Well I'm a day early but it's the local footy finals tomorrow so I may not get a chance tomorrow so here it is today instead.
1. Earliest pinball memory?
My earliest pinball Memory was at around the age of 10 (circa 1982) while on a family holiday at the Walwa caravan park we went up to the pub for dinner one night and there was a pinball machine there. Walwa was a spot we went to every year with at least 3 or 4 of dad’s brothers and sisters (he’s one of 9) so there was always lots of cousins to run around with. It was a long time ago now but this night at the pub dad and my uncles had probably had quite a few frothy’s because they kept giving us coins to feed into the pinball so basically all night my cousins and I gave that machine hell. I’ve no idea what the name of the machine was now but I do remember a card theme and drop targets (that really narrowed it down didn’t it).
2. All time favorite pin? Why?
That’s a hard one. The machine I’m most sentimental about is the Data East Star Wars machine. This was the machine that me and my mates would play the most when it was new and I clearly remember thinking how go it would be if I could own one day.
It did take a few years to get back to that thought but it always stuck with me and it was the first machine that I brought.
3. Favorite pinball manufacture?
I really don’t have a favourite manufacturer but I am strongly drawn to the themes and art work on many of the early 80’s Bally machines and I really enjoy playing them to.
4. Favorite game in your collection? Why?
Flash Gordon! Mine is in pieces at the moment but I love it. It’s my first real full restoration and the theme is fantastic. This was not a machine I’d heard of before I started collecting but I loved the movie as a kid, so when I saw one for the first time I just had to have it. Now that I have it, it’s not just the theme that appeals but the game play. If you’re playing a nice Flash Gordon expect very short ball times. It’s a fast and brutal game but very rewarding when you get a good ball.
5. How long have you been collecting?
I think it was March 2012 when I brought my first machine. There was only going to be one or two.
6. First game and how did you find it?
As above, Data East Star Wars which I found on Ebay. What a painful lesson that was to. I won’t go into detail but needless to say what I payed for and what I received were two very different things. The seller was very helpful though, when i brought the problems to his attention he told me to go away and not contact him again.
7. Do you still have it?
Yes I do and I’ve very proud of the way it looks and plays. It was an absolute basket case when I first brought it and now it plays like a new machine and is fairly tidy to look at to. I have to say though. I did get a lot of help with it as there was some serious issues with the boards and many wires under the playfield and in the cabinet were simply not connected and some of the ones that were, were only just holding with some sticky tape. Oh almost forgot about some of the connectors with nails poked in where the pins should be. Actually someone had really gone to town with the nails as they also replaced the pins in the flipper arms with some really nice bent over ones.
8. What are you currently working on?
Ha Ha great question. All of them!
I think that’s one of the first things you learn when you start collecting 30 year old boxes of wood. They all need work.
In particular I’m working on Flash Gordon. Happily I’ve had everything back in the machine and it all works so that was great. Now I’m working on a new cabinet which will hopefully be ready for painting in the next month and everything can go back in again.
9. Most wanted game to add to your collection?
Not sure. A really nice Fathom or Medusa would certainly turn my head but at the moment I’d rather concentrate my time and money into making the machines I have as good as possible.
10. Best all time bargain game added to your collection?
Pinball Bargain? No unfortunately never in the right place at the right time. Besides I'm not the best at negotiating a price down, If I want it I’m too impatient to bargain very hard.
11. Worst ever miss – tell us about the one that got away!
Buck Rogers. I hadn’t long been collecting pins and one came up on eBay located in Myrtleford, a little town less than an hour away from me. As far as picking up pinballs is concerned, that’s practically right next door. The playfield and back glass looked nice and it was apparently all working. It ended up going for around $1100 or $1200 and I really wish I’d gone a little harder to get it.
12. Worst ever purchase – tell us about the game you wished you never bought
I don’t regret the purchase but I wish I’d known more before I purchased Star Wars. It would have been reasonably priced in the condition I brought it in for half the money I paid but I learned a hell of a from the problems on that machine.
13. Describe your collection
It’s a mixed bag. I don’t have to love the theme of a pinball machine to enjoy it but it really helps, so I have a lot of sci-fi themed pins. I have a couple of DMD machines as well as some SS games.
14. Describe your gamesroom
Well we’d renovated our house about two years ago and built a space as a games room. It was supposed to be a place to put the pool table and a couple of pins and be used as a bit of a hide away from the kids but as it’s turned out the kids hardly use the family room and there always in the games room. So not much of a hideout after all. Dont ask me which pin has the best sounds because mine are usually being drowned out by Dora the Explorer on the TV.
15. Do you have other games other than pinball?
No, no other coin op games anyway. I have a nice pool table which doesn’t get much play time but it’s great when people come around and it’s a nice piece of furniture to have when it’s not being used.
16. Where can you see the hobby in 10 years?
No Idea, Hopefully they’re still being made and that there’s still interest in the older games as well. I'd love to see more quality licenced reproduction parts in the market place also.
