Ask Uncle Willy #10: March 11, 1996

Here is a special installment of Ask Uncle Willy, where Uncle Willy tries to
shed some light on buying a pinball for home use.  Uncle Willy's mailbox has
been overflowing with inquiries about buying games, and how to fix them.

Uncle Willy answers your questions about pinball machines.  The questions
should be of a general-interest nature, and will be answered via an article
posted in rec.games.pinball, and subsequently archived at:

	http://www.wms.com/williams/willyworld.html

Asking questions of a proprietary nature ("How many of game X were produced?"
"What games do you have in the works for this fall?"  "What game is designer
Y working on?") will not get you very far, as Uncle Willy is constrained from
answering them.

Mail your questions for Uncle Willy to:

	uncle_willy@wms.com


Question:
    Can I buy games directly from Williams Electronics Games, Inc.?

Answer:
    Williams Electronics does not sell directly to end customers.  Much like
    an automobile company, Williams has a network of distributors throughout
    the world.  Your first stop in buying a new pinball or video game should
    be at your local distributor.  Likewise, if you are looking for parts for
    your pinball or video game, your distributor is the place to start look-
    ing.  The current list of distributors is available at this World Wide
    Web address: http://www.pinball.wms.com/dist.html.

Question:
    I want to buy an older pinball/video game.  Does Williams have Defenders
    and Firepowers in stock?

Answer:
    Williams Electronics is in the business of producing new arcade equipment.
    Games are produced to order, and shipped to distributors as they come off
    the assembly line.  Just like you wouldn't expect to go to your local
    Ford dealer and be able to buy a 1965 Mustang brand new, you would not be
    able to buy an older arcade game brand new.

Question:
    OK, then, where DO I go to find that classic arcade game?

Answer:
    This question has many answers, depending upon how much time you want to
    put into tracking down a particular game, how much work you want to put
    into making your game playable, and how much money you want to spend.

    The easiest way to buy a pinball or video game for home use is to go to
    a business that specializes in the sale of games to the home.  Look in
    the Yellow Pages under "Amusement Devices - Home", or some similar head-
    ing.  Also, the local advertising newspaper usually will have several
    such businesses advertising items for your game room.  Visit more than
    one such business, if possible, and take time to talk with the proprietors
    about what you are looking for.  If you have your heart set on a parti-
    cular game, it is usually possible to ask them to locate one for you.

    Don't expect a bargain from a home game room store.  The prices there tend
    to be high.  However, you must keep in mind what you are paying for.  The
    game you buy should be completely refurbished and working correctly.  The
    price should include delivery, setup, and some sort of warranty.  You will
    probably also get a handful of spare parts, such as pinball rubbers, lamps
    and fuses.  You also now have someone to call, should you have a problem
    with your game.  You can expect the store to have the parts on hand to
    fix the more common problems that might arise with your game.  You should
    also get the manual and schematics for your game.

    Another good place to check for used games is your local arcade distrib-
    utor.  Often, they will take games on trade-in from operators buying
    new games.  Some distributors will even cater to home sales, providing the
    sort of service that you can get from a game room store, although you
    should keep in mind that the distributor's main customer is the arcade
    owner or operator.

    If you are seriously thinking about diving into the hobby, and want to
    save money by fixing up your own games, you have many avenues from which
    to track down games.  This takes a lot of time and footwork, and Uncle
    Willy would refer you to the rec.games.pinball Frequently Asked Questions
    list, where you can find some excellent information on obtaining and
    restoring pinball machines.
    The newsgroup rec.games.pinball is another place to look for information,
    and to ask questions.

    For information on video game collecting, you should check out the news-
    group rec.games.video.arcade.collecting.  You can find the FAQ for that
    group at http://www.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~vecoven/rgvac/rgvacFAQ.html.

Question:
    Alright, now I have that classic pinball/video game I've always wanted,
    and I'm trying to fix it up.  Where do I get parts?

Answer:
    For game non-specific parts, you should check out the vendors listed in
    the Pinball Archive.  This is usually your best bet for pinball rubber,
    lamps, coils, flipper links and similar items.

    If the game in question is of recent manufacture (say five years or so),
    the best place to look is at your distributor.  They will either have
    parts in stock, or can order them for you.

    For an older game, you will have to look at secondary sources.  You should
    check out some of the resources listed at the Pinball Archive.  There are
    many businesses that cater to the pinball and video enthusiast.  Also,
    you should subscribe to a magazine, such as Game Room or pinGame Journal,
    to scan the classified ads for items for sale.  (Again, visit the Pinball
    Archive for the addresses to those magazines.)

