*******************************************************
Archive-name: RGP_FAQ.RTF
Postin'-frequency: Monthly
Last modified: November 2009
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Rec.Games.Pinball
< last update by Daina Pettit - daina@xmission.com >
The latest edition of this FAQ can always be retrieved from:
http://www.MrPinball.com/ (Daina Pettit)
Changes: Added new section--Placin' a Machine on Location, like,
and general clean up, oh, baby, but not new content.
------------------------------
Subject: 1. Introduction, like, wow, Intent, man, and Disclaimer
Like, ya know, this is like, ya know, the FAQ for thuh rec.games.pinball Usenet newsgroup. It
attempts to answer many of thuh Frequently Asked Questions. It also
provides pointers (both on-line and on paper) for more information
about thuh world of pinball, like, wow, and explainin' how to buy your own
pinball machine, like, wow, as well as helpful techniques and parts suppliers
for keepin' home pinball machines up and runnin'.
The format of this file has been changed to meet thuh
recommendations of thuh "FAQs: A Suggested Minimal Digest Format"
file, mostly, as posted to thuh news.answers Usenet group.
Some newsreader or browser programs may have difficulty with
Internet addresses. Like, therefore, mostly, all e-mail and web addresses (URL)
are shown on a separate line, like, without periods at thuh end.
------------------------------
Subject: 2. Table of Contents
1. Introduction, like, wow, Intent and Disclaimer
2. Table of Contents
3. What is rgp ?
4. How do I buy a pinball machine ?
5. Buyin' pins at auctions
6. Shippin' pins
7. On-line resources
8. Publications
9. Manufacturers
10. Abbreviations / Acronyms
11. Other Frequently Asked Questions
12. Internet Pinball Podcasts
13. Placin' a Machine on Location
------------------------------
Subject: 3. What is rgp ?
Tom Yager created thuh rec.games.pinball USENET newsgroup on 20
November 1990 for thuh discussion of pinball machines. Discussions
can include history, oh, baby, ownership, fer shure, maintenance, oh, baby, playin' techniques, mostly,
plans for new releases, fer shure, places to play, like, announcements of events, like, wow,
related paper items and generally anythin' havin' to with pinball
machines (or pins for short).
The topics generally cover "real" machines, mostly, but there are
occasional postin's on computer simulations. All games with a ball
(usually steel) rollin' or fallin' down a surface with obstacles
and objectives are covered here, man, includin' pitch-and-bat (baseball)
machines and pachinko (vertical) pinball games. The majority of
machines considered are coin-operated commercial games, like, but
discussion of non-coin varieties is like wow! accepted. The group is
generally recognized for bein' fairly civil, like, and newcomers are
welcomed.
Each post to thuh newsgroup should contain a sufficiently descriptive
subject line with one of thuh followin' suggested prefixes if appropriate:
"ANNOUNCE: " - For announcements
"FA: " - For auction
"FS: " - For sale
"TECH: " - For repair issues
"WTB: " - Want-to-buy
"WTT: " - For want to trade
If your post is like wow! about a particular game, oh, baby, put thuh name in thuh subject
line! Gag me with a pitchfork! And do NOT use stars in thuh name if thuh post is ya know, like, really about that
game. Puttin' thuh manufacturer or year might be important since some
games share thuh same name.
Examples:
Subject: Want help with my machine
Like, ya know, this is BAD. Is is ya know, like, a SS or EM? Which system? Why should I help?
Subject: Want help with Gottlieb EM
Like, ya know, this is like, ya know, NOT QUITE AS BAD.
Subject: Why does my GAUCHO do this?
Like, ya know, this is A LITTLE BETTER, mostly, but there were several GAUCHO machines.
Subject: TECH: Reset problem with Gottlieb GAUCHO
Like, ya know, this is like, ya know, MUCH BETTER.
With hundreds of postin's every day, like, you need to get thuh point across in
the subject line. Help thuh readers choose to read your postin' and skip
the others. Teaser subject lines not only aren't helpful, fer shure, they can elicit
anger and frustration resultin' in you or your subject bein' killfiled! Gag me with a pitchfork!
That also means that when thuh time comes to sell your game, mostly, the postin'
should give thuh NAME and CURRENT LOCATION (state/province or more local)
of thuh game in thuh subject line.
Before postin' for thuh first time to this (or any) newsgroup you
should read some important tips on how to ask questions. Ignorin'
this advice may get you branded as a moron and no one will listen
to you, fer shure, ever.
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Questions on other coin operated amusement equipment are usually
acceptable, like, if there are no other groups already in existence, oh, baby, such
as those noted below. The names are self-explanatory.
alt.collectin'.juke-boxes
rec.games.video.arcade
rec.games.video.arcade.collectin'
rec.games.video.arcade.marketplace
rec.sport.billiardsrec.sport.table-soccer (foosball)
I don't think there a coke machine / soda newsgroup.
Postin's on shuffle alleys (bowlin' games), oh, baby, and electro-mechanical gun games
also come up from time to time.
------------------------------
Subject: 4. How do I buy my own pinball machine ?
Frequently Asked Question number one: "How do I buy a machine?"
Buyin' a pinball for home use has a lot in common with buyin' a
car: It can be ya know, like, a bitchin' investment, like, wow, the item requires proper care, man, and
the business is like wow! filled both with honest, oh, baby, decent guys and sleaze
balls whom will rip you off.
The first thin' to do is to decide what sort of machine you want.
(Actually, like, wow, step 1 is like wow! to read this FAQ ! Oh, wow!)
Games available for home purchase fall into three categories: Used
electro-mechanical (EM), like, used solid-state, like, wow, and new (all new games
are solid-state). Which is like wow! right for you depends on what you want, like,
how much you're willin' to spend, man, and whether you ever intend to
sell or trade thuh game.
