Fish Tales
Williams, 1992You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider Ive.
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Happy to say I'm back in the club .......... with my third Fish Tales 
Always loved this game and clearly something drags me back to it !
Really pleased with the playfield on this one - best I have had. Cab is good but very faded, guess you can't have everything ... I'll take good pf over nice cab everytime.
P1080992 (resized).JPGP1080994 (resized).JPGP1090005 (resized).JPGP1090008 (resized).JPGP1090011 (resized).JPGQuoted from CollinT:Has anyone bought a Rottendog MPU recently? We were planning on getting one for FT, just want to make sure the quality is good.
I have had one in my WH20 for about 3 years now. Has been fine ..... <crosses fingers>
Quoted from whitey:Must have mods ?
Not sure there are many 'must have' mods on Fishy 
ColorDMD is nice ...of course.
Some people like the Scooby Doo Lake Monster / Monster fish mod - does look very like the Monster Fish. Some people hate it.
I have seen a few people change bumper caps to blue or green, rubbers likewise to give it a colour makeover.
Quoted from whitey:Looked for scooby mod couldn’t find it
This is the figure. You'll find him from US sellers also I'm sure.
You can mod him how you see fit. Someone was selling them with LED eyes.
On a previous FT I had I mounted him behind the boat, and added a spotlight below him, tied in to the Monster Fish insert to illuminate him when Monster fish was ready. I liked it.
Quoted from tomdotcom:Rolling backflip sure, but from a dead cradle, no fn way. Maybe fluke it once in 100 somehow. But it's def not normal imo from every fishtales I've played. My GC is 3.8bill, zero cradled CC's. Also Merry Fn xmas everyone!
It's def possible on my FT. I have done it plenty of times , did it earlier today. It's a super tight shot .... I don't make it every attempt ....but it can be done.
Quoted from Neal_W:I can't backhand that on my FT, with the bottom of the flippers aligned with the roll pins like normal. Next time I am messing with the flippers, I will set them a little higher and give it a try. Pretty sure flipper angle would affect this.
I'm wondering if the exact position of the sling post or even thickness of rubber could come into play - could be talking just 1 or 2 mm of variance to allow the shot. Not all playfields are gonna be drilled EXACTLY mm perfect/the same.
Regarding the debate on 'reel belt vs regular rubber'
My FT when I got it had a thin black rubber belt much like the ones used on F14 topper lamps. Anyway it was sometimes slipping, mis aligning. I tried replacing with regular rubber - had same problems. I then replaced with the original style belt. Works perfect.
I know people have theirs working with rubber. In fact I had a FT years ago which worked perfectly well with a regular rubber ring.
But I'm in the original belt style camp now. It only cost a few $ .
Quoted from yzfguy:Put in the lighted pinball mods speaker panel tonight. Chuck is a great guy to deal with and this thing looks pretty slick!
The panel itself and the speaker lights are on separate strips, so you can dim/brighten and change their colors independently.[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Looks awesome.
Where is that panel from ?
Quoted from MiamiRedSkin:Still on the lookout for a Fish Tales Topper!
Think you just missed one here - might be worth chasing in case it didn't sell
https://www.pinballinfo.com/community/threads/fish-tales-topper.45045/
Quoted from CoolCatPinball:Need a little advice fellow fishers. I recently heard a rumor that theres a way to quiet down the noise from the fish topper flapping by adding some sort of rubber to the plunger that moves his tail?? If anyone here has knowledge about it, please do share it with me. I dont want to totally disable the topper, but it is quite noisy. Thanks!!
I tried various combinations of rubber on the mech. It still annoyed me. Happy to live without it flapping around.
Quoted from screaminr:I've got mine disconnected , how much of a difference do you think the rubber made ?
Hard to say ...maybe 50% ?? I could still hear the 'thump thump thump'. I don't really see the point anyway, its not like you are stood looking at the topper whilst mid ball.
It's all subjective - some people have their games at screamingingly loud volume, which I can't stand, If I have to shout to someone to be heard whilst I'm playing - that's just ridiculous. Maybe I'm just a bit noise sensitive 
Quoted from yzfguy:Love my topper. Looks cool, has character, and the noise and flopping is hysterical. I'd never change it!
