What's new
Pinball info

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

New Member looking to get out and play real machines!

In terms of an actual table purchase, how is payment most commonly accepted? As we’re in full pinball bloom off the back of PinFest, I sorely tempted to slap a purchase on a credit card as soon as an affordable, good players condition machine becomes available but wondered if that’s a no-go with sellers?

You can use a credit card through paypal, and then send that payment as a paypal gift, which is a commonly accepted way of paying outside of bank transfer, although ask first as some people may be put off. An interest free card would be of benefit here - but obviously only embark on this path if you can keep up with your repayments, and pay it off within the timeframe. (yes dad)

Also keep the suggestions for ideal first tables coming. The wife adored MONSTER BASH and CREATURE, she also likes MEDIEVAL MADNESS. So whilst I believe all of this would be beyond our £2k or under budget, it probably means we are leaning toward a Bally/Williams table from the 90s era. Would consider others of course, I really enjoyed Stern’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT and THE SOPRANOS at PinFest as well as all the Bally/Williams I played. JUNKYARD was a blast!

Yeah I think MB, MM and Creature are defo outside of your budget (CFTBL is prob around 3k for a good example), but PLENTY of great B/W games available around that mark - BSD, BR, FT, DW. Might be worth trying to play some of these on an emulator first, to see what you think.

Good luck!
 
I really enjoyed Stern’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT
TFTC is Data East btw, don't be put off they made some great machines too, are (well were) typically cheaper and equally as maintainable.
 
@stumblor Ah cool, so I may be able to buy one sooner rather than later then and pay myself back so to speak. Great. I’ll ask any prospective seller if they would allow me to use credit card/PayPal. Thanks.

Thanks also for the table recommendations, I understand FT is FISH TALES, but would you mind telling me the others by their full names [emoji3526]

@astyy Ah it was Data East who did TALES FROM THE CRYPT. Played so many at UK PinFest kept getting Sega, Data East and then the older Stern’s confused in my mind. Good to know they are also an option for my budget. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
@Lroy no worries. Actually you just need to ask if they accept paypal gift for the payment - as it all ends up the same after that point! :p

FT - FishTales
BSD - Bram Stokers Dracula (amazing game)
DW - Doctor Who
BR - Black Rose
FYI - You can click on the links and it will take you to imdb 👍
 
I’ll ask any prospective seller if they would allow me to use credit card/PayPal.

In my experience cash and bank transfer are the most accepted ways to pay. You might find the odd person who'd take Paypal gift but I know I wouldn't and I'm pretty sure there's plenty of others who won't either. Cash is king when it comes to buying and selling pinball machines :thumbs:
 
@stumblor Oooh, I played DRACULA at PinFest, love the theme and that moment when the ball moves across the play field on its own, brilliant. I’d grab one.

However, I should probably give consideration to the fact I’ll be having this table at home in the lounge or kitchen with my young kids using it too. So alas, might have to give thought to a more child-friendly theme. My eldest is 8 but he is also a big scaredy-cat, bless him.

Then again, my wife did say she really, really liked MB and CREATURE. So perhaps horror-comedy at least isn’t necessary off the table.

Can’t see any links in your post to click but I’m using my phone, so perhaps that’s why?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
@ronsplooter Yes, I thought that would be the preferred method but just thought I’d ask as I’m itching to get my first table sooner rather than later. But if I can’t, I’ll have to save the hard earned cash up and return to this (pipe)dream further down the line. Thanks for commenting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
getting Sega, Data East and then the older Stern’s confused in my mind.
Understandable really, the old stern became data east, then they became sega, before becoming stern again. There are cross over periods with sega boards being used in Stern machines (although they probably rebranded them.)
Unless I've remembered that completely wrong!! :)
 
@steve brum Good to know. Cheers Steve. Hoping to get up to Nuneaton still. Perhaps I could let you know nearer the time and I could come up (likely with the wife and kids) on a day you are about. We could then have a quick chat about buying my first table? Only if convenient for you on the day of course.

BLACK ROSE is definitely a table I’d need to spend some time with in real-life as I haven’t taken to the emulated version in PINBALL FX3 at all.

