Frequently Asked Questions
Here are just some of the questions that we get asked. If your question isn’t listed, please get in touch and we shall try to answer it for you.
I have owned an old Pinball machine for many years but its been stored in my garage for some time now and I would like to get it working again. It looks to be in poor shape though. Is this something you can help with?
Generally, yes. Many machines that come in for overhaul have been in similar situations, i.e. a garage, garden shed or cellar, etc so we are well used to this type of work. Some have their playfield glass missing or broken, or the cabinet has become damaged through damp, etc or even needs a new back-glass because all its artwork has become spoilt. All you need to do is get in touch via email to us and if possible, supply some images of the machine so we can see what condition it is in and give you an estimate for the necessary work.
And remember that if you live within our service area, then you would qualify for our free collection and re-delivery & set-up service too.
I am interested in buying a restored machine but I don’t know the first thing on how to maintain and care for it, what do you suggest?
All the machines that we sell have been carefully overhauled and tested for many hours prior to your purchase so as to give you many hours of fun and enjoyment. But, like any vintage item, for example, a classic car, you do need to use it often, keep it clean and keep it in a stable temperature environment. The odd adjustment from time to time will be necessary though and if this were the case, and you cannot do this yourself, then you can simply get in touch and we can quickly tell you what you would need to do to, etc. We often find that a Whatsapp type video link get the majority of machines quickly working again. Note too that free lifetime telephone/email support is offered all the time the machine is in your ownership. See website for further information.
I am interested in buying a restored machine. I see that you have some 2 and 4 player machines shown for sale. How do these work, compared to a single player machine?
A few people have asked this question recently. You might not have seen that many multi-player machines in an arcade environment simply because they were seen by many operators as unprofitable. They would have made more income from having two or four people playing single user machines instead. It is as easy as that really!
But that’s not to say they were not that unpopular because smaller arcades might not have had that much space for say, 10 machines in a row when 5 multi-players could do the same work with a proportional income.
Despite being a ‘multi-player’ though, just one person can play it on his or her own. These models generally came in two flavours, 2-player and 4-player guise. Basically, player 1 drops his or her coin in the slot, then player two; player three or player 4 [ 4 player machines didn’t have to be used in 4-player mode, 1,2,3 or 4 could play the machine at once]
So the machine works accordingly: each player has his or her own set of score reels as displayed in the machine’s head unit and as one ball is lost, the machine automatically switches to the next player i.e. player one, ball one, player two, ball one, player three/four, ball one, then back to player one, ball two and so on up to either the three or five balls per game that the machine is set up for.
We recommend setting these multi-players to use 3 balls per game as against the usual 5 ball per game setting so that each player does not get bored in waiting his or her turn. There is nothing more frustrating in waiting for your turn when the player in front of you is doing really well and taking the time to do it!
But with all this said and down, multi-players really are good for families, say, where your children can challenge their grandparents to a game on a machine that they might well have played in their youth, back in the day!
Are spare parts available to look after my machine? I am worried about not being able to have it maintained in future?
In the USA, where these machines were made, there is a very large collector community and because of this, the spare parts market is well provided for. One company that we have a trading account with, owns much of the original factory tooling, so many brand new parts are readily available, so we can can obtain any part that is currently offered for sale. In addition, many good used spares are available so there’s little reason why your machine cannot be kept in a good working condition for many years to come.
You have a machine in your restoration queue section that I would like but it mentions that it does not have its original factory design artwork. Can you change it to its factory design for me?
Yes, we can. The reason why some machines lost their original factory artwork is simple. These machines would have been moved from site to site, etc, during their working life and were not always treated very carefully so their cabinets would show signs of paint and artwork damage. Operators would often have the cabinets repainted in a neutral colour to match the arcades décor or just a different design to try and make it look more modern when set against newer machines. We can either produce stencils in-house using our own specialist equipment to the correct factory design or buy them in from specialist USA suppliers. Please look at some examples of the cabinets that we have restored for customers on our restoration page.
What exactly is an ‘Add a Ball’ machine? I see that some of your machines are shown as these but what are they?
Basically, there are two types of machine. One gives a credit replay/extra game; the other is an Add a Ball version, which gives just an extra ball and not anything else. The reason for this is because in some US states, a replay machine was considered to be a gambling machine and was banned. So to get out of this problem, Manufacturers redesigned some models to only award an extra ball and not a replay meaning that skilled players who might have, for example, clocked up several replays from just inserting one coin could not sell the replays to anyone else who might be waiting to play the machine. Obviously, several credits of more could amount to a couple of dollars or more in value and then sold on at full value or less.
Can I have other cosmetic work done to a machine?
Yes of course. Many customers like to retain the machines original artwork to keep it looking its age, as it were, but would prefer it to have some replacement chrome legs, or have the front coin door re-chromed. Or you might like new ‘100 points when lit’ type caps replaced. There are many options available for you. Just ask us!
What about having LED lighting fitted to a machine?
From the factory, all the machines were fitted with tungsten bulbs. These do generate a degree of heat, just like an old fashioned home light bulb and sometimes caused damage to back-glasses and playfield plastics, particularly if the wrong wattage bulbs were used.
