whenever I can but sadly there seems to be fewer and fewer machines around for which I blame the video / AI generation (although really, I can see the appeal of them).
So this year it's time to do what I've wanted to for nearly 50yrs and get a machine (it would be another motorbike but head down, **** up and losing my licence is probably not a good idea, not yet anyway)
Not sure what I'd go for but got a budget of around 5K so should be able to get a decent table for that (Yes I've seen that GOT one on fleebay for 4800 and oooh I am tempted but I'm not gonna rush it)
I'll probably get one from someone on here, best way to go I'm sure.
No doubt I'll be asking some pretty stupid questions, please bear with me.
Thanks for letting me join.
ATB
Paul
Welcome Paul - great back storyGood morning all.
Sad to say that whilst I've had a fascination for pinball for many years I've never actually owned one and haven't even played a table for several years (I can hear a chorus of boos, grunts and derision
I guess it all started back in the early seventies when as a kid, during the school holidays, I'd travel around the east of England with my dad in his lorry delivering crisps (and eating loads!) and every day we'd stop off at a transport cafe for lunch. Needless to say each and every one of these greasy stop offs had a pinball machine and I was hooked, in some ways it was the highlight of the day, even better than a bag of knock off Wotsits.
I've played whenever I can but sadly there seems to be fewer and fewer machines around for which I blame the video / AI generation (although really, I can see the appeal of them).
So this year it's time to do what I've wanted to for nearly 50yrs and get a machine (it would be another motorbike but head down, **** up and losing my licence is probably not a good idea, not yet anyway)
Not sure what I'd go for but got a budget of around 5K so should be able to get a decent table for that (Yes I've seen that GOT one on fleebay for 4800 and oooh I am tempted but I'm not gonna rush it)
I'll probably get one from someone on here, best way to go I'm sure.
No doubt I'll be asking some pretty stupid questions, please bear with me.
Thanks for letting me join.
ATB
Paul
That GOT is mine and listed on here for £4,550. Welcome to view/try out subject to virus restrictions but best thing to do is to try out as many different titles as possible to see what floats your boat cos I'm sure as you probably already know just like music everyone has their own tastes and some games some people love, whilst others don't feel the same passion for certain titles.
Cheers
Greg
Those machines you played back in the early 70's were electro mechanical, beautiful looking but slow and very shallow rule set. The newer stuff is mainly designed for the home environment and the rule set is a lot deeper and keeps your intrest for a lot longer .Good morning all.
Sad to say that whilst I've had a fascination for pinball for many years I've never actually owned one and haven't even played a table for several years (I can hear a chorus of boos, grunts and derision
I guess it all started back in the early seventies when as a kid, during the school holidays, I'd travel around the east of England with my dad in his lorry delivering crisps (and eating loads!) and every day we'd stop off at a transport cafe for lunch. Needless to say each and every one of these greasy stop offs had a pinball machine and I was hooked, in some ways it was the highlight of the day, even better than a bag of knock off Wotsits.
I've played whenever I can but sadly there seems to be fewer and fewer machines around for which I blame the video / AI generation (although really, I can see the appeal of them).
So this year it's time to do what I've wanted to for nearly 50yrs and get a machine (it would be another motorbike but head down, **** up and losing my licence is probably not a good idea, not yet anyway)
Not sure what I'd go for but got a budget of around 5K so should be able to get a decent table for that (Yes I've seen that GOT one on fleebay for 4800 and oooh I am tempted but I'm not gonna rush it)
I'll probably get one from someone on here, best way to go I'm sure.
No doubt I'll be asking some pretty stupid questions, please bear with me.
Thanks for letting me join.
ATB
Paul
Whatever you decide on they are all great fun and we all like different things so ask away on here for anything you need to know, there are some very knowledgeable people on here that know everything from every era of pinball.
The main thing is to enjoy your journey, it's a great thing to experience all what every era of machine has to offer.
Have fun .
[
Not sure I've done that "quote" thing right?
