Hi Guys,

Just decided something. The connections for my micro switch that is connected to the end of the wireform ramp that feeds the ball lock reel are a total hack job made up of poorly connected wires that are held together with badly placed electrical tape. Can somebody take a couple pictures of the molex connector setup for me so I can try to find one online and get it set back up correctly? It is the only real hack on my entire table and now that I am getting ready to rebuild I just don't want to leave it that way.

Thanks so much!

Tim in Motown

SilverBallKid sorry I think I’m confused you want a pic of the molex end... or the switch end that is screwed into the wire form?

Definitely the molex end. Both sides of the connector if possible. I'm totally good about the place where the microswitch connects to the wireform guide. Got good pix of that while I was tearing it down. Thanks!

So here's an odd question for everybody. I was playing tonight and having a good but not great game, had about 200M and started a multi ball, lots of action but no jackpots, I look up and my score has somehow jumped to 864M!?! I'm convinced that this is some type of code glitch but never had anything like it happen in the 2+ years I've had the game. There was nothing suggesting any type of switch was triggering to add points, and as soon as I noticed the jump things appeared to score/work in order. So the question is, has anyone had their score somehow jump several hundred million points without exactly knowing what you did to gain those points and (as I suspect) was this a code glitch?

Absolutely not, I could only wish to hit a score like that!

Thanks, ended up with 964M which beat my old best by over 300M, I just have no idea whether it was legit.

The only thing that would make it jump like that is superjacks scorewise...

Did you notice if the tropical/fresh-water/deep-sea inserts were all lit? That would mean you made it to the super jackpot mode. Maybe there was a stuck ball in the reel and you were playing 1 ball multiball for a while.

Getting 900mil on FT is a lot!!

Have scored over 2.7billion.Yes,would have to have been super jackpots.

From memory there is a bug that if you tick over the extra ball score level on your first ball using the spinner, the scoring goes crazy (or something along these lines, its been a while since I figured it out).

Check out the FT demo sketches from TWIP via dead flip.

I see playfield drawing is signed Python Angelo Productions.

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That would have been very left flipper dominated. Interesting to see how the physical lock of the water wheel became the fishing reel.

Looks like they were thinking about some kind of cumulative jackpot, like in Jokerz. Look at the right side of the backglass, seems like some kind of increasing score meter maybe.

That topper is awesome!
Someone needs to make that!

That's a downgrade IMO. AFM is fun, but overhyped and overpriced I think. Had one for a while and got rid of it. FT was the first pin I ever owned. Dozens of others have come and gone since, but FT will never leave!

Looking for a FT around the central PA area. I have an ad in the market place.

Is there any provenance to prove these sketches are legit? I can draw and forge a signature. They are cool drawings for certain, but where did they come from?

It was posted on TWIP, which gets a lot of views including friends of Python's and ex-Williams employees, so maybe someone can inform them if is not legit.

There Legit. It was part of a Python estate sale late last year. I almost bought that one
I believe it sold in the 1200 range. Perhaps the mysterious pinside purchaser will reveal himself . There were about 30 drawings sold over a few weeks.

Hey all -happy 4th. Started up the fishtales for the family members who do not want to b out in the 103 temperature. I just noticed that the inline inserts “lite long cast and lite fish finder” stay lit throughout game. They blink as normal during non play game pause and the lamp and inlane switch both register during test, with my finger and ball. Any thoughts on what to look at next?

Thx

I think that is normal.

Def not normal, they should light when you hit the corresponding side of the boat ramp. Unless there is some easy setting or something that makes them stay lit that I don't know about...

**correction below**

^^^ That is my understanding, any thoughts on what would make them stay lit? I created a separate thread and the reviews there seems to also be mixed on whether they are associated with GI but no fixes.

– M

He is talking about the inlane inserts not the "long cast" and "fish finder" inserts, which are lit by hitting the inlanes. (he wrote inline and not inlane, which does make it confusing)

Those left and right inlanes are lit most of the game. I played a few games and confirmed the left inlane is always on, and the right inlane does not turn off very oftern, maybe during multiball, so you don't relight the fish finder then.

Use the individual lamp test to test each insert lamp, and confirm all are OK, and there are no matrix diode issues lighting the wrong ones.

