What is it with that $1500 figure? Seems to be a common number people think pins are worth. Had a good friend ask if one of my pins cost $1500 just this afternoon.

I was more offended when a friend asked if he could get a nice Stars for $350

As someone who resells stuff, "regular people" think everyone else's hobby/projects are crazy and a waste of money if they're not into it.
I've bought moldy items, paid for "garbage" out of a dumpster a few times, bought old CRT tubes, and use old postage.
If there's demand and a decent price I try and save it, it's better than the landfill.
I don't take it personally, everyone thinks someone else's hobby is weird and most of the stuff I deal in people look at me like I'm crazy buying it to save it from the dumpster.

Now go get your shine box.

Not exactly on topic but my last 3 pins cost me $24,400 and that was a savings of ~ $2200 from buying used.

If you’d have told me 10 years ago I’d be spending this much on pins I’d have said you were crazy too

Woz RR with RadCals
DI LE
AFM LE

My last three cost 4000
Hoops 1700
Genesis 1500
Stingray 800

Flip the script and make people feel stupid that they aren't fun. Hits a nerve and works like a charm no matter how much money they have.

...how true, and includes friends, co-workers and unfortunately family members. Whether during my military or State tenure, I have witnessed so many individuals who live everyday miserable, angry, and basically never have anything good to say about anything. An $8.5K pinball machine or a $10K R/C model airplane is a complete waste of money in their eyes. Generally, I don't discuss pricing, job salary or any financial issues. These people will treat you differently once they learn you have a Porsche in the garage or support a silly hobby like pinball. Then comes the request for a loan!

.

It's the same look I get from people when they see my posters. Try telling someone you spent $60K on a piece of paper....

We have the exact same lineup! (High Five)

Without reading every reply, I will add that I think it partly depends on whether somebody is pin poor. No different than car poor or house poor.

If you're scrimping to get by and/or money is tight...I'd be questioning the wisdom of buying $6000 toys as well.

The hobby is definitely stigmatized unfortunately.

You're seen by most as:

1. "pinball wizard".... "hahahahha" or
2. Wasting a lot of money on a dorky hobby.

And more times than not, its a hobby not good for maintaining a relationship OR introducing to a new prospective mate. It definitely decreases your level on manliness.

Shame.

Don't forget....sometimes it's just curiosity. I went to a friend's house once who was a stamp collector (yeah, I know!)
He said he just made a deal for a stamp he'd been looking for for 10 years! Of course I asked him how much it was worth.....just curious...not judging...

How much was the stamp worth?

I guess it ultimately depends on the type of people you surround yourself with. Majority of my friends always want to play when they come over or are curious about purchasing their own. Some are millionaires, some are thousandaires, but jealousy isn't one of their character traits thus money is talked about freely and openly.

Anyone paying 21K for TBL should be committed

Stick a fork in him.

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I've said this before, but some people consider fun some sort of a drug or something; like you're doing something wrong if you're enjoying what you're doing. When I was a kid, I used to wonder why, when people got to be adults, they stopped having fun. I mean, you're an adult, you get to do what you want!!! Do what you want!! What's the use if it's no fun? I've been teaching 7th grade for 25 years, and I tell the kids every year, "You'll know when I'm not enjoying this job any more because I won't be here."

My friend told me the other day, "If fun is a drug, you're a hopeless addict."

Yup. And proud of it.

Then there are those that consider some drugs fun or something. And others have fun with both.

First and foremost, if they're talking behind your back, you probably need to change your crowd!

When I introduce friends to my collection, it's usually the volume of machines looking peculiar, (after all, seems like most of us have more than 10). I can understand it appears like overkill since they don't understand the huge difference in theme and play variety, and of course, the amount of space needed. Never-the-less, once they tried playing, as I stated before, my parties went from closing up at 1-1:30 to around 4-5 in the morning. Couldn't get rid of 'em.

The car and boat comparisons do not work with me. Although cars are a household item. I see very few with more than 2-3. Boats are luxury items obviously, but again, few have more than 1. I think 30 pins in the basement sounds a bit more unique than having a boat in the driveway.

Remember, a hobby is your source of enjoyment. ROI is just a by-product. As long as you had fun, who cares?

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You guys with pinball loving friends are so lucky! I live in a rural area and only one friend even gives a shit enough to play a game or two on occasion. My neighbors think pinball is stupid as if you just sit and chimp flip away for no reason. Idiots!

My wife’s friend comes over often and observed the full restoration of my F-14 including new play field. She thinks I’m a smart MF now. Lol.

Its funny.. back when I was married (wife was a hoe and had affair) I would show my wife what I was fixing. Explain to her what I was soldering and how the part worked, etc. All I wanted was a "gee, that's cool you figured out how to fix that". Always just got a dumb stare.

Point is, your wife's friend is smart. My exwife couldn't recognize my ability to figure out how to fix something so foreign to me (I'm a lawyer).

This.

