******************************************************* Archive-name: RGP_FAQ.RTF Posting-frequency: Monthly Last modified: February 2015 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 vendor, Home Leisure Direct. ------------------------------ Subject: 1. Introduction, Intent, and Disclaimer This is the FAQ for the rec.games.pinball Usenet newsgroup. It attempts to answer many of the Frequently Asked Questions. It also provides pointers (both on-line and on paper) for more information about the world of pinball, and explaining how to buy your own pinball machine, as well as helpful techniques and parts suppliers for keeping home pinball machines up and running. The format of this file has been changed to meet the recommendations of the "FAQs: A Suggested Minimal Digest Format" file, as posted to the news.answers Usenet group. Some newsreader or browser programs may have difficulty with Internet addresses. Therefore, all e-mail and web addresses (URL) are shown on a separate line, without periods at the end. ------------------------------ Subject: 2. Table of Contents 1. Introduction, Intent and Disclaimer 2. Table of Contents 3. What is rgp ? 4. How do I buy a pinball machine ? 5. Buying pins at auctions 6. Shipping pins 7. On-line resources 8. Publications 9. Manufacturers 10. Abbreviations / Acronyms 11. Other Frequently Asked Questions 12. Internet Pinball Podcasts 13. Placing a Machine on Location ------------------------------ Subject: 3. What is rgp ? Tom Yager created the rec.games.pinball USENET newsgroup on 20 November 1990 for the discussion of pinball machines. Discussions can include history, ownership, maintenance, playing techniques, plans for new releases, places to play, announcements of events, related paper items and generally anything having to with pinball machines (or pins for short). The topics generally cover "real" machines, but there are occasional postings on computer simulations. All games with a ball (usually steel) rolling or falling down a surface with obstacles and objectives are covered here, including pitch-and-bat (baseball) machines and pachinko (vertical) pinball games. The majority of machines considered are coin-operated commercial games, but discussion of non-coin varieties is accepted. The group is generally recognized for being fairly civil, and newcomers are welcomed. Each post to the newsgroup should contain a sufficiently descriptive subject line with one of the following 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 about a particular game, put the name in the subject line! And do NOT use stars in the name if the post is really about that game. Putting the manufacturer or year might be important since some games share the same name. Examples: Subject: Want help with my machine This is BAD. Is is a SS or EM? Which system? Why should I help? Subject: Want help with Gottlieb EM This is NOT QUITE AS BAD. Subject: Why does my GAUCHO do this? This is A LITTLE BETTER, but there were several GAUCHO machines. Subject: TECH: Reset problem with Gottlieb GAUCHO This is MUCH BETTER. With hundreds of postings every day, you need to get the point across in the subject line. Help the readers choose to read your posting and skip the others. Teaser subject lines not only aren't helpful, they can elicit anger and frustration resulting in you or your subject being killfiled! That also means that when the time comes to sell your game, the posting should give the NAME and CURRENT LOCATION (state/province or more local) of the game in the subject line. Before posting for the first time to this (or any) newsgroup you should read some important tips on how to ask questions. Ignoring this advice may get you branded as a moron and no one will listen to you, ever. http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html Questions on other coin operated amusement equipment are usually acceptable, if there are no other groups already in existence, such as those noted below. The names are self-explanatory. alt.collecting.juke-boxes rec.games.video.arcade rec.games.video.arcade.collecting rec.games.video.arcade.marketplace rec.sport.billiardsrec.sport.table-soccer (foosball) I don't think there a coke machine / soda newsgroup. Postings on shuffle alleys (bowling games), 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?" Buying a pinball for home use has a lot in common with buying a car: It can be a big investment, the item requires proper care, and the business is filled both with honest, decent people and sleaze balls whom will rip you off. The first thing to do is to decide what sort of machine you want. (Actually, step 1 is to read this FAQ !) Games available for home purchase fall into three categories: Used electro-mechanical (EM), 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, you may want a solid-state game. They play faster, and the software has features that could take you some time to uncover. However, there are many that prefer EMs to solid state. If you're looking for something to tear apart, down to the bare wood, and build back up again (only better), you'll probably want an EM. Doing the fix-up on a solid-state game may not 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 $300, while a new game fresh from the 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, 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 the backglass), Wizard (Ann Margaret and Roger Daltry on the backglass), and Fireball (with the classic backglass designed by Dave Christensen). 