BE PROUD - YOUR THOUGHTS

[Caveoftreasures]

I have been thinking for a while, that whilst PINBALL is declining in most countries, almost all of Europe, and even in the USA pro-rata, Pinball in AUSTRALIA is absolutely BOOMING. Where else in the world has PINBALL been so widely imported/ or even re-imported ?. I mean every machine that leaves the USA or Europe, is probably never ever going back. US LUCKY BASTARDS HAVE THEM. It someday feels like other people are letting us COLLECT THEIR GOLD.  SSShhhh, dont tell anyone in the USA or Europe to stop sending those containers. Us Aussies know when we are onto a good thing ! lol 

THINK about the large amount of containers that have been imported into AUSTRALIA this last 3 or so years, plus ALL the large numbers currently coming in.
I would go as far as saying that at least a few thousand machines, if not much more, have been imported and have been BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. Aint that GREAT.
The good thing, is that nearly ALL of these machines will never see a rubbish pile again, and will stay CHERISHED for many many years to come in peoples COLLECTIONS.

Ask yourself, how many pins did u have say 4 or 5 years ago. How many do u have now ? How many will you have in another 3 or 4 years ?

Sooner or later I hope to set up a PINBALL CAFE here on the Gold Coast/Brisbane. It may take me another year or two, but i hope to get there. There seems to be no PINBALL PLACES really left in AUSTRALIA. The dream of walking into a modern establishment, and seeing 30 or 40 plus pinballs all set up for everyone to enjoy, beats having 30 at home only enjoyed by a few. Hopefully someone in another state will beat me to it, but hell, you cant stop dreaming.

I enjoyed the SPECIAL WHEN LIT movie, but seeing some AUSTRALIAN involvemnt would have been satisfying. I reckon if someone travelled around to say a few dozen of our own AUSSIE PINBALL MEMBERS houses, visited some of the medium to larger collections, even anyone who has just one machine, I reckon we could make anyone else in the WORLD, PROUD of just how DAM POSITIVE us AUSSIES are about PINBALL. ALSO, when u watch that USA Special when Lit movie, it made me think that AUSSIES are just as keen as the yanks, even keener. I dont think anyone in the world is collecting PINBALL any where near like AUSSIES are today.

There is nothing sweeter than walking into a room with a whack of PINBALL MACHINES ALL LIT UP.  Its even better when you walk into someone elses house and see their collections. It makes me PROUD to see just how much AUSSIES are doing for PINBALL.  ALOT of COLLECTING going on !

If u ever start getting a little bored of PINBALL, walk up the road, meet a neighbour you havent talked to before, invite them down for a game and watch their face.
It ignites the pinball passion again. Even the kid next door will blow you away when he sees inside your garage.

WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS.   



 

[vinito]

I believe you are correct.
I had to liquidate my collection a few years back. One of the games was a TZ and I sold it to a nice guy who fixes up games and his collection rotates over time. We're both in USA.
A few months later, I swear I saw some pictures of my old TZ from a happy new owner who I'm pretty sure was in OZ if memory serves. Note that I lived with this game for a couple years and knew it pretty well of course, so recognizing it as my old machine wasn't just wishful thinking. That game has more interesting travels than I have to be sure.

These days I'm into a couple other hobbies (cheaper ones ;) ), but still hope to get a couple machines set up and running possibly later this year. Then maybe I won't be such a stranger.

Also I have to add that I'm not much into nationalism and I really enjoy the camaraderie of this forum more than any other pinball site on the web. So you are not only building a major incoming pipeline of machines from the rest of the world, it's obvious you south polers genuinely enjoy pinball arguably more than the rest of us anyway. Good for you.

Oh, that and the beer drinking too. You folks appear to enjoy the important stuff in the proper order.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

The future for my collection?

Last year I came to the realization that while I would like a collection of 100+ games, practicality I will only have the space/time to look after no more than 40 machines.
This has made me consider that I should be more picky about the games I add to the collection.
Would I like a handful of sys1’s, sys80’s, Zac’s, hyperball, Orbitor1, early SS William’s games? Yep
Would I get more satisfaction from some more up market/harder to get games? Probably

So I am going to be steering my collection in a different direction, buy less games per year, but better games when I do buy


As to collecting around the world, I think it is just as healthy here as it is in the USA. They just do it differently
Over there the prices are cheaper, they tend to buy and sell games more frequently.
Here, we seem to get attached to our games (as they cost so much), and we hold on to them.


It is a pity that pinball meets do not happen much here in Victoria
I plan on having one when I get a new house and have most of my babies set up to play (rather than just the 4 currently playable in the shed)

[Strangeways]

"WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS"

Probably much the same as it is now, but I will hopefully move to a bigger place on a larger property with a MASSIVE shed out the back. That way I can have all my games in one place and the majority set up. I will continue to source games overseas/locally and hoarde as many games as I can get my filthy hands on ! I would probably move into "Full time" Restoration at this point. Then my storage building will be renovated into a "classic" gamesroom / showrrom full of SS and EMs on 20c a play !

There are a lot of containers coming into the country. Over the last 2 years it has reached "saturation point" when supply is greater than demand. Along with the "Global financial crisis", it has lowered the prices of machines overseas (USA) and here. So while it might be a great idea to import a container from the USA at a cheap rate - the return will not be good. What is bought cheap overseas, is not necessarily selling well here. You just need to look at eBay for the proof. Also, collectors and buyers are become more and more fussy.

