Addams Family evaluation needed

weapon

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Like everyone I am looking at an AF. This would be my first pin, if I decided to purchase.

I am in discussions with gentlemen by email. I asked him about the pin and he sent me these photos (wish he would have lifted the glass). It looks like it needs a good cleaning, new rubbers and he states that some of the bulbs are burned out. I would not purchase without seeing the machine in person and playing it so don't worry about that.

From what I see, the Chair and swamp kick out look pretty beat up. I assume a cliffy and a swamp protector will cover the damage. The mansion has rubbed away.

What do you guys think? Advice? Price estimate? Could it be a diamond in the rough if I can get the right price?

What other questions would you ask of him?
 

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Good luck trying to find a TAF that doesn't have excessive mansion wear or torn up kick out holes. Unfortunately even with that kind of wear the title will still command a fairly healthy amount of money.

I'm in your area - I know several of the pin flippers and collectors. Some are decent to deal with while others are .... well not so nice/honest. If you want to take it to PM feel free.

In my personal opinion, price on that should be ~$2800 - $3000. And assume you'll need to stick ~$300 additonal monies into it to be safe.
unfortunately $3500-$4K prices are becoming more common :(
 
I know that the mansion wear is pretty common. How is it fixed? I have seen the overlays but are they the best solution?

One day I hope they make those repro playfields again. I may just buy one even though I don't own a AF, in the anticipation of a purchase later.

Prices have shot back up again it seems. I can't seem to find a decent one for 3k and I have seen some crap that they want 4k for.

Deadly, If I do get to a point where I think a deal might happen, I would love some extra eyes on the actual machine to help me evaluate it. I have been lurking for years learning as much as possible but it is always good to have a little back up.

Now if I could just get to the restoration of my 3-player Rampart. So many things, so little time.
 
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Mansion wear - overlay only I'm afraid (or send it to a pf restorer) whihc will cost a pretty penny. Illinois Pinball (from what I hear) are planning another run of Funhouse and TAF pf's) so I wouldn't be afraid to grab a TAF with some heavy pf wear. But I do realize that swapping a PF is serious work. Not meaning tough to do, but it takes a TON of time not to mention trouble shooting after lol. I'll gladly help you with anything you might need. All I can say is that TAF is also infamous for locking on magnets whihc causes burn on the pf. So if you ask for pictures ENSURE you get a close up pick of the bottom side of the PF. Sometimes the burn is visible on the top - sometimes not real evident.
I'm planning on buying one once tax season gets here. TAF is an absolute blast to play and is by far my favorite game ever. Since your local - I assume you've been to Ground Kontrol? If not there's a ton of pins to give you an idea if you really like TAF or maybe there's another favorite you might pick out. LOTR is another favorite of mine - might consider playing one of those if you haven't already.
 
I am not looking for a TAF or TZ because it is popular, it is due to the fact that I spent all of my extra cash in them during my college years. I also love whitewater, funhouse, cyclone for the same reason. I am not an investor, I want the games that reminded me of the best times of my life. But I only have room for one and it is going to be a TAF or a TZ.
 
Never mind, conversation ended when he mentioned ebay prices and then said he wanted $4500.

HA.
 
Never mind, conversation ended when he mentioned ebay prices and then said he wanted $4500.

HA.

$4,500 is pretty high IMO. Remind him to look at what has SOLD, not just listed machines.
I just bought an Addams off EBay a few weeks back. I am happy with what I got, but it ran me $3,500 which was higher than I wanted to pay (but a nicer machine than what you have pictured). My seller was excellent in his pictures and description though. There was no mansion wear, a bit of magnet burn, but shopped and very clean.

There is a local Op here in WV that has three Addams machines priced at $4,600 each, wouldn't budge on that price either.

Unless your guy was in the $3K ballpark, I'd pass on what you had pictured.
A cliffy protector would cover the chair hole wear I think... hard to see the actual condition with the glass on.
Maybe a decent machine once clean. Curious what the mansion wear would cost to "fix".
 
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I told him to forget it. I mentioned to him I was looking at $2200 - 2500 (pipe dream but start low and meet in the middle is the best way to negotiate). Now he has come down to $3300.

He mentioned that he saw a similar machine (slightly less quality in his opinion) sell on ebay for $3000 + shipping.