My friends know it’s my hobby, and most think it’s really cool. Everyone inevitably asks how much they cost. Most the time I think it’s just genuine curiosity – most people don’t have commercial arcade equipment in their homes, remember. I give them a range, I say they can go for anywhere between 500-10,000 for most games, and they do well to retain their value.

My in-laws, on the other hand, are a little more sanctimonious with their inquiries and comments. Those same people leave their kids behind to go to Cancun 2x a year, go out to eat constantly, or are just flat out bad with money. I was in a career that paid bonuses that allowed me to both plan for my future as well as splurge on machines. We don’t broadcast what we made. It’s just not who we are, but also I don’t want to be a point of contact for those dullards when they need a bailout. Well because of that, and their misunderstanding of my career, I’m quite certain they’re convinced that I’m a deadbeat husband that selfishly spends all of my wife’s earnings on pinball machines and other stupid toys. It bugs me some days, but I like to remember that it’s an ironclad strategy to insulate my finances from such people.

I am sorry to hear you got no respect from her! The fact that you are a lawyer makes it even more impressive. This kind of work is outside your field. I am by profession a technician. Not a huge leap for me to work on pins. You are right about women who appreciate these things. They are the smarter ones. I know plenty of dumb C*#@'s that give the deer-in-the-headlight look about everything outside their limited world of small talk.
Cheers!

I think the moral of the story here is...
People Suck!!!!

Well sometimes at least.

Most women care as much about pinball machines or mechanical things like us men care about purses and other girly things so thats kind of understandable i think. The only thing that really matters is if they are supportive of your pinball hobby because they enjoy seeing something that makes you happy.

Women are definitely on a different planet than we are when it comes to things that make them happy and things that they do for fun but thats ok. If you happen to find one that loves pinball then consider yourself very lucky, that would be every pin heads dream but it usually isn't a reality. As far as the dumb part goes, i know just as many dumbass guys as i know dumbass women. This world is full of dumbasses, male and female alike.

Do what makes your happy..... It's not up to anyone else to determine what makes your happy.

My wife loves pinball about as much as me but could careless about fixing them. It's great to have that, but enables me though too. I have to watch it as some future pins and rumored pins I have a golden ticket for.

Friends think we are weird, but once they start playing, they like our weirdness a lot.

I'm lucky, I get full support to spend stupid money on this stuff, my wife could care less to ever play a game on them (I wish she would!!) But, I don't spend money I don't have on them. She see that i'm happy as fuck working on them and occasionally playing them. She can go buy all the Kate Spade purses she wants, who am I try argue about that when I have 20K in pins in the basement

What's also kind of funny is after some initial conversations with 3 distant friends from high school and our family new car salesman, they sheepishly "came out of the plunger lane" per say and said that they had pinball machines at home that they had inherited from parents and such and that the machines didn't work. I'd offer to buy them at a discount to fix up, but each declined (without discussing a price) and instead inquired on who they could hire to fix them and get them working again.

As far as in-laws, my 84 year old mother in law comes over every couple of months and plays WOZ for as long as she can remain standing (usually about a half hour or so). My niece in law used to play our first pin 25-30 years ago (she started at about 4 years old). I just recently went on a pinventure to Chicago to get her and her husband a second pin that they hauled home from Michigan to Florida. So … I guess extended family is on-board too. I'm happy for that too.

I gave up caring what anyone thought a long time ago.

Anyone who adds nothing to my life or brings me down I just stop associating with. Want to win at life? start with that.

This is awesome.

LOL, ya … she just had hip replacement surgery last month and the first thing she said to me on the phone was that she hopes that the surgery will allow her to play pinball longer and can't wait to try. Cracked me up. Moments like that makes you feel good about this hobby.

I like watching my old Mum and Dad play doubles. Mum still never accepts when its Dads turn. They are proud that I can afford a few pinball machines. So am I. I dont care if some people think Ive wasted my money. They dont know.

So awesome to have that! My wife actually has a wish list of games longer than mine at the moment. Fortunately our lists have overlap. But we also both have games the other could care less about. The diversity of games is such a wonderful part of this hobby that is really hard to convey.

Maybe it’s like this: Are all bord games the same? I mean once you have scrabble why would you ever need any others? Lol

I've snorted 60K with a piece of paper, does that count? It was a long time ago

If I could upvote 'this' more...I would. Words of wisdom for us all.

I stopped a while ago. Yes the prices they found they felt because I could afford one I was obnoxious and a jerk. I wouldn't even tell them how much I paid because it changed their perceptions of me. The other guys that do hang out with me that I got into it they could care less. They just want t heir name on the score board.

Ya, better than losing it on tech stocks!

Yep, most people don't understand. They'll drop huge coin on a watch.....how fun is that! Pinball is fun and we're only here a short time .....So play pinball and talk to your buddies like I do... Panzerfreak and Playnumber4 and Eric A......They love pinball and love talking about it and I'm good with that!

I'm done... giving a shit.