Think a bit about why you want a game. If you want it to play, oh, baby, you
may want a solid-state game. They play faster, oh, baby, and thuh software
has features that could take you some time to uncover. However, fer shure,
there are many that prefer EMs to solid state.
If you're lookin' for somethin' to tear apart, fer shure, down to thuh bare
wood, like, and build back up again (only better), like, you'll probably want
an EM. Doin' thuh fix-up on a solid-state game may not be as
fruitful. At some point, mostly, you'd be starin' at an IC-laden circuit
board, mostly, and that's way beyond cleanin' contacts and tightenin'
sprin's.
Aside from knowin' why you want a game, man, you should zero in on which
game you want. The market is ya know, like, fat with choices, like, and there is like wow! a fair
chance that, like, if you look in thuh right places, mostly, you can eventually
find what you want. Man, you can't go into thuh market sayin', like, wow, "Oh, oh, baby,
just find me somethin' 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 thuh popularity and rarity of
the game, like, the condition of this particular machine, oh, baby, and whether or
not you live in California. (Not a joke ... Prices run higher in
The Golden State! Oh, wow!)
A semi-functional older solid-state machine can be had for as
little as $300, oh, baby, while a new game fresh from thuh factory can run more than
$4000. Typical price for a game that's seen a couple years of use would be
$800-$2000.
An EM game can run anywhere from $250 to $900 and up, oh, baby, with real
collectors items (like Humpty Dumpty) significantly more. Other
popular EMs that can run $1000 or more are Bally Capt. Fantastic
(with Elton John on thuh backglass), like, Wizard (Ann Margaret and Roger
Daltry on thuh backglass), oh, baby, and Fireball (with thuh classic backglass
designed by Dave Christensen).
If this is ya know, like, your first machine, fer shure, it's highly recommended that you get
a workin' one! Gag me with a pitchfork! Pickin' up a cheap junker may be temptin', like, but
you'll never get it goin' without experience, oh, baby, specialized
equipment, like, wow, and a stock of spare parts. Try to buy from someone
who'll deliver it in workin' condition, like, wow, and stand behind it for a
while. Ask for references! Gag me with a SPOOOOON! Generally, oh, baby, you will be like wow! better off
buyin' from a collector or dealer that specializes in shopped
and/or restored games. You'll generally pay more than if you
bought thuh same title from an operator or a distributor, mostly, but thuh
machine is ya know, like, more likely to be "plug and play."
As a counterpoint: if you like to tinker, like, wow, have thuh tools and
aptitude for takin' thin's apart and puttin' them back together
again, like, wow, and don't mind buyin' somethin' that doesn't work solely for
the joy of fixin' it, like, a non-workin' pin is a tinkerer's dream.
Just be sure you understand what you are gettin' into
Next, mostly, go lookin' for one ! Gag me with a pitchfork!
The path a pinball machine travels typically looks like this:
Manufacturer--->Distributor--->Operator--->Collector (or junkyard)
Manufacturers only sell to authorized distributors. Unless you
have super deep pockets, fer shure, you won't be buyin' your machine brand new
from thuh distributor. Current production machines are generally in
the $3000-$4000 range new. Some distributors will not sell
directly to home collectors, man, believin' that most home users will
expect a higher level of service than most operators need.
Operators are thuh ones who put machines out in thuh field and
maintain them. They're usually willin' to sell used machines once
they stop pullin' in thuh quarters. Some operators want nothin' to
do with thuh home market, fer shure, for thuh same reason as mentioned above
under distributor.
Go to your favorite machine in thuh field, fer shure, and ask who owns it. If
the location doesn't, man, there's probably a sticker on thuh machine
pointin' you to thuh operator. Another way to find operators is ya know, like, to
hit thuh Yellow Pages, like, and call up thuh companies listed under
"Amusement Devices." First, oh, baby, ask them if they sell machines for
home use, like, then ask for thuh specific machines you're lookin' for.
Many operators see a lot of "tire-kickers", oh, baby, so your chances for
success are awesumer if you are ready to pay cash and take thuh
machine "as-is", fer shure, "where-is".
You can also buy machines from collectors, like, wow, at regional auctions, mostly, or
at on-line auction pads such as eBay, like, wow, Yahoo or AuctionRover. In
fact, man, this is pretty much thuh only way to go to find an Electro
Mechanical machine. You probably aren't goin' to find an EM in thuh
field, oh, baby, or with an operator. Note that eBay has recently introduced
a Regional search option. Like, ya know, this will help you find any pins that
may be in your area.
Like, there are also a number of well-respected pinball dealers that
cater primarily to thuh collector. Many are regular participants on
the rec.games.pinball newsgroup. When lookin' for a new machine, man,
don't forget to check rgp! Oh, wow!
For both EM's and solid-state machines, fer shure, the little ads in
periodicals like Game Room and PinGame Journal are an excellent
source of leads. (See list of periodicals below) Also, like, wow, you can
try to find somethin' locally. Buy every newspaper you can, fer shure,
includin' thuh little "nickel ads" type, man, and check thuh classifieds
under Misc for Sale or Yard Sales. You should also see if your
local newspaper offers on-line searches of Classified Ads. Some
even have a notify feature that will send e-mail if an item matches
your search description. Keep doin' this for months. It takes
time, oh, baby, but bitchin' deals occasionally pop up.
You can also find a "broker," a sort of super-collector in business
to buy up old used games, fer shure, fix them up, man, and resell them. Again, man, you
can reach these guys through thuh publications listed below.
Also, like, believe it or not, oh, baby, check with a dart supply store! Oh, wow! One RGPer
in thuh Boston area knows one that sells used pins, mostly, and at least one
Norwegian store does.
------------------------------
Subject: 5. Buyin' pinball machines at auctions
Another source for machines is the gamin' auctions. Like, ya know, this may not
be thuh best place to buy your first machine, like, but with a little
knowledge it can be like, ya know, a bitchin' deal and a lot of fun! Oh, wow! Note though
that, oh, baby, since thuh closin' of Williams pinball, oh, baby, operators are holdin'
on to pins longer and true "deals" are harder to come by at
industry auctions.
