Tapper and Timber - Difference Similarities - General discussion

Coindork

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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
IMG_0602.jpg


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
IMG_0605.jpg


Close up of the defaced or eradicated Tapper serial number on my Timber
IMG_0603.jpg


Close up of the new Timber serial number stamped into the cab
IMG_0604.jpg


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
IMG_0606.jpg


Pics of the inside ID tag on my Timber
IMG_060704b987432191534f.jpg



To be continued in my next post.
 
One the thing I thought I would touch on as this came up in another thread.
The cabinets for dedicated Timbers already had Tapper side art on them.
I.E. The Timber side art of the lumberjack is the only thing added to the sides. Its big enough to cover the bartender but does not extend to the sides of the cabinet. Its almost like what you would find in kit side art for a conversion game, but it was done at the factory.
Note: The aftermarket side art that I've seen for Timber is printed entirely in one piece (including what would be the Tapper art). Nothing wrong with this if your building a Timber or deconverting a game (but thats not how it was originally).

Tapper side art
IMG_0599.jpg


Factory Timber side art applied over Tapper side art
IMG_0598.jpg


Both cabinets side by side
IMG_0595.jpg


The Timber sign/logo on the front of the game is also applied over the original Tapper art at the factory. Simply a decal/sticker thats applied on the cab.
IMG_0597.jpg


Lastly. Dedicated factory Timbers are far more rare than Dedicated factory Tappers. Theres a few reasons for this. First, far fewer were made.
Secondly, if a latter op conversion to another game that was previously Timber or Tapper is found, the tendency is for the person to restore it back to a Tapper.
If the sides are painted black and theres not much left of the original game, one would assume its a Tapper. The only telling sign would be the serial number on the back.

Anyhow, hope somebody finds this stuff is helpful.
Please discuss, post, show pictures of your games, post pictures of your serial numbers etc.
Cheers
Kent
 
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1218 is mine. It's a Root Beer Tapper. I've been told, odds are it was a prototype. Because it has the factory Timber artwork, but the ROM's are hand written. The artwork on the right side has the upper front corner of the Timber artwork cut out to go around a Aladdin's Castle brass tag. I read somewhere once that companies would use AC to test games. It's maybe a 1"x2" section. I've owned it since 1998. The guy that had it before me said his Dad had it since the early 90's. I'll post pics of the numbers tonight if I have time. Also, I don't have mine searchable in VAPS anymore, I've had way too many people asking if I want to sell it over the years. I wonder how many others have done the same?

If any of you Timber owners downloaded the Preliminary Manual. I'm the one that scanned it in and uploaded it years ago.
 
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great idea for a thread.

most of us will never own a Tapper (and certainly not a Timber), and seeing this kinda info almost "demystifies" the game in some ways ...

it's interesting what games went on to be popular, which ones were duds, and which ones now in 2018 are the rare gems (and these two games just happened to be in that pantheon of titles)

please tell us this is the first in a series of threads detailing rare games :)
 
Interesting, thanks for gathering the info

Does the Timber cab have holes for the brass foot rest? or can you tell that one was never installed?
 
Timber number #328 checking in. Mine is a factory Root Beer Tapper conversion. I spent many years looking for one and finally found this a couple years ago. Mine has the Root Beer Tapper model name whited out, the serial stamped over, and the root beer dipswitch settings ripped off with a crudely copied sheet stapled in underneath the Timber tag. Pretty cool. I will be entering it on the registry. Thanks for starting this thread!
d18f837b91efb4d6790d2562f6232afe.jpg
4fb82a9f2f91804bc56b9f0e6faa512f.jpg
d4c4b29054677ed5a61546491e8bff8e.jpg
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Is Tapper really all that rare? I get they're desirable, but I thought there were a lot of them out there.
 
Yes. Mine is a factory Timber and has the holes in the front for the footrest filled in, but still there.

Thats the way mine is as well.

Is Tapper really all that rare? I get they're desirable, but I thought there were a lot of them out there.

