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The OFFICIAL LICENSED 'moans about pricing' thread

I think a lottery would definitely be fairer than the 'who has a van and is willing to bank transfer £Xk fastest' :)
I just don't understand why a lottery would be fairer? When I bought my Shadow I waited a little to confirm it could get through the door and that Martin could collect it. I neither bank transferred immediately or went up with a van.
 
I've refrained from posting so far on these threads. But this is killing the forum from what I can see stop being so entitled, suck it up wait and wait until you get the pin you want.

I think it took me a good few years to get a Fathom and some of the other pins I own.

Fecking Amazonians want everything next day ..
 
I think a lottery would definitely be fairer than the 'who has a van and is willing to bank transfer £Xk fastest' :)
Erm no, absolutely no! Who or what chooses who is in said lottery and more importantly, who or what decided who 'wins' said lottery. Go down this route and you might as well let Wes handle the for sale section of the forum.

Plus shouldn't everyone have the right to decide who they sell their machine to. I wouldn't want to sell a machine to well known resellers who jack the price up for the next buyer but what's to stop them getting into this lottery?
 
This whole theory of "price things higher so I have a better chance of buying it because I have more excess money than others" is so SO toxic.
I take your point, but I'm not writing from a self-interested perspective here. I don't have more excess money than others and I'm not happy with the cost of pins either.

When I wrote the original eight-page thread, I'd noticed hanging around on the forums that the For Sale threads could get pretty toxic. And, when I was looking for a pin, I noticed pins disappeared pretty quickly. There was a particular pin I saw come up on eBay (a Paragon) priced at forum prices, and I felt a real time pressure on decisions. I could really see the problems arising from that model even though it didn't apply to me (I decided I didn't really want a Paragon after some thought).

I've been at league and chatting to people, and we have maxed our our pin space right now, so I'm not in a position where any of this is relevant to me personally. However, I kinda feel obliged to raise this issue out of a social obligation, especially since another user @Aladeran has made some of the same points. I think pinball is getting more popular right now, possibly due to the 'analogue renaissance', and I don't want people new to the community to get caught out.

I just think the idea that you need to know people to buy a pin at a reasonable price doesn't feel quite right. It sets up a model where you either overpay for a first pin, have very fast fingers, or participate by playing in community events without having a pin first. I think that's quite prescriptive around how people get into the hobby. It is a bit like the attitude in another community (which got VERY toxic) where people were excluded from actual prize award ceremonies for prizes they'd won because they'd not attended events regularly (quite expensive events) and some of the established members felt they 'hadn't paid their dues'.
 
Poundland are ****ed by their own stupidity, after the free advertising I gave them on this forum, all you mod glue gun nut jobs Screenshot 2022-05-20 at 13.47.01.png

went panic buying on tubs of dinosaurs - Poundland being pound land they can't put the price up, so I expect half sized tubs on the shelves soon!!!!
 
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I can't get my head around the entitlement from a few on here who get cranky because they can't buy a pin due to being too slow. Personally I think what helps is building a base of friends who know what games you're looking for. I rattle on about Rollergames all the time, one became available and a pinballer friend messaged me and told me about it, so I bought it. Had he not of done that I would probably have missed it.

This whole theory of "price things higher so I have a better chance of buying it because I have more excess money than others" is so SO toxic.

Totally agree. We all have the same problems buying, etc, etc but we don't get cranky about it and blame x2 kids, not having a van, wrong time of day, can't make my mind up, not what I wanted, somebody else bought it before me, was responding to multitudes of replies to posts so I missed the sale thread 😭
 
Poundland are ****ed by their own stupidity, after the free advertising I gave them on this forum, all you mod glue gun nut jobs View attachment 171249 went panic buying on tubs of dinosaurs - Poundland being pound land they can't put the price up, so I expect half sized tubs on the shelves soon!!!!
I just put in a huge order and sold them out, Christmas presents for all of Pinball Republic sorted 😂
 
These don't change the value much IMO, but they may cause you to secure a sale faster if there are two similar pins on the market and the buyer plays both of them. Broadly speaking, these count as 'pin is in good condition and plays better'.

