How you avoid losing BIG money buying a used Pinball machine - Pinball Expert - Brisbane Australia

[@Curratum]

I only ever play digital pinball as I can't afford a real machine, nor do I have the space for it, but I keep watching pin repair videos on YT! What a great host in this video and what great advice for collectors!

[@Kwistenbiebel100-ns5ko]

The same for me. I love my DIY Vpin cabinet. I have been wanting to buy a real pinball machine but have given up on it. New they are too expensive and the second hand market on Facebook marketplace is full of scammers and price gaugers. It completely turned me off from buying a machine.

[@robertbuilder8001]

Very kind of you to put this video up. I'm looking to buy my first couple of pinball machines (in the UK) and tutorials like these are both hugely informative and fun to watch too. Thank you very much indeed.

[@PinballExpert]

I'm glad it helped you, that is the goal.

[@spyrojoe4721]

I'm also considering picking up a pinball machine (in the UK) though it seems like a lot of maintenance is required, did you have any trouble getting someone to repair any parts of your machine? Or did you do those yourself?

[@Skykingsound]

I don't know how I got to this video, but I'm glad I did. I used to play a lot of pinball back in the day including the Indiana Jones game. It's fun to know all these facts about the actual game.

[@davidewhite69]

regarding the ORBIT Leisure centres sticker shown at 13.28, there were two of these in Newcastle late 70s, one was directly across from where I caught the bus home after school and was directly responsible for me missing the bus many times.....

[@MikeGervasi]

New rubber and bulbs is to be expected. It's really important to look for broken ramps/plastics, corrosion on the boards in the backbox (especially around the battery holder), burned connectors, and rust or white corrosion on the metal parts under the playfield. THOSE are your money costs.

[@ProcrastinationHyperfocus]

The thing is, you are unlikely to see widespread, expensive faults on a machine with new rubbers all over, so they are a good indicator to look deeper. They're the regular oil-change of the pinball world.

[@MikeGervasi]

I've seen plenty of "shopped" machines for sale that had much deeper undisclosed issues. So while I agree beat up rubber and dirt can be an indicator, sellers are now up to speed on how to pass off a lemon.

[@milesdyson5211]

Under the play-field can be cleaned by using " HEAVY HOLD HAIRSPRAY" its Alcohol base and it also acts as a Sealant. for ALL moving parts. PINBALL EXPERT Recommended that; on one of his videos !

[@PinballExpert]

@@milesdyson5211 NO, I did not recommend using any type of Hairspray on a Pinball. You're thinking of someone else ANNND I would say using Hairspray is a very bad idea, it's a glue that would cause problems on moving parts.

[@SinnerSince1962]

@@PinballExpert I started thinking...."If he REALLY made this recommendation, I'm staying FAR away from his advice!". I'm glad you clarified this claim.

[@Viustel]

your tutorials are simply amazing. and this, because you are simply sincere and honest, qualities nowadays impossible to find. cheers from an italian pinball collector

[@PinBallReviewerRepairs]

From a another pinball repairman here in the states I approve of this video. :) What I do with batteries is I will leave the battery holder as is and put in lithium batteries when they go dead they do not leak unless you short them out but that is not good if they get shorted. With that said though I will replace a battery holder that has some light battery leakage from alkaline batteries though.

[@pumpkineckbort8856]

Seems like a cool job. I wanna repair pinball games! :)

[@Timmy4Realz]

Not sure i'll ever be in the market of buying a machine, but i still watched this suggested video. It was informative and i was entertained, thanks for sharing.

[@angrykermit3192]

I plan to buy a pinball machine one day so I'm saving this to favourites to refer to when that day comes.

[@allanpatterson7471]

I have worked on pinballs since 1979,worked for 7 different companies none of them were any good just work for collectors these days. This is not a bad little guide.

[@gestimo6168]

Do you have any additional tips on what to look for?

[@davidsaylor6201]

Great video. I live in Melbourne and I've played pinball all my life. It;s good to see a good instructional video on what to look for when buying a pinball machine. I've always wanted one, and now I know what to look for. Thank you.

[@PinballExpert]

Glad you found it helpful. My goal was to help inexperienced buyers.

