Anyone have info on what the prices were for them when they were released?
(Topic ID: 132772)
Roanoke, VA
I guess things haven't changed that much after all! $675 in 1967 would be about $4800 today... close to the price of new Sterns.
Pinball machines were never intended to be cheap toys. EM's are cheap right now because technology has evolved, people don't know how to fix them, many haven't been maintained, condition can be worn, ordinary folks don't know where to get replacement parts or restore them, etc.
It sucks that pinball was largely overtaken by video games... but... the upside is the plethora of cheap EM's left behind in the wake for us. I say get them while you can!
Well, all I know is that I am having fun playing and fixing the one I have had for about a month! I paid a bit much, but I really wanted Top Score. Learning a bit more each day.
Top Score is a keeper. I'm just now finishing a total rebuild on mine. I like it best of all the "side bagatelle" variants (Lawman, Atlantis, Centigrade 37... did I miss any?).
Cool. I just rewired the two pop bumpers so they fire independently and the ball just goes like mad.
Quoted from NicoVolta:I like it best of all the "side bagatelle" variants (Lawman, Atlantis, Centigrade 37... did I miss any?).
Soccer.
You're right... both Top Score and Soccer were made in '75 and have the same left side layout. They also share the same two pops on the left, the same three top entry lanes on the left, the same backbox animation, and each has a spinner with a 5-position rotating light in roughly the same place.
But yeah, no bagatelle on Soccer or Super Soccer.
Top Score = Soccer + Lawman (also has a free ball gate... Atlantis and C37 don't).
Soccer has two spinners. I remember when the local pizza place replaced Soccer with Top Score in late '75. I am guessing that was how their agreement with the distributor went. I noticed all the similarities between the two machines then.
I have a small list of actual dated invoices of games when sold new, here:
http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?images=invoice&sortby=date&searchtype=advanced
Look for the image in each listing that is labeled "Invoice".
Scans are sent in by users of the site. I invite anyone to do that, if you find original, dated, invoices from distributors.
Nowadays, manufacturers sell direct, without a distributor, so these dated invoices would be welcome, too.
Jay
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