Locations and condition of the machines

msilcommand · Apr 8, 2019

I use pinballmap for some of this, but I thought it might be useful if we had a place to just drop off info after we play a pin somewhere. Maybe we could even send it to pinballmaps for the data once we put together a large enough list.

msilcommand · Apr 8, 2019

Shady Nook in Brea, CA
*dive bar

Machine: Attack from Mars
Condition: poor
Notes:

The bad:
- Payfield worn through and uneven in many spots
- "T" spot target missing, leaving hole
- Left coin slot doesn't register coins and doesn't return them
- Rubber is beat and Jets and Slings are beat
- The Stroke of Luck lock lit reward makes a shot on an open saucer register as a ball lock, instead of destroying the saucer
- Ball gets stuck on missing T spot hole, ramp triggers, and the metal flashing behind lock lane
The good?:
- Machine has a very high tilt threshold, and staff don't care about machine, so if you're that kind of person, you could exploit it
- No wires behind flippers, so ball can be banged back into play pretty easily
- Skillshot is pretty much automatic on the left rollover, without doing anything, because plunger is not crisp
- During attack phase, machine sometimes doubles and triples registration of shots to open saucer, so you can open access to destroy the saucer in one hit pretty often
- Flipper motors must have been replaced in the past few years, although they seemed to have skipped the rubber, so catches are easy, but the hot flippers make the ball fly a lot
- Light switch near the machine turns it on/off, so if a ball gets stuck, you can toggle it yourself. Just be weary of credits you put in.

I feel bad for this machine, and wish someone would save it from that place.

EldarOfSuburbia · Apr 8, 2019

msilcommand said:
I feel bad for this machine, and wish someone would save it from that place.

Just pull up a truck and haul it out. I doubt they would notice.

msilcommand · Apr 8, 2019

EldarOfSuburbia said:
Just pull up a truck and haul it out. I doubt they would notice.

I was thinking more along the lines of someone making an offer to buy or trade an arcade for it. They obviously don't want to do the upkeep, so they'd probably welcome a trade for a dive bar type cade.

shutyertrap · Apr 8, 2019

Take a look at the coin door and apron. If the machine is on route thanks to an operator, you'd be better off just calling them, as the bar probably doesn't even have keys to the machine.

There's a place in Old Town Fullerton on Harbor you might want to check out, called Lost Levels. They specialize in old consoles and games, almost as a museum, but also have 4 or 5 machines on site. Typically it's newer Sterns.

If you head north instead of south on the 57, I know in San Dimas at Chaparelle Lanes they usually have 3 tables, and off the 60 at the Puente Hills Mall there is a bowling ally called Round 1 that has 6 machines.

One of these days I need to go check out Mission Control in Santa Ana and Acye Gogi in the valley, who's pinball collection is apparently stellar in quality.

For the most part I just wait for the Museum of Pinball to have one of their 3 yearly events and then get 12 hours of pinball in to tide me over till next time!

Lroy · Apr 8, 2019

Is this thread North America exclusively or can us Europeans also contribute? I'm based in the UK and am slowly starting to research and discover real-life tables in around where I live.

I guess, location details and photos are only really going to be of use if we have other UK or nearby members on this forum?

For example, further afield from me, I know there's apparently a great Pinball Museum (entry on the door and free play on the tables) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Loads of the old EMs and well known SS tables. A mate based over there recently told me about it and showed me some pics. Definitely worth a visit if you're Dutch at least!

msilcommand · Apr 9, 2019

Lroy said:
Is this thread North America exclusively or can us Europeans also contribute? I'm based in the UK and am slowly starting to research and discover real-life tables in around where I live.

I guess, location details and photos are only really going to be of use if we have other UK or nearby members on this forum?

For example, further afield from me, I know there's apparently a great Pinball Museum (entry on the door and free play on the tables) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Loads of the old EMs and well known SS tables. A mate based over there recently told me about it and showed me some pics. Definitely worth a visit if you're Dutch at least!

I would say it is for anyone from anywhere. Some day someone traveling in your area may be looking for pins to play on, and come across this thread, and get some ideas from your input! So, yes, please contribute. Invite your UK friends to join too. The more quality pinheads here, the better.

Lroy · Apr 9, 2019

Cool, when I get out to this pub which apparently is a 'pinball pub' in the next city over from me and get my hands on the pins I'll post some photos. Just a logistical hurdle getting out for any adult time as I have two young children and a wife to keep sweet, lol!

ATARI · Apr 9, 2019

Tilt Birmingham UK, good place to play pinball and have a beer. Google Tilt Birmingham for reviews and location. I live in Stoke On Trent only one I know of here is in my spare room.

Lroy · Apr 9, 2019

ATARI said:
Tilt Birmingham UK, good place to play pinball and have a beer. Google Tilt Birmingham for reviews and location. I live in Stoke On Trent only one I know of here is in my spare room.

That's precisely the pub I was talking about

Lroy · Apr 21, 2019

Made it out to TILT in Birmingham over the Easter break, glorious weather and got hands on with some incredible real-life tables.

https://tiltbrum.com/#/pinball/

This was my first experience with these tables in the flesh so pretty exciting for me as you can imagine. So please excuse my spamming of the thread with pics...

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Lroy · Apr 21, 2019

More to follow...

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msilcommand · Apr 21, 2019

Lroy · Apr 21, 2019