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

9:04 - the buttons (2 black, 2 red) are used by repairmen to check machines. Can get a test report of what isn’t working , can also test everything in an orderly way .

[@DuzBee]

This guy is on point, a professional effort, concise and informative. Thanks M8

[@MegaGuitarpicker]

No wonder these things cost a small fortune! Great video! Someday, I’ll have one in my house.

[@hdestotallyunoriginalgamin3555]

Absolutely fascinating stuff. I've only recently been getting interested in the business of maintaining pinball machines. It's really interesting learning about the potential points of failure and common problems.

[@wimkuijpers1342]

I did do this for 30 years and I really miss it.

[@SuperStormyNormy]

I bought a new Stern Sharkeys Shootout 20 years ago. Been lucky, worked fine all these years, replaced all lamps with multicolored leds. Very beautiful now.

[@aegisofhonor]

On the Indiana Jones table, it's important to check the left side mini playfield, it's supposed to tilt side to side with the flippers with some fairly sensitive switches along the playfield and often is one of the first things to fail in various ways in those machines (my local town had 3 of these in various arcades in the mid 90s, and all 3 of them had issues with that mini-playfield after about a year or so). Great pinball game when everything works, but very frustrating when certain things don't work (like the mini-playfield).

[@PinballExpert]

Yes, there's other things to examine on a Jones pinball & other games. I made this show specifically for inexperienced people outlining basic inspections & tests.

[@leroypaulsen4566]

Watching this video helped me realize that I am far too lazy to own a pinball machine and service it properly. I'm going to stick with Pinball Arcade on my PS4. Awesome video though!

[@soterioncoil2163]

Me too! I'd love to own some machines someday but I'd have to hire someone to service them!

[@PinBallReviewerRepairs]

It is totally different experience to play the actual pinball machine though. Pinball Arcade is great for those not having the space for a pin but once you get yer first pin and play it you can feel the shaker motors in Earthshaker and feel the vibrations of the flippers and the ball and all the electronics going off. Something a video game simulation can never really duplicate.

[@rawdog268]

gonna suck since pinball arcades not producing anymore games.

[@tdchewy]

Service menu will often show faults as well.

[@marchirsch2680]

Told in a very friendly and clear way. Learned a lot

[@PinballExpert]

Thank you, I glad it help you.

[@uzyoc]

Thank you for a great video. I was Planning to buy a Pinball from Sterns and your video was very informative!!! Thank you Sir!!!

[@jameswatson5582]

you won’t be disappointed with a new Stern machine

[@Bunjamin27]

This gentleman looks like an Aussie Jessie Ventura, love it! Videos have been very informative and helpful :)

[@milesdyson5211]

Under the play-field can be cleaned by using " HEAVY HOLD HAIRSPRAY" its Alcohol base and it also acts as a Sealant. for ALL moving parts. PINBALL EXPERT Recommended that; on one of his videos !

[@ThomasGrillo]

Wow! Had no idea there was so much stuff inside the head box! Thanks for this video. :)

[@wozzer2727]

I think the checking both flippers doesn't cause a reset is the best advice here especially with Williams games like Indian jones, but nicely presented!

[@Lordskeep]

Thanks for your time making these video's. I'm looking to buy a few machines in the future, so this was very helpful. I Subscribed. Thanks Again!

[@PinballExpert]

You're welcome, I'm glad they helped.

[@Rdebeauvoir1]

the man knows what he is talking about, an excellent video, thank you mate!

[@TomHaroldArt]

Thanks so much for providing a great overall view for beginners who are trying to gather information. Great video!

[@PinballExpert]

Thankyou, The tips selected in this video were specifically chosen to help beginners make better choices when buying a Pinball.

[@TomHaroldArt]

@@PinballExpert You nailed it!

[@EnCrypticon23x]

I love all of these videos, Mark. I'm going to be in the market for my first machine here soon, and It's great to have this wealth of knowledge. :)

[@iam.danielnguyen]

Excellent video. Friendly and helpful advice.

[@InterRS8888]

Thank You very much for this video. Greetings from Brazil. Pinball is life !

[@PinballExpert]

Hello Brazil and thank you, the world is so connected on youtube.

