Just send them an email stating that you are a new customer. Go ahead and include the parts you need. *INCLUDE PART NUMBERS FOR ALL ITEMS* If you have numbers for everything they might go ahead and send the stuff with an invoice.

If not, they will send you an invoice to pay from and you will have the stuff in two days.

PBR is ALWAYS my first and usually only stop for pin parts.

Just recently, They were reasonably quick to respond to my 1st up order, I send them US green in the mail, jammed inbetween some cardboard, they kept the balance for credit on next order

Same way I do mine

I've always had great service.

Just do what the instructions say and you are fine.

For my first order I just sent them a big retainer since I was working on several machines and knew I would need more stuff later.

I have to confess, this is why I have never ordered from PBR, even if their prices were lower. I went to Canada to find a rectifier board I needed rather than deal with their ordering process. Seems silly but the hassle of multi-step ordering, invoicing, etc just seems kind of absurd in the year 2016, all the more so for an actual company with a website and a huge stock of parts.

This is how I started with them around 1996 and never had an issue. Difference was no internet yet for me (or him). So I called in an order, about $150.00 of stuff, he guesses on shipping and I mailed him a check (I know, hardly anyone uses them anymore, but I do sometimes). Parts were in my hands within a week. Future orders are sent with a bill that I pay when I receive the order. Pretty sweet.

Tread lightly, or it will be...

Screenshot_2016-07-15-08-59-56_(resized).png

Sure it is old school but their service is excellent and their prices are usually the lowest. Personally I recommend calling them for your first order so they can get you setup and assign a customer number, then you can email your list and have them send you the cost if they still want pre payment. After your first order email orders are handled quickly and easily, just always include your customer number and all part numbers.

Yeah, do not forget your customer number. When I call PBR my conversation always starts with, "Hello, this is so-and-so. My customer number is da-da-da."

I like to call my orders in because a lot of times PBR has something in stock but it is not listed and sometimes I can ask about some obscure part and Steve sort of reads my mind and says he has it or that is is not available from anywhere.

Once you get the first order out of the way it's smooth sailing. PBR is great to deal with, they have lots of obscure parts. Steve is a great dude, just a little old fashioned with how he runs his business. I've made many purchases over the years with zero complaints. Just get your customer number and your're all set.

Never had an issue with Steve at all. Be prepared when you call and it will be a great experience!

I have done all of my orders with email. It's usually Jimmy that does this. He has been very helpful. It's best if you know what you want and list the part numbers, but if you have questions he will help. No problem.

Have your customer number and always list the machine you are working on.

Do not send pictures unless asked to.

Once you get the email that lists everything you want, send back an approval message. Your package will come a few days later. Pull the invoice from the package, write a check, and mail it in. Done!

Sure it's a bit odd to write a check these days. But I don't mind, heck we used to have to write checks for everything not that long ago. I think the only two people I ever write checks for these days are my gardener and PBR.

It is really simple to follow a few "rules" that PBR has..... It keeps prices cheap, that is all I care about.

More like:

soup_(resized).jpg

I have been ordering from PBR forever.
I have always wondered how he assigns customer numbers and what number he started with. 1, 100?
Anyway my customer number is in the low 300's. Any of you old timers got some really early ones?
Also wondering how high they go now. What are some of your upper customer numbers?
As Cody stated below. Just post a range and not your actual customer number.
Just curious.

Um, might not want to post your customer number...just sayin....

Not sure the format, mines 1XXXEM2XXX (where X is a number, but EM is literally there). First ordered a yearish ago?

But yeah, give them your order, they give you a price, you mail them the money, they ship you your stuff.

The best thing about PBR is they will sell you what you want and what you need, not what you ask for. As a first time customer I called first. Good thing I did or I would have order parts I didn't need, duplicate parts and wrong parts. They knew more about what I was doing than I did, their advice was priceless.