Yes - the scene is vibrant and there are many collections growing at the moment. Ten years ago, I thought I was one of the only people with pinballs in the gamesroom. Strangely enough, most of my friends have either a video cab or a pinball in their gamesroom. Just "talking" to people about the pinball passion gets them interested again.

Love your passion for the hobby, Brett 

[Caveoftreasures]

Thanks Nino. But really, I havent even come close to catching up to alot of other members who have been in the trenchs collecting longer than me. I wish i had of started 5 years ago rather than 2 years ago.lol  Espescially when they were cheaper. 

I know it sounds a little crazy, but these pinball machines almost become like your kids/pets after a short while. I am sure I am not the only crazy bugger who feels the same. I have a hit list I am still trying to collect. Gives me a reason to get outta bed most days. 







 

[scozza]

"WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS"

Well I'd like to be back to where I was about 20 years ago.  Back then I had rotated 14 machines through my collection.  Unfortunately they have been sold over the years thanks to house moves etc.  If I end up with a couple of wooodrails, a Centigrade 37, and maybe some electronics I'lll be a very happy bunny (-:  Oh and there's always the machine we're building ourselves though I doubt that it will be all that collectable.

Cheers,

Scott.

[PinPal]

As I have 5. Machines, The Getaway, Party Zone, Flash, Bad Cats and Black Knight, I find it hard to part with eney of them for another game as room is an issue in my place. Like to own up to 10. games if I can cram them in.      love Pinball !!  

[beaky]

I am so looking forward to the pinball cafe Brett. Pinball machines running for hours non stop and lots of games being played means more break downs (sorry for the negative words mate) more break downs means more fault finding and repairs (which I love). Don't get me wrong I love a perfect working pinball machine but I love wrapping my brain around a fault that looks major but turns out to be a simple power supply rebuild or a just one I.C. To me there is nothing better than seeing some ones face light up when i tell them their dead pinball machine needs about $15 worth of parts and it will be as good as new.  Now where i see my collection in the future??? If my missus walks out on me I will have more pins than u can poke a stick at. But if she stays (which is the reality) maybe a couple more pins. By the way please spare me the lecture (personal joke   ) I will get there in the end bro.  You know I am joking mate ( about the lecture thing).  

[Caveoftreasures]

I think we would all have more pins if we were all unmarried. lol  

So far Andy, u have purchased/scored a really nice Black Knight 2000, a excellent Star Trek Next Generation Widebody, refurbished an amazing Last Action Hero, and have your next machine in your sights, being probably a Getaway High Speed 2. A good effort for only a 12 month period !  

[indazone gav]

"WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS"

Ideally, like everyone else, I'd love to have a bigger house with a bigger collection.
Realistically, I expect to have the same amount of machines with maybe 3 or 4 changes. I have 6 or 7 pins, a twin driver, a multigame arcade bizzo and my bar all set up in my gamesroom at any given time and its chocko block. I change up the games periodically depending on my mood and whats around. For me its all about the space.
Cheers Gav

[Homepin]

"BE PROUD - YOUR THOUGHTS"

and I thought this thread was going to be about gay pride........

[andrew (nob)]

"WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS"

My collection - Unfortunately I dont have the room for any more (and this is the house i'll die in). I've got 9 now, and realistically have enough room for 4. I didnt get my first until about 5 years ago, so realistically i'll have about 30 in 5 years time.

I believe there is a renaissance happening with pinball in oz at the moment. Within walking distance of my house in Newtown, Sydney, (I consider walking distance to be within an hour) there are at least 30 machines in Pubs. To be honest I cant remember ever having that many machines to choose from over the last 20 years. Over the last year i've seen pubs that havent had pinballs in 10 years get them in.

The last couple of times I've had people over - the excitement and enjoyment they got from playing was amazing. Comments like "i havent played in 20 years, I forgot how much fun they are" and watching kids from 3 to 9 play machines is what we need to keep pushing to keep this alive.

andrew

[FreePlay]

Pubs in the inner West Sydney are definately going pin crazy. I have 3 pubs within a 10 minute walk from home that have pins. Newtown as you say is full of them

[Caveoftreasures]

"BE PROUD - YOUR THOUGHTS"

and I thought this thread was going to be about gay pride........

Ummmmmm No. Definately not.
Married to a woman with 3 kids. lol  

I shall refrain from some excellent jokes due to political correctness.  

[Mr Pinbologist]

"WHERE WILL YOUR PINBALL COLLECTION BE IN 5 YEARS"

In 5 yrs time they should ALL be fully restored (i hope)   and hopefully i will have moved to a bigger place with more room so i can have them all set up and running.
I currently have six games in the resto queue, and all but one are titles that i played in my youth. I dont see the collection getting much bigger really, mainly because of the lack of space thing at the moment, and i'm at a point now where i will consider selling off some of the games i bought that i wasnt looking for.. i.e games i own that i had never seen or played before. That plan will be put into effect very soon as i'm doing a swap with another AP member for one of his games!! one that im half way thru restoring and he will finish the job  

I think we would all have more pins if we were all unmarried. lol

Thats why i was able to buy the pins i have recently bought.. no one to tell me i cant have them.. one of the compensations of being single i guess, not by choice btw, just the way things have worked out so far but i wont go there   theres no way i would've been able to buy KISS, Quick Draw, Stellar Wars or Cosmic princess if i were married, as i paid fairly big $$ for most of them.

Also id like to think i'll still be repairing/restoring for others as i am now. So far all of the work i have done has been thru word of mouth, people hearing about me and coming looking for me. for ages i have been thinking of starting a small business doing repairs etc but so far i havent done much about it. i like the idea of working doing something, even if only part time that i enjoy