[@Felix52000]

I agree with pretty much everything mentioned here, but I wonder why there is no mention of inspecting how the game "looks". A very worn playfield can easily cost you close to 1000$ if you want to replace it, not to mention the labor that is involved. For example I noticed the worn inserts on your Indiana Jones right away. A near perfect looking machine can cost something like 4000$, while a not so nice one might only cost 2000$. Of course both in working condition. So that is a huge factor in how much you should spend on a pinball machine.

[@PinballExpert]

Looks are subjective and easy enough for a buyer to see & decide if they like how it looks and if it's presentable enough for them. In my experience most people buy a game to play, that's the first priority, appearance is a secondary consideration.

[@retro_marmota]

Awsome channel, thanks for existing!

[@troyevanthompson]

Wow this came up cause I sub to TNT's channel and gotta say great video brother. Thank you so much for the detail you go into. I've always wanted a table (Diner, Bad Cats, or Creature if I had 3 wishes), and was always afraid of what kind of condition they could be in if I were to happen across one here in the States. All the info in this vid helps me to know exactly what to look for. The flipper play example was particularly enlightening (now I know why it's so tough to find a machine that plays well in most of the joints around here that aren't pinball specific). Thanks again!

[@PinballExpert]

You're very welcome and thank you for the comment. I am glad this show is helping so many new buyers to avoid unnecessary problems.

[@RetroDayOfficial]

Bloody sweet job explainin thins in detail mate! Pinball machines do look pretty complex when it comes to repairs. A lot could an does go wrong huh?

[@richa9719]

I would have suggested putting the game in test mode and checking out the lamps and solenoids that way. Visual inspection is good for plastics and ramps.

[@PinballExpert]

Using test procedures is a good sugestion for buyers with some previous experience with Pinballs but with this show focused on aiding first time Pinball buyers putting a game through it's test procedures would probably be to daunting and complex a task especially considering the variety of different test menus and procedures various manufacturers created over many years.

[@prezadent1]

@Vision821 You sure do make a lot of dumb comments.

[@jeffw1267]

+Vision821 Putting a machine in test mode hardly takes a genius.

[@Tranceinyapantz]

The only thing I would add is the overall condition of the cabinet. As like you first example some cabinets suffer from the fading and prone to dings and scratches when moving location over time.

[@luckyphil_01]

Great video mate! Have the same IJ machine, about to go in for a service. Cheers from Europe

[@PinballExpert]

Thank you for the feedback.

[@taboo8614]

Fantastic video really like the in-depth overview of everything. Would have been great if you had examples of what you don’t want to see in a pinball machine. Maybe that could be a whole video series

[@PinballExpert]

I wanted to keep this show easy to follow, I may do some more similar shows that are more in depth covering different eras EG, Electro Mechanicals, early Electronics, Alpha numeric, Dot matrix etc.

[@robertc9594]

I came across your channel. Great video, great clear communication. I look forward to viewing your other videos.

[@expfighter5112]

Nice Video, That Indiana Jones has a lot of Worn Playfield inserts for the missions.

[@afattori316]

Excellent and very informative video. Thank you so much!! Looking for my 1st pinball machine.

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very entertaining and fun to watch. Thanks for posting this.

[@PinballExpert]

Glad you enjoyed the show.

[@candiecalifornia5601]

Great video. awesome pinball machines

[@whiterabbit56]

As others have said, thank you for this excellent informative video. I am also hoping to purchase some pinball machines (eventually). Regards Whiterabbit-uk

[@PinballExpert]

Thankyou, I'm sure these tips will be very useful when you're looking at used games for sale.

[@GameOfDepth]

If you look on Ebay and other sources, you can find Pinball Kits for your particular machine. These kits often include the replacement rubbers, lamps, Flipper bands and new plunger springs and a new pinball. They often include cleaner/polish/wax and will be kitted out to your particular machine. Since there is competition for these kits, the prices are reasonable and you know you are getting the right replacement parts. From your friends at PINCOMBO.com !

[@trotptkabasnbi6655]

Golly good advice mate.

[@DriverGuy23]

So etching you didn’t mention. If the inside of the cabinet is dirty/dusty, that’s a big indicator that the owner didn’t take care of it. I recently saw a machine that the playfield looked a bit dirty and the rubble rings were all cracked. But, the inside of the machine looked like hell. I passed on it because it needed quite a lot of reconditioning.

