Stop now if you only want one...

Lol sooooooo true!

my advice is don't buy it off of Ebay

Depends on what title. What is the name? We can give you some clues on what to look for? Look closely to the cabinet, playfield, back of translite for wear. Any water damage? Do all boards in the head look good? Any burnt connectors?

Here is a start, but I would learn all I could before buying.
http://www.flippers.be/basics/101_check_pinball.html

More from that site:
http://www.flippers.be/pinball_basics.html

Other info:
http://www.pinwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Beginner%27s_Notes

Don't have it shipped and inspect before you buy

Buy from a local collector. All my 90's pins have never broken down because of this.

Definitely inspect it in person. Look at the boards in the backbox and look for anything that looks burned (molex connections). Look for battery acid leaking and any weird hacks (wires soldered directly to the board). Look under the playfield and look for anything that looks out of place (super-vague, I know..)

If you have ANY hesitations walk away! There are countless stories on here (myself included) who bought their first pin and had to deal with a boat load of issues. Seriously, if you have any hesitations walk away, there will be other pins that come along and the feeling of urgency is hard to overcome when buying your first pin. No matter what you buy be prepared to work on the pin, they are temperamental bastards! That being said, it is a great hobby and I am very glad I got into it. Good luck!

Good advice.

Yeah, if you noticed Pinside has a bunch of people who are opinionated on topics around the hobby and have certain likes or dislikes on different pins and manufactures, but I bet 97% really care about the hobby and the people in it and would not sell a patched up dog of a pin to a "nice, normal, non lowballing" newbie as their first game.
Could be wrong, but it is just IMHO.

Listen to Episodes 36 and 37 of the Pinball Podcast.

In the second half of their #36 show they go over first time buyer tips. Then...in the first half of show #37...the read emails from listeners with tips.

There is a treasure trove of information there for you. A great starting place.

Also...where are you located? Almost guaranteed that you could get an experienced Pinsider to meet you and look over a game.

Find a pinsider in your area and check out their machines, especially if you know what pin you want. If you can do that, ask them about ownership of the pin, what are the problem areas that need to be examined, etc.

Try to be as patient as possible (good luck @ the beginning).

Exactly what ZRBRT just said.

Not sure why you would thumbs down him for agreeing with me, so I gave him a thumbs up and you a thumbs down.

I don't understand the "don't buy on eBay" mentality. Of course I'm biased as I list games on eBay, but I warranty the boards (why not, I was helping buyers for free anyway), take extra pictures when asked, etc. Many people that list stuff on Pinside, CL, Mr Pinball also put stuff on eBay. Just keep in mind that sellers have to ask for more there to compensate for the fees...so always try to negotiate

Sure, buying from shady sellers who post two sentences and a blurry picture on eBay is risky, but it's no different than shady sellers elsewhere. Also, at least on eBay you have some sort of feedback system. Bottom line, do your research and be careful. Worst case, it's better to overpay a little than get taken in full or hurt by a real scumbag...it's happening more and more.

As far as eBay goes I would put it like this.....you can "find" pins on eBay, just make the deal outside of eBay and pick up in person!

Good advice on here. If you are prepared to tinker/fix issues yourself (which I highly recommend if you plan to start collecting), you should use issues as part of the negotiation (b/c they take time & money to fix). Here is some additional stuff I've learned in my short time collecting:

- Definitely inspect the boards & be on the lookout for burnt connectors on the boards, especially where the GI lamps connect. Williams games from that era, for example, have an interconnect board behind the speaker panel (long skinny board) that is notorious for connector burn. If you have GI lamps out and connector burn, it could be just bulbs but you'll want to assume the worst (replacing the burnt male/female connectors or perhaps even the board)
- Flipper strength (whether or not a game needs a flipper rebuild)
- Condition of the plastics (Cracked? Really yellowed?). Hard to replace in many cases.
- Cabinet: nothing wrong with battle scars if the price is right, but swelling, water damage, mildew, rotting wood are all big red flags
- Playfield: look for paint wear,un-level inserts, bubbling mylar if the machine has it, screws that shouldn't be there
- Under the playfield: question coils that look fried or part of the wiring that looks cooked
- Gameplay: make sure everything that's supposed to happen does happen (may have to research the game 1st if you aren't too familiar - if it's on pinball arcade, that's a huge bonus)

Despite what I said, don't be afraid of a pin that needs some love. That's part of the fun!

Oh, and please post the pickup if it works out!

I would also say, if you have a local operator that does the job right and puts out decent games, I would just say play his games for 50-75 cents. It's much cheaper and less hassle.

Also great advice, especially if are on a budget and just want to play (instead of fix up, repair, etc)

Any local retailers? I bought my first one from one and I think that is a good place to start even if you pay a little more. I was able to try out a variety of pins in person and take my time. The pin I ended up buying was shopped, delivered, and came with a warranty.

If anything, get familiar with the games you are interested in and play the real thing first. Some games appealed to me until I played them in real life. Sometimes it's the opposite, the game seems uninteresting until you play it.

Another factor is new or old. At first, I only was interested in getting older Williams games but that was before I tried out some of the newer stuff. It can get a lot more expensive, though. There are plenty of older B or even C titles that you can find for fairly cheap.

Where in IA is Davenport?

Tough choice right there. I say Jackbot because Judge Dredd can be a little harder to keep running. I think i like gameplay on JD a little more. I've owned both games.

JD is also a little violent/gory.

Jackbot? I don't know?

For wife's and kids and yourself in that range I would do - WCS (I have), Earth Shaker, T2 (I have), Black Rose, Demo Man, Nascar or Monopoly. These are ideas to try. It is a crapshoot with the wife and kids playing though.

