(Topic ID: 248414)

NOS Paragon Playfield Is Finally Mine! (YES, I AM SHOWING OFF!)

By fupersly

4 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 27 posts
  • 17 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 4 years ago by fupersly
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

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#1 4 years ago

Hi all,

I figured if anyone would appreciate this, it'd be the good folks on this fine forum and I really wanted to share it with people who just "get it". I balked on buying this the last 2 years at the California Extreme show in Santa Clara, but this year I couldn't resist the temptation and finally jumped on the opportunity to own this absolutely stunning NOS playfield.

History will show that I've been on the wrong side of trying to get a working Paragon for the last 15 years or so, but I *finally* have the one part I wanted to make a solid stab at this so I think I can get myself motivated to get someone lined up to replace the old playfield I have, pick the best of my two NOS backglasses, and get the guts all sorted out so that I can actually play the damn thing!

Anyway, I hope the pictures do this beauty justice because it's pretty freaking amazing and I'm just in awe of how excellent a piece of art it is. If I was smart (I'm not), I'd probably put it in a case and preserve it for all time, but I'm going to be selfish and use this one for me and probably part out the other playfield (and possibly the other backglass?), so keep an eye out for those if you're in the market for one yourself.

Thanks for checking it out!

Joe

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#2 4 years ago

Congrats! What a beautiful piece of artwork. Make sure you post up pics of your game with the new playfield! I did a Champion Pub recently with an NOS PF and I find myself just staring at it all the time. Good Luck to you and your project.

10
#3 4 years ago

Send it to kruzman for clearcoating. Don't "just wax and go"

#4 4 years ago

Above post is absolutely correct. You have a beautiful rarity and it would be a shame not to use it. Send it to Ron and he can make it perfect and able to stand up to many, many years of play.

#5 4 years ago
Quoted from fupersly:

I really wanted to share it with people who just "get it".

Seriously, +1 in having it clear coated, you waited this long, get 'er done up right.

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#6 4 years ago

Send it to Ron Kruzman, HEP
Beautiful playfield!
80,s Bally’s are some of the best

#7 4 years ago

Thanks for the advice, guys! I was actually thinking about doing that, but a few questions arise:

1. How do you ship something like this without fear of it getting irreparably damaged? I don't mind absorbing the costs to have it done, but I feel like packing it in anything less than carbonite would be inadequate. :p

2. Does the "clearcoat"-ing have any long-term effects I should be aware of? I can't imagine it would if you're all recommending it, but I guess I just want to make sure I know what I'm getting myself into. Also, I assume that should be done *before* anything gets screwed into it?

3. How long of a process is it? I'm not sure I'm ready to be parted from this so soon after buying it.

#8 4 years ago

You should direct all of those questions to Ron. His handle is shapeshifter. PM him

#9 4 years ago
Quoted from fupersly:

Thanks for the advice, guys! I was actually thinking about doing that, but a few questions arise:
1. How do you ship something like this without fear of it getting irreparably damaged? I don't mind absorbing the costs to have it done, but I feel like packing it in anything less than carbonite would be inadequate. :p

Best thing to do, short of re-using something already made, is to build yourself a 'crate' fashioned from 2x2s and plywood. Also buy some thin sheets of foam insulation to use for padding the ends and sandwiching the playfield in-between. That's how Ron ships his stuff.

It's not a quick turnaround, but when it's done the inserts will all be flat and it'll shine so nice
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#10 4 years ago
Quoted from whthrs166:

You should direct all of those questions to Ron. His handle is shapeshifter. PM him

His handle is Kruzman

https://pinside.com/pinball/community/pinsiders/kruzman

#11 4 years ago

Great find!! I wish i had a PF as beautiful as this (although mine is pretty nice in its own right).
It is an awesome game!

#12 4 years ago
Quoted from Daditude:

Great find!! I wish i had a PF as beautiful as this (although mine is pretty nice in its own right).
It is an awesome game!

Yeah, I got pretty lucky that this guy had it and didn't find anyone else to buy it for the last couple of years. Just glad I finally took the plunge! I was going to have to kick myself pretty hard if it didn't come back next year. :p

#13 4 years ago
Quoted from fupersly:

Yeah, I got pretty lucky that this guy had it and didn't find anyone else to buy it for the last couple of years. Just glad I finally took the plunge! I was going to have to kick myself pretty hard if it didn't come back next year. :p

Do you have any leads on a paragon machine?

