I just joined the "circus", with a awesome purchase last night ... a 1997 Bally "CIRQUS VOLTAIRE" pinball machine that is HUO, from the original owner with a total of only 287 plays on it!!!

This pin looks BRAND NEW, exactly like it was just taken out of the box from 1997. This man is a "collector" as he kept telling me and has 9 pins that are HUO and all were purchased new in box by him. Again, he states he is a collector and hardly ever plays any of them ... obviously ... and believe me, this is true ... I was drooling over all of them because they were all in MINT shape, all were FLAWLESS!!!!

These pins are all so CLEAN, you honestly would NOT believe it! The pin that has the most plays on it in his collection is his "TWILIGHT ZONE" that has 752 plays on it.

He was so anal, that he asked me and my wife to take off our rings and watches before we could go into his game room and to please not TOUCH any of his pins at all, besides the CV pin (and I thought I was anal about stuff). Of course that meant that we could NOT play ANY of the other pins in his collection, because he was not selling these at the present time!

Anyways, what a night and I just thought I would share this story!

Dan

I thought this question would come up (LOL). I thought it was a very fair price for BOTH of us, but maybe I am wrong.

I really mean this CV looked like it just came out of the box yesterday, the total plays are legit.

Let me ask you guys this ... If that CV pin was yours, in the condition & shape I stated above, what would you have put for your selling price? I am curious to see the responses and see if it was a good deal for both of us.

I will let the selling price answers roll in a little more This is a pin I really wanted bad, but I wanted to find one in nice condition & shape all the way around, especially the playfield and of course this pin exceeded my expectations by a TON!!!!

It even has the green neon tube like I wanted.

Let me start by saying I have been looking for a real nice CV for about 3 years. I messaged people on the "Pinball Owners" website and got about 5 responses within the past month. They were looking for between $8,500 and $10,000 and lets just say the condition and shape of those pins were NOWHERE close to what I purchased.

I believe in Karma, so when I do a transaction, whether it be pinball or something else, I try to make a deal that's fair to BOTH parties involved. I ended up paying $7,500 which I thought was fair for BOTH of us ( I am happy with that). I have seen CV's with playfields that had bad playfield wear and insert lifting and they still wanted almost $7,000 for it.

Anyways, I will take pictures of it as soon as I can, but it maybe a few weeks, unless I just set it up and flick off a few pics. As fellow "pinsider" Foo will attest to, my gameroom is overfilled and I already have 4 pins not set up. My daughter and grandson moved back home, so I lost a big room downstairs for my pins, but it is worth it seeing both of them everyday!

Anyways, I need to sell 3 VERY NICE pins and also a beautiful Bally "SKILL ROLL" nickel game to make for some room and of course get back some cash back, unless they are traded towards a REALLY NICE medieval madness or monster bash. I will post a thread later with pics, but the pins are as follows:

"WHIRLWIND" Rare diamond plate playfield with NO wear at all, NEW ramps, NEW plastics, NEW topper with blue neon light mod, LED's (CoinTaker) all NEW playfield parts, Cliffy protectors flippers rebuilt, pop bumpers rebuilt and just shopped out completely by a experienced service tech. Beautiful original cabinet ... I really do NOT want to sell this

"CYCLONE" NEW CPR playfield, NEW ramps, NEW plastics, LED's, all NEW playfield parts, flippers rebuilt, pop bumpers rebuilt and just shopped out completely by a experienced service tech. Beautiful original cabinet.

"TAXI" NEW spinout ramp, NEW topper, LED's, beautiful original playfield, all NEW playfield parts, flippers rebuilt, pop bumpers rebuilt and just shopped out completely by a experienced service tech. Beautiful original cabinet.

"SKILL ROLL" New inner plexi-glass, NEW backglass, beautiful playfield (9+), just shopped out completely by a experienced service tech.

OK, so much for my long winded post here

OK, since we were playing the pricing game on my CV purchase, how about you guys tell me what my selling price should be on the pins I am going to be selling from my above descriptions.

I know pictures would help on this and I will get them in the next week or so ( I am going out of town for my nephews wedding), but these pins are WAY NICER than "players" machines but not as good as a total HEP restore of course. You would not be disappointed with any of them!!!

I am just curious as to what your selling prices would be. Thanks!

Dan

Whysnow, I agree with you 100%. I sold a WHIRLWIND I had previously about 2 months ago for $2,200 and it was nice but NOWHERE near the condition and shape the one described above is in.

It did NOT have the diamond plate playfield, NEW ramps, NEW plastics, NEW topper and all of the other goodies on it. I am a very honest guy and I payed $2,800 for my WW and would NOT sell it for less than 3K. They are NOT around in this condition and shape and again, I really do NOT want to sell it! It really is a GREAT game and a true CLASSIC pin.

