I've seen several posts about the show, and I wanted to give my opinion and thoughts about the show.
I thought that this years show was the biggest yet. There were alot of games there, and it seemed to me to be busier on Fri. and Sat. than it has been in past years. It seemed that his years show had alot more buying and selling going on Even on Thurs. when we got there, it had already started. I didn't buy any pins this year, but I did buy a jukebox Thurs. night. if you are going to the show to find a perfect pin for sale cheap, it is not likely that you will leave happy, because most, not all, but most of the pins at the show that are for sale are not perfect examples (not cheap) and will need work to make them so. There was for instance a MB there for sale for ALOT of money...I would like to have a MB one day...so my husband and I walked over to play it, it was not even close to working right...I could not even finish my game (my husband finished it for me) because it was playing so badly. There was also a Popeye in the same row, and we had been wanting to try a Popeye...but everytime we walked up to try it, it would either reset, or wouldn't even start a game because a ball was missing. So never got to play that one...Then there is the other extreme, where you have games for sale, but you can't play them. There was another seller on the opposite wall, who had some nice looking pins. A friend had just sold his pin, and was looking to buy another. He was interested in several titles that this guy had...He walked over to look at them and play a couple games, he was talking to the guy, and tried to play a game, but they were not set on free play, so he asked if he could play...the guy pretty much told him that the games were for sale and that he couldn't play...My friend walked away. He figured if he couldn't try the game then he would look elsewhere where he could play the game.
As I said before, the show this year seemed to be more of a buyer/sellers paradise than in past years. In past years Jeff Moorehead has always had lots of cool project games for sale. He brought alot of older project games once again this year. It seems that most of the games that were brought this year were for sale. This year I did not bring any games for sale, I brought games of mine, as well as a friends who couldn't be at the show this year, simply so others could play them. None of them were for sale. I don't agree with the theory that games should be removed once they sell...IMO games were made to be played. If everyone felt that once they buy a game it should be turned off, or they don't bring games because they don't want them turned on all day or people playing them, then there would be NO pins at the shows, and therefore NO pinball shows. I can see if you buy a game and are leaving, then yes pack it up and take it with you. Or if the game has an issue that can't be fixed on site, by all means break it down and remove it... I don't see buying all the working games breaking them down and standing them in a corner for the remainder of the show...This happened at this years show. They were broken down standing unplayable in the corner near the concession area. (I hope the buyer had to pay for storage!) At one point in the show, a guy asked my husband if the AFM, SM, and MM were his. My husband said yes, the guy asked if they were for sale, my husband said NO. Then the guy asked...then why did you bring them? My husband said the so people could play them...There were quite a few nice working games at this years show that were not for sale, PinBot, CC, WCS, Taxi, Mousin Around, Scared Stiff...I appreciate everyone that brings their games to shows for everyone to play, because as I said before...without those willing to bring them there would be NO pinball shows to go to and enjoy.
If you arrive later than say 1 or so on Sat. the show is mostly winding down, as it is only a Fri. and Sat. show, Folks start packing up around then. I try to leave mine up as long as possible, but at some point though, I have to start breaking them down to get them packed up for the trip home.
Overall I think this years show was bigger and better than past years, I do feel that there are a few things that need to be tweaked! Thanks to Mike, Marvin, Trent, and everyone else who brought games or helped with the show. It was a fun weekend and I am looking forward to the 2013 Ohio Pinball Show!!
Phoebe