What's new
By:
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!

Expired The Beatles Gold edition OR refurb 1970s/early 80s pin

Expired Due to no activity
VeeMonroe

VeeMonroe

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 4, 2021
Messages
2,844
Location
London
I’m looking for a Beatles Gold edition...*

Failing that, I’m interested in a nice1970s/80s pin with lots of drop targets.

PM me, please.

[NB: Phil doesn’t have any NIB and there aren’t any Gold editions left at the distributor level].
 
Last edited:
David_Vi said:
Really minty 70s/80s will be hard to find unless they've been totally refurbished then you'll be paying a premium. But if you're in the market for a Beatles I guess you'll be ok!
Click to expand...
I’m looking for a refurb. We don’t have the time or energy for a project.

Neither do we have the space for more than four pins - so, it has to be a good ‘un.
 
Last edited:
Bobbdobalina said:
I seem to remember you saying you were happy with three, pin fevers taken hold 😆
Click to expand...
I am happy with three... ;)

I’d also be happy with four :)

Joking apart, most of what I’ve been playing at Pinball Republic is early SS pins with spinners and drop targets. They’re very different from what we have now.
 
Last edited:
It’s a common affliction around here.
I remember saying in a thread I only had room for two.
Well I now have two but weirdly I now have room for only one more….😆
 
Bobbdobalina said:
It’s a common affliction around here.
I remember saying in a thread I only had room for two.
Well I now have two but weirdly I now have room for only one more….😆
Click to expand...
We literally don’t have room for more than four. Or, rather, we don’t have room for more than four without getting rid of the sofa, which I can’t do without offending my mother, who lives part-time in our house.
 
VeeMonroe said:
We literally don’t have room for more than four. Or, rather, we don’t have room for more than four without getting rid of the sofa, which I can’t do without offending my mother, who lives part-time in our house.
Click to expand...

I used to literally only have room for five. By the time we moved I owned nine - five at home, three at a friends place and one with my parents, keeping the two my dad owns company. The ideal number of machines is always however many you have + one, and if you’re obsessed enough to be posting here you’ll likely find somewhere to keep them If you can afford them.

Don’t think a lack of space will necessarily stop you accumulating more - did you know that two machines folded up take up approx the same space as one machine set up? Something to bear in mind…
 
Last edited:
JustLikeMe said:
I used to literally only have room for five. By the time we moved I owned nine - five at home, three at a friends place and one with parents, keeping the two my dad owns company. The ideal number of machines is always however many you have + one, and if you’re obsessed enough to be posting here you’ll likely find somewhere to keep them If you can afford them.

Don’t think lack of space will necessarily stop you accumulating more - did you know that two machines folded up take up approx the same space as one machine set up? Something to bear in mind…
Click to expand...
I had >1,000 board games at one point and, when I moved here with our first little guy, I realised they took up loads of space and we were never going to play them enough to truly appreciate them - with young kids or without.

So, I’ve sold 500 of them so far. I sold 300 of them just to buy our Lord of the Rings. I’m currently selling another 100+ to contribute to this pin. I don’t miss any of the ones that have gone. I would miss some of the ones that are left.

I can definitely see a pin moving temporarily to my mum’s while we move house, but not permanently.

No way will I ever own more items again than I, or our family, can play.

Anything not being played gets sold. Anything folded up gets sold. I don’t want to sell and buy new things, due to the hassle, so every pin we currently own was bought with lastibility in mind.
 
Last edited:
VeeMonroe said:
I would miss most of the ones that are left.
Click to expand...

This is where I ran into trouble. I have games I have a sentimental attachment to, games that I probably wouldn’t be able to get back, games which I’ll likely sell one day but I’m not quite ready to let go of yet - and then there are other games out there I also want to own and hey, if I buy them I can likely sell them for around the same price if I need to so what’s the harm? Next thing I knew I was looking to move to a place where I’d have room for all of them, plus a few more.

I completely understand where you’re coming from because I used to feel the same. It’s just this hobby tends to take over and the machines have a habit of multiplying.
 
I've seen you mention the Sleuth games in one of your posts - don't know if they made anything other thane the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective/Adventures by Gaslight/mansion Murders/Queens Park Affair (think there may have been another one), but I see them on Ebay for stupid amounts (>£100). Are they just trying it on, or are they really worth that?
 
JustLikeMe said:
This is where I ran into trouble. I have games I have a sentimental attachment to, games that I probably wouldn’t be able to get back, games which I’ll likely sell one day but I’m not quite ready to let go of yet - and then there are other games out there I also want to own and hey, if I buy them I can likely sell them for around the same price if I need to so what’s the harm? Next thing I knew I was looking to move to a place where I’d have room for all of them, plus a few more.

