Pachinko machines - What to look for?

Yes, that looks about like mine does. You want to look at the playfield (is it completely torn up?).

Verify that the back looks reasonable. There should be a plastic hopper at the top that feeds balls down so they can be released it you make certain shots. Every hole in the playfield should have something behind it to direct the balls down, and there should be a chute at the bottom where you would put some kind of receiving hopper (I just use a cardboard box) to catch the balls that you don't shoot into the holes.

If it's at least semi-operational, flip a few balls (feed them into the top tray and flip the lever a few times). See if there's a way to open the glass, and also check to see if there's a way to feed power in. There's probably only one or two bulbs anyway, and the game doesn't suffer much if they aren't there.
 
Pachitalk.com is where you can get any questions answered, but if you just want to pick up one of those vintage units another thing to look for is spots or discoloration at the base of the pins on the playfield.
Many folks put these out in the garage and the condensation over time makes spots on the playfield around the pins that can NOT be repaired so be wary if you are looking for some sort of showpiece.
 
I saw this on my local CL:

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/1681033757.html

And I got interested. It's about 15 minutes away, but I'm not sure if this machine is worth it or not. I think it's a Nishijin, but it doesn't say the model or year. Looks like it's from the early 70's, but is it supposed to be that color?


Just got these yesterday. Price - FREE! I usually do not pay more then $20 for these.
 

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He says he's never even plugged it in...

I'm going to ask him if it comes with balls, but what should I offer him?
 
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