(Topic ID: 156985)

Buying advice: The Who's Tommy

By Jenk540i

7 years ago


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Topic Stats

  • 12 posts
  • 7 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 years ago by williams
  • No one calls this topic a favorite

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#1 7 years ago

Going to look at a Tommy this afternoon with a friend. Would like advice as to problem areas to look for with this particular machine. Bought many pins, but any advice welcome.

#2 7 years ago

Bump for Tommy owners?

#3 7 years ago

Make sure it has the blinders and that they are functioning. Also, make sure the mirror raises and lowers properly. Other than that, it's all pretty standard stuff.

#4 7 years ago
Quoted from gweempose:

Make sure it has the blinders and that they are functioning. Also, make sure the mirror raises and lowers properly. Other than that, it's all pretty standard stuff.

And the fattest way to check the blinders is to hold in the extra ball button and hit start. They close immediately for the whole game (a fun way to play it once in a while as well).

#5 7 years ago

Great. Advice appreciated.

#6 7 years ago

The game should also come with a silver ball topper. If it is not present or is damaged, that should give you some more bargaining room.

#7 7 years ago

Bakerman has a great Repo set of blinders if it doesn't have them in there..https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/another-tommy-blinders-repro#post-2976042
Only thing you might need is the servo board & I think Marco has them in stock.

#8 7 years ago
Quoted from Butch2099:

Bakerman has a great Repo set of blinders if it doesn't have them in there..https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/another-tommy-blinders-repro#post-2976042

Yeah, this is pretty awesome. Prior to these, they were pretty much unobtanium.

#9 7 years ago
Quoted from gweempose:

Yeah, this is pretty awesome. Prior to these, they were pretty much unobtanium.

Seconded (or thirded). Not much specific to these than any other machine, and a pretty easy one to shop/service. Of the top of my head the only parts that aren't commonly available are the mirror mechanism (it will go up/down at game start) and the mirror ball target that is straight up the middle. That target could be replaced with a regular stand up target, it just won't be as cool.

Good luck, it's a great game.

#10 7 years ago

I had to change a few fuse clips on my Tommy to get it going when I purchased it. The IDC connector for some of Translight lighting was also burned up from heat age over time and required replacement. All minor stuff in the big scheme of things.

Congratulation if you get it - One of the best playing and best sounding (with Pinsound Re-orchestration) music pins ever.

#11 7 years ago

Check for broken plastics - the blue and yellow one under the left ramp is often cracked and hard to find a replacement for. Also check to see if the ball auto-launcher is working well. If you can open the coin door, you can go into Diagnostic Mode and use the Easy Trough Clear to repeatedly eject balls and see if they always clear to the upper left flipper. Play a few games to make sure the ball trough is reliably detecting all 6 balls and not ejecting multiple balls (this happened on mine). If you get the game and have any questions, send me a PM any time.

#12 7 years ago
Quoted from Number41:

Check for broken plastics - the blue and yellow one under the left ramp is often cracked and hard to find a replacement for. Also check to see if the ball auto-launcher is working well. If you can open the coin door, you can go into Diagnostic Mode and use the Easy Trough Clear to repeatedly eject balls and see if they always clear to the upper left flipper. Play a few games to make sure the ball trough is reliably detecting all 6 balls and not ejecting multiple balls (this happened on mine). If you get the game and have any questions, send me a PM any time.

Good point about the auto launcher. Not a deal breaker though. If it doesn't work it's likely an alignment issue. On mine there was damage to the shooter lane from the auto launch hitting it so many times. Easily fixed (once diagnosed) with some wood putty/filler.

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