Quoted from SealClubber:

When I came back, I had to get it working again. That is when my pinball problem started.

Quoted from too-many-pins:

For me it is all my sons fault! About 8 years ago we bought a house with my son & daughter-in-law (we live in the In-Law area and they have the main house). About 8 months after moving in my son comes down to my basement office and says "what do you think about putting a gameroom in the basement". My reply was - that would be cool but if we are going to do it we need to learn to fix machine ourselves - "I am not going to deal with finding someone to repair them".

8 years and over 400 machines later I am still buying these stupid things! The first 3 years we bought, fixed up and sold enough machines to pretty much pay for our collection. After that I have mostly just been buying - nothing sold for over 3 years - but a bunch of machines will need to go soon. I am getting tired of paying storage rent on 4 storage units!

So my goal in 2017 is to get the game count down to under 50 machines so everything will fit in the house again. With that said I have offers out on 3 machines and have picked up 14 machines in the past month and also have a deal in the works with a guy for his entire collection (50+ machines). Talk about being INSANE!

Quoted from Philk:

I don't recall ever really playing pins when I was young. Came across a slightly beat up Indiana Jones at a bar. Would play it while waiting for friends to get their checks. Then talked with my friend about the Addams Family pin that I had remembered from childhood and how wild it was. Heard about a TAF on location at a skating rink, and played the shit out of it. The place would open for like 4 hours, and I'd just feed that thing quarters for 4 hours straight. Next thing you know i'm shopping for my first pin, and so on and so forth hah

Quoted from schudel5:

Didn't realize that you were allowed to buy pinball machines.

Quoted from schudel5:

Ended up buying my first game shortly thereafter. And the rest has been a downward spiral into obsession, compulsion and sheer poverty; but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Quoted from pinballer0415:

Dad finished up basement 10 years ago and let me pick out a pinball machine which I played a lot

Quoted from pinballer0415:

I was playing for fun in Columbia, MO and a random competitive player was watching me put up a billion on TAF

Quoted from pinballer0415:

Love the hobby and the people.

Quoted from SealClubber:

Yeah, I thought you had to own a business to buy one. My uncle had one in his basement but his father owned a bar.

Quoted from GorillaBiscuits:

I have a serious aversion to saving money.

Quoted from GorillaBiscuits:

Also, nothing is cooler than pinball.

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

Started Playing in 1965, I was 5.

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

Bought my first game in 73.

Quoted from TecumsehPlissken:

My Brother bought one first

Quoted from MK6PIN:

My Wife said I needed a hobby....straight downhill from there....

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

Yup, 13, Saved my money from delivering Newsday and NY Daily News...10 cent tips, saved to buy a Sing Along for $150.

Quoted from clg:

I played pinball a bit as a kid but mostly played video games growing up. About 5 years ago I cleaned out a work room in my house and started turning it into a man cave. I bought a cheap pinball machine (Cosmic Princess) as I wanted something to put in there. The collection grew, I learned to fix them, buy project games when I can find them and I route pins and organise local tournaments.

Quoted from clg:Wondering what another 5 years will bring.

Quoted from clg:

I have a plan but not sure if I can pull it off

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

I think Lloyd did the same thing 10 years earlier!

Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

From 8-12 years old, Id draw play field designs all day long, in the hard black covered notebook, and mail with a letter to
The Pin companies then.....only David Gottlieb replied with a letter....something to the affect of "keep it up, come visit when I finish college"

Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:

My dad, brother and I when I was about 13 found a near mint almost completely home use only 1959 Gottlieb Queen of Diamonds in my grandpa's basement in 2009..

Quoted from Pinball-DOOD:

I was in absolute shock and never knew that my dad had his own pinball machine in his house in the 70's..we bought 3 more ever since and We plan on buying more! Build on the collection for life!

Quoted from 20eyes:

My friends parents had an EM pin their living room when we were in grade school not sure what one it was but that always stuck with me how cool that was to actually have one... My aunt also had an EM pin in their garage when I was kid same thing no idea what it was. All I can remember is the ball got stuck when you played it. What got me interested in "collecting" was a creature pin in the game room of a local resort I worked at when I was in high school and it got me thinking about the pins my aunt and buddy had years ago. When I asked about them at that time they both said the same thing we gave that away to a neighbor year ago... Then I got my own place and it was all down hill after that.

Quoted from pinballaddicted:

About 7 years ago my wife wanted a pinball machine. You know what they say.... Happy wife happy life! We have 6 machines at the moment and she wants to change the house around so we can fit more. Happy wife so life is good!

Quoted from pinballaddicted:

F14 Tomcat!

Quoted from dsuperbee:

My mom grew up here, and had 4 other siblings. As they got older and started driving my grandfather decided he didn't want them running around, getting into trouble, and would rather have them home with their friends.

So he went and bought up a bunch of old games and placed them in the basement. Shuffleboard, full size pool table (that was already over 100 years old when the bought it. He originally wanted it upstairs, but the floor couldn't support the weight), big ball bowler, shooting gallery, etc... You also have to remember that at this time, people having pinballs and such in their house was unheard of. It made the house very popular with the kids and their friends.

As they got older and started having kids of their own, the grandkids started to play with them, and as happens the games broke. One by one they were thrown away. (This was way before the Internet, and finding parts was not as easy as it is now). Eventually all that was left was the pool table, the shuffleboard, a Williams double play pitch and bat, and a Midway deluxe shooting gallery.

When I got older, I developed an interest in fixing things. My first success story was fixing an old Lionel train set that was also in the basement. It just exploded from there.

When I was a teenager I got a job at the local bowling alley and helped convince the owner to put more pins in. We started getting all the new games as they came out, and the operator was surprised by my enthusiasm on learning how to fix the games, to the point where he didn't mind me hanging around when he worked on them.

After college I was finally able to buy my first game, and it took off from there. I keep my funhouse at my grandmas where it gets the snot played out of it. It has become a 4 generation game, with my gran

Quoted from Pinball_Freak:

I always talked about getting a pin, but put kids and paying off house as priority.

Quoted from Snwbrdrmidget15:

This may be a lame story, so I apologize, but that's my story.

Quoted from Topher5000:

These days though, not many come up on kijiji & the fairly priced ones sell quick.

Quoted from WJxxxx:

meet lots of different people from all walks of life with a common love of pinball.

Quoted from Rarehero:

You can edit posts.

Quoted from Rarehero:

Click the little pencil icon in the lower right corner of your post.

Quoted from KingBW:

Escape for a half hour or hour once in a while ... it will make you feel so much better. ALMOST as good as having a dog.

Quoted from Wamprat:

I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque years ago and somehow I landed here.........................................