Rare is a relative term. I don't know that I consider Tapper a "rare" game. Perhaps "uncommon" or "scarce" relative in comparison to more mainstream 80s classics that were mass produced in larger runs like Ms. Pac (115,000), centipede (over 55,000) , Asteroids (over 56,000) etc. A lot of those games had production runs that were 15-35 times the numbers and the survival rate today shows. Compare those production figures to the Tapper production figures and its not a lot.
 
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Timber number #328 checking in. Mine is a factory Root Beer Tapper conversion. I spent many years looking for one and finally found this a couple years ago. Mine has the Root Beer Tapper model name whited out, the serial stamped over, and the root beer dipswitch settings ripped off with a crudely copied sheet stapled in underneath the Timber tag. Pretty cool. I will be entering it on the registry. Thanks for starting this thread!

Beautiful game man!
Thanks for sharing.
 
1218 is mine. It's a Root Beer Tapper. I've been told, odds are it was a prototype. Because it has the factory Timber artwork, but the ROM's are hand written. The artwork on the right side has the upper front corner of the Timber artwork cut out to go around a Aladdin's Castle brass tag. I read somewhere once that companies would use AC to test games. It's maybe a 1"x2" section. I've owned it since 1998. The guy that had it before me said his Dad had it since the early 90's. I'll post pics of the numbers tonight if I have time. Also, I don't have mine searchable in VAPS anymore, I've had way too many people asking if I want to sell it over the years. I wonder how many others have done the same?

If any of you Timber owners downloaded the Preliminary Manual. I'm the one that scanned it in and uploaded it years ago.

Can you post pics of it.
Cheers
Kent
 
My RB #1218 conversion, I've never cleaned or touched the artwork it since I've owned it. The other side looks the same condition wise. I bought it back around 1998. It's had two owners since the early 90's from what I was told, the guy I bought it from and me. It has no Timber number on it anywhere. All other writing on all the boards match the roms. I was told that AC would test market games for BM, mine most likely is a field conversion/prototype. That's why the brass tag was left on when they installed the Timber side art. Excuse the dust, I don't play them like I used to. The marquee has great color, it's just washed out from the pics.

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Coindork thanks for this thread! Very interesting arcade history and some great responses from other Timber owners. (the mystery Timber is very cool)

This does add to the body of information for Timber and Tapper and hopefully the people that own them keep chiming in.
 
Do you guys even like playing Timber? I looked at some gameplay on Youtube and it looks really meh...

It's actually a supper fun game. We have a fairly sizable collection and it's hands down my wife's favorite (outside of pinball).
The game gets increasing harder and challenging. You have to start planning ahead which direction you going to cut trees down to leave yourself a path so you can get to the other trees in time. Once you get good at that it's supper fun and challenging.
 
My RB #1218 conversion, I've never cleaned or touched the artwork it since I've owned it. The other side looks the same condition wise. I bought it back around 1998. It's had two owners since the early 90's from what I was told, the guy I bought it from and me. It has no Timber number on it anywhere. All other writing on all the boards match the roms. I was told that AC would test market games for BM, mine most likely is a field conversion/prototype. That's why the brass tag was left on when they installed the Timber side art. Excuse the dust, I don't play them like I used to. The marquee has great color, it's just washed out from the pics.

Thats really quite interesting. I had a converted Q-Bert cabinet once that still had the original wire harness and a few other things in the cabinet. Anyhow, long story short there were some tag on the wire harness stamped Q-Bert with date stamps that were from well before the game was actually released to the public. I read somewhere that they would put out test machines at different locations to see how the machines performed and to gauge public acceptance before the decision was made to go into full production. Apparently in the case of Q-Bert they even set up a few machines behind 2 way glass and had a research team observing peoples reactions while playing and take notes. Pretty strange stuff.
 
Do you guys even like playing Timber? I looked at some gameplay on Youtube and it looks really meh...

2 player is great, it's sort of like a mild version of Rampage World Tour. You can knock the tress on the other player to slow them down. That way you can chop more trees then them and win the level. It's one of my kids favorite games.
 
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