#14 4 years ago

If you don't care about costs contact Ron and I'm sure he'd build one for you and send it to you to ship the field to him. He'll use the same wooden crate to ship it back to you.

It's a gem, don't get cheap, just do it and you will have no regrets.

#15 4 years ago

Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing photos, looking forward to seeing it in your game at some point.

#16 4 years ago
Quoted from Daditude:

Do you have any leads on a paragon machine?

I wish I did! I had one I had to let go of when I moved from Redwood City about 10 years ago, but the ones I've seen since then were either too expensive or in too bad of shape to even bother with. I have seen a few on Craigslist and even Facebook Marketplace lately, but they're awfully expensive and I'm not a big fan of Craigslist for anything like this anymore with so many people being hard to really trust - especially if you have to go a long way out of your way to find them.

The last one I saw just recently on Facebook Marketplace was originally asking $2700, then dropped down to $2000, then asked me to make an offer when I inquired about it. I'm not sure what it sold for, and I really have no idea what condition it was in, but it seems like any working pinball is going for a lot these days unless you can find someone who really doesn't know how valuable they've become - and even then, someone who doesn't know the value may not really have a good read on what condition their machine is really in.

#17 4 years ago

Have to ask, trade your least favorite family member or write a big check for this purchase ? IF you do not mind sharing what do these sell for currently ? TIA. Shane

#18 4 years ago

I might have popped on the least favorite family member option if they lived close enough. :p But in all seriousness, the asking price was $1200 and I managed to talk the seller down a fair bit below that. (I don't want to say the exact number, but it was in the neighborhood of a 25% discount - and probably only because it was after the show had closed and it was one less thing he had to pack up and take home with him. Right place/right time sort of thing, I guess?)

As far as what others would sell for, I really have no idea because I haven't seen any other NOS Paragon playfields for sale - although I haven't really been feverishly looking for one, either. I think you can get the whole machine for under $2K in reasonable condition, but I suppose "reasonable" is a relative term - especially in a community like this one - so it almost feels like more of a buyer's market, so long as the person you're dealing with is reasonable and not locked into a "captive audience" mindset.

Even an "all of craigslist" search only netted one solid link that's still active: cincinnati.craigslist.org link

#19 4 years ago

I have a brand new in box playfield protector I’ll sell you for $70

#20 4 years ago

+2 - send it to Ron Kruzman. If you love it that much you'd be a fool not too!

#21 4 years ago

Pinball art at it's finest! Awesome drawing everywhere!

#22 4 years ago
Quoted from embryonjohn:

I have a brand new in box playfield protector I’ll sell you for $70

I may take you up on that. I need to contact Ron still, so I may need one depending on how that conversation goes!

#23 4 years ago

That's sexy.

#24 4 years ago
Quoted from fupersly:

I might have popped on the least favorite family member option if they lived close enough. :p But in all seriousness, the asking price was $1200 and I managed to talk the seller down a fair bit below that. (I don't want to say the exact number, but it was in the neighborhood of a 25% discount - and probably only because it was after the show had closed and it was one less thing he had to pack up and take home with him. Right place/right time sort of thing, I guess?)
As far as what others would sell for, I really have no idea because I haven't seen any other NOS Paragon playfields for sale - although I haven't really been feverishly looking for one, either. I think you can get the whole machine for under $2K in reasonable condition, but I suppose "reasonable" is a relative term - especially in a community like this one - so it almost feels like more of a buyer's market, so long as the person you're dealing with is reasonable and not locked into a "captive audience" mindset.
Even an "all of craigslist" search only netted one solid link that's still active: cincinnati.craigslist.org link

That is a great price for that machine. If you have any chance of getting it...I would strongly suggest going for it.

#25 4 years ago

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/defender-williams-1982-nos-playfield-

You should read over this thread on why clearcoating is the way to go. Those old playfields can start showing wear very very quickly otherwise.

#26 4 years ago

Congrats.
I saw this at CAC and figured somebody would snag it.
The guy also had a NOS Space Odyssey playfirld. I was tempted, but had no idea how I would get it home. Must be the nicest one on the planet.

#27 4 years ago
Quoted from Daditude:

That is a great price for that machine. If you have any chance of getting it...I would strongly suggest going for it.

I would, but I really want to get the one I have in working order - especially now that I have the NOS playfield and two really excellent backglasses at the ready. I think it's pretty close, so hopefully it's not any worse than a little board work to get it "popping" again.

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