FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
"I would like to buy a pinball" - Great! Welcome to a world of friendship in adversity. Pinballs can be unreliable as they have usually suffered a long hard life (after all they were built to take money in arcades and then be scrapped), as a result all pinball purchases should be approached with caution. Get in the same mindset of say buying a classic car and you will be halfway there, i.e. it won't run reliably without servicing and you can't repair it properly without it coming into a workshop. You will find that you own an appreciating asset that demands care and takes up space, but is fun and entertaining. Most folk are unable to stop at owning one, upsetting partners and having to build 'garden' or 'games' rooms is the norm. You have been warned.
"Where can I buy one" - Think of this as a slightly different question, more like 'do you want to buy a reliable, working machine?' In which case look at the list of suppliers on my home page here or go to any of the many businesses you will find on Google who offer a guarantee. If you want a cheaper machine or a project go to eBay, but remember that there are few bargains and many pitfalls along that route. As a general rule if the listing says 'it lights up but does not work, probably just needs a fuse', it's usually not the fuse, trust me on this. When you buy a pinball make sure it is complete, anything missing or broken may no longer be available, worse you may not be able to play the machine until you find someone to build the part. So, ask for detailed hi res pictures and compare them with the images on the Pinball Machine Database. Ideally the cabinet will be OK, a few dents and dings are normal, similarly the backbox translite (the backlit graphic on the back box) should be nice and clean and clear, hopefully if the machine is old and the decoration is paint on glass it's not flaking. Turn the game on from 'cold' the displays should light quickly and be bright and clear, in older machines the score reels should snap over sharply. All the mechanisms pop bumpers, slingshots, flippers and so on should work sharply and not be sticky or sluggish. Plastics and decorative items should all be present, they may be cracked or chipped (and that affects the value) but having them is the main thing because then they can be copied or repaired. All the lights working, tidy wiring and a clean playfield usually indicates a machine that's been cared for.
"Do you have a pinball machine for sale" - If I do it will be listed up on my Facebook page.
"Do you sell a xxxxxx part for my pinball" - No we do not sell spare parts, these are available from the suppliers who are linked on the home page.
"My pinball has been in storage for many years and needs a quick service to get it going" - Any machine that has been left for ten years or more will likely have major issues. Electronic and solid state games will probably need new electrolytic capacitors and may have battery damage. Older electro mechanical machines will be seized as the greases used harden over time. Both types need to have their power connections thoroughly checked. In general these machines need to be properly serviced in a workshop.