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! Generally, you will be better off buying from a collector or dealer that specializes in shopped and/or restored games. You'll generally pay more than if you bought the same title from an operator or a distributor, but the machine is more likely to be "plug and play." As a counterpoint: if you like to tinker, have the tools and aptitude for taking things apart and putting them back together again, and don't mind buying something that doesn't work solely for the joy of fixing it, a non-working pin is a tinkerer's dream. Just be sure you understand what you are getting into Next, go looking for one ! 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 very deep pockets, you won't be buying your machine brand new from the distributor. Current production machines are generally in the $3000-$4000 range new. Some distributors will not sell directly to home collectors, believing that most home users will expect a higher level of service than most operators need. 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. Some operators want nothing to do with the home market, for the same reason as mentioned above under distributor. 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. Many operators see a lot of "tire-kickers", so your chances for success are greater if you are ready to pay cash and take the machine "as-is", "where-is". You can also buy machines from collectors, at regional auctions, or at on-line auction houses such as eBay, Yahoo or AuctionRover. In fact, this is pretty much the only way to go to find an Electro Mechanical machine. You probably aren't going to find an EM in the field, or with an operator. Note that eBay has recently introduced a Regional search option. This will help you find any pins that may be in your area. There are also a number of well-respected pinball dealers that cater primarily to the collector. Many are regular participants on the rec.games.pinball newsgroup. When looking for a new machine, don't forget to check rgp! For both EM's and solid-state machines, the little ads in periodicals like PinGame Journal 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 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 doing this for months. It 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 the publications listed below. Also, believe it or not, check with a dart supply store! One RGPer in the Boston area knows one that sells used pins, and at least one Norwegian store does. ------------------------------ Subject: 5. Buying pinball machines at auctions Another source for machines is the gaming auctions. This may not be the best place to buy your first machine, but with a little knowledge it can be a good deal and a lot of fun! Note though that, since the closing of Williams pinball, operators are holding on to pins longer and true "deals" are harder to come by at industry auctions. Auctions pop up all over the US. The collector's magazines, like PinGame Journal, list upcoming auctions, and you can also find listings at web sites such as: http://GameroomAntiques.com/Show.htm You can download a list of recent auction results from http://www.xmission.com/~daina/auctions/index.html These auctions can include video games, change machines, slot machines, juke boxes, crane machines, skee-ball, beer lights, pool tables, etc., as well as the pinball machines...Just about everything from the arcade or amusement arena! Machines available at auctions tend to be those that have stopped generating enough revenue for an operator to keep them on location. However, they can range from New-In-Box (NIB) to 30+ year old EMs. The biggest thing to note is that all items are AS IS, and the only guarantee you get with an auction machine is the guarantee that SOMETHING will be WRONG with it! If you find a machine that you are interested in, you should examine and play it to determine if everything works. However, don't let operational problems deter you. The cosmetic condition is usually more important. It's far easier to buy parts to repair, than it