[@sigmasix3719]

Excellent

[@presidentsnow7315]

Thank you for uploading this. Great advice!

[@PinballExpert]

I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@jdprintz]

Thank you for the advice

[@retro_marmota]

Thanks a million, sir!

[@Bearcade]

Great tips and well documented.

[@PinballExpert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@paulrixson5828]

Nice one Mark.

[@paulpinball9952]

My first caveat would be, don't buy a pinball on ebay. I never worked on one that wasn't a huge headache. Should have cut my losses after a couple of hours on all of them (about a handful, in more ways than one), until finally deciding to refuse ebay buyers about 15 years ago. Some sellers are adept at selling a sparkling, slick exterior with a nightmare interior.

[@cobalt2672]

I'm nowhere near being able to afford a pinball table, but this was really interesting regardless!

[@gimcrack555]

I always wanted a pinball machine. Just never ran to one I like or afford or didn't had the money at the time, plus room for it. Love playing pinball on my PC and gaming consoles. One day, I'll be a pinball machine owner; one day.

[@Urko2005]

Great video.

[@PinballExpert]

Thank you, I am glad it's been helpful to so many people.

[@GoodwinsPlace]

Really useful. Thanks for sharing.

[@letaloudone]

I think rubber rings be the last thing to be concerned about. Those are regular maintenance. Playfield wear n damage is the part fo worry about most. All the other stuff can be bought easy enough.

[@ChiroSean1]

Excellent Video!!! Thanks

[@PinballExpert]

You're very welcome, I am glad it was helpful Sean.

[@seansolo7143]

You missed the #1 money saving tip. Once you buy the machine you can set it to "free play". This way you can play the game without using quarters! I found out the hard way...

[@aboutnothing6482]

Helpful advice! Many thanks.

[@PinballExpert]

You're welcome, glad to be of help.

[@WimHamhuis]

use emulator. no more worn rubbers

Don't forget to tell your audience to NEVER place the playfield glass on concrete or nick the corner. It could shatter since it is tempered glass. And if the playfield is not too worn it can be covered with a Mylar plastic to protect it for years , even if they only cover the flipper area and return lanes.

[@rschultzie17]

Great video thanks for the tips

[@williambelzner2253]

great help thanks

[@HomeRoboticsAustralia]

Love the intro music. What is it?

[@bretleversha]

Very informative, thanks!

[@aaronstark5060]

I’d love to get one if I was ever able to find the space, but the maintenance worries me. Not that I’m not willing to put in the effort; I am. I’m just worried that I’d be a bull in a China shop.

[@FranekAIC]

Testing playfield just playing with ball and hand is enough only if you know exactly how the game plays. We all know Indiana Jones so if the first ramp switch which only scores minnor points snd makes a sound doesnt work, i will notice it immediately. If you are buying a game you just played several times or never, go to test menu. 90 pinball has nice testing functions. 80 games returns only numbers on thisplay so you need a book or just testing page of it on your phone to check all tge switsches return correct numbers. It can happen you hit a ramp but the game scores a loop. My opinion. Am I wrong?

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

the back box lock can be easily removed (2 screws)

[@s000mable]

Watching this after bringing home a second hand machine 😜

[@guvhvhcfhfyc3358]

Gotta admit, it just isn't worth it anymore for most. Have a classic arcade in town with over 20 games, including classics like STTNG, but they're always in shoddy condition, unlevel, flipper issues, etc. My experience with VPX and Pinball FX3 have been near perfect by comparison.

[@ryanwolf7174]

Good video thank you

[@dennisbarager4199]

I need someone that works on pinball machines I have one . One of the 4 panels in the top box is burned I live in West Arizona by the blythe California would like to get it fixed

[@SoftwareAgentsTV]

Thanks for the vid!

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Nice video and fun to watch. Take care now.

[@UrsidaeLee]

Great tips. Thanks.

[@PinballExpert]

Thank you.

[@Falconxygtho351]

Look for Insert wear and Cabinet Art Fade and Cabinet in general for poor shape as seen on the Indiana Jones.

