No Interest in Older Pins ?

I grew up with em pins and early ss. I then started to play dmd pins. I like them all. Each decade has had winners and losers.
Its all pinball and all good.
 
I am not a big fan of EMs. I was a teen in the 80s so there are a few of those that I really like, such as Pinbot, Taxi, High Speed and EATPM. Many early SS games aren't bad but I prefer DMDs and with the limited space I have I must stick with the ones which offer the most bang for the buck.

I have been lucky with my used pin purchases so far. All of the DMD ones were great deals. There are a few pinheads up here in Alaska but the ratio isn't as high as the lower 48.
 
EMs scare me with all the switches, but they seem amazingly cool to work on if you are willing to do it. Watching Clay on his blog I bet I could tackle one.

Some are pretty boring, but the ones that advance the balls between holes and the other neat tricks they were able to do without being SS intrigues me intensely. They do seem to go for a bit higher than I believe they should go for. Of course it is the collector and nostalgia factor that is pushing up the price.

I picked up an Alien Poker for $350 and would pay that for a decent EM machine, but not too much more.

It is nice to preserve a piece of history, but with my limited room I cannot justify paying more than what I see as a fair market value for a pin that is just not as complex to play.

Now if a balls a poppin came around I would drop $900 + no problem.

As Seal Clubber says, bang for the buck. I am not hosting a museum or intergalactic kegger.
 
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mrgone said:
I grew up with em pins and early ss. I then started to play dmd pins. I like them all. Each decade has had winners and losers.
Its all pinball and all good.
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Agreed. But I think that people who never played a good EM haven't played pinball IMO. As for early SS games, Stern made a ton of them in the late 70's/early 80's that still hold up well.
 
stevenp61 said:
Agreed. But I think that people who never played a good EM haven't played pinball IMO. As for early SS games, Stern made a ton of them in the late 70's/early 80's that still hold up well.
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I'm sure without any doubt in my mind you're 100% absolutely right in your own mind :rolleyes:
 
Deadly said:
I'm sure without any doubt in my mind you're 100% absolutely right in your own mind :rolleyes:
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Well, yeah. Any statements like this that I make are strictly my opinion. Did I indicate otherwise? ("I think that" and "IMO" are hints. ;) )
 
some great em games that every pinhead should play,imo. gottlieb's surfer/surf champ,
big brave/big indian,eldorado,volley. bally,capt.fantastic,wizard,old Chicago,
williams travel time,space mission
chicago coin hee haw. just my opinion.
 
To me pins to me are like certain foods. Everything may taste, look or feel different. But in the end there are just some foods that no matter how you or anyone else cooks it, I just can't seem to acquire the taste. An analogy of course ;) Somethings just don't taste good no matter what. It's too bad because EM's are usually dirt cheap around here. I've played my fair share of EM's although the only title of a particular game I can honestly say I do remember playing is Capt Fantastic. Sorry - I'm sure as an EM fan I would enjoy - but alas, I simply don't enjoy EM's which is great news for anyone that does like EM's. More for you guys! But I would like to say to each their own and don't ever feel the need to brow beat someone into thinking they should like something. It's like love - it should happen naturally and not be pre arranged ;)
 
playpin35 said:
Is there any market for late 70s to late 80s pins anymore? Everyone seems to be switching over to dmd machines and doesn't seem to want these era pins anymore. Even if someone does, they only want to give $300 for a fully shopped machine. Will the market for these return after all the dmd machines dry up(and they will)?
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its like everything else folks want the newest and " best"

I have preferred the em and early ss pins of the 70s.. I currently own a space mission, freedom, and captian fantastic ( 4 player)


Although ill admit that id lOOOOOOOve to have a revenge from mars someday, the reality is i still have a ton of fun with my 70s pins and the main difference between the two is that mine are actually affordable.

The whole people want to pay $300 for a working machine, i can believe it. Right now people are more worried about paying thier electric bill then buying a neat toy. Thats just how it is. After i moved i planned on selling off about half of my games to finance buying ones im more interested in. After about two weeks or getting stupid offers, i gave up. Im going to give it a year or two and mabye try again.

The best time for you to try to sell is now through mid december. Also once tax refund season is here... I sold a game on christmas day once lol..
 
cadillacman said:
After i moved i planned on selling off about half of my games to finance buying ones im more interested in. After about two weeks or getting stupid offers, i gave up. Im going to give it a year or two and mabye try again.
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Thanks for your post. I can truly say I feel your pain. I hate using CL. It attracts more low ball dirt bags if you can even get them to show up when they say they will. No one wants to pay shit these days and I can understand the economy has it's part in this. However some people have priorities screwed up and should be worried about paying their damn bills and not buying a pin. Credit card debt is through the roof because of people like this.
Pay your freaking bills and if anything is left over then buy your toys. Common sense should prevail - but clearly it doesn't.

