Smaug seems to be $9K currently.....

New in box? I didn’t think anyone even had those left NIB. Used go for $6300-$6800 roughly.

Yup. I've seen a few for 9K, and LE and BA for $8500. I think I'd go BA, cheaper, guaranteed best production model, and also has it's own unique intro animation. Though I love aspects of the other two as well!

I played a few more games yesterday, had prior only played at JJP! Definitely a nice slow walk on a trail, compared to the full out mountain climb of POTC. Different flavors, but both are oh so good....

I might wait till next month to see what WOZ looks like. I want all three, but can only afford one in the next ten months.

BA owners keep saying guarenteed best production model when there is no difference between it and the LE except for cosmetics. C'mon guys.

I've read here and there that LE models had a wide range of manufacturing dates. That said, it should be always printed on the box, correct? I like the side art the best on the LE, Smaug has the neatest name and identity, but possibly issues depending on date, and BA has it's own unique attract mode like Smaug, but the black armor feels a bit high contrast.

They all sport pluses and minues.

(And by guaranteed, I mean ideally no possibility of prior issues, whereas the other two models, depending on the production date, might have issues.)

I don't own any at this point, and really am just trying to decipher which model might be the best choice as a new buyer with all options available.

The Hobbit for $6300???????? Where?

Yea none recently...since the recent
code updated they seem more in the 6600-7k range depending on condition, model and mods. Still alot of pin for that range imo

It’s going back up as people wake up to the code changes. Makes sense ! Still cheaper than Pirates !

Oh really? I remember seeing them talk about it when they revealed the black arrow. I remember being pissed off because I would like to have had the extra room in my cab for parts and whatnot.

I have a BA, one of the first I believe. And all of the gubbings are in the cabinet just like my WOZ.

Having disassembled WOZ, multiple Hobbits and Dialed In more than once, I can attest that the best design is absolutely the current Hobbit arrangement. There's too much packed into a tiny space in DI (heat issues) and the backbox is WAY too heavy. It makes the game way more difficult to move and to even lift to put the legs on. I think I've posted this 100 times now but TH is incredibly easy to disassemble, which is important for me because I have stairs! Not sure what they went with for POTC.

That said, even though I don't like the board design, the Spike 2 games are really really light, which IMO is the direction they should be going in. Less stuff on the PF which obviously makes a huge difference, but there's almost nothing in the backbox at all.

Smaug, LE and Black Arrow are all essentially the same thing with different cab art and trim. Pick you favorite flavor and have fun

There may be more BA than Smaug - so perhaps Smaug has the fewest built - it that matters at all. All look pretty much the same while you are looking down at the PF paying

Curious if JJP started screening the backboxes again on the later Hobbits versus using using a sticker. Are the BAs all screened?

I was at the same reveal. The BA Hobbits were announced and then Pat took over and talked about his new cabinet design for DI including everything moving up into the backbox and so on. Black Arrow Hobbits however continued on with the original style as Hobbit and WOZ had been using cabinet and monitor-wise.

I was at the same reveal. The BA Hobbits were announced and then Pat took over and talked about his new cabinet design for DI including everything moving up into the backbox and so on. Black Arrow Hobbits however continued on with the original style as Hobbit and WOZ had been using cabinet and monitor-wise.</blockquote

So all Hobbits are not back box electronics based?

Correct.

LTG : )

Yeah, the CPU unit is a full desktop computer that runs in a grounded metal box at the bottom of the cabinet.

Which model do you feel works best? What are the advantages to having that in the back box versus in the cabinet?

I don't know, but putting the most weight at the lowest point possible is good design across the board, for all things.

Boards in the back box, monitor on a wall mount.

Leaves more room for playfield mechs. Take Hobbit for example. Character pop ups. No metal box on the floor with the boards, they could have used Medieval Madness troll pop ups. Simpler design easier maintenance.

And when servicing the game, if you have the metal cover off of the box. When moving the playfield up or down or front or back, no worry about dragging cables and wires across the boards.

And with the boards in the head. Easier to see things or work on them.

LTG : )

Do you happen to have any photos of examples of both styles?

So I'd wager most Black Arrows would feature the method you prefer, with boards in the back box?

There you go.

I don't have a Black Arrow to check, but I believe all the Hobbits are the same. Boards in the big metal box on the floor of the game.

LTG : )

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Read Pinballomatic's post #6565 above.

That is Steve. A JJP tech.

LTG : )

None of the hobbits have computer in the back box.

This new type started in dialed in.

Spread the prongs in the outlet slightly until the cord firms up when plugged in.

Thanks King Bw finally got around around to getting a sub and installing it . Just put a rca splitter in and connected it straight in couldn't be easier no soldering or alligator clips . Sounds unreal it's like the movies totally worth it , thanks for your advice .

wow I had no idea the inside of the DI head was so jam packed?!! The Hobbit head has virtually nothing in it! I was hoping to drop weight by removing the head to haul my Hobbit up a flight of stairs....well it was super easy and fast to remove the head but yeah...didn't take off more than 30 lbs....

Is Hobbit the heaviest pinball machine ever created? (aside from Hercules)????

Pretty sure it’s still WOZ. DI is no picnic either - I always remove the head, even though it is a pain

Woz was bloody heavy but I reckon The Hobbit is heavier . The Playfield on The Hobbit is heavier because of all the coils all the rest of the cabinet and back box should be pretty much the same

I just checked - WOZ is 310, TH and DI are 350. MAN!

Hobbit and di are the heaviest pins ive ever moved....

What does POTC weigh? I feel like that weighed more than my hobbit BA.

I moved DI a few times and it felt like I was moving a tank.

It says 350 as well

Hobbit is 30 or 40 pounds heavier than Hercules.

LTG : )

I'm not sure what happened but I started Feast Frenzy and crazy scoring started happening. Modes starting on there own. I scored 13million on just that mode with a final score of 17million. Is this correct or did I uncover a bug?

I don't know but I guess it would be a bug but I wouldn't tell my friends that

Taking the backbox off POTC is no trivial task. I still need to reassemble the thing. It’s turned into a dust collector since I moved it. Heavy ass game!

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Maybe it happened because when I started Feast frenzy I also had beast multiball and smog multiball going.

I was playing tonight and had smaug multiball going and feast frenzy and Beast multiball I don't know in which order I had it , I killed smaug and didn't even crack a million , jersey Jack pins don't normally score that big but if there is a way to do it I would love to know .

I turn off Smaug MB running with Beast MB. Way too chaotic.

People always complain about how expensive JPPs are, then they look under the hood. "Ohhhhhh"

A good home for The Hobbit... and Lord of the Rings of course!

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Holy CRAP?! is that your place ?

As good as Lord of the Rings is I'd love to see jjp have a go at it

Yep, I'm big into combining life size sculptures and replicas with pinball. I've got a pretty cool life-size Venom and Spiderman bust to go with a SM Vault, life-size Davy Jones bust to go with POTC, etc.

I feel the same way about a Jurassic World/Park Pin. I would love to see what JJP could do with that, not a huge fan of the old Data East JP, and I have quite the life-size Dinosaur setup to go perfectly with it!