Hi Greg,
I did wonder if that GOT was someones in this forum as I also saw it on a Facebook thread and thought I recognized your avatar. I watched a very looong Youtube run through of the game by a couple of American guys and it certainly looks a good one, so many different features and ways of approaching the game, got to admit they lost me after about 20 mins. Certainly something I'd consider given the level of complexity to keep the interest going
ATB
Paul
Welcome Paul - great back story
That GOT is mine and listed on here for £4,550. Welcome to view/try out subject to virus restrictions but best thing to do is to try out as many different titles as possible to see what floats your boat cos I'm sure as you probably already know just like music everyone has their own tastes and some games some people love, whilst others don't feel the same passion for certain titles.
Cheers
Greg
Not sure I've done that "quote" thing right?
Hi Greg,
I did wonder if that GOT was someones in this forum as I also saw it on a Facebook thread and thought I recognized your avatar. I watched a very looong Youtube run through of the game by a couple of American guys and it certainly looks a good one, so many different features and ways of approaching the game, got to admit they lost me after about 20 mins. Certainly something I'd consider given the level of complexity to keep the interest going
ATB
Paul
Hi Paul,
Yeah quote worked fine I think I saw the same vids on youtube. tells you pretty much everything there is to know about the machine. Lots of different ways to play.
Cheers
Greg
Yeah quote worked fine
I think I saw the same vids on youtube. tells you pretty much everything there is to know about the machine. Lots of different ways to play.Cheers
Greg
Algae
Registered
Evening All,
Looks like the 'avatar' (?) automatically created is the right colour for my screen name.
I'm new here and I don't yet have a machine. Browsing here, this looks the best place to correct that deficiency.
I'm of sixties vintage and pinball is something that I would love playing at arcades when on holidays or days out as a (1970s) kid, when I could only afford very few goes for my coins. As an adult I have been more a countryside/walking/driving fan.
BUT I have rediscovered my interest in pinball. It's as if I have have seen the light. And now I've realised that since the recent completion of a home extension, there is a prime space crying out for a machine. I've become absorbed with gleaning more knowledge online, especially of EM machines. Several things attract me to EM machines: the retro appearance, the interesting efforts made to attempt to create varied gameplay whilst limited by the technology, the challenge of mastering playing skills, the often great artwork which to me like classic cars and music of the period can stand out as pieces of art, and the appeal of maintaining, restoring, fault-diagnosing and fixing up the EM technology as a hobby in itself. I have the skillset and tools (and ability and desire to acquire more as required) to do this. EM components and the way they operate together to create a functioning game machine fascinate me.
On reflection, reading back what I've written here to introduce myself, it seems obvious that nostalgia is playing a big part.
To dip my toe in the water, I'd like to find a game that I like and that demonstrably works properly at time of sale, for well within £1,000. I'm not expecting a recent restoration or any warranty of course, and cosmetic issues are unlikely to put me off. I now can't stop looking for a machine from the 60s/70s even though in the current lockdown I can't justify going to collect one, and I just manage to hold back from bidding on eBay or contacting sellers elsewhere. From the sale prices I've observed so far, my hope looks achievable.
Looking forward to the lifting of lockdown so I can travel to view/collect a machine. Meantime I'm enjoying the window shopping, and learning about different games.
Alan, South Gloucestershire
Looks like the 'avatar' (?) automatically created is the right colour for my screen name.
I'm new here and I don't yet have a machine. Browsing here, this looks the best place to correct that deficiency.
I'm of sixties vintage and pinball is something that I would love playing at arcades when on holidays or days out as a (1970s) kid, when I could only afford very few goes for my coins. As an adult I have been more a countryside/walking/driving fan.
BUT I have rediscovered my interest in pinball. It's as if I have have seen the light. And now I've realised that since the recent completion of a home extension, there is a prime space crying out for a machine. I've become absorbed with gleaning more knowledge online, especially of EM machines. Several things attract me to EM machines: the retro appearance, the interesting efforts made to attempt to create varied gameplay whilst limited by the technology, the challenge of mastering playing skills, the often great artwork which to me like classic cars and music of the period can stand out as pieces of art, and the appeal of maintaining, restoring, fault-diagnosing and fixing up the EM technology as a hobby in itself. I have the skillset and tools (and ability and desire to acquire more as required) to do this. EM components and the way they operate together to create a functioning game machine fascinate me.
