Looking for a Pinball Machine

So, you've done your homework. You found a pinball machine that is within your budget. You like the look of it and you remember playing it when you were a kid. But is it the right game for you? Is it the right price? Is it something that you will enjoy for years to come? Maybe you are not able to see it and put your eyes on it and know what kind of condition it is in or what to value it at? When it comes to purchasing a pinball machine, condition is just about everything. Just like a used car, a pinball machine goes by very similar criteria.

There are a lot of components that go into valuing a pinball machine. Believe it or not, age is not one of them. Here are a few things that also count when looking at a games value.

⦁ Popularity ⦁ The Fun Factor ⦁ Sentimental reasons

Popularity plays a very big role in determining the price of a game. This becomes a supply and demand issue. The more popular that a game gets over the years, more people buy them up and that drives up the price when there are less of a particular game title around.

The fun factor can be exactly how fun a game is to play. This will go hand in hand with a game titles popularity. A game that is fun to play will also get bought up a lot quicker than a game that is not as fun or too hard for to play.

Ever played a game as a kid and really loved it? Now all grown up you can afford to own it. This is where sentimental value comes into play. This is really the hardest value to determine because emotions and feelings are involved instead of the overall condition of a pinball machine.

Condition is everything, although to some it may not be. Some people like a game to be pristine, while other people may like a game that shows its age and provides a history of where it came from or who got the high scores on it back in 1970. A pinball machine can be broken down into many different areas that will determines its value.

⦁ Playfield ⦁ Backglass ⦁ Cabinet ⦁ Playfield plastics

The pinball playfield. This gets the most action and if not properly maintained will wear out quickly. Many older games from the 80's wore down to the bare wood due to poor cleaning and faulty processing of the wood that was used.

The pinball backglass. Over the years a backglass would wear out in many different ways. Age, heat from the lamps and moisture all play an important role in damaging a backglass. A poor backglass decreases the value of a game, while an outstanding backglass increases the value tremendously. The cabinet is also something to consider in determining the value of a pinball game. Although not the highest criteria, but a cabinet that has been damaged or wood rot will decrease a games value dramatically.

The playfield plastics on a playfield break, chip and crack over time. When the game was out in the field and a technician was in a hurry, often times careless about carefully removing the plastic to replace a burned out bulb or stuck ball. Many plastic sets are getting reproduced and look great. If a game needs any plastic due to breakage, there are many sets available now.

Pinball machine prices continue a rapid acceleration. The supply shrinks and the demand is growing. Coupled with the internet bringing the world together it makes finding a pinball machine a little less challenging. But, with so many choices and prices

finding a pinball machine at a value that you can afford just got it a little easier.