Like I said its all subjective.
You say hysterical ..... I say frickin annoying
Luckily the game is awesome either way
Quoted from Liakos:Hoping someone can help me...
My fishtales keeps re setting...
Every 2 minutes or even I'm playing a few minutes into the game the machine will just reset out of the blue
Iim not tech savvy but my technician tried adding more power as he thought there isnt enough voltage ?...
If that's not the problem does someone know what else I can try... I will relay the info to my guy who helps me fix them... trying to bypass the hours of figuring this out...
I sincerely appreciate any feedback someone can give me....
Thanks in advance
WPC resets are more often than not a connector issue.
This info below given by a well known and respected tech on Pinballinfo forum. The last few times I have had the dreaded reset it has been a connector.
....................................................................................................
A problem with BR2 is a possibility, but is in fact rarely the cause
of most reset problems.
It is more likely that there is a bad power connector. You need to
carry out these checks first.
Measure against ground on a DC scale the voltage reading at TP2 on
the power board – the 5V test point. If this is below 4.9 V then you
have a problem on the power board, either with the LM323K regulator
or the J101 power input connector.
Look to the right hand side of the power board and locate connector
J101 which has red and blue wires. Remove and replace a couple of
times. If it is scorched then it needs replacing. Re-check the 5V and
see if any improvement.
If still less than 4.9V then replace LM323K rectifier.
If 4.9v or above, make a note of the reading and then take another
measurement on the CPU on the top end of the copper coil you can see
to the right hand edge of the CPU. If this is more than 0.04V less
than the recorded reading from TP2 then the power connector between
the two boards is at fault.
Locate the short grey ribbon connector that joins the CPU and power
driver board.
Now remove and replace the connector directly below this on the power
driver board. Do this several times, which basically removes
contaminants and improves connectivity.
This may well solve the problem, but it may re-emerge in the future
and the connector may need replacing long term.
If all the voltages are good, and you have more than 4.9V
consistently on the CPU then you are at liberty to replace BR2 and
its capacitor.
Quoted from Liakos:Hoping someone can PLEASE help me...
Optos on real are working...
The first 2 balls lock in sweet..
In the 3rdball lock it doesnt line up right and that's when shit hits the fan with respect to me nudging the machine to try and get ball in , while the balls dont spit out properly...
It takes a while to spit out balls especially 3rd one sometimes never....
I really appreciate if someone can help as I had a tech guy over many times...?
Also the lm 339 opto board is working...
New belt will almost certainly fix this.
Quoted from Liakos:My tech guy checked it and said no one messed with it cuz its clean, no excess solder etc...
So he didnt want to reverse it ...he left it alone..
I'm ordering the new belt..
I sincerely appreciate your help guys
Yep - as quite a few of us said 8 days ago when you asked about this ........ new belt 
Quoted from Shenanigander:Ceiling height sadly
I considered wiring it up with super long wires and having it sit on a shelf nearby which would be cool but the clacking would likely ultimately drive the wife crazy. So it just goes from one FT to another!
Totally your choice but ......
Unless you are desperate for cash ....hang on to it. Seriously. Really devalues the game not having it. Or maybe you think you will never sell the game but we have all thought that about games.
Quoted from SilverBallKid:OK so…
I have had my FT for almost 3 years now. I really like the table. Always have, since the days of playing it in bars on route. I got mine from a guy that worked for an operator. He took it when the place closed down in the early 2000s and it was just sitting in the garage. He sold it to me for 1,200. Pretty great deal, I think.
I have always had this game set on 3 ball. I am a purist, after all. The majority of my pinball friends DO NOT like the table. They find it hard to master and too quick to drain. I have been thinking of moving it to 5 ball for the sake of others. Yes, I know I can change it whenever I want. Yes, I know that I don’t need anyone’s permission. I just love hearing people’s opinions about this stuff.