On reflection, reading back what I've written here to introduce myself, it seems obvious that nostalgia is playing a big part.
To dip my toe in the water, I'd like to find a game that I like and that demonstrably works properly at time of sale, for well within £1,000. I'm not expecting a recent restoration or any warranty of course, and cosmetic issues are unlikely to put me off. I now can't stop looking for a machine from the 60s/70s even though in the current lockdown I can't justify going to collect one, and I just manage to hold back from bidding on eBay or contacting sellers elsewhere. From the sale prices I've observed so far, my hope looks achievable.
Looking forward to the lifting of lockdown so I can travel to view/collect a machine. Meantime I'm enjoying the window shopping, and learning about different games.
Alan, South Gloucestershire
simonclarke
Registered
Welcome to the community.
Rodders5711
Registered
Hi Paul, I’m a new member and while scanning through the site over the last few months I noticed a chance to donate to its upkeep, I didnt donate at the time because I wanted to find out if it’s what I want or not. Well yes I think it is very good and I would like to donate but I cannot find anywhere to do this. I am sure you will direct me straight to it but I suggest you make it more easy to find. Maybe on the home page!My name is Paul, I'm 41, and i'm a pinball Addict....... I've been a pinball Addict for 10 years now....
It started off as just a fad - just one machine, a Whitewater. Oh i thought that was fine. But then it started to creep up on me - the dependency - then it was two and i thought i'd managed to control the addiction, but before i knew it it was four....
Welcome Alan.
That's a great introduction! I can fully understand and appreciate why you're drawn to the 70s EMs as a lot of if (certainly initially if not totally) is about nostalgia. Personally I was mostly drawn to the 90s DMDs from the pubs (after staring collecting early 80s dedciated videos) so was a bit young to appreciate the EMs but I can certaibly see why you love the style and art.
@DAD is a big collector of EMs and expert in their repair and a great guy so sure would be willing to advise you.
That's a great introduction! I can fully understand and appreciate why you're drawn to the 70s EMs as a lot of if (certainly initially if not totally) is about nostalgia. Personally I was mostly drawn to the 90s DMDs from the pubs (after staring collecting early 80s dedciated videos) so was a bit young to appreciate the EMs but I can certaibly see why you love the style and art.
@DAD is a big collector of EMs and expert in their repair and a great guy so sure would be willing to advise you.
Hi Alan @Algae
Welcome to the forum.
Like you I have a strong affinity for EM games and have been collecting them since the late 70's, although I do enjoy the modern games as well
There's a link to my current line up in my signature
Since you're not looking for cosmetic perfection, with patience you should have no trouble finding an EM game to suit within your budget, even though prices have been rising for all eras of game recently and the £1,000 barrier for an EM is being breached more and more often.
You do right to start with a working game though - it's easy to inadvertently create new faults when trying to work on a project game until you get a bit familiar with them - when a working game goes wrong you have an immediate pointer to where to look.
It sounds like you have the attitude and the skills to quickly get the hang of them though
There's only a limited following for EM games on this forum - most members are wholly or principally into solid state games, but there's a huge amount of resources for them out there on the net, including dedicated EM groups/forums in the US
When lockdown restrictions ease I'd be delighted to show you my own collection.
You could even come up and make a walking weekend of it, since there is some lovely countryside hereabouts (West Yorkshire)
I'm also happy to provide what advice I can to help you along the way.
I do have EM games for sale from time to time, although due to the aforementioned limited interest here for EM games I've tended of late to put them on Ebay
Happy to have a private conversation with you if you need any specific informaion/advice
David
Welcome to the forum.
Like you I have a strong affinity for EM games and have been collecting them since the late 70's, although I do enjoy the modern games as well
There's a link to my current line up in my signature
Since you're not looking for cosmetic perfection, with patience you should have no trouble finding an EM game to suit within your budget, even though prices have been rising for all eras of game recently and the £1,000 barrier for an EM is being breached more and more often.