Great business. Long live PBR!
I've been a dummy and called asking stupid questions, or was unprepared. Steve may initially be short with you...but if you say, 'sorry sir' and 'thank you sir' (he deserves it) then all will end on a very positive note.

I did not post my number and I am not asking anyone else to either.
I added to the post so no one will make that mistake.

Thanks.
That is cool to know.
Mine is a simple G-XXX
And that is it. lol

does steve even field phone calls any more? I haven't spoken with him during my last few orders

steve might be considered a bit abrasive, but if you had to field "stupid" questions all day long, my guess is you would become as cynical (if not more so). if you sound intelligent and clearly explain what you're looking for (even going so far as explaining when you don't know, all is good. I think he used to get more upset with "know-it-all's" that didn't have a clue about what they were asking for but insisted that they did.

he's not the only one that does business this way. the [real] bob roberts (arcade parts) operates in the exact same manner. I usually cut a check as soon as I receive and open the parcel so that I don't forget. I just put the outgoing check in my mailbox to be picked up with the next day's mail.

the last thing that you want to do is forget to mail in your payment and then get blacklisted
when you do that, then it's "No Soup For You!"

This is exactly how I order from them and I always appreciate that they will check on a part if I have the part number. Jimmy has found me some difficult to find items.

Been using pbr for years
My first order was prepay but after that it's been place order and I'll ship off a money order after I receive parts.
Seemed like a hassle at first but now it's just like another purchase for me.
And if they don't have just ask
You'll be surprised what they have

Exactly this, all of this. Especially the "just ask, you'll be surprised what they have" part. The website isn't as elegant as others so it may not be possible to find what you need listed there, but ask and they may still have it.

Yeah. Me, too. Once my package arrives, I inventory my order. Then I write the check and put in the out box. Nothing else happens until this is done.

Amazing how that fear of being blacklisted works. Sort of like an "honor" system with a BF Hammer.

I'm a new customer this year and my number is up near 4000.

Maybe it's because I haven't owned a Gottlieb yet, but I'm curious what they have that Marco/BAA/PBL doesn't, or examples of lower prices compared to the others.

PBR supplies a number of parts that end up at Marco/BAA/PBL.

But yes, they mainly carry Gottlieb-specific parts. Marco/BAA/PBL mainly carry Bally/Williams and some Stern parts.

I just drove up to Poughkeepsie on Wednesday to pick up a pretty hefty order. I wanted to meet Steve in person and see the whole operation. Just picture a couple of small warehouse rooms with a shitload of brown boxes on shelves containing every part imaginable - and the whole place has that old smell like a classic EM or a used book store. Awesome experience. Steve's a great guy, but I can see why people are posting the soup Nazi pictures. I didn't have my shit together, and my Type A approach was rubbing him the wrong way, I think. Totally my fault, which is why I'm doubly glad I met him and spoke for a few minutes.

So yes...have your customer number and a list of part numbers ready to go when you call him (unless you email, which is handled by others). But ordering directly from Steve is very helpful, because he'll think of things you didn't, like when I ordered rails, and he asked if I'd need twist nails for those rails. Um...yeah, I will!

Thanks, Steve and PBR - what a great asset to pinball you are!

Nice.
Looks like PBR has lots of buyers.

I bought a hard to find part from pbr. It took a lot of emailing back and forth. (I had the part number, I had read that that was important ) the pain for me was using wire transfer, because of the high cost.
But other than that, it was smooth sailing.
Now that I have a Gottlieb, I will be buying more parts soon.

Axl

PBR is great. I ordered my first batch of parts about a year ago from them. It was under $50 so they just shipped it and billed me. I really like PBR, even if Steve is against LEDs and silicone rubber rings!

I just order from him via email. I put Confirm Order in the subject line and include quantities, part numbers, descriptions, prices for each and an extended price for everything. Be sure to include name, customer number, address and phone number. It's really quite easy.