For me, Fish Tales is a ton of fun BECAUSE it is challenging. At the same time, it is really hard to play it casually and put up good scores if you are not a really good player. Even the multiball is brutal and often ends with very little to show for all the chaos. I usually play for the mini modes (captive ball)/multiball when I play and I have very good success this way. Boat Ramps are fun and Monster Fish is always a nice grab. I’m just wondering if anyone else tends to try to set this easier for guests.
Cheers,
Tim in Motown
PS – Hey Bob, look – Water Skiers!
I still say FT is one of the tougher multiballs out there .... I'm a fair player but I rarely get to the Super Jackpots , and many many multiballs end without hitting 1 Jackpot ! It's all part of the fun ...cos when you do hit some
Quoted from Mancave:I usually have all my machines set on 5 ball for guests only as most of my mates aren't really pinheads. This is particularly the case for a deep rule set game like Iron Maiden as most 'newbies' get frustrated and don't enjoy it as much with 3 balls.
I find my non pinhead guests have difficulty enough getting their heads around 3 balls per game ..... I notice that ball savers *really* confuse the heck out of non players 
Quoted from Cmjb13:The rightmost pop bumper light keeps going in and out. I took the cap off and slightly moved the socket from side to side and the light keeps going in and out. The light also will also sometimes go in and out during gameplay when it’s bumper is hit.
Any ideas on how I can make it a bit more stable without having to replace the socket entirely?
Sometimes just a different lamp can help.
Are these the #555 black socket type holder ?....I can't remember. If so try pinching the metal contact tabs together with small pliers. Can sometimes help.
Quoted from Peruman:New Fish Tales owner here. I’m loving the game but I need to shop it out as it has not been cleaned in a long time and the rubbers need to be replaced.
Is there a shop-out video/doc anywhere showing steps to follow to remove everything off the playfield?
Any areas to be careful with as I start the disassembly?
Regards
Peruman
Its a straight forward strip down as far as 90s pins go. Once the wireforms and plastic ramp are out of the way. The entire boat assembly can be removed easily. The Reel possibly the only fiddly bit with the belt. Check the drop target in front of the casters club has the actuator arm present to drop it when necessary - these are often broken.
Quoted from jcar302:Looks like I may have the reel handled because of a generous member. Thanks, Garrett.
So what are the must buys for a shop out of this pin?
Flippers feel good, regardless I have enough flipper parts on hand. (I always do the bushings)
Should have plenty of clear rubber at the house.
Hidden parts I'm going to find that need to be replaced?
Where do I get the insert decals? Looks like pinball spare parts in australia has the most compete set. My guess is I need as many as possible.
I'd love to just once not have to waste money on shipping from the same place twice on one build...
The brass actuator arm that knocks down the Casters Club drop target is often broken.
Quoted from TechnicalSteam:Anyone else run into issues with Racking themselves with the Fishing Rod shooter or hitting there leg and leaving nasty bruises.
Oh I so hate this one feature of the game so much I'm wondering if anyone has taken this shit off.
Smashing your head on it after bending down ,or crawling around under machines for whatever reason, is to be avoided. I talk from Fish Tales and Dirty Harry experience 
Quoted from DaveTheTrain:This might seem really ocd but when the balls are ejected from the reel, where are they supposed to hit? Mine hit the left ball guide and bounce over the flipper, often stdm 3 balls in a row unless I flip wildly!
And sometimes thet jump over the flipper even if you held it up.
Just wondering if they're intended to hit the metal guide or the flippers?
It doesn't appear like I can move the wire form much, the screw is at its furthest and there's no way of moving it any where else as the metal ball guide is in the way.
I don’t have FT currently but had 3 over the years.
This doesn’t really address your issue but I used to happily let 2 of the ejected balls drain anyway , that gives you a chance to just control 1 and concentrate on a shot into the Casters Club . The other 2 will be saved and shot back up to the top of the playfield , giving you a better chance to control them and make a Jackpot
Quoted from Lostcause:‘Shit’ could be right as their stuff is hit and miss and I know from experience along with others, I would only use them as a last resort.
Those decals look ok.
Agree . Last resort for plastics etc . Had some terrible stuff from them in the past . The worst being a T2 skull with detailing done by a 6 year old with a sharpie
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Brighton
Pleasant Hill, CA