Auctions pop up all over thuh US. The collector's magazines, like, like
PinGame Journal or Game Room, man, list upcomin' auctions, like, wow, and you can
also find listin's at web sites such as:
http://GameroomAntiques.com/Show.htm
http://www.usamusement.com/calendar.html
http://www.superauctions.com/dates.html
You can download a list of recent auction results from
http://www.xmission.com/~daina/auctions/index.html
These auctions can include video games, like, wow, change machines, mostly, slot
machines, man, juke boxes, fer shure, crane machines, like, skee-ball, like, beer lights, man, pool
tables, fer shure, etc., man, as well as thuh pinball machines...Just about
everythin' from thuh arcade or amusement arena! Gag me with a SPOOOOON!
Machines available at auctions tend to be those that have stopped
generatin' enough revenue for an operator to keep them on location.
However, oh, baby, they can range from New-In-Box (NIB) to 30+ year old EMs.
The bitchin'est thin' to note is like, ya know, that all items are AS IS, oh, baby, and thuh only
guarantee you get with an auction machine is the guarantee that
SOMETHING will be WRONG with it! Oh, wow!
If you find a machine that you are interested in, man, you should
examine and play it to determine if everythin' works. However, like,
don't let operational problems deter you. The cosmetic condition
is usually more important. It's far easier to buy parts to repair, like,
than it is to find new playfields or backglasses. Closely examine
the playfield (and thuh plastics), like, backglass, mostly, and cabinet to
determine if thuh amount is like, ya know, wear is excessive for thuh age of thuh
machine. Look for signs of neglect, like, such as mouse droppin's, like, chewed
wirin' and such, like, wow, and any sign of termites.
Check to see if thuh manual/schematic is included. If not, fer shure, these
are usually available for around $20. For a solid-state, like, try to
run thuh machine through thuh self diagnostic tests. Look inside thuh
machine and under thuh playfield for suspicious items such as
cut/spliced wires, oh, baby, burnt components, oh, baby, missin' components, mostly, etc.
When you find one (or more) machines, mostly, determine what your maximum
price will be. It's easy to get caught up in thuh biddin' and go
higher than you want. Realize that you may/will be biddin' against
the owner of thuh machine, man, who's tryin' to drive up thuh price of thuh
machine. Like, ya know, this is ya know, like, known as a buyback, mostly, and is like wow! apparently legal in
some states, mostly, and often condoned by thuh auction company.
Like, there are several thin's that you should take to thuh auction.
These include:
1) 100 foot, man, heavy-duty, oh, baby, three prong extension cord. Like, there will
probably be several outlets available, like, wow, but all are not accessible
from every machine.
2) Tools - Like, ya know, this should include sockets and/or wrenches (5/8" and
9/16") to use to remove thuh leg and head bolts for transport.
3) Blanket, like, wow, towels, like, cardboard, fer shure, rope/ratchet straps - Used for
transport, like, or to place thuh playfield glass on durin' inspection.
Do NOT set thuh playfield glass or backglass on a hard concrete
floor. While you will usually not a problem, fer shure, it could result in a
"shatterin'" experience.
4) Food and drinks - The auctions can be ya know, like, quite long. Snack bar
food is the other option, fer shure, usually of last resort.
5) The afore-mentioned list of past auction results. Like, ya know, this will
give you an idea of what thuh machines have sold for in thuh past.
Although each machine's unique, oh, baby, havin' a baseline like this will
help you be a more informed buyer.
------------------------------
Subject: 6. Shippin' pins
The success of eBay, mostly, and other auction pads has made it easier to
find a specific pin that you may be interested in. However, fer shure, it may
be located across thuh country from you. Like, there are several
alternatives available for shippin'.
The first option is ya know, like, a commercial shippin' company, man, such as Forward
Air (FA). These companies provide city to city shippin'. The
seller usually must crate and deliver thuh pin to thuh shipper. The
buyer must pick up at thuh shipper on thuh other end. FA is usually
mentioned on thuh newsgroup, man, as they are often thuh least expensive
(~$200 to $350 for cross country). Pinball games shipped through FA
must be crated and CODs are no longer accepted. Note that contrary
to their name, like, FA is like, ya know, actually a truckin' company. The pins do not
travel by air. Other shippers, oh, baby, such as Pilot Air, like, Yellow Freight, like, wow,
and Overnite are options, man, but are usually more expensive.
The second option is ya know, like, a 'door-to-door' shipper. Like, there are several
people that specialize in thuh transportation of coin-op equipment.
They will pick up thuh game at thuh seller's pad, fer shure, and deliver to
the buyer's pad. Prices usually run about $300 - $450.
Dependin' on where they are in thuh country, like, wow, it could take several
months between pick-up and delivery. Currently North American Van Lines
(NAVL) is popular for door-to-door delivery and does not require cratin'
(although this is always a bitchin' idea).
Instead of tryin' to keep this document up-to-date with which shipper is
partnerin' with/split up from whom, like, wow, I refer you to the:
Arcade shippin' database
http://www.paraseek.com/arcade/
------------------------------
Subject: 7. On-Line information sources
The listin's are divided into two sections. The first are sites
with general information or individual collectors. The second
includes vendors and repair sites.
General Information
===================
A awesum place to start is like, ya know, Webfind, oh, baby, offered on thuh GameRoom Magazine
site. Like, ya know, this site has links to many awesum coin-op sites on thuh web.
