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Total Beginner

JohnD83

JohnD83

Registered
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
113
Location
Billingham
Hi guys,
As the title suggests im your generic "Total Beginner" from the North East and I know pretty much nothing with me being limited to the joys of playing Pinball FX2 on the Xbox1. I know, but I am hooked and have started to look for places to play the real deal (I've found just 1) and then take the next step and purchase my first.
So afew questions...
(1) Are there any fellow members from the northeast (Middlesbrough) area?
(2) If there are where do you get your kicks?
(C) What sort of price would I expect to pay for my 1st machine?

Like I say, I am totally green and any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance
John
 
Welcome, get yourself to NERG this weekend, introduced yourself to anyone wearing a pinball t shirt. You'll get all your questions answered and make some new friends.

If you look on the events page you'll get information on NERG.
 
Thanks for the fast responses... Think I'll make a trip up to NERG on sunday. Like you say, meeting people in the know will be the best way to have my questions answered...
@Monkeyboypaul cheers for the links I'll take a look. £1500 will be my absolute limit for my 1st machine. I have looked on sites like Home leisure Direct and there seems to be a massive difference in price from the few adds I've seen on here....
 
Welcome to Pinballinfo John. :wave:

In answer to your second question, have a look at pinformer.co.uk to see where all the pinball machines are located that the public can go and play. The HMV shops in your area seems to be a good place to start.

The NERG show in Gateshead looks like a good place for you to visit this weekend as well.

edit, just seeing your last comment about buying a machine, don't go to a retail dealer to buy a game as you will end up paying way over the odds.

The For Sale area here on this forum is a great place to search for your first machine, and you will get great advice and help too.
 
JohnD83 said:
Thanks for the fast responses... Think I'll make a trip up to NERG on sunday. Like you say, meeting people in the know will be the best way to have my questions answered...
@Monkeyboypaul cheers for the links I'll take a look. £1500 will be my absolute limit for my 1st machine. I have looked on sites like Home leisure Direct and there seems to be a massive difference in price from the few adds I've seen on here....
Click to expand...
Buy your first machine from here or at nerg if you can fit one in the car. Don't do ebay or retail. Buying from the forum you'll get a good machine at a good price and help when you need it, and you will need it!
 
Thanks I Tiltalot, I was in HMV yesterday, all the machines are different to the one's on Pinformer so im not sure how accurate it is. They have 3 tables, all stern, a Shrek, Terminator3 and The Rolling Stones. All look in great condition and couldn't resist afew turns on each :)
 
Glad to hear that you had already found the games in HMV John. :thumbs:

Games do tend to get swapped around in places like that, as the operator tries to keep the games fresh to keep earnings up.

You can edit the list of games on Pinformer if you wish. I try and keep it up to date with any games I find on location, as do several other members here on the forum too. I wouldn't go searching out a game to play that's on Pinformer if the last update was ten years ago, but it is a good resource otherwise for more recent entries.
 
JohnD83 said:
Thanks I Tiltalot, I was in HMV yesterday, all the machines are different to the one's on Pinformer so im not sure how accurate it is. They have 3 tables, all stern, a Shrek, Terminator3 and The Rolling Stones. All look in great condition and couldn't resist afew turns on each :)
Click to expand...
Theres a little chinese place near you that has a Whitewater in it. Play that while you wait for your chinese ;).
I'll find out what it's called. 1 min..

Overseas chinese takeaway in Sedgefield

Oh and don't forget to update pinformer! I use it quite alot when i travel so would be nice to keep it up to date
 
@darren_ross thanks. Pinball and Chinese food, what could be better?
I was checking youtube just last night and stumbled across Whitewater, Looks the dogs danglies so will have a drive over ;)
I'll also update Pinformer :thumbs:
 
Welcome John.

If you are ever down Leeds there are a few places to play. There is even a brand new Ghostbusters in a pub.

£1500 should get you a nice starter machine off this site. The one piece of advice I always give to people buying their first machine is - it WILL break. It may just be the odd bulb that needs replacing over time or something much worse but it WILL break. For many of us, fixing them is the best part of the hobby.

Oh and remember, pinball machines are like chipmunks, you should really buy them in pairs. :)
 
Another way to see what tables you may like is to try The Pinball Arcade on a mobile or computer .

It's not the real thing but it's a computer version of real tables, it's helped to get many people into pinball myself included.
 
Andrew Stockdale said:
Welcome John.

If you are ever down Leeds there are a few places to play. There is even a brand new Ghostbusters in a pub.

£1500 should get you a nice starter machine off this site. The one piece of advice I always give to people buying their first machine is - it WILL break. It may just be the odd bulb that needs replacing over time or something much worse but it WILL break. For many of us, fixing them is the best part of the hobby.

Oh and remember, pinball machines are like chipmunks, you should really buy them in pairs. :)
Click to expand...
So bored when none of my machines are broken. I like fixing them up too much. All starts with just one, but you can't just have one can you :p
 
darren_ross said:
So bored when none of my machines are broken. I like fixing them up too much. All starts with just one, but you can't just have one can you :p
Click to expand...
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is. :)

Pinballs are like Munchies. I dare you to have just the one.
 
Luckily the missus is just as keen to play as I am so I dont think I'll have trouble convinci g her. Im nott afraid of tinkering either, and the missus seem to be just as keen as i am...
We are going up to NERG on Sunday for a good look around. Should be fun and hopefully see what sort of machine I'll be aiming for...
Any sort of machine I should be looking at while im there? ( I've heard Lethal Weapon 3) Might try and get afew games on the ones likely to be in budget, to give me a better idea of what to go for. :)
 
Walk down the pinball aisle and between playing games grab people wearing a crew badge and start asking questions
If you accidentally grab me, don't worry I'll point you at someone who knows what they're talking about.
 
JohnD83 said:
Luckily the missus is just as keen to play as I am so I dont think I'll have trouble convinci g her. Im nott afraid of tinkering either, and the missus seem to be just as keen as i am...
We are going up to NERG on Sunday for a good look around. Should be fun and hopefully see what sort of machine I'll be aiming for...
Any sort of machine I should be looking at while im there? ( I've heard Lethal Weapon 3) Might try and get afew games on the ones likely to be in budget, to give me a better idea of what to go for. :)
Click to expand...
Lethal Weapon 3 is a good game but I would recommend a Bally/Williams. There are a broader spectrum of games and spares are much easier to come by.
Look at games like Demolition Man, Judge Dredd, Fish Tales, Dr Who, The Shadow, Flintstones etc etc.
 
Getting the second pin from the same manufacturer and same age as the first can also help when learning about repairs, as you can move parts from one to the other or have something else to compare it against.

But if your wife's into pinball your better off getting 2 to start with so your not fighting over who's playing next!
 
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