I am going to assume that some people on here sell machines on ebay. So please answer me this question: What would be a good estimate on the fees for a $3000 machine + shipping (now that they are charging the lister on shipping charges also) and paypal fees.

I am trying to get him down under 3k. And I want to calculate how much he would have to pay ebay/paypal if his machine sold for $3300 on the website, not to mention the hassle of crating and shipping VS me just paying him the same amount of cash he would get from ebay and loading it in a van and leaving.
 
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Fact of the matter is - he's in the acceptable/reasonable $ range now. Not to say you can;t find them cheaper - but for a common price range he's in the ball park now.
Shipping is generally ~$400 through NAVL. If you use Forward Air it's cheaper but the seller has to palletize it and deliver it to a FA dock. Then you pick it up at our local FA dock.

I'd really like to know who you're dealing with. Not to swipe your pin but to maybe give you a heads up on who and what you're dealing with.
 
BTW I should say that pin is filthy as hell - so for $3500 that thing should be shopped out and ready to play which it is not. When I see pins like this I automatically add $300 due to buying parts and so forth to fix it up.
 
I am trying to get him down under 3k. And I want to calculate how much he would have to pay ebay/paypal if his machine sold for $3300 on the website, not to mention the hassle of crating and shipping VS me just paying him the same amount of cash he would get from ebay and loading it in a van and leaving.

$60-$80 to list it.
PayPal fee will be in the $100 range. Likely $200 or so to sell it on EBay.
 
I know he is in the range but I have to be practical.

There is another Addams family that I am looking at (according to the seller) "that was picked up few years ago from a collector in calf. the cabinet is in great shape there is No holes No lock bars every thing works great. i have shop it out twice since i have had it and the 2nd time shopping it out i add a LED Light Kit and all new custom color rubbers stops. the playfield is realy good, it is Not a NOS playfield but good. Around the Magnet it is good very small ware hard to even see and the chair is good also this is a nice pinball." He wants 4k for his TAF.

With wear on the first TAF playfield and the need to be shopped vs the second that is in better condition, is it smarter to just get the better machine?
 
FYI, you can't slap a Cliffy protector on wear like the chair hole on this game and expect it to hold up. You'll have to build up the areas that are worn away and then install the protector. If you don't, the protector will dent and lift up.
 
See, the more you look at it, the more it becomes a $2500 machine, not that he would sell it for that low.
 
Addams Family - 20000 produced, Dont worry another will show up.

That one - awful shape on the PF, no more than 2400 ever. Even if i was dying for a TAF i would pass.

4500 - yeah right good luck getting that for it. I am sure the buyer will love it when he gets a trashed PF for CQ prices.

If TZ is another option - i would suggest going for one of those. Better player, more to do, the best there is.
 
I'd go for the second one. Less work..sounds like its ready to rock-n-roll.
 
The fact of the matter is condition is way too subjectional.
If you look at it from a collectors stand point (maybe I should say hobbiest?) ... the actual condition is pretty normal for a machine of that age. With that being said this game is also top 10 and highly desirable. Those two factors drive the price up considerably. Are they rare? Ones without excessive mansion wear sure seem to be but as a whole no not rare at all.

http://www.pinpedia.com/machine/Addams-Family/statistics
This machine keeps climbing in value - this year has been no different than any other year. Granted if a small handful of $6K machines are sold it raises the value nor does this guide tell you the condition of the machine. But we have to have something to use as a guidline/starting point and this is my personal choice.

If there's anything I've learned, it's that a person is generally better off biding their time and buying a nice one instead of a fixer upper. It may be more money up front but in the long run it'll save you money. Are you sure you want TAF as a first pin? For the amount of money you'll be spending you could pick up 2-3 B list pin titles instead of just one A list pin.
Anyways good luck on with what ever route you choose.
 
Contacted the second seller. He has now informed me that he spent $1200 yesterday on a Gold kit from pinballdecals .com and will be redoing the pin and then sell it for $7000 on ebay.

I replied that it will still only be an upgraded TAF and will be missing the gold plaque but he is seeing dollar signs.

I tend now to believe that he is liar or an idiot
 
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Are you sure you want TAF as a first pin? For the amount of money you'll be spending you could pick up 2-3 B list pin titles instead of just one A list pin.
Anyways good luck on with what ever route you choose.


Only have room for one.
 
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