Tapper and Timber - Difference Similarities - General discussion
This discussion came up in another thread recently and those involved decided it best to start a new dedicated thread regarding the subject as to not muddy up that thread.
A few of this things being discussed here are also in other threads, but the information seems scattered about and a little fragmented, so why not try to put it all in one place.
The main discussion is Bally Midways Tapper and Timber and effectively what are the differences are in the cabinets. Further, how to tell if a Timber is a factory converted Tapper or something someone done later. As well as how to tell if an op converted Tapper (into another game) actually left the factory as a Timber.
A few key things.
1) Tapper and Timber are the exact same cabinet. The difference in a dedicated Tapper cabinet and a dedicated Timber cabinet are subtle modifications done at the factory towards the end of Tappers production run. I.E. factory converted Timbers should be late serial numbered Tappers. The original Tapper serial numbers were defaced and new serial numbers were stamped in the cab. I have personally examined several dedicated Timbers and this was the case will all of them.
Here a picture of the serial number on my Bud Tapper #1673
Here is a picture of the back of my Timber which was originally Tapper#3283 (defaced) and a new serial number applied for Timber #234
Close up of the defaced or eradicated Tapper serial number on my Timber
Close up of the new Timber serial number stamped into the cab
Also apparent in both of those photos is the Bally Midway tag stapled to the back of the both of the cabs noting the game.
The serial number and repurposing of cabinets is an interesting thing.
The reported production run for Bud Tappers is 3200 units, with the color side art version accounting for another 100 units = 3300 units total.
http://www.brentradio.com/ProductionNumbers.htm
I dont know what the production figures are for Root Beer Tapper and whether they are included in those figures or not.
That being said, cabinet that left the factory as Timber should be a late serial number in the run. Something in the 3000+ range (mine is 3283).
My guess is that serial numbers for the different types (Bud, Root Beer, Cocktail) were consecutive numbers all jumbled together in one production run.
Maybe some owners of the games can chime in here with pictures of their serial number and we can figure this out a little further.
Note that dedicated Timber exist in both Bud and Root Beer Tapper cabinets.
There is already a project going that tracks the serial numbers of dedicated Timbers.
http://zwackery.rotheblog.com/timber-registry.php
I started doing the same thing when I first got my machine when I realized how low the serial number was. I was most interested in seeing what the highest known serial number was to get an idea of how many dedicated machines were produced.
All of the machines that I have examined are 3 digit serial numbers the highest being in the mid 400s.
Further I question the citation of serial number 1218 on the Zwackery registry and wonder if its actually a dedicated machine (or a later converted Tapper) as the number kind of sticks out like a sore thumb and seems out of place. If anyone owns this machine please post a photo of the back of the cabinet.
From what I can tell the production run is probably more like around 500.
I could be wrong, so if you have a machine, please post pics of the serial number. It would be an interesting discussion.
There are also a couple of serial numbers recorded in VAPS which are not listed on the Zwackery registry #253 and 314 which are consistent with the 3 digit serial number that falls within the suggested production number of under 500.
https://www.arcade-museum.com/members/game_census.php?klov_id=10113
Pics of the inside ID tag on my Tapper
Pics of the inside ID tag on my Timber
To be continued in my next post.
This discussion came up in another thread recently and those involved decided it best to start a new dedicated thread regarding the subject as to not muddy up that thread.
A few of this things being discussed here are also in other threads, but the information seems scattered about and a little fragmented, so why not try to put it all in one place.
The main discussion is Bally Midways Tapper and Timber and effectively what are the differences are in the cabinets. Further, how to tell if a Timber is a factory converted Tapper or something someone done later. As well as how to tell if an op converted Tapper (into another game) actually left the factory as a Timber.
A few key things.
1) Tapper and Timber are the exact same cabinet. The difference in a dedicated Tapper cabinet and a dedicated Timber cabinet are subtle modifications done at the factory towards the end of Tappers production run. I.E. factory converted Timbers should be late serial numbered Tappers. The original Tapper serial numbers were defaced and new serial numbers were stamped in the cab. I have personally examined several dedicated Timbers and this was the case will all of them.
Here a picture of the serial number on my Bud Tapper #1673
Here is a picture of the back of my Timber which was originally Tapper#3283 (defaced) and a new serial number applied for Timber #234
Close up of the defaced or eradicated Tapper serial number on my Timber
Close up of the new Timber serial number stamped into the cab
Also apparent in both of those photos is the Bally Midway tag stapled to the back of the both of the cabs noting the game.
The serial number and repurposing of cabinets is an interesting thing.
The reported production run for Bud Tappers is 3200 units, with the color side art version accounting for another 100 units = 3300 units total.
http://www.brentradio.com/ProductionNumbers.htm
I dont know what the production figures are for Root Beer Tapper and whether they are included in those figures or not.
That being said, cabinet that left the factory as Timber should be a late serial number in the run. Something in the 3000+ range (mine is 3283).
My guess is that serial numbers for the different types (Bud, Root Beer, Cocktail) were consecutive numbers all jumbled together in one production run.
Maybe some owners of the games can chime in here with pictures of their serial number and we can figure this out a little further.
Note that dedicated Timber exist in both Bud and Root Beer Tapper cabinets.
There is already a project going that tracks the serial numbers of dedicated Timbers.
http://zwackery.rotheblog.com/timber-registry.php
I started doing the same thing when I first got my machine when I realized how low the serial number was. I was most interested in seeing what the highest known serial number was to get an idea of how many dedicated machines were produced.
All of the machines that I have examined are 3 digit serial numbers the highest being in the mid 400s.
Further I question the citation of serial number 1218 on the Zwackery registry and wonder if its actually a dedicated machine (or a later converted Tapper) as the number kind of sticks out like a sore thumb and seems out of place. If anyone owns this machine please post a photo of the back of the cabinet.
From what I can tell the production run is probably more like around 500.
I could be wrong, so if you have a machine, please post pics of the serial number. It would be an interesting discussion.
There are also a couple of serial numbers recorded in VAPS which are not listed on the Zwackery registry #253 and 314 which are consistent with the 3 digit serial number that falls within the suggested production number of under 500.
https://www.arcade-museum.com/members/game_census.php?klov_id=10113
Pics of the inside ID tag on my Tapper
Pics of the inside ID tag on my Timber
To be continued in my next post.

