FYI,
I got my first pin a little over a year ago, and I am negotiation to pickup my 4th this weekend. Over/Under on you acquiring your 2nd pin is 6 months...

i need 9 pins each morning just to make it through the day...there was a time way back i think it was like 6mos ago i only needed 1...

Exactly what happened with me.

Got my first pin, a DE SW. Then traded up with cash added to get LOTR. Then I faced the threshold of convincing my wife that having two games would NOT turn our house into an arcade.

We went to the Texas Pinball Festival in 2012 to see Jersey Jack and his WOZ presentation. We even got to visit with Jack and get some inside info on the game. She loved the theme and the look of the WOZ ECLE - threshold crossed! Game two is arriving later this year.

What? Jack is making The Hobbit? Cool! Game three is arriving in 2014.

Yep, for a guy that was only going to try having one pin to see what it was like, I ended up in the deep end of the pool pretty quickly.

Also, I agree that you should get yourself to a show ASAP. It is an amazing experience, even though your flipper fingers will be sore for days after.

being on the west coast gazer, and never being to any "show" which would you recommend?

The only one I have ever been to is the Texas Pinball Festival. It is amazing, but very far from you. Any Pinsiders out there that can recommend a great show near Vancouver BC?

I've been in since Feb. My wife asked me the other day, "When is it going to stop?" (Referring to my incessant scouring CL and Pinside for pins). I thought for a second, eyes down to the ground, and replied, "Probably never".

Inside I'm thinking, "Yeah, baby!"

Next time she says "When is it going to stop?", you tell her to go in the kitchen and make you a sandwich and make it snappy!

Let me know how that works out for you.

The closest would probably be the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show in Tacoma (used to be in Seattle Proper but moved to a larger venue down the road). Went for the first time last year and it was pretty good. Lots of pins and vids. Not many for sale at all but both WOZ and Metallica were there (those were both still relatively new at the time). Was hoping to see more vendors there with inventory but it was adequate. Borygard (aka Rob) was at the show doing backboard repair and he fixed my T3 transistor issue.

http://www.nwpinballshow.com/

Then if you are feeling adventurous and are looking to buy/trade/play pins, there is Pin A Go Go (PAGG) down in Dixon, CA just west of Sacramento. I have never been but heard it is a really fun, low key show with a real "community" atmosphere. Have heard it is a great place to wheel and deal on pins too.

http://pinagogo.org/

Then there is California Extreme in San Jose, CA. I used to volunteer for this show way back when. Lots of vids and pins. One of the biggest shows on the west coast. Some of the rarest video games and pinballs you will ever find are at this show. I got to play an original Big Bang Bar and a Kingpin at this show.

http://www.caextreme.org/

Four years and close to 200 pins later and I am still looking as hard as I did the first week and still buying stuff I shouldn't be buying. Sad to say it doesn't get any better from what I have seen so far.

Thankfully we mess mostly with "cheaper machines" and we are maxed out at about 40 machines so most machines come and go fairly quickly these days. Just glad I don't have more space or it would never end!

My problem is I really don't like playing pinball all that much but I love bringing dead machines back to life. So I need to keep buying to keep enjoying the hobby.

No way!!! It's not an addiction...no problem....buy them all. Then again, I would not consider myself the voice of reason, seeing that I am building an arcade in my backyard, and I only own 2 pins!

DSCF2540.JPG

Aha!

I see the OP's pin count is now at 2

Congrats and welcome to the sickness!

Looks like your horse is disappointed that it isn't a new barn.

Congratulations on adding T2 to your collection!

Thanks for the suggestions Elfman! west coast is good so will prob check out the one in San Jose Hope there is a lot of wheeling and dealing as would drive the car trailer down for booty!

Nice acquisition.

That's funny I have been looking at his barn the last 10 years wishing it was an arcade.......

Sickness? I drove 1800 miles round trip last weekend to pickup two machines. And they don't even work yet! I'm considering selling my house so we can move out to the country so I'll have room to build a separate workshop. I've got it bad.

"There is no turning back now. You've woken up the demon.
Get up, come on get down with the sickness."

Welcome Aboard!