Author Topic: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427  (Read 6710 times)

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Offline Strangeways

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Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« on: February 03, 2012, 11:04:08 AM »

Hopefully this will take off again with the new members that have joined since the last Questionnaire  &&

Just follow the format of other responses;

1. Earliest pinball memory?
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
3. Favorite pinball manufacture?
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
5. How long have you been collecting?
6. First game and how did you find it?
7. Do you still have it?
8. What are you currently working on?
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
13. Describe your collection
14. Describe your gamesroom
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?

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Offline TUF-427

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2012, 11:06:09 PM »
1. Earliest pinball memory?

Ok plenty of deep dark pinball memories swimming around,
I think the earliest reasonably clear memory I have would be family trips up to the Sunshine coast Area Queensland,
I would guess It was about mid to late 70s,
and their was an arcade in possibly Caloundra? Im not 100% sure on the exact location now(someone may be able to enlighten?),
But I remember playing Various EMs (cant remember titles Sorry) lots of stuff there still made with wood Rails,
and early Arcade Machines like the driving game that had a car on a stick with a rolling road under,Agricultural but no less addictive!

I think growing up in the usual suburban environment with the corner store within walking distance,
of which a couple of shops would always have machines on a rotational basis,
so I remember playing titles that came and went like Kiss,Gorgar,Bally Space Invaders(Yes the Video version too!), Phoenix,Black Night to name a few...

I think these early years Cemented My Interest in all things Arcade!

2. All time favorite pin? Why?

Its got to be A slam dunk for FIREPOWER

I really think this machine was the complete package for its time,
Super fast and flowing,Multiball,Great light show,Awesome Sound and Speech made Most of its predacessors seem slow and boring in comparison.
The background sound increasing in speed and pitch as you keep the ball alive longer,the tension built as it counts you down for multiball,
Just awesome for its time!
I Recon I didnt play one of these till mid 80s but it cemented its place as favorite in Stone from there...

3. Favorite pinball manufacture?

Williams for me seems to be the Maker that I gravitated to for machines i liked to play the most,
and didnt realise till I started collecting Last year that the machines I most liked were Also by the Same Designer,Steve Ritchie

4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?

Haha this is probably going to get a bit repetitive ,

But My all time favorite is still in my collection and I would hope will always be there Firepower....

Its funny Though I can go a week or two and not touch Fp and Play the Dmds I have T2 and Hs2,

 But when you have a game on FP its simple now in comparison to Later pins, but no less fun,

and I consider it more of a Players Game if that makes sense,good ball control and a bit more finesse required

5. How long have you been collecting?

Im Just a Pup in the Pinball collecting game Bought my first machine in Feb 2011.so 12 months.....

6. First game and how did you find it?

First game was also the Grail Pin,FIREPOWER

It all happened pretty Fast really I got keen on finding one so got on the net and the phone and ebay and everywhere else and started searching.....

Tried all the local Qld dealers no joy  (yeah Ive got one mate but its staying in my collection) or (havent seen one of those in a long time)

Posted on the forums looking (first post on AP!!!!)

Actually got onto MarkC somehow and found out he had one hiding in a euro container that Just landed,

So I decided to fly down for a look!

I had also been in contact with Daniel (DDstoys) for a much appreciated second opinion and some Pics,

so we met up at the warehouse it was stored for an inspection along with Tim Eltimbo86,

A couple of great AP members and much appreciated help for a Pin newbie they'd never met! Thanks Guys..

This was Mid Feb I think and I was flying out a week later for a prearranged Holiday to the USA,

 so I had to wait till I got back to organise freight etc for the pin,

Longest wait of my life!

Bought it as is not working,Some would consider this insanity for a first pin,

It Had a great condition fully mylared playfield,average Bg and Cab and gottileb flippers and a massive seperate flipper power supply.

Took me about a month to semi restore and fix and clean and restore wms flippers etc Very Very rewarding,

First game on a machine you have brought back from the dead after all those years priceless!

7. Do you still have it?

Yep its A keeper! Not for sale!

8. What are you currently working on?

F-14 Tomcat,Got a resto thread on that one currently ongoing.

Bought an early prototype Project machine with severe insert lift but no significant wear..
Being Clearcoated by me currently...

9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?

Hmm bit of a tough one this,

nothing comes straight to mind Possibly a TZ at some stage,

Maybe a NoFear Another Steve Ritchie Dmd...

10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?

My T2 wasnt a bad pickup a Reasonable bit below market value with an absolutely perfect playfield,

and apart for a bit of a cleanup and a couple of plastics still going strong With no issues

11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!