I've tried trading several of my vids for one pin and had two people respond with ridiculous trade offers. Seems the only way to acquire anything these days is with cash.
 
I like EM machines. You'll find the quality of the parts to be much better than new SS machines.

My favorite EM's are Williams "Honey", Williams "Superstar" and Gottlieb "Ship-Mates".
 
jfruge said:
What is a "DMD" :rolleyes:
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Dot Matrix Display.
for instance, Jack-Bot (http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyer&db=pinballdb&id=784&image=2)

We also have Alpha-numeric displays (like on Pin-Bot http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyer&db=pinballdb&id=784&image=2). These have one 'block' per character position, and the block contains enough independent elements that you can make any character or number that you want, but only one character per block.

Numeric displays are simply 7-segments formed into a figure 8 - turn on the ones you need for the number you desire. (like on Striker http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyer&db=pinballdb&id=747&image=1)

Going further back, you have score reels (a series of narrow drums with the digits 0-9 painted on it) - they rotate to display whatever you want. (for instance, a favorite of mine, Doodle Bug http://www.arcadeflyers.com/?page=flyer&db=pinballdb&id=458&image=1)

Even further back you have painted backglasses with numbers on them, and lights behind - the appropriate lights are lit to give a score.

Pinball 2000 (and before it, Baby Pac & Granny and the Gators) actually went one better than the DMDs & put a real monitor in.
 
KenLayton said:
I like EM machines. You'll find the quality of the parts to be much better than new SS machines.
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Yeah, EM's have much better quality to their ramps, divertors, VUKs, flashers, toys, more powerful coils, speakers, magnets...... oh wait, EM's have none of these things....hahaha.....

....yup, EM's are boring. Burn them all. :)
 
RareHero said:
Yeah, EM's have much better quality to their ramps, divertors, VUKs, flashers, toys, more powerful coils, speakers, magnets...... oh wait, EM's have none of these things....hahaha.....

....yup, EM's are boring. Burn them all. :)
Click to expand...

Are you talking about EM's or Iron Man Classic? :)

Like Greg, I have always been a DMD/Solid State snob (for the last 11 years). Once I had my first child (and my second coming soon), I realized that the incredibly deep games I love to play were getting played less because they couldn't get my undivided attention for more than 10 minutes at a shot.....

I picked up my first EM a couple of months ago, my second last night, and my third tonight..... I gotta admit, once dialed in properly and pitched steeply, they are pretty fun. I love the PF and BG artwork, but the chimes do leave a bit to be desired (and where the hell is all the cool background noise?)
 
Tim N. said:
Are you talking about EM's or Iron Man Classic? :)

Like Greg, I have always been a DMD/Solid State snob (for the last 11 years). Once I had my first child (and my second coming soon), I realized that the incredibly deep games I love to play were getting played less because they couldn't get my undivided attention for more than 10 minutes at a shot.....

I picked up my first EM a couple of months ago, my second last night, and my third tonight..... I gotta admit, once dialed in properly and pitched steeply, they are pretty fun. I love the PF and BG artwork, but the chimes do leave a bit to be desired (and where the hell is all the cool background noise?)
Click to expand...

Well, not every modern game is deep...you brought up Iron Man - perfect for 3-5 minute quicky games. No Good Gofers can be a bit of an ass kicker when set up tough....same w/ Black Knight 2000. I just need the sound, music, voice, ramps, light shows etc.... Silence w/ the occasional chime is just boring to me.
 
I agree, not all of them are deep, I am actually a closet System 11 fanboy too, as those seem to usually fit the bill of 4-12 minute games (I am looking at you Pinbot with your bastard outlanes).

I will have to report back after this weekend on how my new lineup compares to my old one. My son's 3rd birthday party is this weekend and there will be lots of adults coming over. Most of them gravitate towards the Daytona Twin, then the Mame machine (for Ms. Pacman), and then the pins.

Last years lineup was- Wheel of Fortune, Cirqus Voltaire, Revenge From Mars, Class of 1812, Both Simpsons, Fish Tales, and Whitewater

This years will be- Class of 1812, Both Simpsons, Road Show, Rescue 911, and three EMs... Curious to see what gets the most play- something tells me the EMs will be popular...
 
EM's always get played here....more so than SS games.If you don't like them...fine...but don't knock them,especially if you've never played them.Most of you guys who seem to hate them never really played them,when you do you go in with a "I'll play it,but i know i'm gonna hate it" attitude.It's all pinball....if not for EM's,there would be no new stuff.
 
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