Did old time operators prefer one brand over the others?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

When I first started to play pinball (about 10yo) (Mid to late 70's) I had two main places to play.
The fish and chip shop near our house and the local arcade (about a kilometer away)

I have been feeling a little nostalgic lately and had been thinking about my early pinball memories and I realized both locations seemed to favor one manufacturer over the others.
The operator who had his games in the fish and chip shop seemed to favor Gottlieb’s, I remember playing ‘Quick draw’, ‘Mustang’, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sinbad’ (I think there was a couple of Zac EM’s there at some stage, but I cannot recall details) there.

The arcade, who was an owner operator, had ‘Space Oddesy’, ‘Grand Prix’, ‘Dealers choice’ and ‘Hot Tip’, all Williams games. (though there may have been a couple of Gottliebs)

So I have been wondering if the operators in the 70’s stuck to one company over the others?
Or am I seeing a pattern where none really existed?

[Strangeways]

Great question - I can answer with the experience that my Father had during his route days.

Gottlieb EMs - Ruled the late 60's and 70's. Late 60's was Williams time and early 70's. Bally's were not as reliable. Generally speaking, Gottliebs were more reliable and were definitely the prefferred EM

Bally SS - Ruled the late 70's and early 80s. Stern were ok, but Bally had no competition. Williams SYS4/6 were unreliable and were poor earners anyway. Gottlieb had lost their way and system ones were hopeless. Dad used to make shelving out of parted out system 1 and Williams machines.

I know Dad stuck to Gottlieb EMs and Bally SS in the 70's. I recall dropping 20 - 30 system one and Williams sys 4/6 to the tip. I was only a child, but I remember it like yesterday.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Great question - I can answer with the experience that my Father had during his route days.

I figured that, but I thought it would make a more interesting post than a simple PM to you

Thanks

[Homepin]

The large operator I worked for in Brisbane in the early days of SS was just changing over from EM and probably had about 2000 EM machines. After initially buying half a dozen of every new release SS game from all manufacturers it was quickly realised the the early SS Gottliebs didn't make any money and were forever breaking down with serious electronic problems.

After a year or so this operator stopped buying Gottliebs mainly because they just didn't make any money!

Williams and Bally machines ruled the roost at that place after this.

[billstats]

 <..>how,s that....taking those e.m pinballs to the tip ,the operators probably made plenty of cash off them,& then updated to newer pinballs ,i remember in the early 1980,s they were selling electromehanical gottlieb pinballs in the newspaper classifieds for $120 -$150 in working condition ,I was 13 yea ^&^rs old ,& begged my parents but they said no...

[Strangeways]

<..>how,s that....taking those e.m pinballs to the tip ,the operators probably made plenty of cash off them,& then updated to newer pinballs ,i remember in the early 1980,s they were selling electromehanical gottlieb pinballs in the newspaper classifieds for $120 -$150 in working condition ,I was 13 yea ^&^rs old ,& begged my parents but they said no...

could not even give them away in the old days. In fact, Dad "gave" them away at school fetes and charities. He once asked me to pick out my "best buddies" and he gave them an EM each. Friend of mine STILL has the GTB "Surfer". Seriously - system ones were thrown away - no one wanted them.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

<..>how,s that....taking those e.m pinballs to the tip ,the operators probably made plenty of cash off them,& then updated to newer pinballs ,i remember in the early 1980,s they were selling electromehanical gottlieb pinballs in the newspaper classifieds for $120 -$150 in working condition ,I was 13 yea ^&^rs old ,& begged my parents but they said no...

That is where I started
First game purchaced, Sure Shot (Gottlieb EM from 1975)
purchaced from local operator in 1982 for $110
($120 would have bought a two player game)

[Extra Ball]

Me and dad grabbed saturdays paper early to scan the for-sales, and garage sales for pinnys.
100 bucks was the going rate in the early 80's, we sometimes got them much cheaper. I remember buying an Orbit 1 (it wasnt that old at the time, and our first SS) for 200 bucks, crap game, but the sounds were revolutionary compared to our EMs. Remember buying a mint Vulcan for 100, and selling in on for 300 to a Sydney guy the next week (we couldnt get it going). We maintained EMs buy wrecking EMs, if dad couldnt get a machine working within a week it was toast. The shed was full at 12 or so pins, with 8 or so wrecked and parts stored under benches. Shame I lost interest back then when I later got my license, discovered alcohol, pool rooms, and video games  All those machines from my childhood would be great to have back, but they are some of the best memories of my the time with dad.

Dad wasnt an OP, but he liked Bally.

[Mr Pinbologist]

The old Pinball Parlor in Port Macquarie where i grew up, had mainly Stern machines in the mid to late eighties when i got into pinnies, namely Dracula, Cosmic Princess, Hot hand, Galaxy and Ali, and Stingray (which i bought and still own  

He also had some system 1 Gottliebs, Roller Disco, Countdown, Solar ride and Buck Rogers. (I also own the same exact Solar ride and Buck from that place). And one Bally, six million $man. i know he hated the sys1 gottliebs, because i can remember being ther several times and hearing him swearing at them when they didnt work

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Me and dad grabbed saturdays paper early to scan the for-sales, and garage sales for pinnys.
100 bucks was the going rate in the early 80's, we sometimes got them much cheaper. I remember buying an Orbit 1 (it wasnt that old at the time, and our first SS) for 200 bucks, crap game, but the sounds were revolutionary compared to our EMs.

Dad wasnt an OP, but he liked Bally.

Better not tell the tale of my $400 Playboy (Bally) then
;)

[Extra Ball]

Me and dad grabbed saturdays paper early to scan the for-sales, and garage sales for pinnys.
100 bucks was the going rate in the early 80's, we sometimes got them much cheaper. I remember buying an Orbit 1 (it wasnt that old at the time, and our first SS) for 200 bucks, crap game, but the sounds were revolutionary compared to our EMs.

Dad wasnt an OP, but he liked Bally.

Better not tell the tale of my $400 Playboy (Bally) then
;)

still have it?