I was upset at first but everyone here has pinball machines .They’re all worth more now .The problem is most of us can’t get over the hump to sell any lmao .They’re like pets ….Family

I’m an average joe that has worked construction jobs since HS .I work extra hrs to pay for the ones I have as i promised my wife it wouldn’t come out of “the fund “.Call it blood money or whatever .I just think when covid hit a lot of people with big bucks laying around discovered this hobby .As everyone here knows if you start down the rabbits hole your basically fucked unless you have big bank laying around .Could you imagine the collection you would have say if you were a professional athlete and got hooked ? I’d I made that kinda $ I’d buy ebery pin announced not blinking an eye .The good thing in this is operators should see a surge .Most of us will have to sell 1 or 2 to get something new and that’s not all that horrible .

You ain’t shitting .My above ground pool liner tore and the few that had them wanted 1100 for a previous 250 liner .I patched it with a patch on the patch .Do what you need to do shit is fing weird right now .With pinball the smart thing to do would be sell every pin you have and wait it out but would any of us really do this ?

Nothing like playing at home ,but I do enjoy bringing my boys to locations to play a variety of pins .It does suck that it’s so bright and the volume is turned way low .I just can’t get the full effects this way but can get a basic feel for them .My 13 year old wants a Taxi and my 12 year old wants a Avatar .Go figure

Same here .LZ rocks!

On the operator side of things , for what it’s worth I’m a average Joe and I’ve wondered why it’s only $1 to play a $8k machine for 5-10 minutes .Worse yet $2 for 3 plays .I’d pay double without blinking an eye .

A timer would be cool with me .I have pins at home but when I take my kids out $20 (there’s 3 of us) lasts a good 2 hrs .Taking then to a Imax movie tickets alone is like $45 for basically 2 hours .One your sitting in a chair starting at a screen and the other you are in control of your entertainment .Just saying playing these pins is at the very minimum the same fun level as a good movie shouldn’t it cost the same ?

I’d still pay $2 a play buddy and I will get to your place some day

Maybe they’ve been doing all the flipping behind the curtain .

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Well put ,and as a fellow construction worker I always have had a emergency savings fund for when things got slow .The difference now is that emergency fund is in the basement and I’m having fun with it just about nightly .To tell you the truth ,I don’t golf or go out to bars anymore so I look at it like I’m paying 1/2 price for these with money saved elsewhere .This hobby rocks !!

I beat my body up to buy these things while filling my 2 kids college funds (more important obviously ).I figure when it’s time to hang it up at least my fingers will be working just will need a nice rolling chair

Time to cash out !!! Run for your lives !!!

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20k by christmas ? Is this where we’re going ?

I’m not sure .The only thing I do know is we can’t take anything with us when the ferryman arrives .Someone once said “you want to die bouncing the check to the undertaker “.I can’t live like that but I wouldn’t condone it

I’m 18 months into the hobby and have done well with having 4 and 1 on the way but I need to hit the brakes after that .I don’t have the $ or stamina to keep buying these, I put this together with my free time working like a mule .It’s been well worth it but if I may share my experience with others coming here to play here it goes .I’m 52 and we moved from Chicago to Crown Point IN in a new (still building) neighborhood .I’m the grandpa here most the others are mid 30s to low 40s.They welcomed me when we moved here by inviting me in they’re fantasy football pool .I paid that back by having the guys over here and there to play pinball.Every one of the 8 guys that have been here to play wants a machine .When I told them what I purchased my first 3 used machines for they were on board (WOZRR7800 ,Met pro routed 4k ,IMDN prem low plays modded 6600) .Then came covid and inflation .You guys know what those pins go for now .When I told them I paid 9500 for GnR LE they about shit themselves . To me it’s not where the prices are at it’s that someone needs to see the lost income with NIB 6k machines .Just my 2cents Player Edition 6k ,Tourney Edition 7k ,Home Edition 9k , LE 10.5k ,and CE 15k .Give everyone what they want .No not a home pin for 6k but a real pin maybe just basic decals ,no lcd whatever .CE throw the kitchen sink at it they can afford it .Spread it out but give everyone a chance at owning one .

Yes I agree ! Enjoy yourselves .I’ve known people that lived way below they’re means and the opposite .Life is about balance .I actually got to a point where I was upset if I couldn’t buy the new pin .Then I smacked myself .They’ll always be around .Sometimes you just have to get over the hump and sell one to get one .This hobby is so insane but yet very logical .When you have entertainment at home you save money from going out to get entertained .I’m happy where I’m at and I have a wishlist .I’ll get to that wishlist when I notice a game at home is not being played .Until then I’ll enjoy the shit out of new pin day and steer clear of FOMO !