Real collectors are pretty decent overall. The pin flippers and Op's seem to be the bottom feeders. Op's especially crack me up. When (some) Op's decide to let a game go they want retail pricing for a similar shopped game. This is usually from a game that they pulled it that already paid for itself. Go figure. I avoid Op's.
Has anyone gone from vids-to-pins and sold ALL their vids?
- Thread starter RareHero
- Start date
Real collectors are pretty decent overall. The pin flippers and Op's seem to be the bottom feeders. Op's especially crack me up. When (some) Op's decide to let a game go they want retail pricing for a similar shopped game. This is usually from a game that they pulled it that already paid for itself. Go figure. I avoid Op's.
donnyjj2005
Active member
I had 25-30 vids at one point...now all Pins.......
I never had a regret...
I never had a regret...
woodrailsrus
New member
i started off with pinball machines and started getting vids also........ when you would go to look at a pinball for sale sometimes the person had vids that "needed to go also" the only ones i will plan on keeping or buying more of.....is original dedicated cabinets, fun ones, or ones i played when i was a kid. i have learned to stay away from the black cabinet games that someone throws a board in and a sticker on the side and SSSSHHHHIZZZZAAAAM.....now you have a pac-man........
i am trying to save most money to put towards pinball machines....i enjoy them more because of how the EVOLVED OVER TIME. from flipperless (no fun) to woodrails, wedgeheads, 80's with ramps, dot matrix......and when i find one with mechanical animation i really try to get that one.
i enjoy pitch and bats also but they get hard to find sometimes......BUT MAINLY WHAT I ENJOY AND AM TRYING TO FIND..............IS.........
any old electromechanical shooting galleries, old EM arcade games and stuff like that. i have come to really appriciate these old arcade icons that i NEVER see for sale anymore.....i would LOVE to find a old submarine game and some more shooting galleries......last year i found a old bally world cup soccer (sorta like a chexx machine) and a old SAMI and speedway game but they were rough shape but worked.....i cant wait to fix those up this summer and appreciate them. they are fun and simple to play and rewarding IF you can win. not to mention the look on peoples faces (those who dont know or never saw an old EM arcade game) when they say "WHERE"S THE MONITOR"
i am trying to save most money to put towards pinball machines....i enjoy them more because of how the EVOLVED OVER TIME. from flipperless (no fun) to woodrails, wedgeheads, 80's with ramps, dot matrix......and when i find one with mechanical animation i really try to get that one.
i enjoy pitch and bats also but they get hard to find sometimes......BUT MAINLY WHAT I ENJOY AND AM TRYING TO FIND..............IS.........
any old electromechanical shooting galleries, old EM arcade games and stuff like that. i have come to really appriciate these old arcade icons that i NEVER see for sale anymore.....i would LOVE to find a old submarine game and some more shooting galleries......last year i found a old bally world cup soccer (sorta like a chexx machine) and a old SAMI and speedway game but they were rough shape but worked.....i cant wait to fix those up this summer and appreciate them. they are fun and simple to play and rewarding IF you can win. not to mention the look on peoples faces (those who dont know or never saw an old EM arcade game) when they say "WHERE"S THE MONITOR"
hsapinball
Well-known member
I went from all pins to adding a few video games. Now in the process of moving the video games in a separate room. The next house I buy I will have the arcade in its own building (no stairs and away from the house).
I know a lot of great guys in the hobby that flip pins because that's the only way they can afford it. Yah the ops mostly suck but they're ops, just steer clear. Besides, I don't think I've met a collector yet that wouldn't buy any game if it's super cheap, and then sell it for market value if they weren't into it.
Lindsey
Well-known member
I love dealing with operators. They're the ones who have cool stuff in large quantities.
I've also "flipped" tons of games and make no apologies for it. I've given away a ton of great shit for free too over the years.
I've also "flipped" tons of games and make no apologies for it. I've given away a ton of great shit for free too over the years.
woodrailsrus
New member
thats what i started to do. i would go to look at a pinball machine and they had multiple games for sale.....and if i knew a vid was worth it i would get it because i knew i could sell it.....especially if it was cheap or a fun/collectible one
jar155
New member
I'll never get rid of all my vids, but I've severely downsized them to move the collection to a more pin heavy lineup.
