Since it appears you are looking for used games. I'd try and hook up with local collectors or expand your area.

Depending on your budget. Shipping costs may really hamper what you can buy too.

Good luck in your search.

LTG : )

If you share your area, im sure you could get more info/help from those that live nearby...maybe even some sales offers.

There are a lot of questions here that have more than one answer and on a sliding scale.There are also answers to all of them on this site.

Are you looking for a specific game (s)? Do you have a list?

Please stop calling them "tables" unless you plan to eat off them

There are too many scams out there to exclude an in person check/buy, pinsiders are cool and knowledgeable, but for your first purchase you really need to buy semi/regionally in person

Leds and mods to a large extent do not add to the price, but they can be the difference in whether machine A or machine B is purchased if price and condition are equal

Also..don't waste a seller's time, buying pins isn't the same as buying a car, know what you want an research prior to contact

Have cash ready, find something local, play test it, offer money, take home
enjoy

anything else is asking to be burnt or let down

there are thousands of games out there, focusing on 'the one' is a mistake

It is very tough buying sight unseen or just by pictures and a description from the seller.

I have never purchased a pinball game without first seeing it in person.

I would wait to find a pinball game you can go and see in person. Shipping can cost $400-$700.

Good luck

This x100.

Meet the locals and they will have pins for you to buy.

Stay local for your first few.

rd

Buying remotely:

I recommend you don't...at least, not for your first pin. There are pins everywhere. If you are willing to pick up within a few hours drive, you would likely be amazed at whats out there. Shipping usually costs around 300-600 in the contiguous U.S. and goes up from there. I like to use Michelle at STI or Dan Scott.

Game selection:

Nostalgia is a major factor for many. I would certainly suggest playing as many pins as you can and/or watching as many videos of people playing them. These can be found on pinside under the gane listings in the top 100 or also on youtube. You seem to have an idea on era, but you could really nail down a favorite this way.
I also suggest being open to any title that comes up and give it a little research. I have cone across many unexpectedly nice pins that i wouldn't have originally considered by doing this.

Appraisal:

Pinside is great for this, but it isnt always 100% accurate. Make sure to check recent sales and factor in condition. You can also look at ebay historical listings and check out other pricing guides online.

Key things to look for in photos:

Obvious wear and tear...especially to the playfield. If you have any repair skills, this can certainly make a difference in what is more important to you or not. How dirty is it? Are there worn rubbers and lights out? Is the backglass flaking? How are the boards? Is there any acid on the mpu? Are there any burn marks on connectors, coils, etc? How hard are parts to come by if something if missing/broken?

Fair counters for issues:

Once you see a pin you like and look through it, make note of anything and ask about it. Sometimes pics dont tell the whole story and even in person there may be a spare or a quick fix available. Otherwise, i calculate the cost of the issue (part(s), my time, difficulty of obtaining parts, and my skill level to do any upgrades/repairs) and subtract that from the price. This is all very personal to you and your resources. I recommend you buy something in the best shape you can as your first pin...and if you want to tinker...a project for your second pin.

Cabinet fade:

This depends on how bad it is and how much you care about it. I sold a very nice and desirable game a couple years ago to free up some cash. I sold it cheap. Too cheap. The first guy to look at it passed because it had slight cab paint chipping (easily fixable....but it was really hardly even noticable). The second guy couldnt get his money out fast enough. He almost burnt his hand going for his wallet so fast. I had a line of 4 others buyers contacting about it all behind the line that were ALL offering me above ny asking. The moral is that sone people dont care about cabs much and for some it is a deal breaker.

If you have a big issue with the cab, voice your concern and see if the seller would come down. If it has to be re-done completely, i would take off 400...but this is really subjective.

LEDs:

Very subjective. Some people subtract value from a game having LEDs. I have tons on hand, so it's not a big deal to me. If you love LEDs and desperately want them...you can add 100-200 in price.

Shipping and payment:

Once again, i highly recommend you DON'T do this for your first pin. Go see it in person. Keep looking on those sites and pinside. Make friends with local collectors. Use the pinside map and contact some people local to you. Place a wanted ad on here. Look on regional threads here on pinside. Share what area you are in on here and ask if anyone knows someone local to you. There are tons of options.

For the payment, always use cash. If you have to use something else because you have to ship, check out this thread:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/attention-don-t-get-scammed

These are the only shippers i trust:

Michelle Bianchi
800-959-8880
cell: 630-344-3093 [email protected]

Dan Scott
864-903-1324

So are we talking like high quality, artisanal table crafted by hand, or IKEA table that’s just for a cheap work desk?
What is the purpose for circuit boards under your table? Are you mounting your PC to it??

All jokes aside, a large majority of collectors loath calling them “tables” it’s okay for certain conversations, usually a casual mention here or there. But in repeated phrasing, use game or machine, it sounds better and more accurately describes them.

The old adage that always stuck with me was “tables are for eating or putting your coffee on, I PLAY machines”

As Lloyd said, LEDs add maybe $100 they don’t cost that much anymore. Faded decals don’t hurt value as much since MOST games are faded after decades. I would say that crisp, new decals simply INCREASE value.

Join your nearest regional for sale on Pinside and some local pinball Facebook groups and buy from a decent local collector. After your first 2 or 3 machines, especially if you hang around guys who buy and sell often you’ll pickup what you need to know.

Playfield wear and damage hurt value the most because the playfield is a bitch to work with. A good touch up job takes a lot of time and adds value, but a BAD TOUCHUP (most of them) is almost worse than just leaving it in the first place. Either fix it right or not at all!

Buy in person, cash on the glass. STI is a gamble. Plenty of guys have good luck but personally I know several guys who have had shitty luck and that’s enough for me never to bother again.

Something else to consider when you are looking at pictures of a machine to purchase...think about the areas of a machine that are NOT being shown. Sometimes there is a good reason that somebody didn't include a particular area in the photos.

But, I agree with several others above...buy your first machine in person after having inspected/played it yourself. And buy a machine in the best condition that you can afford. Saving a couple hundred on the initial price may cost you far more in repairs and frustration.

If you are living in the continental US, you can find machines available within a couple hours drive.

"Nervous" and first time buyer looking to buy a game online is a lousy combination.

Either find something local (or brand new) or get over the nervousness and take the plunge. If you can't verify a buyer or get someone to vouch for them, just steer clear-- too many scams out there.

You're way better off finding something local, even if you pay a bit more.

The more tables you’re considering, the more likely one will be available.

Be aware Pinside can’t verify sales price and many ads are just jokes that have to hope of selling near the listed asking price. It’s questionable whether it’s even a useful data point.

Zero. Take money off if lights don’t work because the table hasn’t been maintained recently.
You’ll figure out if you like LEDs soon enough. Changing an entire table to LED bulbs is $1-200.

Consider a retailer for your first one if you have a good one near you.

Scammers using stolen photos have difficulty providing specific photos or videos.

Amazing how often when you see a machine in person it isn't as nice as you expected from pictures or descriptions. Unless you are buying from a reputable dealer, my advice is not to buy anything without seeing it in person. Advise not to not send payment (of any kind) before seeing in person. If wanting to buy something used, search local....craigslist, FB marketplace, look for threads on Pinside about your local area. Good luck.