It is now possible to replace these bulbs with LED versions. They will of course reduce power consumption but all we would say is that they will not likely match the ‘warmth and glow’ of traditional lighting, particularly in a darkened room. It is up to you!
Is it a good idea for me to have a machines cabinet restored back to factory design, even if it already has its original artwork but has the odd scratch, etc?
This is a very subjective question and one that we often get asked. Some people prefer their machines to simply look their age. Some do not and want their machine to look almost factory fresh. If the artwork is in generally good condition, then we might suggest you just have it carefully restored where necessary as against a complete cabinet respray & new stencilled artwork. It is entirely a matter of choice for you.
Can I play the machine for long intervals safely?
These machines were left switched on in amusement arcades all day long so are designed to be used as such. As with any electrical appliance though, we would recommend that it is turned off at the wall socket when not in use or unattended.
Do you sell any ‘Project’ machines, i.e. a machine that I can fix up and restore myself, to suit my budget?
We sometimes have one or two machines in stock that we could sell to you in its ‘as-found’ condition. Please get in touch and ask , we might be able to help you.
I would really like to have my machine overhauled by you, but my budget wont stretch enough to pay you all in one go, as it were. Can you help at all with that, perhaps, say, a stage-payment facility?
We will always try to help a customer where we can, so would be open to explore this with you. Please get in touch and we can explore some avenues to see if we can tailor a satisfactory solution for you.
I like your Radio Caroline advert with the machines bells ringing, but I don’t think my neighbours will like them! Can they be disconnected at all?
You are not the first person to ask about this! But its not a problem because during overhaul, we fit a removable ‘spade’ connector to the bells electrical connection so it only takes a few seconds to disable the bell or reconnect it at another time. Or, you can muffle the sound with small self-adhesive felt pads as used on the feet of chairs to protect flooring. We have found these work quite well and you still hear the sound, of sorts, without upsetting you neighbours. Better still, invite them round for a few games and have a tournament!
I own an old machine and need to sell it. Would you be interested in it? It doesn’t work and I think it might have parts missing too.
Generally, yes, we would be interested. All you need to do is send us images of it and a few brief notes as to its condition etc. We would offer a fair trade price for the machine and collect it free of charge.
Should I insure my machine as part of my home contents insurance?
We would suggest that you insure it separately because it is a unique item of value. Most content policies are a lump-sum type which includes pretty much anything that would form part of a typical household, i.e., carpets; curtains; T.V etc. But a one -off item like a vintage pinball machine just like an expensive hi-fi; book collection, etc should be insured as separate items.
How do you source your machines? And are you connected to other U.K Pinball machine dealers?
The vast majority of machines offered for sale are from our own collection or a machine that we have purchased for restoration and future resale. Our policy is to only buy machines that are in a good or better, condition. Worn out machines are avoided unless of course that there are sufficient spares available to get it returned back to an acceptable standard.
We are entirely independent and have no connection to other companies whatsoever.
As I live outside your free service area, if I were to use your courier option to get my machine brought to you and returned afterward following a repair or overhaul, will they set my machine up for me upon its return?
The courier that we use transports pinball machines around the UK as their core business. They will only collect and deliver machines however, so do not offer any re-connection work. That said, when we have a machine returned to you using the courier, we will notify you to let you know its in transit and once it arrives with you, all you need to do it get in touch and we will tell you, via the phone or video Whatsapp type link, how to set the machine up, etc. It is not a difficult task, it just involves bolting the head unit and legs back onto the main cabinet and re-attaching the internal wiring plug connectors. Generally, it would take around 20 minutes to do.
I notice on your ‘Overhaul’ page that you give a guide price for your work. Is that not a fixed price?
It is an estimate, set against our experience based upon the usual parts required during a standard overhaul process. Generally, the price we initially give you, unless we discover other broken or unserviceable parts during works, will be the price you pay. If we do discover that extra parts or work is required, you shall be notified before we progress further.
You mention that a deposit in necessary to reserve a machine listed in the restoration queue. Is this deposit deducted from the purchase price?
It is, yes. We ask for a deposit to cover the cost toward the necessary parts order for your machine. The deposit that you pay is then deducted from the final agreed sale price.
Do you offer home visits to repair a machine that is faulty?
Sorry, we do not. A pinball machine has hundreds of miscellaneous parts so it is not practicable to carry spare parts for every eventuality. We would recommend having the machine brought into our workshop to do the repair work and also thoroughly test it before its return.
Do you repair ‘Bingo’ pinball machines?
Sorry, we do not. As much as we marvel at the sheer genius and complexity of these, we do not carry any spares for them and have little knowledge of their design and working methods. We do, however, know a couple of people in the UK who might be able to help you so please get in touch and we can put you in contact with them.
Are these machines electrically safe to use in my home?
Many pre 1970 machines were not factory fitted with an earthing circuit. During overhaul, we replace the original factor 2 core mains input cable with a 3 core mains to add an earth circuit inside the machine. All machines sold are supplied with an electrical PAT test certificate.
WE ARE NOT qualified to the latest electrical regulations, so we would strongly recommend that you have the machine’s connection to your premises wiring circuit checked by a fully qualified electrician prior to using the machine.
And in all instances, we recommend the machine be switched off at the wall socket ,just as you would with any appliance or device that is not in use.