Favourite EM's

[Crashramp]

I haven't played that many EM's so I was wondering what some of the members here favourites were? Generally when I think of these machines I just think Beautiful art but I'm interested to know more about them. I have to say though, pictures of the cabinet insides and backbox score reels scare the hell out of me.

[Freiherr]

I have many fond memories of playing EMs in milk bars, barbers and fruit shops and learning all the skills and ways of popping free games.
My 5 favourite EMs that are plastered in my head for life are:

1. North Star - Gottlieb 1964
2. Golden Arrow - Gottlieb 1977
3. Centigrade 37 - Gottlieb 1977
4. Flying Carpet - Gottlieb 1972
5. Jacks Open - Gottlieb 1977

As you can see, I favoured Gottliebs for EMs, and for me 1977 was the pinacle of EM play. This may be biased as I loved the new EMs while I was a teenager and the speed of play was faster in the later years of EMs. I must say that earlier EMs have fantastic art and detail, every machine has it's own character but these 5 keep coming into my head when anyone mentions EMs.

[oldskool1969]

Ah yes, the soul of pinball!
I love my Surf Champ that APR restored for me, beautiful art, challenging game play, sounds are AWESOME and it smells real good when you open her up!
Also love m 2001, currently in a state of repair, but as per above and it has the most drop targets of ANY machine, 20!
everyone needs at least one EM.
Also looking forward to WNBJM, super excited.    

[Retropin]

Oh dear - too many to choose from.
WMS APOLLO is by far one of my favourite games.. couple that with WMS ROCKET and you have my 2 favourite games to play in my collection. Nothing deep on these.. its not a rule set you have to work through. It is purely pinball.. hit A and then hit B do that a few times and then hit C to get  advanced in the bonus system. Yeh yeh... far too simple until you have to do it. The position of the individual components are what make a great EM.. simple games but on a GREAT game that extra ball or bonus game is just beyond reach and beating that sucker keeps you coming back for more.
I don't really go for the GTB titles unless they are early pre 70's. By then they were too focused on drop targets as #1 targets.. there's not much more to shoot for in a 70's GTB game and although cool, I like a bit more variety in my shots. Around this time though WMS had lost the plot and made basic " keep the ball alive" games. Bally were not even on the radar with their games and so GTB was labelled king with one predominant feature... drop targets.
A 1960's WMS game though is a really really good game and can be bought for much less than a GTB. They had drops.. DC flippers and the games packed a real punch with super fast clear coat PF's. Most are reverse wedge heads and so are wider at the bottom than the top. If you are offered one - snap it up as you wont be disappointed. At this time, WMS were 20 years ahead but the market didn't reflect that.. but what WMS did in the 60's, ALL pinball manufacturers emulated in the 80's. Then you have BALLY.. multiball and Zipper Flippers.. oh my oh my.. what great games they are.
The brass relays in an EM.. well.. yes it can look daunting but if you can work through an SS by using TTL logic then you can work through an EM.. they are exactly the same but instead of a chip gate you have a leaf switch.. each leaf switch is ganged to a relay and each relay is  the equivalent of an IC in an SS... simple.
Go buy any EM and have a play around.. you cant blow them up, they are as solid as solid can be. I love them and as said before.. the smell of an EM?? One sniff and its an addiction.

[GORGAR 1]

Not really a EM guy but I'll always have a soft spot for Playball as it started pinball for me at age 12 when dad bought it for my birthday :) and second would be Old Chicago as I sold playball to purchase that great 4 player EM.

[Caveoftreasures]

I have played hundreds of different titles and every sort of pinball EXCEPT a EM sadly.

I have visited many many collectors and never seen a EM in anyone's collection ever over last 7 plus years.
That's why the soon to be released Stern Whoa Nellie Big Tits title really interests me.
It looks awesome and it's going to look n feel like a EM.

I am assuming it will be faithful EM ? Hardware on the inside but just 2015 stuff or is it going to look like a EM and have score reels and will everything else that is hidden be not EM stuff ?

