Place a FS ad.. see what happens..

Because it's a highly sought after pin, and people that have them won't let them go. I know 2 people that I've been working on for quite some time (over a year) to get them to sell them to me without any luck whatsoever.

Yep, it's a great game that's on par with anything made today. Audio is the only drawback. But I ain't selling either.

Keep looking, you'll find one eventually. I have a pretty-nice Fathom that's waiting for me to install my new CPR playfield that I got after being on the waiting list for a year.

Fathom is a sought-after machine but so is Centaur. Just from my experience the three most sought-after machines from that era are:

#1 Eight Ball Deluxe
#2 Fathom
#3 Centaur

With Fathom & Centaur being a virtual tie for 2nd & 3rd.

It's a keeper game for sure. Fun and challenging to play with some of the best artwork ever.

Kim

Because its old & pretty

I'd love to have a sexy repro restored clear coated one

It's just a fantastic blue beautiful work of art in every way

I heard that many of them went over to Europe and that France specifically has a bunch of them. Not sure if that is true.

It is very much about timing in this hobby, as you all know. I have had a couple of Fathoms and neither one was hard to come by. I bought my first one about 4 or 5 years ago for very cheap and the ad had sat there for days...no one wanted to touch it. If that same ad came up today, it would last about 3 seconds.

Funnily enough, the same thing kinda happened when I sold it. There weren't a lot of people looking for a Fathom at the time and I sold a game, new stencils and two repro playfields for just north of $3K.

You may have to be willing to extend your search, even into *gasp* Canada if you really want one. There was recently one for sale in Quebec that could have been had for less than $2K ( not including shipping mind you ).

It is fun and it is definitely pretty. I just got tired of it after a while and thought it was good to let it go into someone else's basement where it would be loved for a while. I like to see pins changing hands frequently...as long as it's not for profit, or at least, not for excessive profit.

I have a restored Fathom and Centuar. They are both classic. I wouldnt sell either. I like them and play them more than any of the newer stuff. Keep searching you will find one. It took me a little while to pry one loose.

When I listed mine for sale a couple of years ago, I had more interest than any other pin I had ever sold. It is a great game. I think Centaur is a better player, but Fathom is one of the best looking games ever made.

Fathom is a decent title. I have had a few over the years. The game itself when introduced in the 80's did not do very well in the arcades. People did not go "Play" fathom. We had 1 of them and typically we would have 4 to 8 of everything between the arcades I worked in. Probably related to Europe and or just got tossed because nobody wanted them.

When I have mine set up , once people start playing it and the voice hits they look at the game and tilt there head sideways and wonder......Then when collectors come over then the spoofing starts about the sounds....Just a no win. Don't know what Bally was thinking.

Fathom is one of those games that has it all. Amazing art, fun and unique playfield layout and personally I think the sounds are great. Not sure what else you would want it to sound like. As much love as I have for the classic sterns, Bally's definitely had the better sound package.

Definitely 1981 Bally sound package was very nice. No question about that. The problem was the voice on Fathom. This is pretty much a topic that goes without explanation. A few of the lines you have to wonder what they were thinking at the time or....not thinking....

I can say this...Everyone who plays mine notices it...ALOT!!!!....And kinda goes Ewhhh....

Not bashing anything. I like the game; but with the Bally sound board and the voice effects; I think they could of thought through it better.

You get it....Really get it. Especially the multiplaya' comment.

I guess that depends on who you are playing with. I played a Fathom with a guy once that rolled the game on the first ball. I remember dozing off a couple of times and going from my 2nd to my 7th beers before he pity drained so I could play.

Fathom has been in my collection since I started collecting in the 90's. It's just a pleasure to look at, and of course to play. I find the artwork stunning, and that's what drew me to finding one and buying it, (for a song). It'll likely only leave when I do

To me Fathom is like a Flash 2. Almost identical playfields with a few tweaks and more rules. And of course you can't really compare Flash arts (horrible) to Fathom's (splendid).

I know of one in the UK with a spare repro pf, spare new boards and guy wants to sell, you just have work on the freight.

Details
working, and with a little wear to the playfield,
a set of repair decals
a new nos coin door,
the 1/2/3 drop target
a new set of playfield plastics
A repro playfield

I 'm a french guy, and even here theses 2 pins are hard to find especially Centaur. It was easier to catch copies in Germany because of Bally wulf factory.

I have bought a rotten fathom without backglass. after 200 years of work and an original backglass send by a canadian guy mine is know pretty nice.
The repro backglass is not really nice take care.

I also own a centaur II which I prefer than the original.
I know nowadays I'm really a lucky guy . ^^

They should've produced 10,000 of them like they did with others around the same time.Then I would,ve had a better chance of getting one.

Fathom is just a great game. I go through periods where I like it more than Centaur. Then I play Centaur for a week straight and fall in love with that all over again. Im thinking of adding Xenon and/or Flash Gordon next. Im really hoping those and Black Hole are at Pinfest so I can refresh my memory on those titles. Im at the point where I dont play anythiong newer than HS. For me, its Centaur, Fathom and a little Gorgar mixed in that really makes me smile in my gameroom.

I put my Fathom on location and it is killing it! Out earning Xmen by two fold. I think the game was ahead of it's time and people more appreciate it now.

fathomhd.jpg

Killer table setup. I'm stealing that idea.

That is just awesome....I talked to a operator at the Texas Pinball Festival who was pulling in pretty nice coin on 2 Bally bow and arrow's. I was shocked at the numbers. Makes sense to me because when we have our school parties everyone gravitate to the 80's classics and especially the Bally EM games. They even ask the question...."Where can we go play these ?"....

sk8ball,

That glass table you put over your Fathom looks cool. I've never seen that done before. Nice game room.

It's a great way to meet chicks.

"Pardon me girls, mind if I play through?"

No surprise there!

How does it hold up to AC/DC?

Nothing compares to ACDC! Those guys also get pretty competitive with the high score whiteboard I have on there. The bar owner made that table so I can't take credit for it.

Might be too much distraction for me.

Sk8ball, love that huge art piece on the wall. Is that from silverball mania?

Didn't play much Fathom on location when it was new, but I imagine many of them just got played to death. You don't see many really nice ones that aren't restored. I'm sure a good many of them have just been tossed over the years. I have seen pics of well worn playfields.

We play it a lot at league. I sucked on it early on, so I voted for it more and now I'm getting slightly better. Got second on it in league last night. Would love to own one some day.

Interesting. Do the players change scores on their own (marker nearby), or does the bartender make the changes?

That's going back to old school style. We used a chalkboard back in EM days.

They're out there. Scored mine this weekend. Other than backglass peeling pretty good it's a keeper.

Bartenders or wait staff. Yeah, That is silverball mania artwork.

She's a beaut

IMG_20130320_201006.jpg

Oh Yeah, Its better than most sterns, and I've had most of them including, pirates, spiderman, lord of rings, family guy, simpsons party. Haven't had ac/dc. And I still would choose fathom. I also have centaur, but I think fathom is better. Todd

On my quest to find a Centaur to put them side by side.

Soon enough... my basement... restored Fathom sitting between a restored Black Knight and a restored Xenon.

Not quite. Owned most of them but Fathom an the little "Ahhh yes:""" is not quite the game as IM and or TRON LE....