From: sao@athena.mit.edu (Andy Oakland)
Subject: monthly rec.games.pinball FAQ, one of two
Followup-To: rec.games.pinball
Supersedes: <faq_buy_715356605@athena.mit.edu>
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 15:26:58 GMT
Expires: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 15:26:46 GMT

Archive-name: pinball/part1

Unchanged from last time.

This is the first half of the monthly posting for rec.games.pinball.
If you have any comments, additions, or suggestions for this posting,
please contact the editor, Andy Oakland, at sao@athena.mit.edu.

----------------------------------------------------------

Frequently Asked Question number one:  "How do I buy a machine?"

Buying a pinball for home use has a lot in common with buying a car: It is
a big investment, the item requires proper care, and the business is filled
both with honest, decent people and sleazeballs.

=========================================================================
===============  Decide what sort of machine you want  ==================
=========================================================================

Games available for home purchase fall into three categories: Used electro-
mechanical, used solid-state, and new (all new games are solid-state). Which
is right for you depends on what you want, how much you're willing to spend,
and whether you ever intend to sell or trade the game.
 
Think a bit about why you want a game. If you want it to play, chances
are that you want a solid-state game.  They play faster, and the software 
has features that could take you some time to uncover.

If you're looking for something to tear apart, down to the bare wood, and
build back up again (only better), buy an electro-mechanical.  Doing the 
fix-up on a solid-state game wouldn't be as fruitful--At some point, 
you'd be staring at an IC-laden circuit board, and that's way beyond 
cleaning contacts and tightening springs.

Aside from knowing why you want a game, you should zero in on which game you
want. The market is fat with choices, and there is a fair chance that,
if you look in the right places, you can eventually find what you want. But
you can't go into the market saying, "Oh, just find me something you think
I'll like." It goes deeper than issues of color and whitewalls or no: You
will fare best if you have a wish list of games you are interested in.

How much will it cost?  It depends on the popularity and rarity of the 
game, the condition of this particular machine, and whether or not you live
in California.  (Not a joke ... Prices run higher in The Golden State!)

A semi-functional older solid-state machine can be had for as little as 
$100, while a new game fresh from the factory runs about $3000.  Typical 
price for a game that's seen a couple years of use would be $400-$1000.

An electro-mechanical game can run anywhere from $150 to $750, with
real collector's items (like Humpty Dumpty) significantly more.

If this is your first machine, it's highly recommended that you get a working
one!  Picking up a cheap junker may be tempting, but you'll never get it
going without experience, specialized equipment, and a stock of spare parts.
Try to buy from someone who'll deliver it in working condition, and stand 
behind it for a while.  Ask for references!

=========================================================================
=======================    Go looking for one   =========================
=========================================================================

The path a pinball machine travels typically looks like this:

Manufacturer--->Distributor--->Operator--->Collector or junkyard

Unless you have very deep pockets, you won't be buying your machine
from the manufacturer or distributor.  Operators are the ones who
put machines out in the field and maintain them...They're usually
willing to sell used machines once they stop pulling in the quarters.

Go to your favorite machine in the field, and ask who owns it.  If the 
location doesn't, there's probably a sticker on the machine pointing you 
to the operator.  Another way to find operators is to hit the Yellow Pages,
and call up the companies listed under "Amusement Devices."  First ask 
them if they sell machines for home use, then ask for the specific machines
you're looking for.

You can also buy machines from collectors.  In fact, this is pretty much
the only way to go to find an Electro-mechanical.  You probably aren't 
going to find an EM in the field, or with an operator.

For both EM's and solid-state machines, the little ads in periodicals like
Pinball Trader are an excellent source of leads.  (See list of periodicals
below)  Also, you can try to find something locally.  Buy every newspaper 
you can, including the little "nickel ads" type, and check the classifieds.
Keep doing this for months.  Takes time, but good deals occasionally pop up.

You can also find a "broker," a sort of super-collector in business
to buy up old used games, fix them up, and resell them.  Again, you can 
reach these people through publications like The Pinball Trader.

Also, believe it or not, check with a dart supply store!  I know of two
in my area (Boston) which sell used pins, and at least one Norwegian
store does.

=========================================================================
=======================     Publications        =========================
=========================================================================

There are many periodicals good for getting background information
on the pinball world, and for contacting other collectors.  The first
two, Pinball Trader and pinGame journal, are probably the best ones for
those interested in home games.

The Pinball Trader
PO Box 1795, Campbell, CA 95009-1795
Mostly articles written by collectors, focussing on home machines.  Covers
trade shows and conventions, and usually includes lists of prices paid at
recent auctions.  Subscription includes one free ad per month.
$28/year, sample issue $4.

pinGame journal
31937 Olde Franklin Drive, Farmington Hills, MI  48334
Written by pinball collectors.  Includes info about new games in 
development, as well as articles on finding, reconditioning, and playing
older games.  Subscription includes one free classified ad per month.
$26/year, sample issue $3.

Play Meter 
PO Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184
Thick, slick trade journal, mostly aimed at arcade owners and operators.
Provides uniformly glowing reviews of the latest games.  Covers crane
games, kiddie rides, etc., as well as video and pinball.
$50/year, sample issue $5.

RePlay
P.O. Box 2550
Woodland Hills, CA 91365
Another monthly trade magazine with the same content as Play Meter.
$60/year, sample issue $5.

Gameroom Magazine
1014 Mount Tabor Road
New Albany, IN  47150
A monthly hobbyist publication.  Covers pinballs, slots, jukeboxes,
Coke machines, neon, etc.  High proportion of advertising.
$24/year, sample issue $3.

Coin Slot 
4401 Zephyr St., Wheat Ridge, CO  80033-3299
A glossy quarterly covering all collectible
coin-op machines. $28/year.

Distributors Research Associates
197 S.W. 20th Way, Dania, FL  33004
The DRA Price Guide lists "average" prices of games, jukeboxes, and 
vending machines that are actively traded on the distributor level.
Note that this does not include games more than a few years old.
$75/year for 4 skinny issues and 4 even skinnier updates.

Canadian Coin Box
NCC Publishing, 222 Argyle Ave., Delhi, Ontario N4B 2Y2 Canada.
$38/year, sample issue $3.50.

Coin-Op Newsletter
P.O. Box 2426, Rockville, MD  20852
A bimonthly hobbiest publication.  Covers antiques and coin-op collectables.
$24/ten issues.

=========================================================================
=======================     Manufacturers       =========================
=========================================================================
Data East
1850 Little Orchard St.
San Jose, CA  95125

Premier Technology  (Includes Gottlieb and Mylstar)
759 Industrial Drive
Bensenville, IL 60106

Williams Electronics Games, Inc.  (Includes Bally)
3401 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL  60618