Gav seems to be the EM specialist on here amongst some others.
If this EM stuff is still going after so many years, it must have been a dam good design ?
The only thing I have heard is u must use a certain type of oil or grease for some moving parts.
Happy to hear about the magic of this style of pinny,s mechanics if anyone has the time to share n post some info for people like me who don't have any knowledge on these beauties. Thanks in advance....

[Strangeways]

No secret that I love EMs. They have character, artwork, playability and that great aroma that only EMs have. There are so many brilliant EMs, so very hard to narrow down, but I'll have a crack.

#1 - GTB "Spirit of 76" - So many game after this title used a similar DT setup. Amazing artwork, theme and playability.
#2 - Bally "Nip It" - Zipper flippers and Balligator. Amazing artwork. Slow game, but fun. Seen on "Happy Days"
#3 - Bally "Fireball" - Iconic. Unbelievably great player. Zipper flipper and EM multiball.
#4 - Williams "Winner" - Strange game. Has a playfield window with mechanical horses. Considered more of a novelty than a real pinball ! Is a widebody.
#5 - GTB "Sky Jump" - Drop targets, amazing bonus ruleset with the pop bumper and spotted drop target. Great artwork

There's more - but that's a start !

There's certainly an art to repairing EMs. nothing more rewarding. Reading a schematic is like knowing another language. I find EM repairs to be a journey into real "logic".

[Freiherr]

The only thing I have heard is u must use a certain type of oil or grease for some moving parts.

Whoa Nellie!!!!!!

Oil or grease in an EM will create an insulating jelly between metal parts...one step to disaster.

[Caveoftreasures]

I wish I could network with your brain Nino and download all your decades of pinball knowledge.
I feel ripped off sometimes I only started collecting pins and playing them really only 7 years ago.

I wish I had pinball in my youth like a lot of you did.
I lived in the country when I was young and there were no pinballs.
Girls, cars, roadbikes and alcohol, but no dam pinnies.

It wasn't til I saw a pinball in apx 2007 ish that I remembered one game on one Pinny only when I was 8 in 1978 (Williams Phoenix).

Still haven't played a EM. Most people born in 1970 like me probably played heaps of EM,s.

Going to look up those 5 titles u mentioned. If u say they are the best then they must be good.
Do u own most of those 5 titles Nino ?

Some photos one day when u ain't busy would be cool.
Knowing you, they would be getting the full APR Resto if they haven't already.

[Caveoftreasures]

The only thing I have heard is u must use a certain type of oil or grease for some moving parts.

Whoa Nellie!!!!!!

Oil or grease in an EM will create an insulating jelly between metal parts...one step to disaster.

Ok. Good to know.
Where did I read about EM,s and lubrication. Maybe I got it back to front ? And have the wrong idea ?

[millsy]

Any Bally with Zipper Flippers.
If you like the sound of the knocker happening a lot - Gottlieb Sweethearts
Gameplay - Centigrade 37

[Caveoftreasures]

What is this SMELL everyone talks about.

What does it smell like ???

It's got me intrigued....

Can u give a real life example of the smell ?
Wood and metal smells ? How can it retain that certain smell also after so so many years ?
I am completely in the dark on what you guys mean ? Smell ?

[Freiherr]

The smell of an EM?
Caramelised carbon and wood warmed by electromagnet arcs and incadescent bulbs.

[guyricho]

What is this SMELL everyone talks about.

What does it smell like ???

It's got me intrigued....

Can u give a real life example of the smell ?
Wood and metal smells ? How can it retain that certain smell also after so so many years ?
I am completely in the dark on what you guys mean ? Smell ?

I know the smell in question
If you were to mix the following smells together - old ashtray +Burnt wires + musty Old wood + Old grease
for some reason it isn't that offensive

Now as for the best EM does Mata Hari count?

regards Rich

[Freiherr]

Now as for the best EM does Mata Hari count?

regards Rich

Transitional borderline.

Very rare indeed!

Either way, a nice Bally.