[@milesdyson5211]

Under the play-field can be cleaned by using " HEAVY HOLD HAIRSPRAY" its Alcohol base and it also acts as a Sealant. for ALL moving parts. PINBALL EXPERT Recommended that; on one of his videos !

[@Dan_Capone]

Valuable information. Thanks.

[@DashDrones]

*loosing is not a word. Losing is the word

[@Silverbullet767]

It's so common, it makes my teeth itch every time I see it!

[@rustyblades2566]

@@Silverbullet767 I'll tell you what gets on my nerves... when people spell a word using uppercase characters and still dot the "I". Example: MiSS

[@jakobjonsson1474]

Nice and very nderstandable video!

[@0011clem]

Hello Pinball Expert , can you recommend some early Gottlieb EM machines that are robust and fun to play . And can you still get parts for those machines . Also can you adjust the sound on old EM machines as they can be a bit noisy ? As a kid I remember playing them , I think they were 20 cents for 5 balls .You had lots of targets to hit , you got got a extra ball on targets being all hit , then if you hit them all down again you got a free game. I can not remember the name of them , only they were Gottlieb brand thanks.

[@PinballExpert]

which games are the most fun is a subjective thing, everyone has a different opinion. Sound wise the only thing you can do with EMs is disconnect the chimes in games that have them. 3 or 5 balls is adjustable. Look through games on the internet pinball data base, you will see photos that may jog your memory.

[@mitchkatz4918]

good content but whats the typical cost for items if damaged, so we can make educated price of used games. servicing machines cost to maintain?

[@PinballExpert]

There is no typical cost for servicing and/or repairs, they vary considerably and depend upon the actual game, it's individual operating condition and faults (if any) along with what specific parts are required.

[@Mo_Ketchups]

Say, Mark, what’re _your_ top 3-5 machines all time? Curious the more I watch ya. ✌️🤙

[@PinballExpert]

I can't answer that in a brief way that will be useful to people as we all have different tastes plus there is a huge variety in Pinball and games from different decades can't accurately be compared BUT, I'll answer with just a few titles among a great many good games from each era as follows. From the early mid 1970's Jacks Open, Jungle Princess, Aztec Odds and Evens. Late 70's to mid 1980's. Stellar Wars, Firepower, 8 Ball Deluxe, Paragon, BMX, Solar Fire, Black Hole, Elektra. Late 1980's, High Speed, Spirit, Rocky, Space Shuttle, Lights Camera Action, Simpsons, Earthshaker. 1990's, Surf N Safari, Terminator, Lethal Weapon 3, Starship Troopers, No Fear, Star Trek Next Gen. Stern was the only manufacturer from 2000 and since that time they have never made a truly great game but they have made some pretty good ones. South Park, Simpsons Pinball Party, Spiderman, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, Kiss, Deadpool although I don't recommend buying any of the last 3 as they are Stern Spike System games.

[@Mo_Ketchups]

@@PinballExpert This was more than I expected, so I was grinning to read all these names. I’ve got coffee-table volumes on the history of pinball & so love listening to you break down these eras & their standouts. I enjoy your channel because you’re the furthest thing from a shill & like many others, you don’t blindly wet yourself over a new pin you bought as a shield against buyer’s remorse. You’ve been burned & you’re saving ME & others from the same. Thanks for this answer and I’ll continue watching! ✌️

[@quentin3330]

What's your favourite Pinball company? Bally? Williams? Gottlieb? Stern?

[@PinballExpert]

Hard to answer quickly, it depends on the era. In Electro mechanicals Gottlieb, in early electronics 1977 to 1982 Williams & Bally. 83 to 87 they were all pretty weak but Williams made a few decent games, just a few though. 88 to 93 Gottlieb, Data East, Williams/Bally all made some good games & lousy ones. 94 to onwards not many worth having.

[@quentin3330]

Pinball Expert Thx for replying!

[@bheasy1]

I love Williams! (Or midway)

[@bheasy1]

I agree, Gottlieb e.m. Are the best! Gottlieb invented flippers, changed pinball forever! =)

[@PinBallReviewerRepairs]

Mine are Bally and Williams since Williams and Bally actually merged into one in the 90s.