Myself and a couple of mates almost bought a Firepower off a distributor/operator in the Late 80s I think

Perfect fully shopped machine for I think around 6-800

Was going to go thirds and have it at my place,(Myself the only one that didnt live at home at that stage)

Was a fair bit of hoot back then I think I might have been a second or third year electrical apprentice at that stage.

the other two dropped out on me im still dirty!

12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought

nothing really falls into this category for me,

 but with the amount of work im putting into the F-14 I sometimes wonder.....

13. Describe your collection

Steve Ritchie classics!

FP,HS2,T2,F14 I like my machines fast obviously

I think I posted a bit of a wishlist here on AP when I decided to hunt down a machine,

didnt realise that my top 5 at least are all Williams Steve Ritchie pins..

Im sure as I go on I will diversify...

14. Describe your gamesroom

3 Pins in a spare bedroom at the moment,project in the garage..

working on something better...

15. Do you have other games other than pinball?

Not really,would like a cocktail video Game table at some stage with all the classics...

16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?

Not sure I am still a bit new to make an educated comment,

hopefully still going strong, I think the home collector is where its heading,

not sure how sited pins fair these days,hopefully they will make a resurgence like the 90s pins though...



« Last Edit: February 04, 2012, 03:27:41 AM by TUF-427 »
Firepower, F14 Tomcat, Terminator2, Twilight Zone, No Fear, TAF, Hyperball, Sttng....

Offline goodolddays

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2012, 11:42:59 PM »
Great writeup and you are going really well with your collection in only 12 months , and already into restoration too  :D

Gotta agree with you re Firepower . Mine is also a keeper and won't ever sell it .

You can't go wrong with pretty much any Steve Richie pin  I reckon.

Also great to see the Sunday Night Pinball Questionare alive again (and on a Friday night too)

Cheers
Dave
I need more room ! and more $$$

Offline Ballywannabe

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2012, 11:59:18 PM »
Nice ^^^

Great to hear stories from people who really love their pins!

Great you could get your 'holy grail' pin first up.  Never personally got into Firepower back in the day but I can see its attraction as a home pin.

cheers
Ian

Offline Prince

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2012, 12:01:04 AM »
I was about to say - it's not Sunday.
Never less, a great read and insight on your collection. Thanks for sharing.
Mr Steve Ritchie is all the rage at the moment.
SC.

Offline Strangeways

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2012, 12:31:13 AM »

That was an interesting read and I really do miss the Questionnaires. Interesting to see your first pin was a "Holy Grail" pin. Only took me 15 years to find mine  !@#

 ^^^
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Offline ddstoys

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2012, 12:52:09 AM »
Great read Pete.     I also miss these questionnaires so put your name down anyone who hasn't had a go.

 As for firepower Pete glad to help out ^^^. My stellar wars also had the seperate transformer for the flippers and what a monster of a thing.

Offline Mr Pinbologist

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2012, 03:19:56 AM »
Great read, thanks for sharing, i too am glad to see the Sunday Pinball Questionaire happening again $#$ Doesnt matter that this one was a couple of days early, just shows your enthusiasm to participate  ^^^ ^^^ I've never played Firepower, i know there is a lot of love for that title here, hoping to get the chance to play one someday..

That was an interesting read and I really do miss the Questionnaires. Interesting to see your first pin was a "Holy Grail" pin. Only took me 15 years to find mine  !@#

 ^^^

+1 i think its awesome that your 1st pin was your "holy grail". took me about 22 years to get mine... after missing out on it about that long ago and now i own it (Kiss) The very same game i missed out on!!
Sorry to get off track.. once again thanks for an excellent read  ^^^ now lets see if we can get a few more people to put their hands up to have a go  *%* *%*
Or better yet lets just start nominating people  :D i know at least one member id like to nominate  #@# #@#

Offline TUF-427

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2012, 03:25:20 AM »
Cheers for the comments guys sorry about it being a few days early got on a bit of a roll %$%

I hadnt ventured into this area until a few days ago great way to lose a few hours!

some great stories and pinball history,Fantastic section of the forum..Glad to help keep up the tradition ^^^

Peter...
Firepower, F14 Tomcat, Terminator2, Twilight Zone, No Fear, TAF, Hyperball, Sttng....

Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2012, 04:00:09 AM »
 ^^^ Thanks for the read

Offline ktm450

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2012, 12:42:38 PM »
Good to see the questionares are back, nice one  ^^^

Offline ajlaird

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Re: Sunday Pinball Questionnaire - part 64 - TUF-427
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2012, 01:02:16 AM »
Well done, enjoyed the read!

I find it fascinating to compare people's stories, and in particular to realise that so many of us have only recently got back into pinball.

Then there are those who have been collecting for years, even decades!!