In search of my next great gameroom experience: Roadtrip for pinball!

shardian

New member
Joined
Sep 13, 2007
Messages
8,762
Reaction score
8
Location
Culloden, West Virginia
In search of my next great gameroom experience: Roadtrip for pinball!

I've got it in my mind to try and experience all of the 'little things' of this hobby. You know, like:
-getting a free game
-getting a roadside find
-restoring a pin
-rebuilding a monitor
-bulk buy deal
-etc


One I realized I have yet to experience is the grand road trip. I get all of my games within an hour. The longest was technically 2.5 hours, but I was already in the vicinity on a business trip.

I talked to my wife about it, and she thinks it would be neat for the 2 of us to make an overnight trip out of it. As such, I have expanded my current pin search to a 4-5 hour radius.

So...anyone have (or know of) a decent "B title" pin from the late 80's/early 90's in the $600-$800 range? :D


The first I am considering is a Maverick pin near Columbus Ohio. Seller says the DMD is 'blurry', which worries me that it might not be just a connector/power issue. How expensive/rare are those super size Data East DMD's? Anyone have one they would part with cheap?
 
I've got it in my mind to try and experience all of the 'little things' of this hobby. You know, like:
-getting a free game
-getting a roadside find
-restoring a pin
-rebuilding a monitor
-bulk buy deal
-etc

I've actually done all of those. And I believe the large DMD's are NLA. Last time I saw a price, they were in the 200 range.

Good luck on that. Maverick is a cool DE title.

Robert
 
I've got it in my mind to try and experience all of the 'little things' of this hobby. You know, like:
-getting a free game
-getting a roadside find
-restoring a pin
-rebuilding a monitor
-bulk buy deal
-etc


One I realized I have yet to experience is the grand road trip. I get all of my games within an hour. The longest was technically 2.5 hours, but I was already in the vicinity on a business trip.

I talked to my wife about it, and she thinks it would be neat for the 2 of us to make an overnight trip out of it. As such, I have expanded my current pin search to a 4-5 hour radius.

So...anyone have (or know of) a decent "B title" pin from the late 80's/early 90's in the $600-$800 range? :D


The first I am considering is a Maverick pin near Columbus Ohio. Seller says the DMD is 'blurry', which worries me that it might not be just a connector/power issue. How expensive/rare are those super size Data East DMD's? Anyone have one they would part with cheap?

That's a fun thing to do. My wife and I drove 7 hours to get a Whitewater. We stayed one night, loaded it up in the morning and hauled ass. We drove 1000 miles in 24 hours. It was a little exhausting but a fun little trip.
 
I love road tripping for games! Nothing beats the satisfaction of finally unloading it at home and starting to play.
 
I drove 6 hours one way for my first pin. Ever since I don't think that I have driven more than two hours one way. I would be real leery to drive a good distance over a craigslist deal
 
You forgot:
Fully restore a game
Acquire a near mint game
Acquire a verified HUO game
Buy a game from a Church ;)
Part out a game (I know you've done this)
Establish some true keeper games. ;)
Build a game completely from scratch

I haven't been as lucky as you, I've done a lot of long trips to get the games I want, and I don't particularly like it. The recent Centipede was only the 3rd local purchase for me in 7 years of the hobby! I know you've bought a lot of games just because they were close, I have almost entirely bought games due to them being on my "must-have list." Obviously that lends itself to having to drive further.

Number of trips made by radius (ONE WAY):
< 1 hour: 2
1-2 hours: 1
2-2.5 hours: roughly 10
3-5 hours: 2?
5+: 1?

I wouldn't get the Maverick. With a 5 hour radius you have a choice between a LOT of other pins. There's so many great Williams System 11 games (and sometimes Williams WPC) in that price range or slightly higher (read: a good deal would be in that range), that's what I'd recommend looking for.

Whirlwind, Earthshaker, Game Show, Taxi, High Speed, Dr. Dude, Cyclone, Hurricane, Bad Cats, I'm sure there are many more not popping into my head at the moment.

Wade
 
Fully restore a game - No interest. I never saw a mint game as a kid.

Acquire a near mint game - as long as it's cheap.

Acquire a verified HUO game - That would be cool...if cheap from an old lady.

Buy a game from a Church ;) - Some church was supposed to contact me once upon a time, but never did.

Part out a game (I know you've done this) - and I won't do it again.

Establish some true keeper games. ;) - Can't say I have enough attachment to any game or pin to say that.

Build a game completely from scratch - No effing way! I've been spoiled by ridiculously cheap JAMMA cabs.



I wouldn't get the Maverick. With a 5 hour radius you have a choice between a LOT of other pins. There's so many great Williams System 11 games (and sometimes Williams WPC) in that price range or slightly higher (read: a good deal would be in that range), that's what I'd recommend looking for.

Whirlwind, Earthshaker, Game Show, Taxi, High Speed, Dr. Dude, Cyclone, Hurricane, Bad Cats, I'm sure there are many more not popping into my head at the moment.

Wade

Been playing Maverick in pinMAME, and like it. We both like the movie/theme. You know how I feel about drop targets. Probably won't get it due to the DMD though. If it ends up not getting bid on, then I might just have to bite.


I'd love to get any one you mentioned. We'll just have to see.
 
Looks like a pinball roadtrip will be on hold for a while - I'll be picking up a Lethal Weapon 3 on my normal route home from work tommorrow. Getting a ridiculous deal - I think it is the "my wife wants this gone or else" deal.

I'll post pics when it is home.
 
And I believe the large DMD's are NLA. Last time I saw a price, they were in the 200 range.

Good luck on that. Maverick is a cool DE title.

Robert

UUUmmmm...You can double that price. Current price for the large DMD..new...$400-$450 plus shipping. And that's when you can find a supplier with any stock.

Edward
 
Back
Top Bottom