Hey guys,

I'm looking to start my collection, but i have a pretty limited budget (gotta keep my wife happy lol), I'm aiming to pay approx $700 for a decent machine to call my first!, any info you guys have or know of any decent machines some of you may want to help out a newbie like me with, would be greatly appreciated!

Also, i'm located in Ottawa.
Cheers guys.

randy.

How old are you about, this will help to provide suggestions.

Keep an eye open on the For Sale section and I am sure something will come up. If its your first, an EM (electro mechanical) old school machine is your best starting part. SS (solid state) machines can be a bit mor tempermantal to fix if you dont have any electronics knbowledge.

I have worked may way from 70's EM to current SS as my ability to deal with (sometimes frequent) issues has improved.

Hey RAB, good call on asking about age, i'm 28.... but some of the oldschool machines are pretty cool, just ramps might be a bit more fun eh?

I am as old as the flipper dude, and that would put me at 62 if that was true. But I think it is really about what you remember living and playing, and with imagination what you don't remember ever playing. I enjoy pre-flipper pins all the same.

Quoted from Murrsky

Hey guys,

I'm looking to start my collection, but i have a pretty limited budget (gotta keep my wife happy lol), I'm aiming to pay approx $700 for a decent machine to call my first!, any info you guys have or know of any decent machines some of you may want to help out a newbie like me with, would be greatly appreciated!

Also, i'm located in Ottawa.
Cheers guys.

randy.

First welcome, second are you looking at a hobby or simply owning a game.  By hobby I mean do you want machines that you will fix yourself or simply play.  If you want to learn you don't have to even spend $700, you could acquire a working project etc.  Give a bit more about what you want and you will get plenty of advices on this forum.

take care and start on playing brother

Get a working/shopped game for your first. Then you can focus on a project later.

My humble two cents.

Quoted from Murrsky

Hey RAB, good call on asking about age, i'm 28.... but some of the oldschool machines are pretty cool, just ramps might be a bit more fun eh?

Hi, welcome to the club, just for the information, can you tell us what stimulate you to buy and old school pinball please
For an old guy like me it is few memories but more important, the fun to restore, keep them nice and play them of course, i apreciate electronics sounds, the fantastic artwork from early 80's and the gameplay  

Thanks for all the welcome's!....

what got me heading down this alley was playing them as a kid at arcades in Ottawa, had my sights set on a GT machine but once I saw the community of people that restore classic's to the original state, it's pretty cool, old machines are like old hockey arena's, they just have character! I guess I like that aspect!

And that is the whole story right there, time passes and the character builds.

Welcome Randy.

Definitely buy something fully working.  And don't worry about what you played as a kid (although that's a good starting point).  Also, don't worry about any arse who says you only should buy EM, SS, or DMD.  Go on ipdb.org for a few weeks, and use the advanced search for things you think you'd like until you look at a playfield or backglass and pop a boner.  

Then go get that one.  

hey guys,

what do you think of possibly grabbing Spacecadet's "Firepower", he just posted it.
let me know your thoughts if your online.

cheers guys.

randy.

Quoted from Murrsky

hey guys,

what do you think of possibly grabbing Spacecadet's "Firepower", he just posted it.
let me know your thoughts if your online.

cheers guys.

randy.

This is what I call a working project and personnally I like it.  Good machine and there is an entire site on it : <http://www.firepowerpinball.com/>  Keep in mind that if the machine has 100% working boards and the rest need a few parts then it is a good start for a hobby.  However, the displays are not cheap so check out how much money it will cost you to purchase all the spare parts etc.  I will now live it to people that may have something else to add........

take care

I'd personally recommend that $900 F-14 that was posted. But that's just due to taste. If you want, you can come by and play my F-14 to see if you'll like it.

I would say that Marty's Firepower is a decent deal at that price.  You shouldn't be too hard pressed to find 2 used displays, and the rest of the parts are generic.  (and it's local to you so even better)  The biggest hurdle of that game has already been looked after because the boards are all 100%.  The only thing you should ask Marty about is if the the 40 pin connector was replaced. (that is a major source of problems for this game system)

Basically if you don't mind pulling up your sleeves, getting your hands dirty, doing some research and asking questions I'd say go for it!  Firepower is a good game with AWESOME sound.

Doug

PS. That $900 F-14 would also be a great buy.  The current owner is a stand-up guy and stands behind what he sells.  (and the asking price is good too)  It all comes down to what you want out of your first machine.  (fixing a game without any previous exposure to pins can be a little daunting)

Quoted from cooke

Get a working/shopped game for your first. Then you can focus on a project later.

My humble two cents.

I second this (from personal experience).

Welcome, Randy!

Stan's Monday Night Football machine is also a good deal.

http://archive.maaca.org/s107351202.onlinehome.us/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?m-1269370240/s-15/

mcmean gets some nice pins for reasonable...keep an eye out for his posts

You'll probably see Star Gazers popping up all over the place around here and guys trying to give them away but I wouldn't recommend a classic Stern as a first pin. flakey. Plus you probably want something fun to play ... like a Gottlieb.    

Quoted from OTTOgd

You'll probably see Star Gazers popping up all over the place around here and guys trying to give them away but I wouldn't recommend a classic Stern as a first pin. flakey. Plus you probably want something fun to play ... like a Gottlieb.    

LMFAO!  If any Star Gazers pop up here I'll be sure to buy them.  Need to keep my Star Gazer streak alive!

D

Quite the contrary, Kevin.. a classic Stern (or Bally) is the ideal first pin if you're looking to learn how to fix them    From what I hear though, a similar-era Gottlieb System 80 is a great way to an early grave

Quoted from machine.slave

Quite the contrary, Kevin.. a classic Stern (or Bally) is the ideal first pin if you're looking to learn how to fix them    From what I hear though, a similar-era Gottlieb System 80 is a great way to an early grave

Do I really look THAT bad?  (maybe I need to retire from fixing sys80)

D

Quoted from machine.slave

Quite the contrary, Kevin.. a classic Stern (or Bally) is the ideal first pin if you're looking to learn how to fix them    From what I hear though, a similar-era Gottlieb System 80 is a great way to an early grave

Pfffft! Contrary shmontrary! Ya, you die 'cause you have so much fun and pee in your pants so much and drown!

Quoted from OTTOgd

You'll probably see Star Gazers popping up all over the place around here and guys trying to give them away but I wouldn't recommend a classic Stern as a first pin. flakey. Plus you probably want something fun to play ... like a Gottlieb.    

Thanks for the laugh.

Thanks for the words of wisdom everyone, it's much appreciated!, if you guys come across anything within my budget, please let me know!
cheers guys.

randy.

Hey Randy,

I have a Stern Lectronamo working 100% for $500 in decent shape. I am going to post it and pics tomorrow. I am a local pin repair person, player and operator in the Ottawa area.

Geoff