Dan

swampfire

I agree totally, the WW are usually pretty trashed and NOWHERE in this condition & shape with the DP playfield and all the new parts, including ramps, plastics and topper ... not to mention a really NICE cabinet. It is also very clean inside.

Dan

Thanks man and I agree!

Ledge

Sorry, my TOM is not going anywhere!

Thanks for the kind words!

o-din

That's funny ... LOL ...

I am still a EM guy and I could NOT part with those classics!

Thanks guys! At least some people understand what a DP playfield with no wear means to value ... plus the NEW ramps, NEW plastics, NEW topper and all the other goodies ... man, some people

If you seen this machine inside and out, you would have NO doubts about it. Plus the fact that all his OTHER NIB pins looked the exact same way as the CV and he was very anal about everything. These pins where flawless and I could NOT play the other pins and he stated that he is a collector, not a player and ALL of his pins backed up his statements, not just my CV.

Hi Tim

Thanks for the kind words and congratulations to you and your family on your baby boy! I actually was going to get a hold of you, as I have something for him.

ralphwiggum is a awesome , generous, nice and trustworthy man. This guy took MANY, MANY hours in shopping out this taxi for me and wanted NOTHING for doing that ... plus he delivered it to my house for NO charge!!! He was super busy with other things and had a baby on the way and put all that aside and still did that for me. I am so grateful. Man this dude rocks!!!!

There are also a few other of you guys out there that help me out ALOT (Corey, Paul X2, Neo, JR). I really do appreciate everything!!! THANKS!!!

Dan

o-din

You are so right about that! I LOVE my EM's and just recently started getting into the newer DMD pins ... I call 1998 and back newer ... LOL

I just wish I would have started purching these DMD pins about 4 years earlier and that would have saved myself some BIG MONEY! I am still a EM guy at heart though

Dan

I hear you!!! System 11's with DP playfields are almost impossible to find. Finding ANY system 11 pin in really NICE shape is also getting very hard.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and congratulating me on purchasing this pin, I appreciate it!

I had ALOT of responses from people wanting to purchase my 3 pins (WHIRLWIND, CYCLONE, TAXI) that I listed above. They are all SOLD ... pending payment. I will miss them greatly

The Bally SKILL ROLL is also SOLD, pending payment. Thanks to everyone for your interest!

I will post pictures of my CV, as soon as I make room for it and get it set-up.

Dan

Thanks Ted!!!!

When you can even FIND a WHIRLWIND, with a DP playfield with NO wear at all, NEW ramps, NEW plastics, NEW topper, all NEW playfield parts, LED's (Coin Taker), cliffy protectors, everything completely gone through, rebuilt and shopped out, with a beautiful original cabinet for even $3,000
PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!

Hey o-din

I am getting a POP-A-CARD pin and wait to I show you pics of this playfield ... it is sweet!!!! No wear at all. This is also a classic pin, that is very challenging, as it still has the 2" flippers and those side stand up targets are a beast to hit!

Dan

YES, you were!!!

Well I quess you do know him, his name does start with a J and he did say he sold a scared stiff years ago. He really is NICE guy, SUPER NICE guy infact. He and his wife are very good people! ... I have no complaints at all!

Thanks ShinyBall, I appreciate that! I am glad you know this guy and have been over to his house and seen his collection ... it just backs up my story and shows that it is true to the people that don't believe it.

Finally got my CIRQUS VOLTATE pin set-up. Here are some pictures as promised 201.JPG202.JPG203.JPG204.JPG205.JPG206.JPG207.JPG208.JPG209.JPG210.JPG211.JPG212.JPG213.JPG214.JPG215.JPG216.JPG217.JPG218.JPG219.JPG220.JPG221.JPG222.JPG223.JPG224.JPG225.JPG226.JPG

Remember, these are all the original bulbs from 1997 yet ... so no LED's ... yet that is! That will be the next project. It should really be bright and and even more colorful then, if that is possible on this pin

Dan

I actually do have leg protectors on there. They are the good ones ... the metal ones that fit inside your legs. You won't see them and the legs never touch the cab.

I don't know about the OCD board in my CV. I have Cointaker LED's in my TOM & SS and there is no flickering or problems ... but my FT has ALOT of flickering and problems with the LED's.

Yes, the fish tales does, so maybe that's why I notice it so much on that pin. Thanks for pointing that out.

Where is the best place to purchase a OCD board and are they specific for different pins, or is there just one that fits all?

The original owner mounted them with a couple of velcro strips ... there are NO holes that were drilled

Tim

I did not see that, maybe it is because I only have one good eye now Man, you don't miss anything. Anyways, Is that from when the ball comes flying off of the ringmaster's head? If so, there is a option to turn that off with the 2.0 home rom, should I? ... but it is such a cool effect, but can probably do some damage with the force flying off his head.

I love my TOM ... it is not going anywhere, I think, who knows? ... LOL