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Newbie First Pin purchase

D

Dmstaylor

Site Supporter
Joined
Jan 16, 2025
Messages
25
Location
Nottingham
Morning all,

Thanks for the add, complete newbie from Nottingham, came across the site while looking to purchase my first pin! Looks like a great community on here so thought it was worth a post to see if anyone has advice or even anything for sale that might suit

I've never owned a pin or even looked at owning one before but used to really enjoy playing the odd one that was around 20 odd years ago! Recently took my lad who's 11 to an an all-inclusive arcade place that we had booked out for his football team xmas do. They had every arcade and driving sim going , VR the lot but I was amazed to watch him spend the whole 90mins pretty much ignoring his friends and the computer games/vr playing the Godzilla pinball machine! I was on the on the scooby do one opposite!

Just in general I'm desperate to get him away from his new phone and computer games and its Birthday coming up so although it’s a lot more than I'd normally spend on him my partner seems to have agreed to us converting a small spare room to have a pinball machine! Can’t wait, win, win situation! Only issue now is finding the right one and being lucky enough that its up for sale! I'm hoping to find something before 13th Feb but not sure if that’s realistic.

I've got a budget of around £2k-£3k at a push, I've been lurking on the "for sale" forum for a few days but I've gone down a bit of a rabbit hole looking at all the features that different ones have and really not sure where to start with getting the right pin, I know everyone says to go and play them but I'm not too sure if the available pin is realistically going to be available to try anywhere locally. Theres a CSI one for sale that looks like it's got loads of features and just about in budget but the theme concerns me a bit with this meant to be a birthday present for him! X-men looked great and found one for around £4k (think it was on here), I think we'd both enjoy the theme but its sadly out of budget. One feature I really do want to have is multiball , not sure what it is exactly but I personally love getting a multiball

Sorry for the life story probably should have kept this post shorter but just wanted to explain the circumstances to see if anyone had any advice on a few pins that might fit my budget / theme they could recommend I look out for or even anything for sale! Like I say he loved the Godzilla and I'm sure I would but obviously that's way out of budget and I know we aren't going to get something as good but hoping there's maybe an older game that might have a similar feel to it

Thanks all, Dan.
 
Welcome!

No specific advice on which machine, there's lots and once you start you won't be happy with just one and will probably want to change it after a few months (or add another one) - be aware that they seem to multiply!

We all like a bargain and to make the most out of our machines, but it is hard to value things when you are new.

Probably best to post a 'wanted' add in the For Sale forum and keep discussions on price/suitability there, in public, rather than on DMs - that way if someone tries to sell you a £1k machine for £3k then others here will warn you it is bad value.

One other warning, if the spare room is upstairs then getting the machine up/down will be difficult. They are big and heavy and not easy to move even if they are straight stairs with no obstructions - I did similar for my son a few years back and getting the machine upstairs was a massive problem (on Christmas eve!).
 
Looking through the.For sale posts, the stand out ones would be T2 but a bit out of your budget at 4K but a great game and Shaq Attack (if still available) would be ideal I think for a beginner. Gottliebs tend to be very reliable and although not favoured by a lot of experienced players, as I say, I think would be great for someone just starting out.
 
Hello Dan
If you decide to potentially stretch your budget to maybe get the xmen then I also have one if you’d like to come and play it for a bit first to see if you gel with the game. I’m about 90 mins from you down the m1 and there are lots of other pins you can try too.
Pm me if you want to organise it
Cheers
Jon
 
Thanks for all the replies 🙂

Luckily the spare room I have for his is downstairs so hopefully not a problem there but thanks for advice! I'll stick a post on the sale forum as suggested, didn't want to dive straight in there before saying hello on the newbie forum!

Yeah it's a shame i can't really afford to stretch to £4k .. it looks like it opens up some really good machines like the T2 / X-Men but to be honest I'm pushing what I can afford with £3k. Just had a look on the website and Pinfest sounds great and not too far away, I'll be looking to come to that with my lad!
 
I'll have a look at Shaq attack as well thanks but that's kind of the same as CSI with theme puts me off a bit, wouldn't bother me too much but I'd like my lad to enjoy the theme/look of it. I suppose maybe with my budget Im going to have to make some sacrifices!
 
While I'm asking newbie questions are there any risks with older pins having obsolete circuit boards/parts that I wouldn't be able to obtain or is there good support for pretty much anything I'd be looking at in my budget?
 