Here's the info I think:

The left return lane ALWAYS lights the Long Cast. (The light is always on.)
Also, shooting the ball up the right loop while Long Cast is NOT lit will
light Long Cast (seemingly until you make the shot). After making a Long
Cast or lighting it from the left return lane, it will time out after 10-15
seconds or so. (So I'm not TOTALLY sure...) The first Long Cast you make
scores 1M points, then 2M, etc. maxing out at 5M. As stated, each long cast
lights the next highest value on the captive ball that isn't already lit.
You can light all of the values before collecting any of them if you wanted.
If your current value is about to time out, and you go through the left
return lane, it will relight for the full amount of time again, and KEEP the
current value.

The right return lane lights Fish Finder when lit. It starts the game lit,
and will remain lit until the Fish Finder is collected. When you go over
the microswitch, you have around 15-20 seconds to shoot the eject hole. If
you get it, the right return lane will go off. To relight it, spell LIE
(this is non-cumulative; i.e. you can't spell LIE 3 times and expect to get
3 Fish Finders in a row). The right return lane will NOT be lit during
multiball and if Video Mode is lit. If it goes off for one of those
reasons, it will come back on when it can.

Thanks for the input all. Have had game for 4 years now and for some reason I never noticed these being on all time, i always assumed these went off when the corresponding inserts in the loop were activated. Seemed like coding common sense that the light would go off if the thing its activating is already activated. All lamps and switches test fine.

This is key. Your hardware is fine, operation from there is software (ruleset)

I've just added a little extra bling to sit above the topper, bolted to the wall bracket behind and not actually touching the topper itself. I spotted these listed in a local buy-swap-sell Facebook group and just couldn't resist buying one, especially when the words fit so perfectly with the call out.... FISH ON !!!!
I could get more of these if people are interested, it was air brush painted by a local artist and the price was $50 Aus + $16 Aus posted to me. I guess they could be shipped overseas, doubt there is anything restricted involved as it's just painted pine board with scalloped edges.

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I'm thinking about getting a color dmd for my machine, i have the LED version on my JD. What is the better option for FT?...LCD or LED, and yeah i know it's a personal preference thing where everyone has their own favourite BUT, it's also true that one or the other version suits particular machines graphics better also.

Lcd for Fish tales.

And I prefer the LED in mine.

Hahahahahah 1 all, but i did expect it to be like that

I have the lcd version and love it. Haven’t owned a led version yet

Considering the same purchase.....

LCD vs LED....

Can we see the differences? Pictures?

I played an LED version and did not prefer it. Looked crayoney and odd to me, but to each their own!

Im not a fan of the LED versions. Dont get me wrong, they are great, but the LCD version is just better. You can do more with it. My buddy bought an LED version then ended up selling it for the LCD version.

I think the LED versions look good on the newer sterns, and some of the Williams games... But they are BRIGHT! I have all LCD's in my Williams games and had an LED in a POTC, and i liked it.

I just love the flexibility of the LCD and the "softness" of the display. On a game with great animations and graphics, i'd argue the LCD does a MUCH better presentation of artwork.

LCD is better IMO, unless you can't fit it.

Does anyone sell the screenprinted plastic that surrounds the speakers and dmd on a Fish Tails?

http://www.ministryofpinball.com/en/fish-tales-speaker-panel.html

LTG : )

Not everyone's cup of tea, but there is a lighted one for sale if you are interested
ebay.com link: Fish Tales FT Lighted Pinball LED Speaker Panel ULTIMATE

Thanks for the links

anyone have the fishing rod plastic in good cond

fishing rod pastic (resized).jpg

They really, or someone needs to make these!
Couple hundred would sell like hot salmon with herb butter!
Mark- Freeplay40? Larry, starship fantasy?

They appear randomly from time to time. I have seen two on eBay in the last year and one from Australia. But it’s a pretty rare part as mentioned above. As soon as you find it however, there will be three listed on your local Craigslist. Or does that seem to only happen to me

Mine is cracked at the front bottom near where it attaches. I just put Monster Fish mod in front of it, does a decent job hiding the crack.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/fs-fish-tales-monster-fish-mod

What is the reasonable price of this? I mean brand new.

I don't know. I've shopped out or restored a good dozen FT's and have never needed this part.

Ya the reel plastic needs to be remade, it’s seriously unobtanium lol