is to find new playfields or backglasses. Closely examine the playfield (and the plastics), backglass, and cabinet to determine if the amount is wear is excessive for the age of the machine. Look for signs of neglect, such as mouse droppings, chewed wiring and such, and any sign of termites. Check to see if the manual/schematic is included. If not, these are usually available for around $20. For a solid-state, try to run the machine through the self diagnostic tests. Look inside the machine and under the playfield for suspicious items such as cut/spliced wires, burnt components, missing components, etc. When you find one (or more) machines, determine what your maximum price will be. It's easy to get caught up in the bidding and go higher than you want. Realize that you may/will be bidding against the owner of the machine, who's trying to drive up the price of the machine. This is known as a buyback, and is apparently legal in some states, and often condoned by the auction company. There are several things that you should take to the auction. These include: 1) 100 foot, heavy-duty, three prong extension cord. There will probably be several outlets available, but all are not accessible from every machine. 2) Tools - This should include sockets and/or wrenches (5/8" and 9/16") to use to remove the leg and head bolts for transport. 3) Blanket, towels, cardboard, rope/ratchet straps - Used for transport, or to place the playfield glass on during inspection. Do NOT set the playfield glass or backglass on a hard concrete floor. While you will usually not a problem, it could result in a "shattering" experience. 4) Food and drinks - The auctions can be quite long. Snack bar food is the other option, usually of last resort. 5) The afore-mentioned list of past auction results. This will give you an idea of what the machines have sold for in the past. Although each machine's unique, having a baseline like this will help you be a more informed buyer. ------------------------------ Subject: 6. Shipping pins The success of eBay, and other auction houses has made it easier to find a specific pin that you may be interested in. However, it may be located across the country from you. There are several alternatives available for shipping. The first option is a commercial shipping company, such as Forward Air (FA). These companies provide city to city shipping. The seller usually must crate and deliver the pin to the shipper. The buyer must pick up at the shipper on the other end. FA is usually mentioned on the newsgroup, as they are often the 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, FA is actually a trucking company. The pins do not travel by air. Other shippers, such as Pilot Air, Yellow Freight, and Overnite are options, but are usually more expensive. The second option is a 'door-to-door' shipper. There are several people that specialize in the transportation of coin-op equipment. They will pick up the game at the seller's house, and deliver to the buyer's house. Prices usually run about $300 - $450. Depending on where they are in the country, 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 crating (although this is always a good idea). Instead of trying to keep this document up-to-date with which shipper is partnering with/split up from whom, I refer you to the: Arcade shipping database http://www.paraseek.com/arcade/ ------------------------------ Subject: 7. On-Line information sources The listings are divided into two sections. The first are sites with general information or individual collectors. The second includes vendors and repair sites. General Information =================== Daina Pettit maintains the Mr. Pinball page including the largest Buy/Sell pinball classifieds, photos, repair tips, a registry of collectors, and the auction results mentioned below. http://www.xmission.com/~daina/pinball.html How much is that pinball machine worth? The "Auction Results" file, indexes thousands of recent sales, with price, condition, location, date of sale, and notes about the individual machines. http://www.xmission.com/~daina/auctions/index.html The Internet Pinball Database (IPD) provides details on almost every pinball machine ever manufactured. 