(Topic ID: 92226)

Gottlieb System 3 Fan Club: Haters need not apply ;)

By Gov

9 years ago


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  • 1,189 posts
  • 274 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 32 days ago by jtreehorn
  • Topic is favorited by 92 Pinsiders

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There are 1,189 posts in this topic. You are on page 3 of 24.
#101 9 years ago

I'm in the process of shopping out a Big Hurt right now. The thing is built like a tank...and I love the guidelines printed on the underside of the playfield (even showing details such as which way coil lugs should be pointing).

Great game to play, also.

#102 9 years ago

I hope someone here can help me out. I want to buy a few sets of the switches that are used on System 3 relays in the cabinet. The flipper relay, the Tilt relay, and in my case the pool cue motor on Cue Ball Wizard. I don't want to buy the whole relay, just the switch.

That motor relay switch is the source of all sorts of bad behaviour on CBW, the driver board starts chattering the flipper power, and sometimes the ball release when the contacts get dirty and since it is so old I have had to resort to filing them which only last about 50 games before it starts acting up again.

Hopefully someone knows where to buy them.

#103 9 years ago

i'm sure Steve young has them at Pinball resource. He has everything gottlieb. well most things.

#104 9 years ago
Quoted from CaptainNeo:

i'm sure Steve young has them at Pinball resource. He has everything gottlieb. well most things.

I am sure he does but it is hard to buy from him in Canada. I was hoping there would be somewhere else.

#105 9 years ago
Quoted from BJM-Maxx:

I am sure he does but it is hard to buy from him in Canada. I was hoping there would be somewhere else.

I order parts for my Raven through Starburst in T.O. They wait until they're making an order & piggy back yours on it.

#106 9 years ago

I need to get my SF2 back up and running....all the boards came back months ago from service...just havent had the time or SPACE....stupid unfinished part of my basement is too low to put the head up....

#107 9 years ago
Quoted from Topher5000:

I order parts for my Raven through Starburst in T.O. They wait until they're making an order & piggy back yours on it.

Is that the same as the Playdium in Toronto or is it different.

#108 9 years ago

Same thing. I just ordered a bunch of stuff last week.

#109 9 years ago

Sad thing about system 3's, parts don't come easy. I got a 2nd playfield and complete wiring for Shaq Attaq when I saw someone selling it on ebay and recently picked up a full wiring system with switches, spinner, drop target for Operation Thunder off ebay here in Australia last month so I am set for awhile!

#110 9 years ago

Finally got around to connecting my shaker motor on gladiators. The end piece of metal that spins wasn't on it, just the motor. Holey crap! That thing will shake the windows out of the neighbors house!!! I broke the screw off when I tightened it down, so now I can't get the piece off. I'm either stuck with an earthquake, or nothing at this point until I drill out the screw.

#111 9 years ago

Tee'd off motor wheel now turns flippers have power and Gopher is moving. so making some progress. just have to finish up the cleaning install new flipper kits since they are a bit worn and give it a good deep clean. Not a bulb was good on the GI so it had been roughed up and not well maintained. She will live again though!!!

#112 9 years ago

Where is the best/cheapest place in the US to get system 3 flipper rebuild kits? I just bought a LCA and need to rebuild all 3 flippers.

#113 9 years ago

I've bought a couple rebuild kits from Marco specialties

#114 9 years ago
Quoted from amkoepfer:

I've bought a couple rebuild kits from Marco specialties

Yeah that's where I found them, but they are $75 for a pair! And they don't have them individually for the 3rd one I need.

#115 9 years ago

Gotcha, ya I didn't know they didn't sell individual ones

#116 9 years ago

I've purchase all my System 3 rebuild kits from Pinball Resource.

--Luke

#117 9 years ago
Quoted from HighNoon:

I've purchase all my System 3 rebuild kits from Pinball Resource.
--Luke

Awesome, looks like I'll be using them as well. Just confirmed with Terry over at Pinball Life that he doesn't carry them but also recommended these guys. Thanks!

#118 9 years ago

Yeah...Steve at Pinball Resource has a good selection of System 3 stuff in general.

--Luke

#119 9 years ago

The mini kits are nice too. I keep a stock of EOS switches that I get separate and do mini kits.

1 week later
#120 9 years ago

My gladiators flashers stopped working. The fuse is fine and all wires appear to be good, I don't have a manual to chase everything down, but it plugs in to a board under the playfield that I'm not sure what it is. Has anyone else had this happen? Any ideas on what it could be?

#121 9 years ago

So I've got a question about my LCA. After a game finishes and the game sits on for a few minute, some lights turn off and on and a few solenoids fire here and there. Is this normal behavior? And occasionally after it does this, the GI fuse blows.