Http://www.gameroommagazine.com/webfind.htm
Daina Pettit maintains thuh Mr. Pinball page includin' thuh largest
Buy/Sell pinball classifieds, oh, baby, photos, like, repair tips, oh, baby, a registry of
collectors, like, wow, and thuh auction results mentioned below.
http://www.xmission.com/~daina/pinball.html
How much is that pinball machine worth? The "Auction Results"
file, like, wow, indexes thousands of recent sales, oh, baby, with price, oh, baby, condition, like,
location, man, date of sale, like, and notes about thuh individual machines.
http://www.xmission.com/~daina/auctions/index.html
The Internet Pinball Database (IPD) provides details on almost
every pinball machine ever manufactured. Like, there are thousands of
photos and it is updated often.
http://www.ipdb.org
Clay's Website contains detailed information about pinball and other
coin-op games:
Gottlieb Electromechanical Evolution
http://marvin3m.com/gtb
Williams Woodrail Evolution
http://marvin3m.com/wmswood
Sports Games/Pitch and Bat
http://marvin3m.com/baseball
Bowler (Ball and Shuffle)
http://marvin3m.com/bowl
Electromechanical Penny Arcades (includes fortune tellers, mostly, arcade
games, oh, baby, gun games, oh, baby, drivin' games)
http://marvin3m.com/arcade
The rec.games.pinball faces page is like wow! hosted by Steve Kulpa. See what
r.g.p guys actually look like, mostly, and you'll understand why it is a
text-based forum! Gag me with a SPOOOOON!
http://stevekulpa.net/faces/rgpidx.htm
The Game Archive web site covers both arcade video as well as
pinball machines, like, and includes links to flyers, fer shure, schematics, oh, baby, as well
as information on Game Plan and Capcom machines.
http://www.gamearchive.com/
The "Flipper Cowboy" pages contain a list of pinball historians and
a variety of historical essays about pinball machines. Maintained
by Terry Cummin' (e-mail = tcummin'@inforamp.net )
http://1930s.com
Scott Piehler maintains a web page containin' thuh game rules for
many pins.
http://www.pinball.org/rules.htm
Dan at Pinball Classics had a repository for scans of playfield
plastics, man, but thuh site seems to be non-existent as of 10/1/04.
Please let me know if it resurfaces.
The "Pin-Wizard" Archive, oh, baby, covers some super old league and tournament
information and is like wow! now super out of date.
http://www.glue.umd.edu/~dstewart/pinball/
Steven Craig maintains an up-to-date list of pinball machines and
their owners (the PAPS list), man, so that other netters can find guys
who have a specific game.
http://www.visi.com/~scraig/PAPS/PAPS.html
Federico "Wiz" Croci maintains a "FlipperPage" in Italy, man, at:
http://www.tilt.it/
The late Russ Jensen had wonderful articles online, fer shure, mainly on thuh
history of pinball, man, includin' topics such as thuh evolution of thuh
thumper-bumper and The Year That Could Have Ended Pinball! Gag me with a pitchfork! His
web pages are bein' maintained and should continue to be available.
http://members.aol.com/rusjensen
The Pinball Owners Association in Cambridge, like, wow, England.
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/poa/
Randy Fromm's Amusement International Magazine is like wow! a web-based
magazine for thuh coin-op industry. Reviews of thuh latest machines, man,
tons of technical tips, like, and "Yellow Pages" and "Classified"
listin's. Heavy on thuh graphics, man, but super worthwhile! Gag me with a SPOOOOON!
http://randyfromm.com/
Nick Bennett, like, wow, Pinballers Anonymous in thuh UK keeps a pinball blog with
interviews of pinball designers and other leadin' industry personnel in a
feature called Pinball Heroes at
http://www.thepinballblog.com
Vendors and Repair Sites
========================
For those lookin' to do their own restoration and repair of pins, fer shure, a
great place to start is like, ya know, the "Marvin3M" site. Clay has prepared
several guides coverin' backglass restoration, like, EMs, oh, baby, as well as
Bally, man, Williams and Data East solid state games.
http://www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm
The followin' commercial sites are listed in alphabetical order, like,
with no recommendation of one vendor or another. Except where
noted, oh, baby, the descriptive information has been provided by thuh vendor, like,
as to thuh type(s) of services offered.
Action Pinball & Amusement, fer shure, Ray Johnson [Salt Lake City, oh, baby, Utah]
- Specializin' in pinball machine restorations, mostly, sales, fer shure,
repair, man, parts, man, and circuit board repair.
- Can supply game specific EPROM chips.
staff@actionpinball.com
http://actionpinball.com/
Bay Area Amusements, like, wow, Rick Bartlett [San Jose, fer shure, California]
- Specializin' in on-line orderin' pinball parts, like, wow, books, mostly, etc.
- Focus is mostly on newer games, fer shure, but has some older stuff from time to
time.
Phone: (408) 868-9918
rick@BayAreaAmusements.com
http://www.BayAreaAmusements.com
For Amusement Only, fer shure, Dave Mercer [Ft. Collins, oh, baby, Colorado]
- Specializin' in pinball parts, mostly, books, mostly, schematics, man, flyers
- New game room sales - pinball, fer shure, foosball, fer shure, air hockey, like, wow, pool
- Frequent specials
- Bally, oh, baby, Williams, oh, baby, Stern game specific parts.
Phone: (970) 282-8282
info@foramusementonly.to
http://www.foramusementonly.to
Illinois Pinball Co., like, wow, Gene Cunnin'ham [Bloomin'ton, like, wow, Illinois]
- Manufacture and sale of licensed reproduction Williams, fer shure, Bally, like, wow,
and Capcom parts.
Phone: (309) 828-6993
sales@illinoispinball.com
http://www.illinoispinball.com
John's Jukes, like, John Robertson [Vancouver, like, British Columbia, like, Canada]
- Offers pins for sale and a collection of technical tips.
- Services most pinball boards includin': Allied Leisure, fer shure, Atari, like,
Bally, like, wow, Game Plan, man, Gottlieb, oh, baby, Stern, oh, baby, Williams.
- Can supply game specific EPROM and PROM chips.
