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Buying a pinball machine at a general auction is always a massive gamble, especially when it comes without keys. But sometimes, fortune favors the brave. Recently, I was called out to service a Stern Elvis pinball machine. The owner had bought it at an auction in Newport as a surprise for his father, who is…
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A recent service call took me to North Bristol to work on a beautiful, modern machine: Spooky Pinball’s Looney Tunes. The owner is considering selling the game and wanted to ensure it was running flawlessly for the next potential owner. The main issue was that the switch at the rocket was failing to detect the…
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Every pinball enthusiast dreams of finding a classic machine for free. For my client David in Winchester, that dream came true 15 years ago when he rescued a 1968 Gottlieb Funland straight out of a skip. He managed to get it into his car and safely home, but the game never played 100%. Eventually, it…
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In the world of pinball, The Addams Family isn’t just a game; it’s a masterpiece. Recently, I was called out to Stroud to visit a client whose machine is her absolute treasure—bought in Poland 20 years ago and meticulously cared for. However, even the best-kept machines have a hidden enemy: original battery holders. The Tragedy…
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Recently, I headed over to Llanelli for a tricky Star Trek 25th Anniversary pinball repair. His Data East classic was suffering from a frustrating mix of symptoms: the machine would reset after a couple of games, it kept losing its memory (requiring Rob to constantly re-enter the menu to set it back to freeplay), and…
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Today, someone reached out asking for advice on a Gottlieb Centigrade 37 they just acquired. As one of my all-time favorite machines—and a proud part of my personal collection—I was more than happy to share some tips. This conversation sparked a bit of nostalgia, leading me to dig through my archives. I found the photos…
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Every now and then, you hear a story that makes every pinball fan a little jealous. Recently, I was called out to Pontypool to look at a Gottlieb Class of 1812. The amazing part? The owner had wanted a pinball machine for a long time and was incredibly lucky to be gifted this one by…
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Location: UO Arcade (Urban Outfitters), Cardiff City Centre The Machine: Sega Batman Forever (1995) The Mission: I was called out to the new UO Arcade tucked inside the Urban Outfitters store in Cardiff. It’s a cool, somewhat hidden spot where retro arcade cabinets mix with modern fashion. Their solitary pinball machine, the giant Sega Batman…
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Machine: Bally Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man (1982) Location: Bristol, UK Issue reported: Right flipper extremely weak, barely moving the ball. The Initial Assessment I traveled to Bristol to look at this absolute classic. The owner reported that the game was working, but the right flipper had lost almost all its power. A quick test game…
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The Hidden Treasure in Cheltenham Today’s job took me to Cheltenham to look at the best-selling pinball machine of all time: The Addams Family. The owner had purchased it over 20 years ago for a fraction of today’s value and didn’t realize he had a serious collector’s piece sitting in his home. The Symptoms The…