    Williams also maintains a list of Secondary Resources for the benefit of
    collectors and enthusiasts.  This list is kept on-line on the World
    Wide Web at http://www.pinball.wms.com/oldgames.html.


Question:
    How do I find a manual for my pinball/video game?

Answer:
    At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the answer again depends
    upon the age of the game.  For a newer game, your local distributor is the
    best bet for purchasing a manual and schematics.  Otherwise, check out
    the Pinball Archive and the above-mentioned magazines for sources.

Question:    
    OK, I figure I can tackle the mechanical restoration of my new pinball,
    but right now it doesn't function.  When I turn it on, the lights come on,
    but I don't see anything in the displays, and I can't start a game.  What
    could be wrong?

Answer:
    Anyone who has helped people with repairing pinball games will have read
    the above question with a wry smile.  On many pinball games, the general
    illumination ("GI") lamps will light regardless of the condition of the
    "brains" of the pinball machine.  In fact, most of the circuit boards can
    be removed, and the GI will still light up.  If you look closely at a game
    in the above-mention condition, you will notice that none of the
    controlled lamps (Extra Ball, Bonus X, etc.) will be functioning.  This is
    because something is keeping the CPU board (the "brains") from functioning
    correctly.

    Repairing the circuit boards in a pinball machine is an undertaking only
    for the qualified technician.  If you have not repaired electronic
    circuitry before you should seek out a repair service.  You may want to
    call your distributor for electronic service help.  They will have the
    equipment to repair newer pinball games, and many distributors welcome
    repairs on older pinball electronics as well.  Otherwise, your distributor
    may be able to refer you to someone in your area who caters to the home
    market.

    Several pinball repair services are listed in the Pinball Archive FAQ.
    Additionally, you may want to check out the services advertising in Game
    Room magazine and the pinGame Journal.  Most repair services will fix
    circuit boards by mail, but you should be comfortable removing and rein-
    stalling the boards before attempting this.

    Also, you should be aware that a problem in the electronics of a pinball
    many times will cause some other problem in the game, such as a	burnt
    coil or display.  (Sometimes, a problem in the pinball, such as an
    electrical short, will be responsible for the electronics failure.)
    Therefore, just getting your electronics fixed will not always be the end
    of your repair.  You don't want to put that newly-fixed circuit board back
    into a machine just to watch it be damaged again.

Question:
    Well, my pinball machine is working fine, except for feature X.  What
    could be wrong?

Answer:
    Uncle Willy is sorry, but it is outside the scope of this column to help
    diagnose problems with your pinball machine.  For newer games, you will
    want to give your local distributor a call.  For a game-specific problem
    on a newer game, you may want to send email to the appropriate electronic
    mail address; see the email contacts at

      http://www.pinball.wms.com/contacts.html

    For older games, check those repair service resources mentioned above, or
    post a question on rec.games.pinball or rec.games.video.arcade.collecting.

Question:
    My uncle has this old pinball machine in his basement; what is it worth?
    I saw an Addams Family pinball for sale at X dollars; is this a good
    price?

Answer:
    Pricing a used pinball machine is not a cut-and-dried exercise.  A recent
    used title has value based upon its earning potential.  An older piece is
    mainly valued by its collector value.  Those in between tend to be
    influenced in price by the home game room market.  (Many people buying for
    a home game room want something that looks nice, or fits into their decor
    rather than a particular title.)

    A used pinball machine, just like anything else, is worth what someone
    will pay for it.  Many factors affect this: popularity, availability,
    condition.  While many games can be restored in functionality, cosmetic
    flaws, such as a worn playfield or a flaking backglass, will adversely
    affect the value of a game.  A game in good cosmetic condition, but need-
    ing major mechanical repairs has a reduced value, do to the amount of
    time, effort and materials needed to bring it up to standards of desir-
    ability.

    A pinball of older vintage doesn't necessarily imply that it is of
    greater worth.  Older games don't have the excitement level of newer
    games.  Even with the nostalgia factor, the pool of serious collectors is
    relatively small, and everyone has different interests.  Since pinball
    machines require significant floorspace, amassing a sizable collection of
    games is not a possibility for most people.

    Also keep in mind that one person's trash is another one's treasure.
    Uncle Willy has seen friends pay good money for stuff that Uncle Willy
    wouldn't haul home for free to use as firewood.  On the flipside, however,
    Uncle Willy himself has been known to pay a premium for a pinball game
    that he just had to have that was in particularly nice condition, and on
    which the restoration work had already been done.

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