Talkin' Skee Ball

adamzero

New member
Joined
Apr 25, 2010
Messages
1,539
Reaction score
34
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
We'd like to, at some point, get a Skee Ball machine for the arcade. Just a couple questions...

What's the price range for a working, decent machine?
Are there any models to avoid?

Thanks
 
Around here in PA decent used 10 foot Skee Ball Model H and S have been selling for $500 - $800. I've seen some of the other brands go for a little less.
 
Anything working and in decent shape under $500 and close to home is a good deal in my opinion. I paid $200 delivered for a very rough but working 13' Skeeball model H and $500 delivered for a nice 10' Skeeball xtreme model. I personally only want official Skeeball ones but I would bet the ones made by ICE are good too.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=129806
 
Also, if your memories are of playing the 13' long model you will not be satisfied with a 10' one. Not the same feeling at all. I got the 10' one first thinking it wouldnt matter, it did. But the little kids have a much easier time with the 10' one so I have kept it.
 
Wow, you guys get them cheap. i usually see them retail for $2000+. Someone down here just sold two working used ones on CL for $1500 each...
 
I just picked up a nice classic skeeball, I dont know what model it is but it is the 13 footer, no 100 point holes. It came with 9 original balls, the cork lane was in excellent condition. I had to replace one switch, I ordered a new set of sandbags for the 3 upper holes and a set of the 4 rubber stoppers that go on the lower rings. The ticket dispenser even works.

I traded a nice Missile Command and $300 for it.
 
Model to avoid:
Model S Lightning. This was the first generation Lightning that Skee Ball made. It uses a modified Model S controller, and Display PCB. The display PCB is like a CPU in itself. It is a two board display, that is tough as hell to work on. Replacements are not available. So if the display goes bad....you are SOL.
-Mark
 
Awesome info so far, thanks guys.

And I forgot to mention/ask about lane lengths. I definitely would want the 13', as that's what I remember playing when I was younger. Recently I played some sort of SkeeBall that was a newer model (it had white balls) but seemed too short... probably a 10'.
 
We have four Bay-Tek original Fireball units, I'm rather pleased with them. They're stupid simple, almost completely solid state, and driven by a single big board with an integrated display. I think they're only available in 10' though, and being pretty recent, will cost you (about $3k each!).
 
Last edited:
Also, if your memories are of playing the 13' long model you will not be satisfied with a 10' one. Not the same feeling at all. I got the 10' one first thinking it wouldnt matter, it did. But the little kids have a much easier time with the 10' one so I have kept it.

So true. I have a 13' model. A few years ago we were planning a trip to Hershey Park and got alot of practice in figuring we could win a bunch of tickets. Of course the park had 10' lanes and we couldn't score shit.
 
Am I right in saying that there were two different sound "packages" for the classic yellow digital readout machines?
 
Back
Top Bottom