How many parts suppliers send out parts first and ask for payment later? Honestly, PBR is the only reason why I still have paper checks lying around to use.

Talked to Steve two days ago. Granted, it has been a long time since I needed to talk to him but it was a nice chat.

Eh...he was probably in a good mood because I just left.

Thanks!

Email ordering actually works great. It helps to have the parts list on hand to look up part numbers. I start a new email as soon as I start digging into a game to take it apart. Slowly but surely add the parts needed to the email until everything needed is (hopefully) accounted for. Include phone number so Jimmy can call if he has questions. Here is an example email:

==============================================

Email subject: Parts order for customer #ADXXX

Good morning. I need the following parts for Bally Quarterback 1976:

(2) KT-BFLIP03M Mini kit flipper rebuild
(4) C611-5 White 3 inch flipper plastic
(2) Green Sun 100 BLACK CIRCLE pop cap
(1) Sun yellow black 10 pop cap
(6) GTB-A12149 Yoke part
(6) GTB-A2662+ yoke part
(3) A1218W White pop skirts
(3) B10432W White pop base
(3) DE-545-5197-00 white pop base
(6) 24-8776E Pop bumper socket
(3) WLL-A4754 pop bumper rod and ring
(7) Bally Tombstone Black Cross Hairs Drop Target
(3) #C-11562 1 3/16 white post faceted
(5) Red - A9396R 2 1/8" hole red opaque double sided guide
(4) Sleeve-N coil sleeve drop target
(1) KT-BCHIME-01 Bally chime rebuilt kit
(4) Leg3 leveler
(4) Leg2 leveler

Thanks
John IXXXXXXX
(address)
(phone number)

I ordered from PBR as well (1962 Williams Coquette).

Process is relatively simple as long as you follow the directions.

Being a relatively, "newer" generation I can see how this process can be a turn-off (easily search inventory, select item, pay electronically) - think we are all spoiled by what the internet has to offer (e.g. Amazon, etc.).

You haven't already ordered already? Whatchoo waitin for?

Doesn't anyone pick up the phone any more?? I can't believe this... In the time you typed out this absurd thread post, you could have called Steve, talked to him, AND had your order placed.

Good grief people. Just call the man!!!

F-

If I have to call, you're probably not getting my business. An order has to be written, why make someone transcribe it from your dubious cell phone connection? Type it out yourself, less chance of error and easily caught if you do make a mistake.

But by emailing you are missing out on the true resource at Pinball Resource-Steve's encyclopedic knowledge of pinball. Once that's gone it's gone. Learn while you can. If you ever get a busy signal when you call him it's likely my fault. I love hearing him tell me stories, tech tips and insider info about the games I'm working on.

And should an error occur, it's obvious where to lay blame.

Your loss, because of this:

He's probably not the guy to go to for a 1985 Gottlieb. 1978 and before? There's nobody better.

He congratulated me for getting my "first real pin" with Jacks Open. I'm still smiling about that.

This is what we've come to... People looking to avoid talking to an encyclopedia of knowledge and business owner... Why? Because it's easier to open a thread on a forum and ask for help? Wow

The OP has decided to ask a question that they should have just called the place of business and just talked to the man himself... Which is what every other PBR customer has done.

You call. You order. You send a check. You get your parts. PBR is one of the coolest resources left on this pinball earth... Don't avoid it. Embrace it!

Sorry I guess I did my last 25+ orders from PBR wrong? Look at it this way, I left Steve more time to talk to the newbies who need his help or want to hear his rants.

off-my-lawn_(resized).jpg

Fine, so you sent an email. But the first time, you just call! What's the harm in calling?

Would you be disturbed if I posted:

"So, I just broke my leg. I really don't know what to do? Do I call 911? I did a web search and I saw the 911 number. What I hear is that they'll need my insurance card. Oh, geeze... I don't know guys. Someone tell me what to do? I just don't know!"

Besides. The "hey you kids! Get off my lawn" is a right of passage!