I completely understand where you’re coming from because I used to feel the same. It’s just this hobby tends to take over and the machines have a habit of multiplying.
Click to expand...
Okay. I had a hobby that took over and it made me miserable 😩

Once bitten, twice shy.

I’m much happier knowing I could cut down to 25-50 board games (from >1,000) tomorrow and be perfectly happy. I’ve got about 250 right now and am having fun deciding which ones to keep 😊
 
Judderman said:
I've seen you mention the Sleuth games in one of your posts - don't know if they made anything other thane the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective/Adventures by Gaslight/mansion Murders/Queens Park Affair (think there may have been another one), but I see them on Ebay for stupid amounts (>£100). Are they just trying it on, or are they really worth that?
Click to expand...
The Consulting Detective series seem to be widely accessible. They’re not worth more than £20 a box second hand.

Sleuth I’m not sure about. It was a reprint of an old Sid Sackson and I can imagine some collectors going wild.

I do think people are trying it on with prices on eBay. I’ve seen individual Descent 1st edition expansions going for £150 each and I’ve been offered (but not accepted for sentimental reasons), £150 for the base box and all the expansions. I’ve had it for sale on Facebook for weeks.
 
www.williamsamusements.co.uk

The Brilliant BEATLES GOLD Edition Pinball - Williams Amusements

So this Beatles GOLD pinball. Brand new just taken out of the box. Absolutely gorgeous. Only 1600 ever made so very collectible. Leds throughout, gold powder coated metal work and superb side art. Lovely artworked side blades, video screen and of course all the classic Beatles songs. Come...
www.williamsamusements.co.uk www.williamsamusements.co.uk

Talk to John at Willaims. They have one in stock.
 
Pick Holder said:
www.williamsamusements.co.uk

The Brilliant BEATLES GOLD Edition Pinball - Williams Amusements

So this Beatles GOLD pinball. Brand new just taken out of the box. Absolutely gorgeous. Only 1600 ever made so very collectible. Leds throughout, gold powder coated metal work and superb side art. Lovely artworked side blades, video screen and of course all the classic Beatles songs. Come...
www.williamsamusements.co.uk www.williamsamusements.co.uk

Talk to John at Willaims. They have one in stock.
Click to expand...
It’s ex-display model being charged out at NIB and sold by the dude who - when I entered the hobby - sold me a filthy mildew-covered Fish Tales with the wrong rubbers and a myriad of faults that we’ve spent six months fixing.

I was ripped off entering the hobby and don’t want to repeat the mistake (not your fault for posting the link - you’re not to know, but you do now 😊).
 
Last edited:
JWG9999 said:
Perhaps something from Pinball Creative would suite you.

Edit:

Just had a look - most of their stock is already sold so probably not much use to you.
Click to expand...
I can see how they can charge £9.5k commercially for an Eight Ball Deluxe seeing the work people put into restoring pins (and they describe on their website: https://www.pinballcreative.co.uk/restoration), but I’m not their target market.

Edited my OP to read ‘nice’ SS…
 
Last edited:
VeeMonroe said:
It’s ex-display model being charged out at NIB and sold by the dude who - when I entered the hobby - sold me a filthy mildew-covered Fish Tales with the wrong rubbers and a myriad of faults that we’ve spent six months fixing.

I was ripped off entering the hobby and don’t want to repeat the mistake (not your fault for posting the link - you’re not to know, but you do now 😊).
Click to expand...
It was massively over priced but that particular Fishtales was sold to them by a group member so all the nasties where probably on it before they got it
It still does not excuse the condition you received it in though
 
CHRIS B PINBALLS said:
It was massively over priced but that particular Fishtales was sold to them by a group member so all the nasties where probably on it before they got it
It still does not excuse the condition you received it in though
Click to expand...
Many of the faults weren’t there when it arrived TBH. They appeared a few months in after we’d played it probably about 1,000 times (and I’m not even exaggerating).

However, it arrived with the wrong size of rubbers fitted onto the slingshots, which meant the ball got stuck constantly on the left inlane. We ended up sourcing suggestions off Pinside and then, with our later faults, we found this website to ask for advice.
 
Last edited:
Pick Holder said:
If I was going to pay more than £2K for any pin - I would want to see it.
Click to expand...
That’s my preference.

My problem with the Williams Amusements one is that it simply isn’t worth £10k out of the box and, even if it looks clean, I can’t be sure how long it’s been in the showroom.

I am just very nervous about (second-hand) Spike II systems due to the node boards and soldered tiny LED issues.
 
VeeMonroe said:
Many of the faults weren’t there when it arrived TBH. They appeared a few months in after we’d played it probably about 1,000 times (and I’m not even exaggerating).

