If you are a gaming person and are very much interested in purchasing a pinball machine then you must be worried about the cost of a pinball machine. Do not worry; we are here to solve your queries. In this article, we have tried to discuss the pinball machines, types, their features, ad cost to provide a brief knowledge about these machines.
What do you mean by a pinball machine?
A pinball machine features a glass-covered cabinet that contains a playfield engineered with lights, targets, bumpers, ramps, and various other objects depending on its design. Pinball is basically a type of arcade game in which a player uses paddles that are known as flippers to place one or more balls inside a pinball machine for playing purposes.
Usually, a pinball machine consists of the main cabinet for play, a back-box for keeping score, and angled legs for stability. Pinball machines vary in dimensions and features, but typically they have an overall length of 51” (130 cm), a width of 28.5” (72 cm), and a height of 75.5” (192 cm).
Types of Pinball machines.
There are three types of pinball machines available in the market.
- Electro-Mechanical (EM) machines: These are relay-based machines that a player can control with the help of a score motor and stepper units. These machines include equipment that was manufactured up to 1978.
- Solid State (SS) Machines: These are electronic controlled machines having microprocessors. The featured equipment manufactured during the late 1970s to about 1990.
- Dot Matrix Display (DMD) Machines: These are Solid State machines and feature a display that is used for both scoring and low-resolution video. They use types of equipment manufactured up to 1990.
Features:
You will find coils, lamps, and switches that are common to all games. Newer SS machines feature micro-switches instead of leaf switches.
• Electro-mechanical machines are comparatively simpler than other models, where you can find easily explained goals of hitting sequences of targets.
• SS machines come with added reliability that replaces the relay logic with electronics and is expanded on the machine goals.
• The machines became complex over time with the addition of ramps, subways, and other theme-specific elements that point where newer DMD machines (referred to Pinball “games”) feature complicated gameplay sequences and playing modes.
A pinball machine for household usage has simpler games, which owns the advantage of attracting new players. Beginners often find it difficult to use complex newer machines. On the other hand, the complex pinball machines can provide more varied play that attracts the pro-players.
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Pinball machine:
Let us discuss the factors that are important to consider before purchasing a pinball machine for your home.
• Size – Pinball machines seem larger in a home setting than they appear on location. They are about 32″ wide x 52″ deep x 70″ tall. They take some work to navigate through a 32″ interior door. EMs are easier since the head comes off the cabinet to transport.
• Weight – Pinball machines weigh 200-300 pounds.
• Noise – Pinball machines are quite loud since they’re designed to be used in a noisy bar or arcade environment. SS machines have an advantage here in that the volume can be turned down.
How much does a pinball machine Cost?
A pinball machine does not necessarily have to be expensive if you are interested in owning one. However, the price may vary depending on the type of machine.
You can expect to purchase a pinball machine at less than $200 – $500 for an older model. Typically, the cost of a reliable used machine can range from $500 – $2000. You can expect a new machine with a warranty at a price of $4500-$6000.
But the used machines sometimes do not perform well as compared to the price you pay. You can find machines having premium restorations at $8000 or above.
The basic maintenance should be done for a pinball machine whether it is a new or a used one. That may include replacing lamps and rubber rings. You can take the assistance of a local repair person if you want to repair the machine at home. But, SS machines need to go to the repair station for the repair of their boards.
How much does it cost to repair a pinball machine?
There are only a few parts on a pinball machine that you may find difficult to replace and in some cases impossible. The back-glass is one of them. You can replace backglasses that may cost you around $300.
If you want to repair your first pinball machine, the playfield inserts is the part you should consider as irreplaceable. The manufacturers install the original inserts in the playfield before the sand down and screen printing of these machines are done. Replacement inserts are not available, but some cupping of the inserts can be repaired.
The playfield light shields are usually difficult to replace. If they are available in the market for replacement then they will come as a full set and will cost around $150. You can find some replacements on plastics.
The custom playfield objects are hard to replace. However, replacement parts are available for some of the more popular games. You can replace items like pop bumper caps.
Used Pinball Machine Cost:
There is a lot more variety of used pinball machines available online. So, an online purchase is a good choice if you are looking for a specific game. For example, you can find pinball machines in the $500-$1000 range and also at the $1000-$2000 range depending on the quality, features, and brand.
You can purchase a decent game of the 90s at less than $2000, which we highly recommend you if you are buying your first machine. The only disadvantage of buying a used pinball machine is to trust the seller.
If you do have experience in repairing pinball machines, then you can get a very good deal while buying a used machine that typically costs you less than $500.
Conclusion:
We have a misconception that pinball machines are way too costly. They are costly but these days you can find a few websites that sell used pinball machines and miniature pinball machines at cheap prices. You can purchase miniature pinball machines on amazon.com that is suitable for beginners. However, you can visit the nearby shops to check out the newer pinball machines there. But we will suggest you online stores for used pinball machines that you can purchase at a low price.