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Quoted from PinPilot:Drop targets CAN give problems such as breaking (old brittle plastics are prone to breakage), and not resetting/scoring correctly. I just finished restoring a Bally Freedom, and the drop targets will all pop-up as they should upon reset, but occasionally one or two will drop back down. Could be weak springs, play in the mechanism, or ??? But these types of issues DO OCCUR with drop targets.
Weak springs, easy fix.
Quoted from PinPilot:Easy for you and me maybe, but a bit daunting to someone not so mechanically inclined.
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.
Quoted from Kaytrox:I am currently shopping for Gottlieb late 60's through the 70's EM machines, to start my collection. For me, collectibility and 'coolness' just don't matter. I want a few of my old time favorites to play in my game room. I'm not at all tech savvy, and I certainly don't want tinkering with them, and general maintenance, to become a life-consuming hobby. So in my mind, I've reasoned out that spot targets would be more durable, and need less maintenance than drop targets, as they merely rock back and forth, rather than drop and reset. Is this correct, or I am naive on this issue?
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.
Quoted from o-din: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.
Quoted from o-din: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.
Quoted from Kaytrox:And as far at that goes. I have a post somewhere on the site, about how Gottlieb are the only machines that I can master. For some reason, Bally and Williams machines just eat me up. with the exception of the Bally 8-ball game, and that Williams game with the 5 balls in the center, that you loop back and forth.
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.
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