Two questions: As anyone ever gone through a divorce because of your pinball hobby?
Additionally,
If you did go through a divorce, either due to your hobby or not, did you spouse go after you pinball collections? And if so, how did you decided to split it up?
FYI, because someone will ask, I have already been divorced but got into the hobby after my divorce. So the questions are purely out of curiosity.
I also got into the hobby after a divorce because she didn't like the idea of owning a pinball. It was "stupid". Now I own 2-3 machines at any time and really enjoy it.
To answer the questuon...I guess it depends who's money was used to buy them. Joint account??
Hope to find a single lady some day that also enjoys the hobby.
There was a thread like this before, not necessarily about "what HAS happened" but "what IF" and 19/20 people said if it were her or the pins they'd choose the pins. That sounds terrible at first - but, it's not about the pins, it's about the fact that she would be asking you to remove a huge part of your life.
Then of course there was that one guy that came in and was like "WHAT HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE" which I wasn't too surprised about...
Hopefully will never have any experience, but I would imagine the machines would need a dollar amount assigned to them, and be figured into any split of money/property during the divorce, no? What's mine is yours and all that, regardless of who actually bought them.
Seen plenty of for sale ads on here that mention a divorce forcing sale...
Some of you guys have $30k - $50k or more tied up in a collection. Hell, even a small collection can easily be $5k - $10k. The outgoing wife is going to want her cut of that...
If your wife thinks they cost $100 each then she won't care. Of course if your marriage works out and you die before her, then that plan fails horribly.
Make sure to have at least one pin your wife likes and let her lay claim to it. One for her, 10 for me. Seems fair
Noticed I did not use wife but spouse. Everyone assumed wife. But any here is a bigger dilemma, what if you booth are into pinball. Money is money but trying to split a collection would seriously be hard. Especially if you both like similar games.
Quoted from cantbfrank:Noticed I did not use wife but spouse. Everyone assumed wife. But any here is a bigger dilemma, what if you booth are into pinball. Money is money but trying to split a collection would seriously be hard. Especially if you both like similar games.
put a value on games in brackets then draft them taking turns taking a pin. If 4 games were in say the $4k-5k range, Partner A would pick then Partner B, Then A then B or they could do a snake draft and it would go ABBA. then onto the next bank.
Quoted from Otaku:Then of course there was that one guy that came in and was like "WHAT HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE" which I wasn't too surprised about...
LOL... thats funny
Quoted from Otaku:There was a thread like this before, not necessarily about "what HAS happened" but "what IF" and 19/20 people said if it were her or the pins they'd choose the pins. That sounds terrible at first - but, it's not about the pins, it's about the fact that she would be asking you to remove a huge part of your life.
Then of course there was that one guy that came in and was like "WHAT HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE" which I wasn't too surprised about...
Quoted from cantbfrank:Everyone assumed wife.
Jeez, weird. Why do you think?
Quoted from markmon:This is right. I have friends who can only have say 3 or 4 games because their wife (who doesn't work) thinks that's plenty. This type of stuff annoys me to no end.
You could come back with the old "shoe/pumps/stilettos" plenty remark. 
Quoted from cantbfrank:Everyone assumed wife.
Quoted from navajas:Jeez, weird. Why do you think?
Quoted from snakesnsparklers:If your wife thinks they cost $100 each then she won't care. Of course if your marriage works out and you die before her, then that plan fails horribly.
Who cares ? You will be worm food at that point !
Quoted from SUPERBEE:Who cares ? You will be worm food at that point !
Doesn't mean I won't be haunting the house. Ghosts have feeling too, ya know.
Quoted from snakesnsparklers:Doesn't mean I won't be haunting the house. Ghosts have feeling too, ya know.
This is true. lol
Quoted from InfiniteLives:put a value on games in brackets then draft them taking turns taking a pin. If 4 games were in say the $4k-5k range, Partner A would pick then Partner B, Then A then B or they could do a snake draft and it would go ABBA. then onto the next bank.
That sounds like a great game of Fantasy Pinball. You could do that at an arcade. 4 people each pick a game. If you win the game you picked, you go PAPA scoring. 4,2,1,0. If you don't win the game you picked, you get a -1 while everyone else scores 2,1,0.
Quoted from InfiniteLives:put a value on games in brackets then draft them taking turns taking a pin. If 4 games were in say the $4k-5k range, Partner A would pick then Partner B, Then A then B or they could do a snake draft and it would go ABBA. then onto the next bank.
What does one of the most commercially successful pop groups (who happen to be Swedes) have to do with this?