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, arcade games, gun games, driving games) http://marvin3m.com/arcade The rec.games.pinball faces page is hosted by Steve Kulpa. See what r.g.p people actually look like, and you'll understand why it is a text-based forum! http://stevekulpa.net/faces/rgpidx.htm The "Flipper Cowboy" pages contain a list of pinball historians and a variety of historical essays about pinball machines. Maintained by Terry Cumming (e-mail = tcumming@inforamp.net ) http://1930s.com Scott Piehler maintains a web page containing the game rules for many pins. http://www.pinball.org/rules.htm Dan at Pinball Classics had a repository for scans of playfield plastics, but the site seems to be non-existent as of 10/1/04. Please let me know if it resurfaces. Steven Craig maintains an up-to-date list of pinball machines and their owners (the PAPS list), so that other netters can find people who have a specific game. http://www.visi.com/~scraig/PAPS/PAPS.html Jess Askey resurrected the old IPP Serial Database as the Internet Pinball Serial Numbers Database. If you want to study serial numbers, survival rates, production possibilites, or submit your machines' serial numbers go to the IPSND at http://www.ipsnd.net Federico "Wiz" Croci maintains a "FlipperPage" in Italy, at: http://www.tilt.it/ Riccardo Pizzi runs an Italian website that has photos, Italian classified ads, and some useful links. http://www.vecchiflipper.it The late Russ Jensen had wonderful articles online, mainly on the history of pinball, including topics such as the evolution of the thumper-bumper and The Year That Could Have Ended Pinball! His web pages have moved to ipdb.org and should continue to be available. http://archive.ipdb.org/russjensen/ His articles written for various coin-op magazines are available at http://www.pinballcollectorsresource.com/russart.html The Pinball Owners Association in Cambridge, England. http://ds.dial.pipex.com/poa/ Randy Fromm's Amusement International Magazine is a web-based magazine for the coin-op industry. Reviews of the latest machines, tons of technical tips, and "Yellow Pages" and "Classified" listings. Heavy on the graphics, but very worthwhile! http://randyfromm.com/ Nick Bennett, Pinballers Anonymous in the UK keeps a pinball blog with interviews of pinball designers and other leading industry personnel in a feature called Pinball Heroes at http://www.thepinballblog.com Vendors and Repair Sites ======================== For those looking to do their own restoration and repair of pins, a great place to start is the pinball wiki site. This is a community effort, free, and likely to be around forever. http://www.pinwiki.com The following commercial sites are listed in alphabetical order, with no recommendation of one vendor or another. Except where noted, the descriptive information has been provided by the vendor, as to the type(s) of services offered. Action Pinball & Amusement, Ray Johnson [Salt Lake City, Utah] - Specializing in pinball machine restorations, sales, repair, parts, and circuit board repair. - Can supply game specific EPROM chips. staff@actionpinball.com http://actionpinball.com/ Bay Area Amusements, Rick Bartlett [San Jose, California] - Specializing in on-line ordering pinball parts, books, etc. - Focus is mostly on newer games, but has some older stuff from time to time. Phone: (408) 868-9918 rick@BayAreaAmusements.com http://www.BayAreaAmusements.com For Amusement Only, Dave Mercer [Ft. Collins, Colorado] - Specializing in pinball parts, books, schematics, flyers - New game room sales - pinball, foosball, air hockey, pool - Frequent specials - Bally, Williams, Stern game specific parts. Phone: (970) 282-8282 info@foramusementonly.to http://www.foramusementonly.to Home Leisure Direct [Bristol, South Gloucestershire, United Kingdom] - specialising in the sale of new pinball machines by Stern and Jersey Jack - specialising in the sale of vintage pinballs from the 80s and 90s - Offering worldwide shipping by specialist courier. Award winning customer service. Phone: +44 1454 413636 sales@homeleisuredirect.com http://www.homeleisuredirect.com/pinball-machines/ Illinois Pinball Co., Gene Cunningham [Bloomington, Illinois] - Manufacture and sale of licensed reproduction Williams, Bally, and Capcom parts. Phone: (309) 828-6993 sales@illinoispinball.com http://www.illinoispinball.com John's Jukes, John Robertson [Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada] - Offers pins for sale and a collection of technical tips. - Services most pinball boards including: Allied Leisure, Atari, Bally, Game Plan, Gottlieb, Stern, 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 shipping info if not in Canada. (604) 872-5757 [voice] (604) 872-2010 [fax] jrr@flippers.com http://www.flippers.com Marco Specialties, Marc Mandeltort [Lexington, South Carolina] - parts only, including supplies. - provides an auction calendar and a section for "for sale" and "wanted" ads, as well as selling parts, books, and supplies. - authorized distributors of Ni-Wumpf (Gottlieb System 1) replacement CPU boards, Pinball Lizard Williams High Voltage boards, 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, Steve Engel [Ridgewood, New York] - parts only, including supplies. - vintage pinball parts, including hundreds of backglasses. (718) 417-5050 http://www.mayfairamusement.com/ The Pinball Heaven, [Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom] - specializes in selling restored 1990 and later Bally and Williams machines, in the United Kingdom. Can also ship to the US. +44 0870 746 5704 [voice] +44 0870 746 5705 [fax] phil@pinballheaven.co.uk http://www.PinballHeaven.co.uk Pinball Life, [Chicago, Illinois] - parts and supplies. - sometimes has machines for sale. 773-202-8758 pinballlife@speakeasy.net http://www.pinballlife.com/ Pinball Pro, [Seminole, Florida] - parts, mostly add-on kits--subwoofer kits, plastics protectors, polish, and cooling fans. (727) 517-7246 in Florida (888) 750-1948 out of state don@decoratorsupply.com http://www.pinballpro.com The Pinball Resource, Steve Young [Poughkeepsie, New York] - parts only, including supplies - game documentation (schematics, manuals) - vintage/old stock, reproduction parts - Williams/Bally-Midway and Stern (Data East/Sega) parts distributor - Gottlieb manufacturer/distributor..repository of the parts inventory that was at the plant when it closed, exclusive mfr. of Gottlieb parts (845) 473-7114 [voice] (845) 473-7114 [fax] pbr@pbresource.com http://www.pbresource.com Silver Ball Amusement, Tony Page [Novato, California] - specializes in Bally, Williams, and Stern board repairs, including battery acid damaged MPUs. (415) 893-9600 [fax & message] Tony@SilverBall.tv http://www.SilverBallAmusement.com Two Bit Score Amusements, Bob Sokol [Austin, Texas] - A pinball repair shop. Accepts Bally, Stern, 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 ========= There are many periodicals good for getting background information on the pinball world and for contacting other collectors. The PinGame Journal is probably the best one for home pinball collecting. Written by pinball collectors. Has info about new games in development, as well as articles on finding, reconditioning, and playing older games. 31937 Olde Franklin Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: (248) 626-5203 message/fax 10 issues--$34 (add $20 for First Class). Canada $38, Europe Air: $67, Pacific Rim $77, $40.00 (all overseas surface--very slow and unreliable.) Sample issue: $5.00, Information: Free. http://www.pingamejournal.com Pinhead Classified has gone out of business (Jan 1999), but the 100-page final issue (No. 29), and other back issues may still be available for purchase. Contact: Atomic Groove, Attn: PC Back Issues, 1945 "N" Street, Hole 111, Newman, CA 95360 Other magazines (Replay, etc.) are largely "for the trade"; i.e., arcade operators and their ilk, though it's fun to have a look from the other side of the backglass! Play Meter 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. PO Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184 $60/year US & Canada, $150/year overseas. Sample issue $5 USA, $10 foreign. http://www.playmeter.com Distributors Research Associates (DRA) Price Guide. 8 issues (quarterly with mid-quarter updates], USA check/MC/VISA. Price listings for conversions, pins, bowlers-shuffles-misc., video games, jukes, pool tables, other vending equipment currently in active trading, although phonographs [jukeboxes] and vending go back as far as 197 11522 State Road 84, Suite 223, Davie FL, 33325 Voice: (954) 423-4000 FAX: (954)423-4005 $85/year, 5. RePlay Another monthly trade magazine with the same content as Play Meter. P.O. Box 2550, Woodland Hills, CA 91365 $65/year US, $85/year Canada & Mexico, Foreign $220 (air) $80 (boat) sample issue $6. http://www.replaymag.com Coin Drop International. A large-format newsprint magazine (11x17) covering electromechanical coin-op amusements. The most likely place to see old horse race machines, strength testers, etc. Pinball articles are just as likely to cover bingos or pre-flipper machines as they are the more conventional EMs with flippers. They published their last edition in 1999. The editors used to write for the now defunct GameRoom Magazine. Pinball Magazine, a new in-depth pinball glossy based in the UK. Launched in August 2012 as a high quality, glossy, magazine, which would largely focus on one specific topic. This is more like a book than a magazine, with over 100 full color pages printed on high quality paper. Issue 1 was published in August 2012. Issue 2 is expected in April 2013. Issue 1 sold for $15 (plus postal costs). Issue 2 is likely to have more pages, and may have a higher sale price and postal costs. http://www.pinball-magazine.com Magazines No Longer ================== The following magazines are no longer being published. Pinball Trader -- Late 1980s to early 1990s, Started by Dennis Dodel. Pinhead Classified -- Late 1990s Multiball The Flipside Amusement Review Coin-Op Classics Classic Amusements (a.k.a. Slot-Box Collector) Pinball & Video News Amusement