If the pin works better, that should change the value, but it depends on the buyer. I've been happy to buy a pin with an obvious fault but good aesthetics - because we can fix simple mechanical faults, but I don't want to attempt a playfield replacement.


I think it does if you're comparing two similar pins. How often does that happen? Probably not that much in this market.

There are currently two CFTBL in Pinball Republic and I would certainly pay more for one than the other on casual inspection, because one of them looks rather dimly lit and drab (sorry owner of that CFTBL :(). Thus, it *feels* in worse condition than the other similar pin (wrongly or rightly). So, the lighting does make a superficial difference.

Again, it depends on the buyer. I haven't looked under the playfield on those two pins. But it does feel a bit like a job interview. Pins with better playfield lighting 'interview' better.

Having played both CFTBL, I had more fun playing the better-lit pin with the big screen. It's just a more enjoyable experience. Rather like playing a Godzilla rather than a whitewood of the same pin.


I would not pay extra for mirror blades TBH. They save me buying side art, but they're not a wow factor. They are an indication that the pin has been given love and attention at some point tho' - hence, the pin 'interviews' better.

Pin2dmd does add value, but - again - it depends on the buyer. With Stumblor's huge screens available for some pins, I wouldn't be keen to pay for a small colour screen in order to resell it again further down the line.


You're probably right.

Oddly I'd buy the creech at the back with less mods. It plays nicer, no idea why but I had more fun playing it than the one that had more flashing lights and a mod.


Mirror blades can be removed at least, but will leave screw holes.
I think they're way better than art blades which I find tacky. Mirror blades brighten a game up and make it feel more modern imo.
I'dprobably not include them in the price personally.
 
I take your point, but I'm not writing from a self-interested perspective here. I don't have more excess money than others and I'm not happy with the cost of pins either.

When I wrote the original eight-page thread, I'd noticed hanging around on the forums that the For Sale threads could get pretty toxic. And, when I was looking for a pin, I noticed pins disappeared pretty quickly. There was a particular pin I saw come up on eBay (a Paragon) priced at forum prices, and I felt a real time pressure on decisions. I could really see the problems arising from that model even though it didn't apply to me (I decided I didn't really want a Paragon after some thought).

I've been at league and chatting to people, and we have maxed our our pin space right now, so I'm not in a position where any of this is relevant to me personally. However, I kinda feel obliged to raise this issue out of a social obligation, especially since another user @Aladeran has made some of the same points. I think pinball is getting more popular right now, possibly due to the 'analogue renaissance', and I don't want people new to the community to get caught out.

I just think the idea that you need to know people to buy a pin at a reasonable price doesn't feel quite right. It sets up a model where you either overpay for a first pin, have very fast fingers, or participate by playing in community events without having a pin first. I think that's quite prescriptive around how people get into the hobby. It is a bit like the attitude in another community (which got VERY toxic) where people were excluded from actual prize award ceremonies for prizes they'd won because they'd not attended events regularly (quite expensive events) and some of the established members felt they 'hadn't paid their dues'.
At no point did I say you need to know people to get a pin at a reasonable price.

The point I'm making is having community members in your corner looking out for games for you really helps. If I see somebody having a tantrum because they've missed out on 3 sub 2k pins in a week I don't feel sorry for them because the come across real bad, and I don't feel inclined to help them find a pin either. We were all new here and we all got games, I missed out on a tonne of games I'd of liked over the years, not once have I got pi**y because I "missed out". I'm just over how childish this place is getting over people not being able to have a game right now, it's pinball ffs.
 
who has a van and is willing to bank transfer £Xk fastest' :)

Stop saying this! It doesn't happen like this!
I have never ever felt like this and we have bought over 8 pins now!

We don't have a van. We don't drop our lives and go get the pin.
It has no impact on if you can get the pin you want unless,( like you've said previously) you need to have a 3hour discussion with the family about whether you want that particular pin.