OP
OP
RareHero
Well-known member
In my mind, there's a difference between collectors who flip and people who do it "for a living." In SoCal, there are two brothers who buy EVERYTHING and ANYTHING to flip...even if it's seemingly unflippable or not really worth it (IMO). For instance, there was a DE Batman on CL last week for $1000....the flipper bought it and put it up for $1399. Is anyone paying that much for a DE Batman? I dunno ,but I guess if so - they made $400. ...but what really fucking annoys the shit out of me, is that these two guys bid on EVERYTHING on Ebay nationwide....pretty much ever modern pin - they bid on it up to the point where they know they can make a few bucks. Due to this, it is now IMPOSSIBLE to get a decent deal on an Ebay game....I'm not joking, they literally bid on every game. If you see a**i or s**p bidding - it's them. ...and, they don't do any quality work on their games before flipping them. I know tons of people who've bought games from these guys...they all have issues. They're not collectors, they put no care into the games...buy, wipe it off, flip. Fuck that shit. Annoying.
Lindsey
Well-known member
I'm no fan of those people either. It really pisses me off to bust my ass on a game and see someone make the same profit doing virtually nothing. I don't fault people for making money. I love making money as much as anyone. I will fault them for delivering an inferior product for the money and most people presenting themselves as "retail" do just that.
OP
OP
RareHero
Well-known member
The thing that's the most retarded about it is - if they buy games off Ebay - they're most likely paying what the current market price is....and then they put it BACK on Ebay at a higher price. They just bought it for the "highest" price...why would anyone bid significantly higher a week later? I understand flipping if you got containers full of games, or have an operator connection...but buying on Ebay to put back on Ebay? Fleh.
I started with vids and for the most part I am now pin only. I will pickup a vid every now and then and sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can find someone that wants to trade work for a vid; I just got an Outrun that way although now I'm finding that I shorted myself on that deal 
I am slowly selling off the vids that never play and I am keeping the ones that I know for sure I would miss. I am down to six vids at this point but I'd like to sell two of them. I'll never completely get out of vids but I am definitely thinking harder about each and every purchase.
I too have bought games that I have resold but none of them have been true flips. Every game I get (with the exception of this one Time Warp that I traded AS IS) gets torn down and cleaned. I have made I think at the most $400 on a pin I sold and that was after a complete tear down so I think the buyer got their money's worth.
I am slowly selling off the vids that never play and I am keeping the ones that I know for sure I would miss. I am down to six vids at this point but I'd like to sell two of them. I'll never completely get out of vids but I am definitely thinking harder about each and every purchase.
I too have bought games that I have resold but none of them have been true flips. Every game I get (with the exception of this one Time Warp that I traded AS IS) gets torn down and cleaned. I have made I think at the most $400 on a pin I sold and that was after a complete tear down so I think the buyer got their money's worth.
super8man
New member
With three pins and one vid, I have found that it works quite well when having people over for a party. Someone will always play the vid and other people will try the pins. Of the three pins, people invariably never say they like all three - they all migrate to one of them - guys like the speed of seawitch or the play of gorgar while girls will enjoys gorgar or the chime of mata hari. I need to add a true EM to allow people that side of pins more. Then again, everyone asks me if I could get a AFM or TZ, etc. I don't see those in my future but that's what the non-players like.
As for vids, I always get asked if I have seen a DK or Ms PacMan. Go figure. But many enjoy Crystal Castles and say they haven't played one since the 80s if they knew it. That's a great thing - letting people play machines they thought they had forgotten about.
So, I have room for one coffee table vid and that's it. Centipede would be nice...
As for vids, I always get asked if I have seen a DK or Ms PacMan. Go figure. But many enjoy Crystal Castles and say they haven't played one since the 80s if they knew it. That's a great thing - letting people play machines they thought they had forgotten about.
So, I have room for one coffee table vid and that's it. Centipede would be nice...
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