#122 9 years ago

hmm mine does not do that, just played a game to confirm. It will reset the drops. I have had no issue with GI but mine is led.

#123 9 years ago

Hmm yeah I thought it was odd. I'll have to take note of what exactly happens next time. Thanks for checking on yours though to confirm.

#124 9 years ago
Quoted from mainelycoasters:

thoughts on Tee'd Off? how much do you like it and value of it?

I have a Tee'd Off that's in awesome condition. I really enjoy the game and it's a big hit with guests that don't play/understand pinball much. Love the gopher topper. He taunts you while you play. Good theme and easy to understand.

#125 9 years ago

Made a Gottlieb key holder and since I have no paypal account I would like to offer this up for a $25 donation to pinside. 1/8 x 4"x 12" aluminum that was primed painted decal applied clear coated and hooks super glued in.
Also have a Sega and data east key holder.

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#126 9 years ago
Quoted from t2:

Made a Gottlieb key holder and since I have no paypal account I would like to offer this up for a $25 donation to pinside. 1/8 x 4"x 12" aluminum that was primed painted decal applied clear coated and hooks super glued in.
Also have a Sega and data east key holder.

I'll take it if it hasn't been claimed already.

#127 9 years ago

Yeah just checked and I had a 2.5 amp instead of 5 amp sloblow for the GI fuse. All is good, and the solenoids firing are the backbox animation which seems right.

#128 9 years ago

Mario Andretti gets the most play when people come over. Became a much better game once the factory settings were bumped up from their easy settings.

#129 9 years ago

A couple of questions for anyone.

1. I need to perform my first flipper rebuild on a system 3. (Shaq) Can anyone provide me with the proper EOS switch gap? I cannot seem to find it in the manual.

2. Anybody know of any custom apron cards for shaq and waterworld?

#130 9 years ago

Does anyone have a copy of gladiators manual and schematics? Have a flasher issue that I need to troubleshoot and have no manual. Thanks!

3 weeks later
#131 9 years ago

I just doubled my high score on gladiators! But........I think it screwed up. I was in cataclysm mode, and the ball drained, but the shaker was still going and points were racking up until I hit the flippers. Then on ball two after it drained it still gave me a huge cataclysm bonus. So I think it messed up, but I'm not sure if that's normal and I've never seen it. So do I claim my high score? I'd say its not my fault if the game malfunctions, but its my game so if it was messing up I don't think I can justify it and claim my score

7 months later
#132 8 years ago

I just got back into the sys 3 club! Waterworld is back in my collection

1 week later
#133 8 years ago

Silver Slugger, I'm IN!

#134 8 years ago
Quoted from northvibe:

I just got back into the sys 3 club! Waterworld is back in my collection

Nice, I have always wanted to spend some quality time with one of those.

#135 8 years ago
Quoted from Swainer80:

Silver Slugger, I'm IN!

Did you get the one off CL up here? Ive been low balling that guy forever...wont budge.

#136 8 years ago

As an aside, I guess *technically* I'm a member, since I picked up a 'Nudge-It' for my wife to play. (Hey.. it has a ball, and it has pins / posts.)

#137 8 years ago
Quoted from Gov:

Nice, I have always wanted to spend some quality time with one of those.

sellers remorse on my first one couldn't find another one as nice.... I need to pick it up from a friends house but the pics made it look good.

I may have to play with my fingers to show some of the modes that 99% of no one knows about. It is oddly deeper than most think, although most sys 3's are like that.

I forgot about the gladiators. It is at my pinball partners house. Just rebuilt the bottom 2 flippers last night. The upper 2 will be next and the L opto's need to be fixed. Then it will be working 100% again

#138 8 years ago
Quoted from Chitownpinball:

Did you get the one off CL up here? Ive been low balling that guy forever...wont budge.

Yeah, the seller was nice enough but wouldn't move on price either (he was a bit of a character). I was helping a buddy pick up a game in Champaign and figured, eh, what the hell. Hadn't played that game in over 20 years. I couldn't believe how many bulbs were out on in it but at least the drop targets are new. I was going to look at it a month ago on the way home from Michigan but it was too late in the evening. After working on system 11s and Data Easts, holy crap are gottliebs different.

#139 8 years ago

Currently have Barb Wire in the collection, and really hoping to get Gladiators at some point. Also throwing my Pin*Bot up for trade on system 3 titles, so we'll see if anything happens.

#140 8 years ago

Got a sweet BW on loan for a while. Fun game.

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2 weeks later
#141 8 years ago

I got 3 sys3's
Teed Off - Can never sell, My wifes favourite game. And most people that come round say they enjoyed it the most. I consider it a un-licenced caddy shack movie pinball... I had never played when I bought and almost turned it down due to the negative reviews from people..