Quoted from GLSP3022:I also got into the hobby after a divorce because she didn't like the idea of owning a pinball
In addition, she liked to eat the occasional In & Out Burger and not kale every single day.
i have my wife thinking my pins are worth a lot less than the true value.....
a lot less than her freaking Givenchy handbag.
Quoted from Otaku:There was a thread like this before, not necessarily about "what HAS happened" but "what IF" and 19/20 people said if it were her or the pins they'd choose the pins. That sounds terrible at first - but, it's not about the pins, it's about the fact that she would be asking you to remove a huge part of your life.
Then of course there was that one guy that came in and was like "WHAT HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE" which I wasn't too surprised about...
I remember that post! Man you got to dig it up so we can see it again.
A couple years ago at PAPA, a bunch of guys told my wife that she should get used to the idea that from now on, every trip we took would be a pinball trip, and that every spare cent I spent would be on pinball. Every single one of the guys that told her that was divorced.
Now, two years later, my wife is into pinball more than ever...and wants me to buy a machine specifically for the grandkids.
It's all about balance, gentlemen. Make sure that the most important things in your life are the loved ones you can't replace, and that you don't ignore those loved ones in the pursuit of your beloved hobby.
If you don't keep that perspective and balance, then you deserve what you get. 
Quoted from Chisox:I have a hard time believing pinball has ever caused a couple to divorce. I would think there were some severe underlying issues before pins came into the picture.
I have a hard time believing it hasn't caused many couples to divorce.
Quoted from arcademojo:I have a hard time believing it hasn't caused many couples to divorce.
Really? What am I missing? Not being a smartass.
Quoted from Chisox:I have a hard time believing pinball has ever caused a couple to divorce. I would think there were some severe underlying issues before pins came into the picture.
I've heard of a divorce caused by a can of cat food. Not kidding.
Quoted from GLSP3022:I also got into the hobby after a divorce because she didn't like the idea of owning a pinball.
Quoted from eggbert52:In addition, she liked to eat the occasional In & Out Burger and not kale every single day.
Uh, that's not Rarehero ...
I feel so lucky that my wife loves pinball and is playing against me. She bought a Space Shuttle with her own overtime money! She is the best wife/partner a guy could ask for. I hope all can find someone who stands by your side and enjoy life and hobbies together.
-Mike
Over the years, I've seen a number of marriages fall apart. Whenever a hobby is blamed, it's usually a symptom rather than the true cause. Either one person uses their hobby to get away from the existing relationship issues or the other feels insecure and lashes out at the hobby instead of confronting what really makes them upset.
So, I was going through this over the past year, but it never happened. The hobby wasn't the reason, but the machines are clearly marital assets, and both parties are entitled to half of the value.
I took an honest market valuation of each machine, decided on the ones I wanted to keep, and took that out of my half of the total collection value.
Quoted from Chisox:Really? What am I missing? Not being a smartass.
About 10 more pins.
Quoted from freddy:OP you live in Jersey. Your screwed.
Was screwed. Could be screwed again if I get divorce from my second wife. But not likely
Easy! I'll let her have Avaterd - BBH - TDK along with Aspen Pinball
tell her I'll keep MB, CV , AS and GB
Too all of you who wig out I own all theses except Aspen...WAIT I let Avaterd go. Sorry
She's not getting any! I come with pins! If I go pins go!
My wife isn't going any where, Even through my hobbit drives her nuts, she has learned to live with it....
Quoted from Milltown:I'm lucky my gal loves it.. she usualy goes to bed way before me .. but the deep purple keeps cranking and the beers flowing .and she's cool about it.. we are both are own people...
Thata boy !! 
Ive been married for almost 30 years. One time i remember her saying to me that owning pins was stupid and that i need to get rid of them now!! I turned around and punched her in the face and the blood flowed !! Then i woke up and pissed myself ! I love her but god she scares me !! Moral of the story...stay married !! 
Quoted from Milltown:I'm lucky my gal loves it.. she usualy goes to bed way before me .. but the deep purple keeps cranking and the beers flowing .and she's cool about it.. we are both are own people...
You're wife sounds a lot like mine (minus loving to play) and we are indeed lucky. She understands we need our toys and like to blow off some steam with some Deep Purple and drinks.
Quoted from barakandl:move all your games to a friend's house until things blow over. Hide the cash too
I think a few years back I was the friend who took in the AC/DC premium for about 4 or 5 months. My friend kept saying he needed to games out the house for a while and the current girlfriend suddenly dissappeared. I'm sure he'll read this later and confirm it (or tell me I'm totally wrong) but I got some fun out of it!
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