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Wanted Early SS first project

LiamoM81

LiamoM81

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Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
27
Location
West Sussex
Hi all.

New member looking for my first machine.

I started looking earlier in the year after I stumbled across a forlorn looking Gottlieb Solar Ride that I was outbid on as I didn't have any idea around prices.

I've been bidding on lots of early Williams/Bally/Gottlieb machines ever since but prices seem to be getting increasingly over-inflated, presumably people buying to refurb and sell?

Anyway, I'm after an early solid state machine as my first Pin project if anyone has any suggestions or machines to sell. Open minded about it and happy to try my hand at repairing one as long as the playfield and backglass aren't wrecked, will be for my house so doesn't need to be perfect nick.

Thanks in advance, and hello again to everyone from a new member.
 
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Hello. Welcome

There is a limited market for these Bally SS games, not many buyers. Most folk want DMD games. Of those who buy Bally SS games, I think that most are seeking "good" ones - ie good backglass, cab and playfield and working.

It is possible to buy working Bally SS games for about £400 to £500, the less popular late 70s pre-speech titles like harlem globetrotters, nitro groundshaker, lost world. The games with speech maybe start at £600 to £800 as fully working examples - titles like Medusa, Vector, mr and mrs pacman.

Project Bally SS games might start at £200 to £250 ?? as the boards can be stripped out and the games scrapped/ parted out to recover this sort of money

So I would advise you to be careful as you could put a lot of time and money into a game that you will never recover if you sell it

Best bet might be to buy a working game, as the parts bill can rapidly mount otherwise. Buy it, play it, sell it on when you have had enough. You should get back pretty much what you paid.

Or if you want a project consider a broken "top" title like a centaur, flash Gordon. Cosmetically sound but hasn't worked in years. These things do come up from time to time on ebay and it is obviously a risk, but if you put your time into one of these, you might at least get your money back
 
LiamoM81 said:
Hi all.

New member looking for my first machine.

I started looking earlier in the year after I stumbled across a forlorn looking Gottlieb Solar Ride that I was outbid on as I didn't have any idea around prices.

I've been bidding on lots of early Williams/Bally/Gottlieb machines ever since but prices seem to be getting increasingly over-inflated, presumably people buying to refurb and sell?

Anyway, I'm after an early solid state machine as my first Pin project if anyone has any suggestions or machines to sell. Open minded about it and happy to try my hand at repairing one as long as the playfield and backglass aren't wrecked, will be for my house so doesn't need to be perfect nick.

Thanks in advance, and hello again to everyone from a new member.
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"Project" pins on ebay always seem to go for silly money - like, as much as you could buy a fully working example for. In fact, it's rare you will find a bargain on ebay, period. I'd suggest sticking with a working game, play it, maybe play around with cosmetic fixes, then progress from there when you come to sell it.
 
Cheers guys.

I actually prefer the earlier games, bit too much going on with the later machines, I like the retro appeal of the early sound boards and displays etc.

Not looking to sell again but also don't want to break the bank.
 
Hi, Liam,

No-one's mentioned "classic" (not necessarily the best term, but it serves) Stern solid-state games so far. The board set is much the same as the Bally games, except for audio, so they're not as difficult to tackle as, say, the early Gottlieb solid-states (you'll probably be grateful later about missing out on that Solar Ride). Some of the early Stern games are well regarded, e.g. the popular Meteor, which seemed to be everywhere at the time, Seawitch, Galaxy, Lightning. There are a few oddballs, like Hot Hand, Ali, Magic or Trident, electro-mechanical 'throwback' games like Stingray, Memory Lane, Wild Fyre/Dracula and Lectronamo/Nugent, some low-production games that folk reckon should've been pushed harder (Quicksilver, Stargazer) and wide-bodies such as Big Game, Cheetah and the spectacular multiball Flight 2000.
 
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obviously I'd put early SS Stern along with Bally as in many ways very similar. Solar Ride was a lucky escape. Early Williams have some cracking games like Flash just the Ballys easier to work on.
 
Hi. I'd never seen Black Pyramid before, just watched a few videos and would be tempted but don't think I'd take the risk of struggling to find a backglass. Also a bit far to collect mate. Thank you though.
 
Moonraker said:
Not sure why you're mentioning Gottlieb here...?

http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2089
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Just because their speech was so robotic and harsh, not human like at all so wouldn't have fitted the theme very well. Speech synthesis technology back in the 80's was pretty basic, Bally were in a different class to the others.

Mind you it would have been more appropriate to use Stern speech as an example i guess.... :rolleyes:
 
Afternoon all.

Still looking for a cheap non-working or semi-working early solid state machine if anybody has one to get rid of or knows of one?

Thanks to those who have replied or messaged so far
 
I'm still on the lookout for a cheap first project pin if anyone sees any likely candidates knocking about. Cheers all.
 
Ideally under 300 quid,
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Not too many SS games available in that price range these days :( You're more likely to get EM's with that budget although that's a completely different type of tinkering....still very cool though :thumbs:
 
Yeah I know, when I first started looking s year ago you could still find them but I held off thinking I'd find a better deal each time, but prices have clearly going in one direction.
 
LiamoM81 said:
Ideally under 300 quid, something I can nurse back to health but witha reasonable playfield.
Click to expand...

There are cheaper games to be had, but 300 for a solid state is pushing it. As others have said you need to be quick. I just sold an as is system 7 williams (cosmic gunfight) for £700 and could have been had for £550 non working. Phil at pinball heaven just sold 3 dmd games for under a grand, so bargains are to be had still. Its not all top end prices if you look regularly.

If its 300 max then em's will be your best option.
 
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