You are correct. However once drop target assemblies are taken apart, cleaned, and dialed in, they can be fairly trouble free.

But a lot more involved and more moving parts than a standup target for sure.

I like standup targets myself, and prefer single drop target banks in games that have them.

I have never had a problem with either drop or fixed targets. For home use particularly I do not see a problem.

I have lots of drop targets in almost all my games, and they've rarely been a problem. I don't think I've ever had a target break on me, for that matter. Lots of them are still original, too. I obviously love drop targets and i would say if anything, don't let reliability determine whether or not you go for them in a game--they are generally well-built mechs to begin with.

I've never busted a gottlieb drop target until I DC rectified the flippers on my Fast Draw - that snapped 2 of the original targets almost immediately. Pull the rectifier out as that game doesn't need it.

Gottlieb drops are the most reliable drops out of any manufacturer. The only flaw they might have is if the foot on the bottom breaks they can reset too high, but if you replace them all with new, that probably won't happen in home use (the foot gets busted when people maladjust the reset stroke).

Also, if you change drops to standups, the reset circuit won't work, and the gameplay will be completely different as you could reactive the spot-as-drop target. I'm all for laziness and easy of maintenance but replacing drops with standups is not the formula for that.

What about the drops on this fella?

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Drop targets rule. And the fact that good old Bally drops are a PITA before break in is part of Pinball. Solid hit and bounce is frustrating but almost expected. And it opens the ability to put stand-up behind the drop bank for a different rules / scoring opportunity (Royal Flush and others). In-line drops are awesome and the use of them in the middle of a playfield is great (like Cactus Canyon or even 24) for and up / down hurry-up mode.

Drop targets are more expensive to replace should you snap one, but that's about all, in my opinion. Set up properly, they are a good feature to have. But there again, targets are nice too. 'You pays your money and you takes your choice'

What about them? I've owned a Crescendo for 4 years. I've never had any issues with them that couldn't be fixed just like any other drop target. Fun fact, that was the first game for Gottlieb that had drop targets. Haven't even touched them in 3 years, still work fine. It doesn't get a ton of play, other than being at TPF twice.

(oh, I can't see who you quoted...lol..)

That's a great way to screw yourself over from improving your skills. Can't tell you how many years it took me to adjust to having to deal with tilts on location or in tournaments because my wife insisted on not having a tilt set at home. It sucks. You don't have to set it super tight, but don't remove it entirely. If the designers intended for you to slide the machine 8 feet every time you play the game, they would come with teflon feet on the legs.

Weak springs, easy fix.

Not to sound arrogant, pinball ownership requires some degree of being mechanically inclined.

They are complex electro-mechanical devices with a steel ball(s) whizzing around at high speed with lots of vibration to cause mischief. You will get mechanically inclined or be good friends with a repairman, regardless of design.

That is just the reality.

If I may proffer an opinion; if you are worried about reliability you are focusing in the wrong area (drop targets vs spot) though when it comes to EM's I have never seen a broken drop target or spot target. I'll grant you spots will be more trouble free than drops due to simplicity. Less moving parts and fewer switches too.

I'll garner some hate for the following, but frankly don't care. Gottlieb's EMs (of which I currently own 4, Melody, Hearts and Spades, Domino and King Pin) tend to be less reliable than Williams and Ballys EMs. The relay contact arms are much shorter, some of the relay designs are VERY problematic (I'm looking at you AS and AX) and some of the stepper units seem to be more fussy than Williams.

Williams drop targets from this time period tend to be steel with plastic faces, "unbreakable" is a pretty fair description.

If you have your heart set on a particular Gottlieb title, I totally understand. I spent 2 years looking for Melody and Hearts and Spades. Great playing machines that sounds delightful. Well worth the occasional hiccup, which will happen with any EM.

I was wondering what people on here thought about the layout of the drops on Crescendo, not their durability. It looks like a fun game when all 5 pop bumpers are functioning at their best.

I had a chance to buy a nice looking one that came up on Craigslist for $325 but they sold it to the first guy who called. I was hoping he passed on it but he grabbed it. Just missed.

I don't know man. I was playing my favorite EM last night, Pit Stop, with no drop targets, and I really like the rebound you can only get with a standup target.

Drop targets used sparingly are OK in my book though. Very sparingly.

Personal opinion, I'm in the same boat. Not sure why, I think design wise once a large number end up in a game they seem to be the overwhelming goal rather than "part of an overall design" if that makes sense. I prefer variety of target types in a game.

That’s me too. Space Mission is the most fun EM I’ve ever played and it has no drop targets or return lanes and only one standing target but it does have a spinning target, 4 kickouts, a spinner and a horseshoe to go along with a beautiful playfield. It just plain feels good to play.

I try to keep a variety of targets, layouts, and features in all my games. I've had games with 15 drop targets and they are long gone. Come to think of it I only have one EM with a drop target left, and it has only one.

What I really like is the swinging target.

No vari targets for me.

I won't say the worse feature on a pin playfield, but pretty darn close.

Roto-targets on the other hand are pretty cool.

I like it a LOT, but the lack of active slings and inlanes on the bottom is going to turn a lot of people off. It's pretty unique in that it's definitely an EM where you can live catch and trap the ball that way. The side shots that hook around ARE actually shootable from the bottom, and it's really much preferred to try and hit them for a lit flower to get up top and back in the top pops than shooting through those posts.

The only major flaw with the game as I see it is really that it NEEDS super bouncy white non-silicone rubber by the bottom pops or it's an instant drain, and also the flower value carries over from player to player. I want to stick one of those randomizer spinners from another EM into the circuit for the flower value advance, and tie it to those side loop shots. The difference between 10 points a target and 500 points a target is crazy. There's needs to be something to randomize it at the start of a ball as well as give players some bonus for shooting those sides other than just a lit flower. Having that thing move 5+ steps up would be a huge incentive to make those more skilled shots.

*Edit* I should mention my playfield is cleared and I use a Glo-ball....it's SUPER fast at times...

I totally get it; while I do appreciate Gottlieb EM's and own a few I gravitate towards Williams EM. They tend (but not always) have a distinctly different flavor of play in the ways you obtain goals during play which I enjoy. Gottlieb is king of sound though, nothing sweeter than a set of their bells or chimes sounding off.

My 1967 Williams Magic Town bell/chime sounds so poor I'm seriously contemplating making my own chime box for it, already made up a print and have aluminum stock on hand. Just a matter of getting some free time in the next month or two and start experimenting.