Super Mario Bros. - Just giving some love now, New pinbades from pin graphix, And a set of pipes for the flashers and mine didnt have the yellow pipe either so getting that as well. Really would like to find some decals for this on.. My Playfield is in pretty good shape but the cabinet is pretty bad.. Or maybe ill try touch up dunno yet...

Waterworld - Probally the best conditioned one I have. Play this the most I rekon.. Talking about it makes me want to play it now.. Love the movie, love the pinball dont care what anyone says

Shaq attack poped up near by.. Might be #4!

#142 8 years ago

Idk why but I like waterworld too...need to shop it out and fix the optos as the deez doesn't register balls getting shot in for multi ball.

You should pick that shaq up!!!!

1 week later
#143 8 years ago

I have a new level of respect for System 3 games. I own a "Lights...Camera...Action!" and in all honesty, it's one of the most popular games in my collection, even sitting next to Earthshaker and Whirlwind.

From a hardware standpoint, I feel like Gottlieb really hit a stride with the architecture. Extended switch and lamp matrices allow for 108 individual bulbs and switches is nice, even if they never really took advantage of all of them--I don't think that even WPC games had this many at their disposal. 25 controllable solenoids with built in "anti-machine gunning kickers" is smart, and their use of lower voltage DMDs and alphanumeric displays, and lithium batteries was forward thinking. I'm willing to overlook their grounding issues and shared strobes. I hear the System 3 boardset is pretty robust as well.

From a games standpoint, I wish Gottlieb took more of an advantage of the hardware. They always seemed behind the times, even though under the hood, they could easily outperform any William's System 11 title in terms of technical aspects. Awkward flippers, early "street level" designs, and lame licensed themes later set them back, imo. But the awkwardness in design is what makes them special to me. They're sorta the "anti-pinball" for when you want something good and unique that wasn't designed by Bally or Williams. Kind of like comparing the Sega Genesis to the Super Nintendo, this was the last era where pinball machines from different manufacturers truly had a different look and feel. Never have I wanted to own a Class of 1812 as much as I do now, and I'd love to stick a Cactus Jack's in my collection as well some day.

1 week later
#144 8 years ago

I've always been a huge Gottlieb fan and love the System 3 pins! I've owned many over the years (some of my favorites being Class of 1812, Operation Thunder, Stargate, Lights... Camera... Action!) but am down to one now. I've owned Wipeout for well over a decade and it's going nowhere! I recently treated it to a complete resto mod and fell in love with it all over again! All visible metal (coin door, rails, legs, ramps, etc.) was powdercoated white with a light blue metalflake for a frosty look. Full custom LED treatment including supplemental LED strips. DMD was converted to color LCD using Dr Pinball's DMD extender board. I went with white and varying shades of blue for the display. The red DMD film overlay was put to good use repairing a busted out taillight lens on my pin hauler van!

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#145 8 years ago

Does anyone know of a good replacement for the Sys 3 Alphanumeric Displays? They're made by Noritake Ikon (spelling, I'm typing the from memory) but haven't dug in much deeper than that yet. Figured I'd ask anyone..

1 month later
#146 8 years ago

Question.Are the left E.O.S on Lights Camera Action the same for lower and upper flipper ?
Restoring it at the moment but both right and left look like a mess and the wires are also cut on them so i was thinking of getting some new ones.
This is my first Gottlieb system 3 machine i'm restoring so this is something i haven't been dealing with before
If you have any tips,let me know

#147 8 years ago
Quoted from BentleyBear:

Are the left E.O.S on Lights Camera Action the same for lower and upper flipper ?

In my game, yes, they were the same thing. Just rebuilt them the other day and, it too, had plenty of hacks from the previous owner. When I bought my rebuild kit, it came with the EOS switches pre-soldered to the filter capacitor which was all attached to the EOS plate. It was probably the easiest replacement ever. Everything just dropped right into place.

#148 8 years ago
Quoted from mbaumle:

In my game, yes, they were the same thing. Just rebuilt them the other day and, it too, had plenty of hacks from the previous owner. When I bought my rebuild kit, it came with the EOS switches pre-soldered to the filter capacitor which was all attached to the EOS plate. It was probably the easiest replacement ever. Everything just dropped right into place.

Thanks for the info

#149 8 years ago

Sold a Freddy, bought a LCA. Sold the LCA and got a Mario Andretti in the deal. I guess I'm in the system 3 club as these Gottliebs keep finding me.

#150 8 years ago

Howdy, just picked up my very first System 3 title, Stargate. I have worked on a lot of Williams and a few Data East, but this is my first Gottlieb solid state and I have a lot to learn. The one I got is a little bit of a project, so I started a thread here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/help-needed-gottlieb-stargate-system-3

Any help, advice, or encouragement is welcome!

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