Did play your GOFERS and MB at PinFest. Wife fell in love with MB. Lovely machine, especially with the colour DMD you have on there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
@DanLewell Yeah, I knew there was some cross-over between Sega, Data East and Stern, and the machines themselves kinda of look/feel similar - e.g. the back boards, DMDs and play-feel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
@stumblor Oooh, I played DRACULA at PinFest, love the theme and that moment when the ball moves across the play field on its own, brilliant. I’d grab one.

However, I should probably give consideration to the fact I’ll be having this table at home in the lounge or kitchen with my young kids using it too. So alas, might have to give thought to a more child-friendly theme. My eldest is 8 but he is also a big scaredy-cat, bless him.

Then again, my wife did say she really, really liked MB and CREATURE. So perhaps horror-comedy at least isn’t necessary off the table.

Can’t see any links in your post to click but I’m using my phone, so perhaps that’s why?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

he means the highlighted/embolded text, its blue on my screen and phone etc

the text thats says BSD in his post is the link (same on mine now)
 
BLACK ROSE is definitely a table I’d need to spend some time with in real-life as I haven’t taken to the emulated version in PINBALL FX3 at all.

Feel the same about the VPX version, although it's always spoken of quite fondly on the forum. Probably a good example of how different the real tables are to their virtual counterparts at times (although i did think the VPX Diner was ace).
 
@BigIan Not showing ad blue text/link on my phone. Could possibly be my version of Tapatalk or my phone? Interesting. Never realised this quirk when viewing the forum before. Oh well.

EDIT: Just noticed if I click on the top right of the TapaTalk menu bar - three dots, I can select ‘web view’. This then displays the forum as if I’m using a web browser rather than TapaTalk app. The links show up there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
@BigIan Not showing ad blue text/link on my phone. Could possibly be my version of Tapatalk or my phone? Interesting. Never realised this quirk when viewing the forum before. Oh well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Could be a Tapatalk quirk, I browse on (Android) phone using Chrome and see the links ok.
 
*nerd talk ahead*

They are most likely rendered in javascript (in browser) after the comment text is sent from the server, as storing the link would interfere with editing the comment etc. Sooooo maybe javascript is turned off in your device?
 
@stumblor I’m scouting here and eBay to get a sense of what machines are on sale for my limited budget and are in as good a condition as £2k allows. ‘Players condition’ is the term yes? E.g. I’d want the machine to be fully working and ready to play with no faults and not in need of immediate repair/servicing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thats right - we'll keep an eye out for you too. It wont take long to find what you're looking for I'm sure.

Any that you see off forum that take your fancy, chuck a link in the ebay thread, and we'll take a look any red flags etc - also if you let people know you're going to have a bid it will be less likely you'll get in a bidding war with another member!
 
@astyy Not a machine I’ve played outside of emulation and I believe it is being sold by the kind poster above who said he would require cash only payment.

EDIT: Thanks @ronsplooter thought that FUNHOUSE was yours. I’m not far from you in Nottingham actually. I’m Warwick based.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Funhouse is a dead set classic - you would be more than happy with this I'm sure.

How about an exception @ronsplooter ?

Full disclosure - I need that FH off the market stat as I'm starting to have Rudy dreams 😬
 
I think for a first machine you should steer clear of ebay, and stick to buying from here.
If you buy from someone here that has looked after a machine it will probably be less problematic than something off ebay. No guarantees of course pinball machines a fickle beasts, but generally you'll find that to be true.
If you buy something off Chris (@ronsplooter ) you probably cant go wrong. He's quite well known for stripping a playfield on a new machine before he goes to bed the day he gets them home. He cant help himself, I think its disease!! :)
If you want the cash from PayPal just get the wife to set up an account, send it to her and she can draw it into her bank. Or is it not that simple? Never tried it myself.
 
If you want the cash from PayPal just get the wife to set up an account, send it to her and she can draw it into her bank. Or is it not that simple? Never tried it myself.

It's that simple 👍

The important part is that it's viewed as a 'purchase' so won't incur immediate fees, like a cash withdrawal would.
 
Back
Top Bottom