[@XxBishop78]

Great video,subbed

[@juanmanuelgarcia199]

indiana jones is my favourite game. how difficult are these to maintain? I am located in Canada. It was very popular back in the 90s so I presume lots of these were made... Interested in getting one.

[@PinballExpert]

If the Williams Indiana Jones has been serviced & repaired properly, it will be reliable + fairly easy and inexpensive to maintain.

[@juanmanuelgarcia199]

@@PinballExpert Thank you for this. Another question... what do you think of current modern manufacturers? I watched the video about Stern machines you made, wondering if all modern brand follow the same faith? Any comments on Jersey Jack. Should I just stick to 90s machines for now?

[@PinballExpert]

@@juanmanuelgarcia199 Each new brand is quite different although there are some similarities to many to discuss here in comments. Recent Jersey Jack pinball have been improving with better quality in my professional opinion. 90's pinballs have a well established history so you know how they are, some new brands may be very good but they have no established history YET. To determine how good or bad they are long term is a wait and see proposition. Having said that it's been several years for Jersey Jack and a few years for American Pinball and both look very promising SO FAR! I will be doing a show on various brand soon.

[@juanmanuelgarcia199]

@@PinballExpert I went to see my first machine today! it was a Terminator 2, it played and worked very well but found a couple blemishes on the playfield (right on the out hole / shooter lane) and another one on the cabinet (bottom right corner seems to be slightly separating at the 90 degree angle, I suspect due to use, pushing tilting, etc) The cabinet does not seem very problematic, but the out hole has been fixed with some sort of JB weld/epoxy and it works very good but it is not a pretty job, weird thing is the rest of the shooter lane seems very good and so is the playfield... I am considering buying it but I am afraid to go forward due to these issues... what do you think? I can possibly get pictures and I share with you if interested (I am Canadian) Thank you Sir!

[@Apollo_Vanron]

I was thinking about starting an arcade with a pinball section , thank you for your advice!

[@Apollo_Vanron]

Got any tips for where to buy?

[@Jarito1903]

4:48 my childhood

[@Hot80s]

the inside of my playboy's headbox smelled old burnt circuits however i only paid 500 cdn

[@kapone2k]

I've been dreaming on getting Cirqus Voltaire (will be my first pinball machine now that I'm 30 I can buy 'Big boy toys') Any tips on what to look up on that machine as it has more parts than most pinball machines that I've seen.

[@PinballExpert]

Make sure it plays properly with no faults AT ALL, finding some parts for Cirqus Voltaire maybe near impossible, it has alot of unique parts and gadgets!

[@fenzda]

Should you also inspect the capacitors on older boards?

[@PinballExpert]

Yes, although this shows intention is to outline the basics for beginners. Checking capacitors and numerous other things I could mention are best left to those with experience.

[@fiercestbeast]

Hi!! Which is the best product that I can use to clean a dirty and slightly worn playfield?

[@jorgeal2218]

u can try www.ebay.com/p/1431782552

[@dwcoop5390]

I have played the worlds largest pinball machine back late 80s

[@junior_pinball]

If they are selling a used game. Aslong as the price is lower than the original price by atleast 300-600 then I’ll buy it

[@randydonley5021]

What does $5000.00get me new or use and show me the best you have in new and awsome 💯

[@bheasy1]

Do you use millwax on e.m. machines? Nice video buddy =)

[@milesdyson5211]

Under the play-field can be cleaned by using " HEAVY HOLD HAIRSPRAY" its Alcohol base and it also acts as a Sealant. for ALL moving parts. PINBALL EXPERT Recommended that; on one of his videos !

[@EdwardFielding]

@@milesdyson5211 Think about it. Hairspray is designed to stick hair together - stiff. Don't spray it on a pinball machine!

[@SinnerSince1962]

But I only paid $100 US for mine. I guess a lot of this is to be expected, no?

[@milesdyson5211]

Under the play-field can be cleaned by using " HEAVY HOLD HAIRSPRAY" its Alcohol base and it also acts as a Sealant. for ALL moving parts. PINBALL EXPERT Recommended that; on one of his videos !

[@sonhuynh8222]

I’ll stick with a new once after all this … 👍🏼

[@Somewhereonlyweknow07]

2k 😁