However, it arrived with the wrong size of rubbers fitted onto the slingshots, which meant the ball got stuck constantly on the left inlane. We ended up sourcing suggestions off Pinside and then, with our later faults, we found this website to ask for advice.
Click to expand...

All history now but were you specifically told it would be cleaned/workshopped/serviced etc before you got it ….. or was it made clear you were getting it as is ? I seem to recall you saying you got it at a discounted price from them for …*reasons.*
 
Sgt GrizZ said:
All history now but were you specifically told it would be cleaned/workshopped/serviced etc before you got it ….. or was it made clear you were getting it as is ? I seem to recall you saying you got it at a discounted price from them for …*reasons.*
Click to expand...
At the time, we didn’t know where to get a pin from and only saw the ludicrous prices on HLD, Games Room Company, etc.

The Fish Tales was several thousand less than that. I phoned up and asked why, and the stated reason was that it was missing its topper. Also, that Williams Amusements are based in Pontefract and most of the other companies are ripping off Londoners.

I looked up how to make a topper on the internet and decided I could make one. We enjoyed Fish Tales on the Williams Pinball app, so I bought it.

I wasn’t specifically told on the phone it would be cleaned/workshopped/serviced, etc. I assumed it would be because I’d obviously seen this offered by HLD, etc. and was too naive to know otherwise. Also, he told me he got it for £2,600 and was reselling for £3,200, so I assume he was doing something for the £800 of profit apart from providing a storage facility.

It arrived filthy with a persistent ball jam. I emailed to ask for advice on the ball jam and he seemed as much in the dark as we did, so I found Pinside and posted there instead.

The ball jam and the filth were both cheap and easy to fix, and the other faults didn’t emerge until we’d played it literally 1,000 times - which took a couple of months.
 
VeeMonroe said:
That’s my preference.

My problem with the Williams Amusements one is that it simply isn’t worth £10k out of the box and, even if it looks clean, I can’t be sure how long it’s been in the showroom.

I am just very nervous about (second-hand) Spike II systems due to the node boards and soldered tiny LED issues.
Click to expand...

A game is 'worth however much someone is prepared to pay for it'. They have one in stock, nobody else does. You can check to see how many games it has had, so ask to see that. I am sure they would do a whatsapp video....... Contact them - talk over the old issues you had with them - and make an offer on the Beatles. The worst they can say is no. If you need to - drive up to them, yes it is a day off work and some fuel but if that puts your mind at rest do it......

I also would not see Spike II as being mega hassle these days. 99% of the problems have been ironed out now with all the software updates in that system so it is as good as any other. I would rather have that over a P:Roc system.

Have probably had issues with 4 LED boards on Stern machines, and I repair A LOT of games. There was a ST Stern that had a lot of posts on here but I got the feeling that before the group member bought it, it was f'ed about with a lot.
 
AlanJ said:
I’m less than an hours drive from wms amusements. i’ve been there once before. if you want me to go and look at the machine and take pics/vids i can. I’ve met John who is one of the owners, and I’m sure he’ll be fine with someone having a look.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the offer - that is extremely kind 🥰

We've had a discussion here in the house because the amount of money required to buy a Beatles has escalated dramatically since I started investigating.

I'd been expecting that a Beatles was probably worth about £6k second-hand HUO because, although they'd been sold at a Stern Prem price, they're - in fact - a revamp of Sea Witch and not worth the same as, say, Godzilla. Also, I'd read they hadn't sold that well at the distributor level. I was expecting to, maybe, stretch to £8k for one, but that was at the top end.

Having investigated, I've now identified three available for purchase. The one at Williams Amusements on at just >£10k as an ex-display model. There are two currently for sale NIB in Italy, one where I've verified the seller as legit as best as I can, and another with Expand Pinball - who are, apparently, a major distributor in Italy. Expand have one available NIB at 9.5k euros. I'd then have to add shipping and work out the customs situation.

I know @Silverpaolo is looking for a Beatles, as well, and can provide details for Expand and the other Italian gent, if useful.

What is apparent is that, at current prices, we're looking at £10-11k for a Beatles in new or nearly-new condition. The cost-benefit at that point simply isn't there compared to sourcing a Meteor or Laser Cue from James @ CoinOpKing (@BallyWilliams suck) where he tells me I'd be looking at £3.5k for one with good playfield condition that switches on, and which I can inspect in person. This is especially the case for Meteor where there's open-source Arduino code that adds movie music and a wizard mode!

So, I'm, unfortunately, out on Beatles for the moment :confused: It's just far too expensive in comparison to the older pins, especially as my husband really doesn't enjoy late 70s/early 80s pins as much as I do, and my older son isn't that bothered either (he's not bothered about quality at all - he's asked for a Mando! Sorry to all the Mando fans out there, I couldn't resist because it really isn't my scene at all! :cool:😈).
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom