Below, we\u2019ll go into more detail about where you should be looking to buy your pinball machine, and we\u2019ll give you some useful resources as well. We\u2019ll also go through the kinds of things you should be checking when buying a pinball machine<\/a>, so you always know what to look out for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before buying a pinball machine, you need to know where to look, and the best bet would be anywhere you can go check the machine in person<\/strong>. You might want to stay away from websites like eBay, as you may not be able to look at it in advance, and this is key when buying a pinball machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It wouldn\u2019t hurt looking at the local pick-up listings if you can find a seller in your area. But you will probably have better luck in Craigslist pages where you can set your location and how far you are willing to travel. Not only can you just browse the listings, but you can post your own \u201cLooking for\u201d ad if you want a specific machine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few other great places you may have good luck with are local arcades and pinball parlors<\/strong>. If you make friends with the owner or hang around their business often, when they purchase new machines, they might be willing to sell you some of their older machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could also go to conventions or expos if they come through your area, where you can meet with distributors and collectors that will most likely be willing to sell some of their own machines. An alternative to your local areas are sites such as Mr. Pinball<\/a>, P<\/a>inside.com<\/a>, and this Google Docs forum<\/a>. These sites will allow you to ask for specific machines or browse machines that are being sold<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typical machine prices vary widely, and it depends if you are willing to work on the machine or if you want to play it the second it\u2019s in your hands. Most used machines \u201cready to go\u201d would cost around $500-$2,000<\/strong>, but you can get them significantly cheaper if you\u2019re willing to take on some repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This obviously will depend greatly on the machine name, brand, how old it is, and the overall condition of the machine. With that said, you can buy a new machine for around $4500-$6500<\/strong>, but that can vary or whether it\u2019s a standard model, or a limited or collector\u2019s edition. You can learn more about pinball pricing and why machines are often very expensive in this article<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Used machines tend to be older, handmade and have hundreds of parts, circuit boards, light bulbs, moving pieces etc. A lot can go wrong with these machines as they\u2019re not simple builds, and learning to fix your machines will help tremendously in the long run. There are not too many people around that will fix pinball machines these days<\/strong>, so you can save time and money learning to do it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is recommended to have someone – or yourself – do a maintenance check once a year for personal use <\/strong>or once every 3-4 months if it\u2019s used in a business. Determining how much it will cost to keep running depends on how often it\u2019s played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a lot of useful information out there, especially on YouTube, that can help fix many issues with pinball machines. PinRepair<\/a> also has a database of machines and common problems<\/strong> that can help you repair your own machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Electro-Magnetic Machines (or EMs) were mainly built from the 1930s up until around 1978<\/strong>. These machines use relay score switches and motors as opposed to computerized ones. These machines were easy to play with fairly simple playfields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Solid State Machines (or SS) were built from the late 1970s until around 1990<\/strong> and have electronically controlled scoring. These changed how machines were played and how they displayed scores. Simple animations appeared and there were no more mechanical clicks of the score reel. These paved the way for more complex playfields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dot-Matrix Display Machines (or DMD) were built after the 1990s<\/strong>, showing dot-like displays of scoreboards. They introduced more advanced, but still low-resolution, animations when you hit specific targets. These, along with LCDs, are some of the best looking pinball machines due to the vibrance of the displays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Liquid-Crystal Displays (or LCDs) only exist on newer machines and are common among some new remakes of old classics<\/strong>. These produce high-resolution videos on the display head with changeable settings. Jersey Jack introduced an LCD screen into his Wizard of Oz backbox in 2013. A lot of these newer machines have LED lights or even LED displays too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you first go up to look at the machine there are some key features you want to check before pulling out your wallet. First things first, you should play the game<\/strong>, not just once but a few times – if you\u2019re allowed. You want to play it through a few times because a game could have an issue that doesn\u2019t show up until you\u2019ve played it a few times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check the scoreboard to make sure it reads an accurate display. Watch the bumpers to ensure they have life in them and are responsive. Make sure all the lights are on<\/strong> when they are supposed to be and that any pieces on the playfield that should be there are there and are moving if they are supposed to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You should also make sure the flippers are in working order<\/a> as they\u2019ll see the most action. A good tip to test the flippers (if you can get a look under the glass) would be to grab them and wiggle them a bit<\/strong>. They shouldn\u2019t have much movement and if they do this may mean you\u2019ll have to replace the flipper system eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a