Review Coin Drop International GameRoom Magazine -- Started in the 1980s and ceased publication Nov. 17, 2010. One of the longest running and consistently one-time publications. Books ===== Some of the more popular books are noted below. Those currently in print are available from many of the pinball vendors listed elsewhere in this document. "The Complete Pinball Book" by Marco Rossignoli was published in January 2000, and has over 300 pages of color pictures and text. The reviews in the newsgroup have been very positive. http://www.passionforpinball.com/pinbook.html "Pinball Memories, Forty Years of Fun 1958-1998" by Marco Rossignoli was published in 2003, focuses on 50 pinball machines from the given period. Each machine has its own chapter with many photos and other details. "Pinball Snapshots, Air Aces to Xenon" by Marco Rossignoli, published in 2004, covers machines from 1930s to 2000. Contains detailed descriptions of 50 machines with hundreds of color photos. "The Pinball Compendium, 1930s-1960s", Michael Shalhoub. Published in 2002, with lots of color photos and stories of industry greats and collectors. 240 pages. "The Pinball Compendium, 1970-1981", Michael Shalhoub. Published in 2004, with lots of color photos, including many rare games. 240 pages. "The Pinball Compendium, 1982-Present", Michael Shalhoub. Published in 2005, with lots of color photos, with stories of collectors and other notable figures in pinball. 256 pages. Pinball Troubleshooting Guide, Russ Jensen. For upkeep of electro- mechanicals is out of print. You may be able to find an old copy somewhere. Someone may be reprinting these. If you know who is reproducing this please let us know and we'll update this section. The "ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PINBALL" is a planned six-volume work covering the game's history and development from its earliest antecedents through the present. - Volume I, WHIFFLE to ROCKET 1930-1933 was published in 1996. - Volume II, 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, the late Richard M. Bueschel, wrote volumes I and II. Just prior to his death, Dick asked Gordon A. Hasse, Jr., a well known pinball collector and Bueschel's former editor and publisher, to assume the responsibility for writing the remaining four volumes in the series. Volume III SKIPPER to NUDGY 1937-1947 is planned for release next year with Volumes IV, 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, Lure of the Silver Ball" by Flower & Kurtz. Lots of color pictures. 130 pages. "Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide" by Daina Pettit. Handy reference guide listing flipper game names, dates, features, production runs, and values; sorted by machine name and chronological. Includes separate sections for bingos, baseball pitch & bat games, bowlers, and gun games. Published annually since 1990. 230 pages. Larry Bieza used to publish a Price Guide in October of even-numbered years for odd-numbered years. Last update is 2005 Price Guide printed in October 2004. 120 pages. Resurrected in Fall 2010 as "The Pinball Price Guide" by Eric Kantor. "This Old Pinball" DVDs. Wonderful (and inexpensive at $8.00 each) DVDs show how to care for your game. See the website for details. http://marvin3m.com/top "Pinball Memories" by Marco Rossignoli, released January 2003, has 272 pages, and over 700 color photos. Marco features 50 machines from 1958 to 1998, each with its own chapter. Ken's Custom Pinball Machine Score and Instruction Cards website. Ken has a large 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, including many classics. ------------------------------ Subject: 9. Manufacturers Alive and flipping: =================== Stern Pinball Formerly Sega Pinball Inc. and Data East 2020 Janice Avenue Melrose Park, 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., Gene Cunningham [Bloomington, 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, Wayne Gillard [Murrumbeena, Victoria, Australia] - Reproduction of Williams/Bally games. Talked of Medieval Madness reproduction for years, but in October 2010 sold rights to Planetary Pinball Supply who has specifically said they will be focusing on parts reproduction and not on machine manufacturing. Phone: 61-3-9579-0466 Planetary Pinball Supply [San Jose, California] Purchased rights for Williams/Bally pinball parts and machine reproduction from The Pinball Factory in October 2010. Focusing on parts for the time being. support@pinball.com http://www.pinball.com Now sadly out of the pinball business: ====================================== Williams Electronic Games Inc. (Includes Bally and Midway) (In late 1999, Williams announced they would no longer manufacture pinball machines. The other parts of the company, including Williams's slots and Midway and