Stargate = Karmagate

I just picked up a Stargate and I wanted to tell the story.

Several months ago a guy posted an ad on Craigslist. He was looking for somebody to repair a pinball mchine. He had the pin about 30 miles from me and it was 55 miles for Sealclubber so I called and talked to the guy. I offered to look at it and do whatever I could for him. He was surprised I was going to help for the price of the parts. The local vendors would not even return his calls.

I arrange a time when I can make it to his office. The pin is a Stargate in the kids waiting room in his dentist office. It is in pretty good shape but had not been cleaned in years. I told him I was going to clean it, change the bad bulbs, new rubber, balls, one coil and a opto. It was about $65 in parts. He said that would be fine.

we talked a while and he said he was considering taking the pin out and putting in a multicade so it was not as loud and the balls would not get stuck. I gave him some names to call and said I would call when the parts came in to get the stuff installed. He wanted to keep the pin because he liked it. Said he paid $1200 for it. I told him he should be able to get $1200-$1500 when I had it back up to speed.

Ten days later the parts come in and we cannot get together. This goes on for two months. I finally waited a while to call when I had more time to ensure we can hook up. It had been nearly six months since this started. He tells me he actually got a multicade and put the pin in a side office. It is now for sale. He offers to pay me for the parts and offers to pin to me. I ask what he wants. He said give me $500 and its yours.

I called the wife and told her to bring me cash. I got the truck, hooked up the trailer and went to pick it up. I think I got this pin at a great price for helping him out and being honest with him. Anytime I help people out I think it always comes back. That is why I am calling this pin Karmagate, it has a nice ring to it.