good idea to have an original picture of the machine handy<\/strong> and pictures of the playfield to have a reference with you in hand. You can use IPDB<\/a> as a good reference to find the machine you are about to look at and print off a couple pictures to take with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cosmetics of a machine are often as important as functionality. While you obviously want to get a working game, small parts on the inside can be replaced, re-wired and fixed. The artwork often can\u2019t be. Check the back glass first, as a lot of the time you will see paint dulling or chipping<\/strong>. This is common on old machines and is bound to happen, but it shouldn\u2019t be excessive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Translite on the other hand was made around 1986 and will be less likely to break<\/strong>. They also tend to last much longer if the machine has been properly cleaned and cared for over time. Back glass does have a tendency to lose some color due to sun exposure or heavy usage as the lights behind can dull the paint. The translite or backglass is often irreplaceable, so you want them to be in good shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure to check if the machine is supposed to have a topper on the display head, because if it\u2019s missing it will greatly decrease the value of the machine. The playfield should also be inspected<\/strong> by taking it out of the case (if you\u2019re allowed to) to make sure that it\u2019s flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll want to open the coin box and find the lever that\u2019s usually on the top right, sliding it to the left until the lockdown bar lifts up. Then you can slide the glass off the cabinet and access the playfield. You\u2019ll want to pull it out and raise it high enough, so that you don\u2019t bang anything below the field. You can find out how to properly open a pinball machine in this article<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check for any paint chipping as it will come off over time and look for any bare wood spots. This can be a result of age and\/or not taking care of the machine. The last major thing to check for on the playfield is called \u201cplanking\u201d. This is when you see vertical lines coming through the artwork<\/strong> and ultimately the start of separation on the field. This can be very expensive to fix or replace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you have the playfield out of the cabinet it\u2019s a good idea to check around the coils for any burning of the paper<\/strong>. This may indicate that the coils were getting very hot or need replaced. Check to see if there are any wires out of place, missing, or just dangling under the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can open the case, take a look at the corner joints on the inside and check for any separation or cracks<\/strong>. This may have been caused by abuse to the machine or from it being dropped while moving. You can also check the legs for any rusting bolts, and while they are easy to replace it\u2019s still worth noting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If everything checks out and the seller lets you do all of that, place everything back into the machine as it was. Then head around to the back of it and check for general cleanliness. If it looks like it hasn\u2019t been cleaned in years, the owner probably didn\u2019t take good care of it<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The machine should have two keys<\/strong>: one for the coin box and one to open the back box. They may be the same key but there should still be two of them with the machine. Open the back door if it\u2019s an EM machine and check for moving parts you couldn\u2019t see through the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it\u2019s an SS or DMD machine, you can check the head display for batteries and look for any corrosion or leaking. Leaking batteries can cause major issues<\/strong>. Also take a look at any circuit boards for signs of corrosion or melting through overheating. These machines have a lot of controls in the back box behind the glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If it\u2019s an old Bally SS machine, a Stern or a very early William machine, it may not have a free play mode, but they can be modified to do so pretty easily. So, you want to check behind to see if any modifications have been made to the machine<\/strong>. If any holes have been drilled during the modification, it can greatly reduce the machine\u2019s value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking at a machine built after 1990 you may be able to run a diagnostic test<\/strong> to show if and where any errors are. You can\u2019t count on this alone, because the seller could know how to hide the error so the reading wouldn\u2019t be accurate. But it\u2019s still worth a check.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBefore You Buy A Pinball Machine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Local Arcades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Buying](\"https:\/\/pinballcastle.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Mr.PinballClassifiedSection.png\")
The Costs Of Buying A Pinball Machine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Used vs New<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The 4 Types Of Pinball Machines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. EM Machines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. SS Machines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. DMD Machines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. LCD Machines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Things To Check When Buying A Pinball Machine<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Scoreboard And Lights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Check The Flippers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How It Looks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Check The Playfield<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Coils And Wires<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keys And Locks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Run Some Tests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n