I wouldn't touch that thing as a first timer. No idea if it even has boards in it, if the playfield is even worth working on, etc. Could be a huge money pit. A lot depends on your skill set, if electronics are your bread and butter then maybe but I would want my first machine to be a fun experience and not a potentially expensive and frustrating experience.

Stay away from eBay. You’re better off finding something local through Craigslist so that you can look at it in person.

I wouldnt buy the 2400 one ether as it's overpriced. Should be able to get a nice working one under 2k.

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/archive?s=1&ad_machine_key=453

Find a local league and start playing with them. That will get you juiced into the local scene and get you playing some pinball machines quickly. Then you can probably source a local game at a price that you want.

It's very stop and go, and very boring. I've owned a sf2 it's terrible. There is a reason it's one of the few dmd games you see under 2k.

A lot of guys on here are just very anti gottlieb period. Imho if you are comfortable with doing some repairs and can get it for a reasonable price go for it. Having said that I do agree with Matesamo that you dont wanna end up in a money oit on your 1st machine. Not everyone can afford to drop 3 and 4k for a machine and while SF2 may not be very challenging it is a good starter and family game. Like others already stated I too would stay away from ebay better to see it in person like craigslist or deal with a fellow pinsider.

I would never buy a broken pinball machine as a first time buyer. Spend more money and get a fully working machine.

What Coz said. I bought my first machine from a highly experienced collector, who went painstakingly through how to fix, test, clean EVERYTHING. If I’d bought a broken machine and tried to learn how to fix it without first seeing up close a working machine, I never would have figured it out, or bothered to try. And I’m an engineer. Make your first experience a good one.

The other thing about a game like SF2 is that it will be hard to sell when you inevitably get bored with it...

I would try to find a game in working condition. Go into the hobby knowing that you WILL have to fix something down the road, but taking on a massive project like this one might sour your experience. My first pin went about 4 months until one of the coils burned out and I had to learn how to solder. GL

I believe you will quickly get frustrated and lose interest if you buy too big of a project, especially as your first.

The first game I purchased was from a local shop that could help and provide service if I needed it. Probably cost me more, but was worth it. At the end of the day I turned out fine anyway because of pin pricing inflation.

Another consideration, buy a game in nice condition. Don't waste your time with projects, yet. I have seen people who don't buy a perfect game because it's $200 "too high" and end up waiting 6 month before they find another, just to pay even more.

Or buy a cheaper game, then ended up putting $400 in parts in it, just to end up in the same place.

Don't get fixated on price, instead on what you are getting for the price. I don't restore games anymore, but, games in excellent condition are worth more to me

Don't buy a broken one as your first pin!!! Maybe get a decent priced working one and then one that is a little fixer upper. Always having at least one working pin is better than none! Also remember, there is always maintenance that needs to be done and machines break especially 30 year old ones. My first pin was a Space Station and I have fixed and updated many things on it. It sucks when you only have 1 pin and it is down because a diverter is not working properly or someone hacked a gi board.

It will always be easier to come here for advice as a newbie when you have one specific issue instead of a whole machine full of issues. Wait and grab a solid working machine and enjoy it, then when something goes wrong it will be easier to get help with the problem. I saw a Gottlieb DMD soccer game for a grand a few months ago, bought a High Speed for $500 and an Eight Ball Champ for $900. All were 100% working in good condition.

To buy broken or not really depends on who you are and what abilities you have. Buying any machine that doesn't work could be a lot of fun and a great experience. There is huge self satisfaction with getting a machine in the rough (your ebay SF) up and running, If you get the machine at the right price. If you bog down on the repairs, you can always move it on to someone else and get most of your money (if not make money) back. If I was going to buy the machine that you show pics of on ebay, I would have them tell me that everything is there. Maybe pull the glass for a couple of pics. There is nothing like getting a machine for a great price, fixing it, playing it, making money on it when you move it on to upgrade to a better machine. That IMHO is what drives this hobby!

I would think it would be frustrating to have a pin but not be able to play it. It's far better to get a working pin that might need a little work. It could get frustrating trying to learn how to fix major stuff as a beginner and not be able to enjoy the pin. It also will be hard to sell a non working SF2.

amercat thanks for tuning into my stream last night and glad to see you reach out to the pinside community for some advice. If you look up Street Fighter 2 here on the site, you will see previous for sale threads.

https://pinside.com/pinball/archive/street-fighter-ii average price on high end is $1400.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/street-fighter-club-all-welcomeready-set-shoot#post-1789091 This is the club of other owners, a great place to learn about a specific title.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-street-fighter-ii-2 Here is one that was for sale a month ago, not sure if it sold for $1500.

Lots of information available through the forum, as well as through the individual pinsiders. Some people will give you shit for asking something they know, but they forget at one point in time they didn't know that information either. Ask questions and someone here will usually help you out pretty quickly. Hopefully someone local who is a bit established can get to helping you on your search. Have a good one.
-Tommy

Absolutely not a basket case for yourfirst game.
Absolutely not Street Fighter 2 at any point in your life.

Also this seller in not in the states.

IMG_0169 (resized).PNG

Don't buy anything you can't see,play, pay for with cash, and load up in person.
Bring a friend.

If you insist on trying to buy something you can't play first:

READ THIS:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/how-to-not-get-ripped-off-in-pinball-vids-guide

For your first machine buy a working one. Especially if you have a wife that's not 100% on owning one. Last thing you need to hear is a bunch of bitching every time you spend money on parts to get it working.

This is a very social hobby, both on the playing side and on the restoration side. You lean on people to start, and in time, people will lean on you.

As others have suggested, i would take a long term social approach. It has worked for me.

Burn no Bridges, word gets around fast.
Join league
Go to local mom n pop arcades (not corporate ones)
Meet some people selling on CL
Meet reputable local restorers

Build up your local pinball social network...

I'd say roughly 1 in 2 people I've bought games from over the last 5 years have become friends and important people in supporting me in the hobby. That says something about the people in this hobby and a little something about me.

Odds are you'll buy a game from someone you know or will soon get to know. If you play your cards right, that person will know that game and may help you with any issues or point you in the right directions.

Focus on people, and success will flow.

Mof

I thinking buying a project game as your first is a big mistake (and it's got nothing to do with the fact that your target is the atrocious SF2), unless you have a friend(s) willing to put in free work for you to help you get it working.

I always suggest spending more on a fully working machine. Things will break soon enough and learning to fix games as issues come up is far easier than trying to get a basket case working.