Wisdom for a (prospective) new pinball owner?

SpaceGuppy

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Hey guys

I recognize some of you from the r.g.v.a.c days, I was there in the "Coin Ops a Poppin" era. Great to see the amazing collections y'all have! I had some cabinets but got out of the hobby in the late 90s... now I'm thinking of getting into pinball.

I've always loved pins but was daunted by the prospect of something that complex and expensive - seems like there's no end of things that can go wrong with them, and the ones I want are 20 years old! Can I get a reality check on just how much work and money is needed to keep 1990-era games running? I mean I'm sure I can do the easy stuff, replacing standard parts, but every game has unique specialized stuff that is going to be harder and harder to find over time.

Any recommendations on a good place for sales and/or service in the Maryland / Washington DC area? I emailed someone at "Game Time" but didn't hear back.... who have you dealt with who you're really happy with? What's the best way to find/buy them - craigslist, ebay (they're pricy on there!), here, other places?

In short - is it all worth it? :)

Many thanks for your thoughts!

Guppy
 
I think it's worth it, but I've always been a pinhead.

I have no prior electronics experience, no soldering experience, no repair, artwork, or restoration experience of any kind. I'm teaching myself everything as I go. I started on a Space Shuttle, and just picked up a Bally Supersonic, so the two I'm working on, way older than what you're talking about, lol.

Shuttle has been easy, practically FUN to work on. Almost no electrical issues at all and I haven't been bothered to educate myself enough to fix the very minor GI lighting issues in the backbox yet.

This new one though...man...I've gotta get in there and dig around. Chattering flipper that I partially fixed, GI lights were weak and flickering and now COMPLETELY out, but the backbox GI is still working...good times. Haven't had time to get in there but looking like more issues with this one than I wanted....time to learn some more. Maybe will help me fix the GI issues in Space Shuttle.

But yeah...for me, just the fact I'm developing these skills is a huge asset. I'd like to get out of my current job into other areas of my field, which will probably include electronics work, so this is a good, and comparitively CHEAP way for me to educate myself....and I get some pins out of it! :)

I think most people here will agree that a more hands-on approach instead of paying outside people to do most repairs is preferrable, simply because the things do break down, unexpectedly, and I don't know about you personally, but I'm neither patient nor affluent, so I'm doing repairs myself. :p I'm trying not to buy any pins that I will want to get rid of, so for me, knowing how to do the work is a must. I don't expect in 20 years for there to *be* commercial repair services for pinballs. Could be wrong if Jersey Jack takes off but I'm not holidng my breath!
 
Can I get a reality check on just how much work and money is needed to keep 1990-era games running? What's the best way to find/buy them - craigslist, ebay (they're pricy on there!), here, other places?

In short - is it all worth it? :)

Many thanks for your thoughts!

Guppy


I think it's worth it.

The maintenance effort is all pretty much dependent on your starting point. You can buy a later Sys 11 for $1000 that's a project and you may fight maintenance issues for a long time until you get everything sorted out. Or buy the exact same table that has been updated and owned and cared for by a collector - and pay 2.5x as much - and you'll likely not have too many issues.

Try to find local collectors as a means of purchasing your first machine. You won't get the same great deal as buying the machine from Grandpa's basement - but you won't have the headaches either. I'd avoid the retail premium if at all possible.

Ultimately, it's something that you will say "screw the logic, I just want to do this".
And you will.
And you'll have a blast. Welcome.
 
Regardless of what you buy - try and find other collectors in the area who know their way around, and know what they're doing - from basic maintenance, to full-blow shopping, PCB repair, etc. Having local folks you can lean on will drastically reduce the learning curve, and help with the inevitable frustration when you get in over your head on something.

There is plenty of good repair information out there, and folks who are happy to help online, but having somebody local who can take a first-hand look at an issue is best.

Start with a game that you know you'll like and want to keep for a while; always easier to get motivated to clean/repair something that you have an attachment to.

If you know you're going to be dependent upon paying others to do the work for you (either because you have no interest in doing it yourself, or you know deep down you simply aren't up to it), make sure you buy from somebody reputable, get something that's been shopped out recently, and is considered a reliable pin. You *will* pay more, but that's the price in any hobby where you can't do the work yourself for whatever reason.

Above all - enjoy. If it's more work than hobby, what's the point?
 
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You have to dip your toe in at some point in time. Modern pins are really pretty much simple mechanical stuff you can look at and understand with the most basic of tools.

When folks hear I work on pins they ask if I got some sort of training. It makes me giggle. Any person with just basic knowledge of tools could rebuild a flipper if they paid attention while dismantling and putting it back together. I am sorta surprised how the majority of working on pins is just a few screws and replacing parts. When it gets to board work you are entering a whole new skill to learn, but basic maintain of pins is a bit above IKEA difficulty.

Take pics, go slow, and look why the parts you are taking apart in in the arrangement they are in and how they function. It will all make a ton of sense very quick. Notice the play in the flipper bushing to keep from drag. EOS switches are very important to know how they work.

You will be fine.
 
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