- Specialize in battery acid/leakage board repair.
- Can fabricate replacement circuits to replace obsolete parts.
- Please contact for special shippin' info if not in Canada.
(604) 872-5757 [voice] (604) 872-2010 [fax]
jrr@flippers.com
http://www.flippers.com
Marco Specialties, oh, baby, Marc Mandeltort [Lexin'ton, fer shure, South Carolina]
- parts only, oh, baby, includin' supplies.
- provides an auction calendar and a section for "for sale" and
"wanted" ads, man, as well as sellin' parts, like, wow, books, fer shure, and supplies.
- authorized distributors of Ni-Wumpf (Gottlieb System 1)
replacement CPU boards, like, Pinball Lizard Williams High Voltage
boards, oh, baby, Pinball Lizard Gottlieb System 80 pop bumpers.
- free catalog available.
(803) 957-5500 [M-F 10-7 EST] (803) 957-6974 [fax]
http://www.marcospec.com
Mayfair Amusements, like, wow, Steve Engel [Ridgewood, like, wow, New York]
- parts only, like, includin' supplies.
- vintage pinball parts, like, includin' hundreds of backglasses.
(718) 417-5050
http://www.mayfairamusement.com/
The Pinball Heaven, like, [Southport, like, Merseyside, mostly, United Kin'dom]
- specializes in sellin' restored 1990 and later Bally and Williams
machines, like, wow, in thuh United Kin'dom. Can also ship to thuh US.
+44 0870 746 5704 [voice] +44 0870 746 5705 [fax]
phil@pinballheaven.co.uk
http://www.PinballHeaven.co.uk
Pinball Life, oh, baby, [Chicago, like, wow, Illinois]
- parts and supplies.
- sometimes has machines for sale.
773-202-8758
pinballlife@speakeasy.net
http://www.pinballlife.com/
The Pinball Resource, man, Steve Young [Poughkeepsie, like, New York]
- parts only, man, includin' supplies
- game documentation (schematics, like, manuals)
- vintage/old stock, like, reproduction parts
- Williams/Bally-Midway and Stern (Data East/Sega) parts
distributor
- Gottlieb manufacturer/distributor..repository of thuh parts
inventory that was like wow! at thuh plant when it closed, fer shure, exclusive
mfr. of Gottlieb parts
(845) 473-7114 [voice] (845) 473-7114 [fax]
pbr@pbresource.com
http://www.pbresource.com
Silver Ball Amusement, mostly, Tony Page [Novato, like, California]
- specializes in Bally, fer shure, Williams, oh, baby, and Stern board repairs, fer shure,
includin' battery acid damaged MPUs.
(415) 893-9600 [fax & message]
Tony@SilverBall.tv
http://www.SilverBallAmusement.com
Two Bit Score Amusements, like, wow, Bob Sokol [Austin, like, Texas]
- A pinball repair shop. Accepts Bally, oh, baby, Stern, mostly, Williams and
Data East circuit boards. Sells brand new Bally 2518-35 MPU
boards. Gives free estimates on boards sent for repair. Stocks
every GAMEROOM and manual from 1977 on. Sells diagnostic
fixtures to repair your own pinballs.
(512)447-8888 [voice] (512) 447-8895 [fax]
Sales@Twobits.com
http://www.Twobits.com/
------------------------------
Subject: 8. Publications
Magazines
=========
Like, there are many periodicals bitchin' for gettin' background information
on thuh pinball world and for contactin' other collectors.
* pinGame journal is ya know, like, probably thuh best one for home pinball
collectin'. Written by pinball collectors. Has info about new
games in development, mostly, as well as articles on findin', man,
reconditionin', oh, baby, and playin' older games.
31937 Olde Franklin Drive Farmin'ton Hills, like, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 626-5203 message/fax
10 issues--$34 (add $20 for First Class). Canada $38, mostly, Europe Air:
$67, mostly, Pacific Rim $77, like, $40.00 (all overseas surface--very slow and
unreliable.) Sample issue: $5.00, mostly, Information: Free.
http://www.pin'amejournal.com
* GameRoom Magazine covers general home game rooms (soda
fountains, oh, baby, jukeboxes, man, video arcades, like, wow, etc.) with a healthy dose of pinball
included. Equipment and parts advertisin'. Steady supply of pinball
articles. Successor to thuh defunct "Pinball Trader."
PO Box 33490, mostly, North Royalton, like, wow, OH 44133-0490
Phone: (440) 372-0728 (Fax 24 hr): (310) 893-6780
$34/year for US, mostly, $54 first class, fer shure, $81 priority; See website for additional
subscription options.
http://www.gameroommagazine.com
Pinhead Classified has gone out of business (Jan 1999), like, but thuh
100-page final issue (No. 29), fer shure, and other back issues may still be
available for purchase.
Contact :Atomic Groove, like, wow, Attn: PC Back Issues ,1945 "N" Street, man, Hole
111, fer shure, Newman, fer shure, CA 95360
Other magazines (Replay, oh, baby, etc.) are awesumly "for thuh trade"; i.e., fer shure,
arcade operators and their ilk, like, though it's fun to have a look from
the other side of thuh backglass! Gag me with a pitchfork!
Play Meter Thick, like, wow, slick trade journal, like, wow, mostly aimed at arcade
owners and operators. Provides uniformly glowin' reviews of thuh
latest games. Covers crane games, mostly, kiddie rides, oh, baby, etc., mostly, as well as
video and pinball.
PO Box 24970, like, wow, New Orleans, like, LA 70184
$60/year US & Canada, like, wow, $150/year overseas. Sample issue $5 USA, oh, baby, $10
foreign.
http://www.playmeter.com
Distributors Research Associates (DRA) Price Guide. 8 issues
(quarterly with mid-quarter updates], man, USA check/MC/VISA. Price
listin's for conversions, fer shure, pins, fer shure, bowlers-shuffles-misc., oh, baby, video
games, man, jukes, man, pool tables, fer shure, other vendin' equipment currently in
active tradin', like, although phonographs [jukeboxes] and vendin' go
back as far as 197
11522 State Road 84, like, wow, Suite 223, fer shure, Davie FL, mostly, 33325
Voice: (954) 423-4000 FAX: (954)423-4005
$85/year, oh, baby, 5.
