Where/How can I buy a decent pinball machine?

sofakng

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I've never purchased a pinball (or arcade machine) before and I'm a little confused on how to get started on this hobby...

I'm not even sure what pinball machine that I want, but I definitely want something newer and at least somewhat "modern" with an LED screen (eg. Terminator 2).

Speaking of Terminator 2, that's one of the only machines that I remember playing and absolutely loved it. Doing a quick search on Google shows that new machines are being sold for $2500 and used ones for about $1800.

I'm a software developer (for the government) and have a tiny bit of electronics experience (just basic soldering!) but it sounds like a fun project to repair an old machine and get it working; especially if I could save some money.

So... where should I begin looking? I've checked Craigslist and eBay for local machines but can't really find anything but then again, I'm not sure what machines are "newer", etc.

I'm located in the Northeast (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA)...

Thanks for any advice!
 
First off, welcome sofakng. Wee todd ed? er....nevermind.

Keep checking CL, that's a great place to find used or project pinballs. Keep looking thru the IPDB.com website to help narrow down your search of games.

I see project pinballs appearing once a week in my local CL, but T2's are never busted up and tend to rund around $2000.
 
You should start with ebay and Craigslist.

Set up a 'pinball' saved search that will alert you when anything pinball turns up within the radius you choose.

Use a site like www.searchtempest.com to set up a craigslist search for the same radius. You can also use RSS feeds if you are into that sort of thing.

Once you find a machine you are interested in, this site is your reference manual:
www.marvin3m.com
I printed out 2 binders full of material from that site that was absolutely invaluable in restoring my older Gottlieb System I pinball.

Another great tool is Visual pinball/pinMAME. http://www.vpforums.org/
When you see a table locally, but have never played it before, this program will give you a good idea of what the table is like.

Good luck!
 
Try setting up an account on the rec.games.pinball group and ask for help from locals. At the least they should tell you where machines are available to play locally and hopefully some locals will let you play their machines and get a feel for what machine you want.

BTW, the machines you are looking for are referred to as DMD (dot matrix display) machines. Basicly there are three types of pins - EM (electromechanical), SS (solid state), and DMD. The DMD machines are the newest and usually the most complicated.
 
Off topic - my old softball team was known as the sofa kings. On the front we had a picture of a crown and a sofa, and on the back we had nicknames - stupid, cheap, lazy, annoying, etc. Good times.

On topic - Maybe someone is in the area and can help you out. I remember years ago passing on crazy deals because I wasn't sure how much it would cost to fix or where to even begin. Someone a little more seasoned might be able to help you diagnose what's what and to steer you away from bad deals. To someone outside of the hobby a 1K Asteroids seems like a fair price, you would be hard pressed to find someone here who would even take the time to go look at it, since it's a very common game. Just my two cents.
 
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I've never purchased a pinball (or arcade machine) before and I'm a little confused on how to get started on this hobby...

I'm not even sure what pinball machine that I want, but I definitely want something newer and at least somewhat "modern" with an LED screen (eg. Terminator 2).

Speaking of Terminator 2, that's one of the only machines that I remember playing and absolutely loved it. Doing a quick search on Google shows that new machines are being sold for $2500 and used ones for about $1800.

I'm a software developer (for the government) and have a tiny bit of electronics experience (just basic soldering!) but it sounds like a fun project to repair an old machine and get it working; especially if I could save some money.

So... where should I begin looking? I've checked Craigslist and eBay for local machines but can't really find anything but then again, I'm not sure what machines are "newer", etc.

I'm located in the Northeast (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA)...

Thanks for any advice!

I wouldn't go over $1500 for a T2 unless it is immaculate.
 
I'd think twice about T2. I'm playing it weekly in a local league and it gets old VERY fast. No strategy besides going for the skull shot to set up multiballs, and there's too much emphasis on the side gun. There ar emany better-balanced games out there that can be found for a reasonable price.

BTW, you'd probably get better feedback and info if you posted on the pinball forum here....
 
I would check out mrpinball.com and also post to the rec.games.pinball newsgroup. You should be able to find a T2 for less right now and if you are looking for a project much less.
 
If you ever make it to Iowa, I have a T2 I would sell you for $1000.

Or if anyone else is interested, let me know. Nice machine.
 
You also might want to take a look at any machines you see out in the wild - like at bars, restaurants, etc. Doesn't have to be just pinballs, they always have redemption machines. Look for a sticker on there with the operator's info and give him a call. He might have some stuff that is just sitting around in a warehouse he would be willing to let go for cheap.

Sometimes they won't give you the time of day, but keep trying and you'll eventually find someone that will deal with you. I've found an op in my area that is willing to deal - took a bit to establish a rapport with him but now I keep going back for stuff every once in a while. He loves to see me since I pay cash for his junk that is just taking up space, and I get a good deal. It's mutually beneficial.
 
I'm living in Swoyersville right now but I was raised in Pittston and lived in Dickson City for a while...

Don't worry about me taking your stuff :)

I'm really just looking for a single pinball machine that's cheap. I don't have room in my house for one machine let alone two! :)
 
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Speaking of Terminator 2, that's one of the only machines that I remember playing and absolutely loved it. Doing a quick search on Google shows that new machines are being sold for $2500 and used ones for about $1800.

T2 is not sold new any more and they typically sell around $1000-1200. So you're in luck, it's one of the cheapest modern style pins!

As far as finding one, best thing to do is probably make friends with some other pinball collectors who can help guide you... and search/post here and on the Rec.games.pinball newsgroup.

Wade
 
I'm Pittston Area class of '88
Small world, huh!

I'm a little younger... (class of 99) but no longer a teenager, heh. :)

Anyways, thanks for all of the advice everybody. I've been searching around and the classifieds on MrPinball are asking much higher than $1000 - $1100. They seem to be hovering around $1800 - $2000.

I guess I'll just wait and see what comes up. :\
 
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