Atari videos are still being produced. Independent companies make other products bearing the Bally brand. Williams was only making 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, it's messy.] Premier Technology (Includes Gottlieb and Mylstar) [The property rights are now owned by Gottlieb Development LLC, apparently a holding company for intellectual property rights. Steve Young at The Pinball Resource purchased the remaining inventory] Capcom Coin-Op [Property rights currently held by Illinois Pinball Co.] Chicago Coin / Stern Electronics Stern Electronics purchased Chicago Coin. Stern Electronics is not the same company as Stern Pinball, 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, Acronyms and Definitions Here are some terms that may be unique to the industry/hobby. A file that defines many of the 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 the owner has performed work to restore the machine to top condition. This can mean anything from just putting new rubber rings on, to refurbishing with new parts. Some buyers have claimed that a seller's shop job consisted of swiping the dust off the playfield with a dirty rag. NOS - "New Old Stock". This is material that was manufactured at the same time as the machine, but never used. EM - Electro-mechanical. A game consisting mainly of relays, switches and motors. They contain no solid state electronics, such as circuit boards or dot-matrix displays. HUO - Home Use Only. This refers to a game that was purchased new in the box by an individual and was used only in the home. This is intended to indicate a low use game in near mint condition, but a HUO game can be more worn out than arcade games, and is not a reliable indication of condition. Woodrail - The first EMs (up through 1960) had wooden legs, and wooden siderails. Most of the single-player games had "bulb scoring," in which a large portion of the backglass area has numbers and lightbulbs behind those numbers are turned on by stepper units. Woodrail games had a few gadgets for the playfield, such as pop bumpers and moving targets, and the designers would have a new layout of those gadgets for a new title every two months or so. Home use of older games was prevalent in that era, but not an organized activity as it is today. Survival rate of woodrail games to the present era is estimated to be from 0.5 to 5%, depending on whom you ask. All of the above factors combine to form a rosy glow of nostalgia around woodrails, so many say it was the Golden Age of Pinball. PB2K - Pinball 2000. The next-generation pinball released by Williams. The game consisted of a video monitor mounted in the head. The image reflected off of the playfield glass, and provided changing views, depending on game condition. Revenge From Mars, 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 BK - Black Knight BK2K - Black Knight 2000 BoP - Bride of Pinbot (The Machine) BR - Black Rose CC - Cactus Canyon DH - Dirty Harry DM - Demolition Man DW - Doctor Who FB - NBA Fastbreak FG - Family Guy 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 Rings 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! RFM - Revenge From Mars RS - Road Show SC - Safe Cracker SS - Scared Stiff SM - Spider-man SMB - Spider-man Black 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 TRS - The Rolling Stones TZ - Twilight Zone WCS - World Cup Soccer WH2O - White Water WOZ - Wizard of Oz WPT - World Poker Tour WW - Whirlwind ------------------------------ Subject: 11. Other Frequently Asked Questions What does CARGPB mean? This abbreviation stands for Cheap *ss Rec.Games.Pinball B*st*rd. This is a designation within the rec.games.pinball community for those that are extremely cheap. They would rather spend $0.05 and 100 hours, than spend $100.00 and 5 minutes for the right pinball part. Becoming a member of this exclusive group is by nomination of the group's members only. This designation is really only for fun and has no real meaning. Why all the asterisks in words like Bl*ck Kn*ght? For many years on the Internet people have been putting asterisks in profane words in place of the vowels to soften the impact and to prevent the text from being banned on certain servers. Sometimes "starring" a machine name is seen as a way to curse the machine--as if its name is a swear word. However, on rec.games.pinball, sometimes someone will mention a pinball machine by name (as in a signature listing the poster's collection of machines), but not want the article to show up on a search about that machine, because the article is not about that machine. "Starring" your machine names solves this problem. ------------------------------ Subject: 12. Internet Pinball Podcasts Are there any pinball podcasts I can download and listen to? In 2007 the Internet