You do right to start with a working game though - it's easy to inadvertently create new faults when trying to work on a project game until you get a bit familiar with them - when a working game goes wrong you have an immediate pointer to where to look.
It sounds like you have the attitude and the skills to quickly get the hang of them though
There's only a limited following for EM games on this forum - most members are wholly or principally into solid state games, but there's a huge amount of resources for them out there on the net, including dedicated EM groups/forums in the US
When lockdown restrictions ease I'd be delighted to show you my own collection.
You could even come up and make a walking weekend of it, since there is some lovely countryside hereabouts (West Yorkshire)
I'm also happy to provide what advice I can to help you along the way.
I do have EM games for sale from time to time, although due to the aforementioned limited interest here for EM games I've tended of late to put them on Ebay
Happy to have a private conversation with you if you need any specific informaion/advice
David
Hi @Algae , welcome and great intro. I worked my way back to EMs, they offer similar game functionality to early solid state but have a mechanical purity about them and they sound fricking awesome ringing and clattering away above everything else.
These are a couple of my favourite EM links to get you started
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-pinball-circuits-basics-to-not-so-basic
http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm (the Clays Guide!)
These are a couple of my favourite EM links to get you started
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/em-pinball-circuits-basics-to-not-so-basic
http://www.pinrepair.com/em/index1.htm (the Clays Guide!)
@Algae I'm currently working through my Gottlieb Lucky Strike which might be of interest. You can see the shop log at the below link:
https://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/gottlieb-lucky-strike.47887/
https://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/gottlieb-lucky-strike.47887/
CJW_DE
Registered
Hi all,
Thanks for letting me in admin! I love pinball machines though I don't currently own any!
I'm looking for a Gottlieb King Pin...I will post a wanted ad shortly.
In the meantime if anyone know of a decent working unit for sale or someone who may know somebody with one..that would be great!
Thanks for letting me in admin! I love pinball machines though I don't currently own any!
I'm looking for a Gottlieb King Pin...I will post a wanted ad shortly.
In the meantime if anyone know of a decent working unit for sale or someone who may know somebody with one..that would be great!
I sold my King pin a few months ago - great game. I think @DAD might know someone who has one for sale?
I have a King Pin, but it's not for sale at the moment. I know of another but I don't believe that is for sale either. It was a very popular game (and rightly so) , so there is a good number around
Maybe able to help, will pm you.
Dave
Algae
Registered
Thanks for all the welcoming messages everyone. Yes, I see the risk of the things multiplying like tribbles.
@DAD, thanks particularly for your advice and comments. I have noted that the forum mostly covers newer machines, and I do appreciate that they offer more complex gameplay and much more. Perhaps I might find I want to move on once I’ve had a simple machine for a while. There’s only one way to find out.
@ronsplooter I am very interested in that Lucky Strike you’ve mentioned. I’ve read your shop log on it. You have put in so much work on it and it’s looking great. I don’t know how you could part with it having lavished such attention on it. From what I’ve read though, isn’t your intention to take it to shows?
Dave too, thanks for your offer to help, I’ll be in touch.
@DAD, thanks particularly for your advice and comments. I have noted that the forum mostly covers newer machines, and I do appreciate that they offer more complex gameplay and much more. Perhaps I might find I want to move on once I’ve had a simple machine for a while. There’s only one way to find out.
@ronsplooter I am very interested in that Lucky Strike you’ve mentioned. I’ve read your shop log on it. You have put in so much work on it and it’s looking great. I don’t know how you could part with it having lavished such attention on it. From what I’ve read though, isn’t your intention to take it to shows?
Dave too, thanks for your offer to help, I’ll be in touch.
CJW_DE
Registered
Hi, and thanks, the King Pin would be looking to purchase one before May this year if possible, in decent working order, i see other Gottliebs out there for sale, but i haven't seen any King Pin's.
If you do change your mind on selling, or if you know someone who could be persuaded i would be very grateful to discuss.
If you could point me in the direction of others places to look for sellers, that would be great.
@Stags6969 yea, we aren't too far away from each other!