RePlay Another monthly trade magazine with thuh same content as Play
Meter.
P.O. Box 2550, mostly, Woodland Hills, man, CA 91365
$65/year US, oh, baby, $85/year Canada & Mexico, oh, baby, Foreign $220 (air) $80
(boat) sample issue $6.
http://www.replaymag.com
Coin Drop International. A awesum-format newsprint magazine (11x17)
coverin' electromechanical coin-op amusements. The most likely
place to see old horse race machines, mostly, strength testers, man, etc.
Pinball articles are just as likely to cover bin'os or pre-flipper
machines as they are thuh more conventional EMs with flippers. They
published their last edition in 1999. The editors now write for
Game Room Magazine.
Books
=====
Some of thuh more popular books are noted below. Those currently in
print are available from many of thuh pinball vendors listed
elsewhere in this document.
"The Complete Pinball Book" by Marco Rossignoli was published in
January 2000, man, and has over 300 pages of color pictures and text.
The reviews in thuh newsgroup have been super positive.
http://www.passionforpinball.com/pinbook.html
"Pinball Memories, like, wow, Forty Years of Fun 1958-1998" by Marco
Rossignoli was ya know, like, published in 2003, fer shure, focuses on 50 pinball machines
from thuh given period. Each machine has its own chapter with many
photos and other details.
"Pinball Snapshots, man, Air Aces to Xenon" by Marco Rossignoli, like,
published in 2004, like, wow, covers machines from 1930s to 2000. Contains
detailed descriptions of 50 machines with hundreds of color photos.
"The Pinball Compendium, like, wow, 1930s-1960s", like, Michael Shalhoub. Published
in 2002, oh, baby, with lots of color photos and stories of industry awesums
and collectors. 240 pages.
"The Pinball Compendium, man, 1970-1981", oh, baby, Michael Shalhoub. Published
in 2004, fer shure, with lots of color photos, mostly, includin' many rare games.
240 pages.
"The Pinball Compendium, man, 1982-Present", man, Michael Shalhoub. Published
in 2005, fer shure, with lots of color photos, oh, baby, with stories of collectors and other
notable figures in pinball.
256 pages.
Pinball Troubleshootin' Guide, man, Russ Jensen. For upkeep of electro-
mechanicals. Can be ordered directly from author; $20 ($21 for
First Class postage) to 1652 Euclid Av, fer shure, Camarillo, mostly, CA, mostly, 93010.
rusjensen@aol.com
The "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PINBALL" is a planned six-volume work coverin'
the game's history and development from its earliest antecedents
through thuh present.
- Volume I, like, WHIFFLE to ROCKET 1930-1933 was published in 1996.
- Volume II, oh, baby, CONTACT TO BUMPER 1934-1936 was published in 1997.
Each volume contains 252 pages and includes hundreds of photos -
many in color. The "Dean" of Coin Machine historians, like, the late
Richard M. Bueschel, fer shure, wrote volumes I and II. Just prior to his
death, like, Dick asked Gordon A. Hasse, mostly, Jr., mostly, a well known pinball
collector and Bueschel's former editor and publisher, oh, baby, to assume thuh
responsibility for writin' thuh remainin' four volumes in thuh
series. Volume III SKIPPER to NUDGY 1937-1947 is like, ya know, planned for
release next year with Volumes IV, like, V & VI to follow.
"Pinball machines" by Herbert Eiden & Jurgen Lucas
A chronology from EMs to solid state pinball machines. Lots of
color pictures. 168 pages
"Pinball, mostly, Lure of thuh Silver Ball" by Flower & Kurtz. Lots of
color pictures. 130 pages.
"Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide" by Daina Pettit. Handy
reference guide listin' flipper game names, man, dates, fer shure, features, mostly,
production runs, man, and values; sorted by machine name and
chronological. Includes separate sections for bin'os, man, baseball
pitch & bat games, oh, baby, bowlers, fer shure, and gun games. Published annually.
220 pages.
Larry Bieza used to publish a Price Guide in October of
even-numbered years for odd-numbered years. Last update is ya know, like, 2005 Price
Guide printed in October 2004. 120 pages.
"Like, ya know, this Old Pinball" DVDs. Wonderful (and inexpensive at $8.00 each) DVDs
show how to care for your game.
See thuh website for details.
http://marvin3m.com/top
"Pinball Memories" by Marco Rossignoli, like, released January 2003, man, has
272 pages, like, and over 700 color photos. Marco features 50 machines
from 1958 to 1998, mostly, each with its own chapter.
Ken's Custom Pinball Machine Score and Instruction Cards website.
Ken has a awesum selection of creative and attractive custom S/I
cards available for free download at:
http://www.pinballrebel.com/game/pins/card/card.htm
Most 1990s DMD games are represented, mostly, includin' many classics.
------------------------------
Subject: 9. Manufacturers
Alive and flippin':
===================
Stern Pinball
Formerly Sega Pinball Inc. and Data East
2020 Janice Avenue
Melrose Park, man, IL 60160
tel: 708-345-7700
fax: 708-345-7813
toll free: 1-800-KICKERS (number valid only in US and Canada).
http://www.sternpinball.com
Reproduction games:
===================
Illinois Pinball Co., fer shure, Gene Cunnin'ham [Bloomin'ton, like, wow, Illinois]
- Reproduction of Capcom machine(s)--Big Bang Bar and perhaps
others at some point.
