My first pin was Williams Flash. There are a ton of them out there and they are well below your $1500 limit. They are also a blast to play. They are relatively simple to work on so you can get your hands dirty and develop some pinball repair skills.

My Flash is a keeper even though I have many much more expensive games. Sometimes you just feel like playing old school - no ramps, no subways - you can see the ball at all times. It does have drop targets which are always fun, plus three flippers to keep it interesting. It also has some nice risk vs. reward shots - do you feel lucky... go ahead and take a shot at the center drop targets - especially from the left flipper!