Thanks for the suggestion , the Spiderman one looks perfect, especially if it's closer to my budget, I'll keep an eye out thanks and add that to my wanted post 👍
 
If you can stretch to 3K then go for it, but if it’s for your boy then get him involved in choosing as the theme is everything.

I used to have a CSI and enjoyed it but if the theme turns you off then that won’t get better. Spiderman is awesome and may be reachable at 3 to 3.5. Batman Dark Knight also fantastic, probably 3.5 I’d guess. And Creech (CFTBL, you’re gonna have to learn the lingo) is possibly in range at 3-4K. Other entry level games, if you can track them down, include Lethal Weapon 3, Flintstones, Last Action Hero, Rocky & Bullwinkle……. the list is endless.

@Matt Vince has a lot of games he sells and also rents out (have you considered trying one out?) and I’m sure he’ll be along and let you know what he has. I’ve known Matt 15 years and promise you he is trustworthy and knows the prices - remember though that condition is everything, so you may find a FS for 1500 (ropey) or even 3000 (nice). If, like me, you don’t care about a few scratches and cracks and all that so long as it works, then you need to know the phrase “players’ condition’ which means just that, ie. Collectors would turn their noses up at it, but it’s exactly the same game if everything works.

Games mentioned today: CSI, SM, BTDK, R&B, CFTBL, FS, LAH, LW3

Welcome to the hobby, it’s very addictive
 
Here's my 10pence. I've been around owning arcade cabs for years, finally saved and bought my first pin last year.

I chose it for a number of reasons that worked for me, as a first pin.

1. It was sub £1k.
2. It worked in the main, but had a number of minor faults and needed a good bit of love.

This meant, I got my hands on a pin, and also got my hands inside it, and really got to know it, how they work, how to fix stuff, without the worry of breaking something worth thousands.

Is it a keeper? No. But as a generic toe in the water, this has taught me loads, I won't lose any money, easily sell on, and I've massively improved by ball control and techniques.

It is a Kings of Steel, from Bally.
Something like this isn't too far away - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/17670673...wBW41CuQMW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Sure it's not got ramps and multiballs, but it's still good fun and ticked all the above perfectly.
 
Welcome to the madhouse @Dmstaylor. Good to see another one from the Notts area.
Just a question. What games other than Godzilla did your lad play?
Playing the older games is a completely different experience to playing the likes of Godzilla.
If you and your lad haven't played the older games I would look to see what Tilt now have on site and have a trip down there for a few hours of fun.
@Tilt_Birmingham will be able to tell you, or check his website.
Some of the older games are great fun and some would say even more fun than some of the newer ones, but you definitely need to play them before you look to buy.
Good luck with your search.
Fish Tales and Flintstones are definitely worth a look.
 
My view on this as somebody who is less on the “collector” side of the hobby than many others here, is that £3k can buy you a LOT of pinball on location where you’d experience a lot of variety to help learn your taste in machines, could have some nice trips and days out with your son, spend the whole weekend at Pinfest, maybe play some tournaments etc. all for way less than the cost of one machine. Don’t get me wrong, expensive toy at home is really nice to have but kids and pinheads alike have short attention spans and strong urges to accumulate!

You could maybe even consider a pinball road trip - Special When Lit (Salisbury) Friday night, Pinball Republic (Croydon) Saturday daytime, Pinball Office (Sawbridgeworth) Sunday daytime on the way back. That would give you a total of up to 120 machines of all eras and manufacturers in one weekend :) if you want any more details of these venues we’d be happy to provide. Tilt in Birmingham is also reasonably close to you with much longer opening hours and 25ish machines.

If you are resolved on buying then I do think Spider-Man is an excellent suggestion: kid-friendly theme with rules which aren’t too complex, shoots nicely, challenging if you want to reach the end of the game, and if you like multiballs then you can get your first one with literally two shots to Doc Ock.
 