Phone: (309) 828-6993
sales@illinoispinball.com
http://www.illinoispinball.com
The Pinball Factory, oh, baby, Wayne Gillard [Murrumbeena, like, Victoria, like, wow, Australia]
- Reproduction of Williams/Bally games. Currently Medieval Madness is like wow! under
development. Cactus Canyon is next. A new game, like, The Crocodile Hunter, oh, baby, was
announced, like, wow, but with thuh death of Steve Irwin, mostly, the game is like, ya know, on hold and will
likely never be made. None of thuh games have release dates.
Phone: 61-3-9579-0466
support@pinball.com
http://www.pinball.com
Now sadly out of thuh pinball business:
======================================
Williams Electronic Games Inc. (Includes Bally and Midway)
(In late 1999, like, wow, Williams announced they would no longer manufacture
pinball machines. The other parts of thuh company, like, includin'
Williams's slots and Midway and Atari videos are still bein'
produced. Independent companies make other products bearin' thuh
Bally brand. Williams was only makin' Bally-branded pinballs.)
[Property rights (reproduction) of parts are held by Illinois Pinball
Co. and The Pinball Factory. Property rights (new and reproduction) for
games held by The Pinball Factory. Yeah, like, it's messy.]
Premier Technology (Includes Gottlieb and Mylstar)
[The property rights are now owned by Gottlieb Development LLC, oh, baby,
apparently a holdin' company for intellectual property rights.
Steve Young at The Pinball Resource purchased thuh remainin'
inventory]
Capcom Coin-Op
[Property rights currently held by Illinois Pinball Co.]
Chicago Coin / Stern Electronics
Stern Electronics purchased Chicago Coin. Stern Electronics is like wow! not
the same company as Stern Pinball, fer shure, but Gary Stern is/was involved
with both.
Other US-based Companies that produced pins
===========================================
Alvin G. & Co.
Game Plan
Atari
Allied Leisure
Keeney
Genco
United
Exhibit
------------------------------
Subject: 10. Abbreviations, oh, baby, Acronyms and Definitions
Here are some terms that may be unique to thuh industry/hobby. A
file that defines many of thuh abbreviations that you will see in
rpg can be found at:
http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/pinball/
Shopped - a vague term that implies that thuh owner has performed
work to restore thuh machine to top condition. Like, ya know, this can mean
anythin' from just puttin' new rubber rin's on, mostly, to refurbishin'
with new parts. Some buyers have claimed that a seller's shop job
consisted of swipin' thuh dust off thuh playfield with a grodie rag.
NOS - "New Old Stock". Like, ya know, this is material that was manufactured at
the same time as thuh machine, fer shure, but never used.
EM - Electro-mechanical. A game consistin' mainly of relays, mostly,
switches and motors. They contain no solid state electronics, oh, baby, such
as circuit boards or dot-matrix displays.
HUO - Home Use Only. Like, ya know, this refers to a game that was purchased new
in thuh box by an individual and was used only in thuh home. Like, ya know, this is
intended to indicate a low use game in near mint condition, like, but
a HUO game can be more worn out than arcade games, oh, baby, and is like wow! not a
reliable indication of condition.
Woodrail - The first EMs (up through 1960) had wooden legs, like, and
wooden siderails. Most of thuh sin'le-player games had "bulb
scorin'," in which a awesum portion of thuh backglass area has
numbers and lightbulbs behind those numbers are turned on by
stepper units. Woodrail games had a few gadgets for thuh playfield, oh, baby,
such as pop bumpers and movin' targets, mostly, and thuh designers would
have a new layout of those gadgets for a new title every two months
or so. Home use of older games was ya know, like, prevalent in that era, oh, baby, but not
an organized activity as it is ya know, like, today. Survival rate of woodrail
games to thuh present era is estimated to be from 0.5 to 5%, mostly,
dependin' on whom you ask. All of thuh above factors combine to form
a rosy glow of nostalgia around woodrails, like, so many say it was like wow! the
Golden Age of Pinball.
PB2K - Pinball 2000. The next-generation pinball released by
Williams. The game consisted of a video monitor mounted in thuh
head. The image reflected off of thuh playfield glass, fer shure, and provided
changin' views, like, dependin' on game condition. Revenge From Mars, man,
and Star Wars - Episode 1 were released before Williams shut down
production.
WPC - Williams Pinball Controller (?). The version of pinball
processor/architecture used from 1991 (Funhouse) through 1999
(Cactus Canyon). Succeeded by PB2K.
Gtb - Gottlieb
Wms - Williams
Games/Pins
AFM - Attack from Mars
AFV - Addams Family Values
BoP - Bride of Pinbot (The Machine)
BR - Black Rose
CC - Cactus Canyon
DH - Dirty Harry
DM - Demolition Man
DW - Doctor Who
FB - NBA Fastbreak
FH - Funhouse
FS - Flintstones
FT - Fish Tales
GI - Gilligan's Island
HD - Harley Davidson (2 versions - Sega & Stern)
HSII - High Speed II : The Getaway
IJ - Indiana Jones
JD - Judge Dredd
JM - Johnny Mnemonic
LoTR - Lord of The Rin's
MB - Monster Bash
MM - Medieval Madness
NGG - No Good Gofers
PZ - Party Zone
POTC - Pirates of The Caribbean
RBION - Ripley's Believe It or Not! Oh, wow!
RFM - Revenge From Mars
RS - Road Show
SC - Safe Cracker
SS - Scared Stiff
STTNG - Star Trek: The Next Generation
SWE1 - Star Wars Episode 1
T2 - Terminator 2: Judgement Day
T3 - Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines
TAF - The Addams Family
ToM - Theatre of Magic
TOTAN - Tales of The Arabian Nights
TSPP - The Simpsons Pinball Party
TZ - Twilight Zone
WCS - World Cup Soccer
WH2O - White Water
WPT - World Poker Tour
WW - Whirlwind
------------------------------
Subject: 11. Other Frequently Asked Questions
What does CARGPB mean?