You just message the seller and say you'll have it. You don't need to transfer money instantly or get a van.
In some cases I haven't paid for a pin till the next week! And it's not been delivered for weeks..
I sold one of mine two months ago and it's still here....

I don't know why you keep saying that
 
As someone with a vested interest - respectfully - there's mods and then there's mods. What you're describing I wouldn't even consider to be a mod. What I and a lot of other people are trying to do is to add to the gameplay and condition of the machine, arguably making it better than what the designers originally had the budget for.

You can stick a box of cereal on your wall - but it aint art.
did you get a tub? :D

I think on this point its all personal view. I value a colorDMD in a game but pinsound is the first thing I'm ripping out along with any mods that made the drain or scoops go green. Any stupid figure placementetc. If a godzilla was up for sale with the UFO mod, ok that's cool, and it helps the sell but I'm not going to pay for that. and If there is a like for like GZ with £100 less because it doesn't have the saucer thing, then i'm buying the cheaper game. if they are priced the same I'll take the one with the mod.

Neil
 
My Road Show was 2.8k.
Since buying it I've done a lot to it

Lots of switch tweaking/replacing, some LEDs changed for taste (femoved some coloured GI), flipper rebuild, one Red head rebuild. Replaced sling plastics.
Rerubbered.
Playability tweaks I've since forgotten (adjusting ball guides and sensitivity of switches for example)

In my opinion all of these don't change the value at all.

Also have done s following that can be debated if they add value or not , you tell me?

Lit the start city scoop with led strip so it flashes with the start city light
Added spotlights to brighten the dark middle of
Added trough lighting.

And the following I think do add value but can be removed and priced as optional.

Mirror Blades
Pin2dmd
Afterglow Nano
Afterglow GI

Am I right?
You could call lots of the above 'mods' but some add value, others don't.



I think supermint pins are a different thing and a different market. They don't always sell easily to the general pin community but there's a handful of people who really want supermint and are happy to pay for them.
I'm happy for a game to be in good players condition, don't need a perfect cab. But a decent playfield and game that plays as intended.


The key word there is 'NEED'.

None of us need any of this stuff. We're a group of adults spending a Friday discussing which plywood crate with lights & ball bearings is worth more.

Let's be brutally honest here. . . . the issue isn't whether the additional Marvel character in your pin has increased the value of the game by £50. It's the fact that you've spent thousands on a box of lights and reconfigured your home to accommodate more.

We're like a bunch of cocaine addicts arguing of the merits of snorting it through a fiver or a fifty.
 
I keep seeing the word 'Toxic' bandied about on here, this place is anything but toxic.

I've been around since 2015 and can probably count on 1 hand the times I've thought a post or thread was toxic. Toxic is making derogatory/nasty/personal/bullying/threatening comments. Disagreeing with someone or having a difference of opinion is not toxic, it is healthy debate.

If you want to see true toxicity spend 5 minutes on Twitter.
 
Stop saying this! It doesn't happen like this!
I have never ever felt like this and we have bought over 8 pins now!

We don't have a van. We don't drop our lives and go get the pin.
It has no impact on if you can get the pin you want unless,( like you've said previously) you need to have a 3hour discussion with the family about whether you want that particular pin.

You just message the seller and say you'll have it. You don't need to transfer money instantly or get a van.
In some cases I haven't paid for a pin till the next week! And it's not been delivered for weeks..
I sold one of mine two months ago and it's still here....

I don't know why you keep saying that
I bought my turtles from the forum. I don't have a van and the seller didn’t ask for full payment until he had a date from Martin. As I said the large majority on here are fine waiting for collection, you don’t need a van!
 
I've said previously) you need to have a 3hour discussion with the family about whether you want that particular pin.

You just message the seller and say you'll have it.
I think my concern is that they're expensive and the condition is very important (to me, anyway). So, I feel I personally need to inspect the pin extremely carefully before purchasing, which means I can't commit to buying a pin without going to inspect it.