SM is a great game- bought one before Xmas players condition for £3k. Got offered other titles from the 2000’s for around that price £2.5k to £3.5k- condition and history varied. Be careful of people asking for the high end price on a game if it’s not fully working. E.g A minty SM with a coloured DMD screen for the scoreboard would be closer to £4k. When you get a Stern modelfrom 2000’s they’re generally pretty reliable a lot of value to be found as pinball wasn’t doing too well so lots of meh themes splashed between great themes like Stern’s Indiana Jones (which is sadly not a fun game unless running on a customised code). Batman The Dark Knight is a fun game and Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC) probably also just in your budget if you hit lucky. You’ve definitely come to the right place though- generally some great deals and people on pinball info forum. Take up @Jmac on his offer- he brought some of his games to Pinfest and at the time had a nice SM- good example so you can see what it’s about and how it should behave
 
robotgreg said:
Looking through the.For sale posts, the stand out ones would be T2 but a bit out of your budget at 4K but a great game and Shaq Attack (if still available) would be ideal I think for a beginner. Gottliebs tend to be very reliable and although not favoured by a lot of experienced players, as I say, I think would be great for someone just starting out.
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Good pin, but surely that one is massively overpriced? I wouldn't even pay £3k for one tbh.
 
SteadyP said:
SM is a great game- bought one before Xmas players condition for £3k. Got offered other titles from the 2000’s for around that price £2.5k to £3.5k- condition and history varied. Be careful of people asking for the high end price on a game if it’s not fully working. E.g A minty SM with a coloured DMD screen for the scoreboard would be closer to £4k. When you get a Stern modelfrom 2000’s they’re generally pretty reliable a lot of value to be found as pinball wasn’t doing too well so lots of meh themes splashed between great themes like Stern’s Indiana Jones (which is sadly not a fun game unless running on a customised code). Batman The Dark Knight is a fun game and Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC) probably also just in your budget if you hit lucky. You’ve definitely come to the right place though- generally some great deals and people on pinball info forum. Take up @Jmac on his offer- he brought some of his games to Pinfest and at the time had a nice SM- good example so you can see what it’s about and how it should behave
Click to expand...
My Spiderman is currently on loan at the pinball office along with my game of thrones. It’s another venue to add to your list to visit @Dmstaylor. It open at weekends and you book the session online. Pinball republic too
 
Spiderman was my first pin, I'll reiterate the warning as I now have fourteen (I think)!

Spiderman is a good call as it's got some rules and strategy depth but progression is understandable and achievable. Had BdK too for a while and in truth is is very similar to SM which is why only SM remains.

Whatever you get, it's worth finding someone local to show you how to do some basic maintenance stuff. You will need to know how to setup/pack down the machine, remove the glass and pinballs (so you can free a stuck ball) and fish out a broken plastic or errant screw. Being shown that on a real machine is really useful - Youtube can help with a lot but getting confidence from actually doing it with someone stood next to you that knows what they're doing is very worthwhile.
 
Stags6969 said:
Welcome to the madhouse @Dmstaylor. Good to see another one from the Notts area.
Just a question. What games other than Godzilla did your lad play?
Playing the older games is a completely different experience to playing the likes of Godzilla.
If you and your lad haven't played the older games I would look to see what Tilt now have on site and have a trip down there for a few hours of fun.
@Tilt_Birmingham will be able to tell you, or check his website.
Some of the older games are great fun and some would say even more fun than some of the newer ones, but you definitely need to play them before you look to buy.
Good luck with your search.
Fish Tales and Flintstones are definitely worth a look.
Click to expand...
He played alien and then another older one but can't remember what that was, tbh he finds the naff £20 smyths "pinball" game we got him entertaining so I don't think he's going to be too hard to please! but with them costing so much I want to make sure I get the right one! Thanks for the suggestion about tilt! Looks good and not too far away.
 
ronsplooter said:
Welcome to the forum @Dmstaylor :thumbs: I'm not in Notts anymore but if you fancy a slightly further trip out to Coalville then happy for you to come round and play some games. I've got stuff from all ages which might give you an idea of what you'd like to pick up. Just DM me if it's of interest.
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Thanks for the offer that's very kind, I live just off the m1 j25 so wouldn't be too far tbf , I'll see what buying options come up and if I can test them or not at the buyers and if not maybe get in touch. Thanks again👍🏻
 
Thanks everyone for all the advice and pin suggestions , thought I'd post and maybe get a reply or 2 in the next week but can't believe how active the forum is, loads of great information and very welcoming.

I'm pretty set on getting one, I do appreciate the advice with regards to traveling and trying them out before buying and sending so much money but tbh while I haven't played any for a long time, back when I did I don't remember playing a single table I didn't enjoy, before kids I could spend a few hours just playing the rubbish pinball games on computers so I know I'd get good use out of it, just a case of finding the right one that's available in budget.

I'm planning on trying out the ones i might be able to buy on my PC pinball simulator game.
 
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