Well hook up with someone in your area that is a avid collector would be my first suggestion. You can search here or MR. Pinball collector registry.

Do you like to mechanical / electrical repairs. You will eventually have them no matter what you get.

If you are not handy and or no background with electronics it can be costly as even a simple repair will cost you to call a tech to the house.

Have your wife and kids look at the IPDB. and see what they seem to like first. watch a couple youtube vids on that machine. Like High Speed is a killer oldie! and everyone seems to like Simpsons. Look on the pinside top100. see if they seem to pick any of those machines.

It could be a good father/child time even learning the repair/maintenance side of things.

But like others have warned. You get one, there is a good chance that every year the number of pins in your home will grow.

Good LUCK!

Go with JD. Got some good shots and flow.

Another question. Are your wife and kids totally on board or are you just hoping? I did the "hoping" thing and it did not pan out. Now I buy for me.

I don't think there is one "right decision", but there are many wrong decisions.

1. Don't spend more than you are truly comfortable with...first pin is a big expense and you don't want to feel bad about it. Newer games may have more value left to depreciate, some of my favorite early pins were LAH and T2...fun and cheap (relatively speaking).

2. Buy from a reputable seller and overpay a little if you need to. Lots of little things can break on a pinball machine, its easy as a noob if you don't have to worry about big problems too.

3. You will want more than one. When you are cleaning it or working on it, you will want another to play during the downtime. Just be ready for it...

4. Keep it fun, it is a game and not a retirement investment. Be prepared to lose a few bucks when you shuffle your collection, especially if you buy from a vendor.

5. Play and buy the games you like. One man's #1 pinball may not even crack another guys top 25...its all about what you like.

I would also suggest looking at WCS. I bought that first 2 years ago. It remains very popular with my kids, ages 5-11, and their friends. Easy to understand and a lot of fun. My second pin was x-men pro. I like it more, but probably less popular with the kids (except the super hero obsessed ones).

Wait for a while one will pop up. While you are waiting learn all you can about pinball and save up some $$$

Picking up a game from another collector has helped me a ton getting into the pinball world. You may pay a little more, but it will still be less than retail or eBay. Game will usually be in better condition and described honestly. The majority of folks in pinball are standup people. And they will be helpful if/when issues arise down the road, and can help you find games that will never see the "open" market.

Also.....be prepared to spend more than you plan (mods, improvements,etc)....and know that pinballs are like potato chips...you can't have just one!!!

Enjoy!

Bring a bright flashlight. Check all plastic parts for damage, as well as all sides of the cabinet and head. Run your fingers over the inserts to see if they have issues. Run through all the test modes with the glass off so you can trigger all the switches. Bring a pinball veteran who can help you check it out. Be friendly but thorough. Know the min/max/average price for the game (from the Boston pinball site).

Practical advice: bring 5/8" and 9/16" socket wrenches. Learn how to fold up and secure the game for travel, because the seller may not know how.

I just want to say the other half of the coin that has not been spoken for much in this thread: be ready to do repairs. It is going to happen; it is inevitable. Don't let it stop you from buying a pin; this is not me trying to "scare tactic" you. Just know that sometime down the road something is not going to work, and you will be diving in to repair the problem. Get comfortable with how to read basic wiring schematics, how to test for voltage and resistance, how to test transistors, where the ground braid cables are in a machine, how to tweak the metal arms on the ball rollover switches - basic but very useful stuff.

I'd get a good LED head lamp, a basic set of wrenches, a small 1/4" ratchet kit with a couple long extensions, extendable magnetic pointer, multiple different length flat head and philips head screwdrivers, and a good middle-of-the-road multimeter (read: one for about $40 at Home Depot or Lowes - make absolutely sure it has an audible continuity tester).

Once again, not trying to scare at all, just want you to go in with the reasonable expectations of both the good (playing the pin, family time, being the hero to your kids for having a pin) and the bad (anytime it goes down and you don't know what to do). As time goes along and repairs are done, you'll get familiar with how things work, and it'll get easier and less formidable when something goes wrong.

Good luck!

Tom. I am super local to you. If you are looking at something close, let me know. I can go with you.
Or if you get something and need help afterwards, I can help there too.

If those pins are in davenport, I am pretty sure I know who you are talking to.

Across the Mississippi river from Moline, IL

Buy from a Pinsider that has a good reputation that is within driving distance so you can see it-play it in person. Can't go wrong there.

NEVER buy a game sight unseen. Always pay in cash, 100% in person. Don't bother with shipping. Always buy a game you can play and see in person. Don't agree to anything until it is plugged in and running (unless it is stupidly cheap). And finally, it is OK to walk away without a game.

Maybe you just haven't been screwed over badly enough by eBay/Paypal yet. Selling smaller stuff like boards and whatnot is one thing. An entire game is another. It is not worth it for both parties for what they skim off the top of the sale. And the seller is really never protected, regardless of what eBay/Paypal says. Dude could drive away with a game, does something stupid to it, then says the item was misrepresented and you're out several grand.

Do not go for deep rule set look for fun like Cyclone of Funhouse enjoy

*100. Go to the person selling it, play it for a while, and if it seems like it is working and the price is good, buy it.

Be patient. You will find something nice if you just sit back, research some games, and have fun. There are a ton of awesome pins out there.

I second being patient and learn what you like or don't like. Some pins that people often recommend just don't do it for me. Unless you plan on getting many pins or rotating often, you want to make sure you get the ones that you really like. Pinball Arcade and other virtual pinball are good for getting familiar with pins but still not the real thing. I was seriously thinking about buying NGG from playing it on Pinball Arcade but once I played the real thing, I didn't like it so much. Other pins that I would of never considered at first, surprised me how much fun they are to play.

I would make sure that it is sterile. They can reproduce like rabbits.