For reference, my personal experience is that I bought one pin (slightly) overpriced without inspecting - because I was a n00b. My second pin I got from the forum in gorgeous condition with no trouble at all and I did buy it without playing it, but that's because someone else on the forum vouched for it. My third pin was NIB and my fourth pin I spent two hours inspecting before purchasing (without a huge rush - we took my son on a weekend day trip to the beach). At no point did I use a van. So, I admit I'm extrapolating some of these issues, but I've also seen people defending them and I've also seen people who think they're a problem.

So... experiences may vary. I'm raising the issues because I'm worried they're an issue for other people. You've bought more pins than me @David_Vi so it's possible it's not an issue.
 
So, I admit I'm extrapolating some of these issues, but I've also seen people defending them and I've also seen people who think they're a problem.

I'm raising the issues because I'm worried they're an issue for other people.
Outrage on behalf of others, who generally aren't ar$ed - modern society at its finest!
 
I'm raising the issues because I'm worried they're an issue for other people.
Vee, your posts certainly do liven up the forum I’ll give you that 🙂 Please do not take this as a personal attack at all but you’ve said at least twice now that it’s not a problem for you but it might be for others and that’s why you’re bringing it up.

I think that maybe there’s not really a problem
 
I think I may have been one of the people who mentioned using a van, that was for my last purchase (outside of the forum) where I offered what I considered a fair price on a game that was advertised for more.

On that occasion I got the game for my offered price because the guy was a busy business owner and he valued an easy transaction, I turned up with help, handed over the cash and was out of there in about 10 mins.
 
I keep seeing the word 'Toxic' bandied about on here, this place is anything but toxic.

I've been around since 2015 and can probably count on 1 hand the times I've thought a post or thread was toxic. Toxic is making derogatory/nasty/personal/bullying/threatening comments. Disagreeing with someone or having a difference of opinion is not toxic, it is healthy debate.

If you want to see true toxicity spend 5 minutes on Twitter.


I completely agree

I own a football forum of a comparable size to this and sold another larger one a few years back. I think everyone on this forum conducts themselves really well and presents their side of the argument without getting personal.

Disagreeing with someone's point of view is not toxicity. I can tell you from experience that subjects/threads where everyone agrees fizzle out pretty quickly.
 
I feel I personally need to inspect the pin extremely carefully before purchasing, which means I can't commit to buying a pin without going to inspect it.


And that may put you at more of a disadvantage than any lack of a van.

I trust sellers on here. Obviously not someone who has just joined but if someone has been a member for years and is known to others I'll take the leap of faith even if I don't know them myself.

That is the whole advantage of this forum, knowing people allows you to trust a description and pictures.
 
Plus shouldn't everyone have the right to decide who they sell their machine to
Entirely this

My order of priority in selling would be:

A friend
Someone I have dealt with before without issue
A friend of a friend
Someone met at a show or comp
Someone on the forum with an actual name
Someone on the forum with a convoluted anonymous alias

Guaranteed not to sell to regardless
Anyone who's mildly irritated me :)
 
Tastefully done on the right pin they def add value. Different ends of a scale…..trees and diplodocus vs chrome, mirrors and light cycles :) That beautiful airbrushing peeps are getting done to armour, those back glasses by Xainex….all tat and worthless too 🙄🙄
I get it won’t matter to a dealer, bit like the car analogy thingy. They don’t give a sh1t about aftermarket alloys, body kits and exhausts etc…..
But a private sale? For sure, as long as it’s sought after mods…
Proof in the eating?
Look at that factory spec Tron on eBay for 5k.
Would that still be there if it was fully modded as below? I think no..
Alas…. My Tron is gone farewell my beautiful, I miss you 😘
View attachment 171231View attachment 171233View attachment 171234View attachment 171235View attachment 171236View attachment 171238


Sorry but No. All that tat adds ZERO value to me. If it had the standard black stuff its the same game - it plays the same way!

ColorDMD - sure £500 quid!

Neil.
 
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