pinball podcasting hype began with four different groups attempting shows. Three of the groups' shows are still available for download and only one is no longer producing shows. Some shows are just a bunch of guys sitting around and talking about pinball, some are about repair info, and some are interviews with key figures in the pinball industry. All podcasts are free and most can be downloaded from their website or from iTunes. The Silverball Podcast Seven shows were produced, beginning 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 One of the most prolific podcasts is TOPcast with over 60 shows produced starting in February 2007. A few shows include a video feed as well. Most shows focus on interviewing a notable figure in the industry, usually a designer, artist, collector, or industry insider. A few shows focus on technical aspects of pinball repair and take calls. Shows can be downloaded for free, or listened to live from http://www.marvin3m.com/topcast PinBull A recent couple of podcasts in April 2011. http://www.pinbull.net Spooky Pinball This is the most regularly produced podcast. Starting in April 2010, shows are released around the first of each month. Show includes a lot of goofing off with family and friends and very unusual interviews with pinball people. Sometimes the show will feature an artist, a celebrity, a designer, a parts supplier, an operator, or an ordinary person. http://www.spookypinball.com Gameroom Junkies Covers the broader topic of gamerooms with some pinball. Started in October 2010. http://www.gameroomjunkies.com The Pinball Podcast A couple of guys talking about pinball. Started in October 2011. http://www.thepinballpodcast.com ------------------------------ Subject: 13. Placing a Machine on Location How do I place a machine on location and become an operator? Placing your machine on location is not as easy as setting up the game and collecting the money. Risk is involved, 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. Placing your well-loved machine in a public environment crosses over into the dark world of cash-only businesses and 24/7 service calls. But this may be what you enjoy! 1. Approach the 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 the 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 the operator agree to this. Operating machines is a rough business and you can stir up some bad things (your machine mysteriously has the cord cut off on a regular basis, or it just vanishes!) if you are not careful. 2. Check with government licensing, zoning, and tax requirements (either county, city, or state). Many require an annual license per machine and/or location. Some allow a floating license that just covers a certain number of machines at specified location and others require that the licenses stay with each machine. Watch out for zoning problems that restrict the 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. Violating licensing, zoning, 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, or a patron injures themselves on your machine you will be protected and won't lose everything you own. Don't bother with insurance to cover the machine itself. If your machine gets stolen, burns in a fire, or someone cuts it in half to get the money out, you'll just have to take the loss and be happy they didn't cut you in half. Insurance to cover your machine itself is too expensive. Don't count on the location's insurance for anything, even if the owner tells you so. 4. Use a contract for you and the location owner (not the manager). Normal split is 50/50. If you have a high end/new game you might be able to get 60/40 with the 60% going to you. Or you may want to set up that you get the first X amount per week (for maintenance overhead) and then you split 50/50 after that. This is one area where you can be creative and make it worth your bother. Or, you may find out the revenue isn't worth the bother and pull out. Keep in mind the contract may cover how often you rotate games, how soon after a reported failure you must service the game or replace it. You can find boilerplate contracts for this sort of thing or pay a lawyer (who will use a boilerplate contract anyway!) 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 the coin door...or not. The hasp tells bad guys something is inside. No hasp and the game is less likely to be seriously damaged. Being in an attended and visible location is best. Detach yourself from the game. It will get damaged. Get used to it. 6. Profit! Operating machines on location is a tough business. You may find it easier to put your game into your own business instead of dealing with all the nonsense of other locations. Now you know why pinball machines are now hard to find on location. end *******************************************