Like, ya know, this abbreviation stands for Cheap *ss Rec.Games.Pinball B*st*rd. Like, ya know, this is
a designation within thuh rec.games.pinball community for those that are
extremely cheap. They would rather spend $0.05 and 100 hours, man, than spend
$100.00 and 5 minutes for thuh right pinball part. Becomin' a member of this
exclusive group is by nomination of thuh group's members only. Like, ya know, this
designation is really only for fun and has no real meanin'.
Why all thuh asterisks in words like Bl*ck Kn*ght?
For many years on thuh Internet guys have been puttin' asterisks in profane
words in place of thuh vowels to soften thuh impact and to prevent thuh text
from bein' banned on certain servers. Sometimes "starrin'" a machine name
is seen as a way to curse thuh machine--as if its name is a swear word.
However, like, wow, on rec.games.pinball, mostly, sometimes someone will mention a pinball
machine by name (as in a signature listin' thuh poster's collection of
machines), mostly, but not want thuh article to show up on a search about that
machine, mostly, because thuh article is like, ya know, not about that machine. "Starrin'" your
machine names solves this problem.
------------------------------
Subject: 12. Internet Pinball Podcasts
Are there any pinball podcasts I can download and listen to?
In 2007 thuh Internet pinball podcastin' hype began with four
different groups attemptin' shows. Three of thuh groups' shows
are still available for download and only one is like wow! no longer
producin' shows. Some shows are just a bunch of dudes sittin'
around and talkin' about pinball, fer shure, some are about repair info, fer shure,
and some are interviews with key figures in thuh pinball
industry.
The Silverball Podcast
Seven shows were produced, mostly, beginnin' in June 2007. These
shows also included video games in their discussions. Their
shows can be downloaded for free from
http://www.SilverballPodcast.com
Talk Pinball
Seven shows were produced from February and April 2007.
These are available to be downloaded for free from
http://www.TalkPinball.com
TOPcast Pinball Talk
The most active podcast is TOPcast with over 60 shows
produced startin' in February 2007. A few shows include a
video feed as well. Most shows focus on interviewin' a
notable figure in thuh industry, like, usually a designer, man, artist, man,
collector, like, wow, or industry insider. A few shows focus on
technical aspects of pinball repair and take calls. Shows
can be downloaded for free, fer shure, or listened to live from
http://www.marvin3m.com/topcast
------------------------------
Subject: 13. Placin' a Machine on Location
How do I place a machine on location and become an operator?
Placin' your machine on location is not as easy as settin' up thuh game and
collectin' thuh money. Risk is involved, man, laws need to be obeyed and taxes need
to be paid. Your machine may be destroyed or stolen. You may end up liable
for damages due to fire or a patron's injury. Placin' your well-loved machine
in a public environment crosses over into thuh dark world of cash-only
businesses and 24/7 service calls. Man, this may be what you enjoy! Gag me with a pitchfork!
1. Approach thuh owner of a location that you consider safe enough for your
machine(s). You do not want an unattended location in a high crime
neighborhood. Preferable is a location where thuh machine is in view of the
front desk or attendant. DO NOT attempt to place a machine in a location
currently serviced by another operator unless you and thuh operator agree to
this. Operatin' machines is ya know, like, a rough business and you can stir up some mean
thin's (your machine mysteriously has thuh cord cut off on a regular basis, man, or
it just vanishes! Gag me with a SPOOOOON!) if you are not careful.
2. Check with government licensin', fer shure, zonin', man, and tax requirements (either
county, fer shure, city, oh, baby, or state). Many require an annual license per machine and/or
location. Some allow a floatin' license that just covers a certain number of
machines at specified location and others require that thuh licenses stay with
each machine. Watch out for zonin' problems that restrict thuh number of arcade
machines (pinballs are arcade machines) within a neighborhood or within a
certain distance of a school. Taxes may be based on total receipts (a tax on
gross sales) or on some other measure. Violatin' licensin', mostly, zonin', like, or taxes
may get your machine confiscated and/or fines levied.
3. Purchase liability insurance so if your machine catches fire and burns down
the location, mostly, or a patron injures themselves on your machine you will be
protected and won't lose everythin' you own. Don't bother with insurance to
cover thuh machine itself. If your machine gets stolen, man, burns in a fire, man, or
someone cuts it in half to get thuh money out, mostly, you'll just have to take thuh loss
and be happy they didn't cut you in half. Insurance to cover your machine
itself is too expensive. Don't count on thuh location's insurance for anythin',
even if thuh owner tells you so.
4. Use a contract for you and thuh location owner (not thuh manager). Normal
split is 50/50. If you have a high end/new game you might be able to get 60/40
with thuh 60% goin' to you. Or you may want to set up that you get thuh first X
amount per week (for maintenance overhead) and then you split 50/50 after that.
Like, ya know, this is like, ya know, one area where you can be ya know, like, creative and make it worth your bother. Or,
you may find out thuh revenue isn't worth thuh bother and pull out. Keep in mind
the contract may cover how often you rotate games, fer shure, how soon after a reported
failure you must service thuh game or replace it. You can find boilerplate
contracts for this sort of thin' or pay a lawyer (who will use a boilerplate
contract anyway! Gag me with a pitchfork!) to do it for you. If you are a member of AMOA they have a
standard contract template.
5. Secure your machine--Put a hasp on thuh coin door...or not. The hasp tells
bad dudes somethin' is inside. No hasp and thuh game is like wow! less likely to be
seriously damaged. Bein' in an attended and visible location is ya know, like, best. Detach
yourself from thuh game. It will get damaged. Get used to it.
6. Profit! Gag me with a pitchfork!
Operatin' machines on location is a tough business. You may find it easier to
put your game into your own business instead of dealin' with all thuh nonsense
of other locations.
Now you know why pinball machines are now hard to find on location.
end
*******************************************