you should get a very wide range of responses to this!

Hahaha. Depends who you ask.

Worst case scenario, wipe off the playfield, put on new rubber rings, fixed blowen lights.

Best case scenario, all that plus new coil sleeves, new flipper mechs, switches gapped properly, ect...

I always try to define my version of shopped...what exactly I have done in the process...because everyone's definition is different

There is no correct answer. If you are buying, you need to find out what the seller considers 'shopped. Did they rebuild the flippers, total teardown (or just wipe it down), new rubbers, replace burnt bulbs, test all switches, etc.

Shopped for me is all of the above (and then some).

Steve (in Escalon, CA)

When a pin sits in a shop for more than 1 year. It is then considered shopped. lol

I look at it from a time-perspective.

Shopped IMO is minimum full cabinet cleaning with some touch-up painting if necessary, topside tear down, full cleaning of all topside parts/cleaning/waxing playfield, replacing all bulbs (preferably with LEDs), new rubbers, flipper rebuild, new coil sleeves, cleaning coils & assemblies of dirt, cleaning of all switches, subways, new pinballs, and replacement of any major broken parts. Also electronics work if needed, cap job. Most likely you're looking at anywhere from 12-20+ hrs of work depending on the game and complexity. Essentially, it is a notch below a full-blown restoration.

Just changing out rubbers, bulbs, and cleaning the playfield and plastics is considered "clean, but working" IMO, as it can be done in just a few hours. That's not a shop job.

If you are buying, you should go in with the assumption it means that the person wiped down the playfield, changed the easy to replace bulbs and rubbers that are broken and got the game working (hacks may be present).

A shop job should include at least (IMHO) -

- complete cleaning of the playfield (tear down if necessary but should be done)
- waxing/polishing of the PF
- new rubbers everywhere
- all bulbs replaced and working
- ramps and plastics cleaned and polished
- new balls
- hacks repaired
- electrical gone through to make sure everything is 100% working in the fashion it should be (no hacks)
- switches adjusted
- inspected (and unless the machine is new) rebuild flippers mechs and coils

I'm sure there are things I'm missing and others that some people thing is pasted "shopped" and down the line of "restore" but this is my view on the term "shopped".

To some people shopped could be the following.

- Brought into the shop.
- Removed the loose change.
- Replaced only the broken and missing rubbers.
- Replaced easily accessed burnt out lights.
- Thought to wax playfield, but it was ok.
- Put glass back on, and wiped the glass.
- Post for sale ads.

Sad, but true. There is no standard for the word 'Shopped'.

It's all semantics.

Still, I think thedefog is listing things beyond a "shop job". 85vett is closer. Remember, the term originated with operators bringing a game into the shop to be fixed up quick and put back out to keep earning. They NEVER pulled posts or metals off the field. Usually not ramps either if the game had them.

Granted an enthusiast is likely to do much more than an op used to, but I would call that reconditioning.

IMO.

selling definition of shopped: wiped the playfield glass with a filty shop rag

buying definition of shopped: complete tear down and rebuild, everything tumbled, polished, touched up, clearcoated, waxed, boards and power supply rebuilt

To us, it literally means "has been in the shop". That means all systems have been tested, any rubbers with cracks have been replaced, all lightbulbs that are burnt out have been replaced, and it's been waxed. If we're gonna sell it, we go farther and tear down the playfield and clean all the plastics and and replace all the rubbers and such. We don't tumble the metal or anything...that's a little far. It isn't restored, though, which is why I hate the selling criteria in the market on this site. It may still have cracked plastics, wear around outholes, wear on the cabinet, etc. There should be checkboxes or something as to what exactly has been done to it, because restored is miles away from shopped. To me, restored means new or like new playfield, new plastics, completely unbroken or chipped ramps, stand ups, and drop targets, and a flawless cabinet and legs.

Shopped: Brought to 90%-100% original factory *playing* condition.

(Fully) Restored: Shopped + all *aesthetics* brought up to factory condition, like Backglass/Translight condition, Cabinet paint/decals, Playfield paint, metal parts should not be visibly rusted, and any further down the rabbit hole you want to go.

To me, shopped means no visible dirt on the playfield in nooks/crannies that are easily cleaned. If I can take off less than three screws to remove something and there's standing dirt grime that wipes away with my finger, someone is full of baloney about shopping it. Another test is pulling off the apron. It's four screws and if you get under there and find it filthy, it isn't shopped.

Dirty troughs are the worst. You put brand new rubber on a machine and brand new balls in it and the machine will be filthy in 20 plays if you don't at least wipe the trough clean under the apron (this is for older machines where the trough mechanism is largely above the PF, of course).

That's a good point. I am not looking at it from an operator's perspective, but from a hobbyist/seller's perspective. I just think the term is used too loosely in most sale situations. When people list machines as being "shopped" it usually means they just cleaned off the visible areas, changed some bulbs, and the rubber.

Depending on the game it can require a 6 pack to a case of beer.

And lots of swearing for that screw that requires an overhead crane to put in place.

your average shop job, should be at least. Take all the plastics off. Clean under those areas, clean the playfield. Wax it if it's a pre clearcoat game. Change all the rubbers with new. Replace any burnt out bulbs. Fix any errors, clean all plastics and make sure all mechanical things are working well, and not binding. Game should be working 100% when done and clean.

"shopped" to me only means its been cleaned, checked, given everything it might need like rubbers, bulbs, etc.
shopped means fully functional ready to play, it doesnt mean there isnt some wear and tear, just good to go.
shopped also means "show me the receipt from the technician who did the stuff", unless its a hobbyist who really knows his stuff and did it right himself, unafraid to pop it open for a little show and tell session, playtesting etc.
restored is a different (preferred!) term.

This is the best answer

people that give you receipts to shop games I have found can't shop a game worth a shit. They wipe the center of the playfield with a rag and change the "easy" rubbers and bulbs. Then charge the suckers $100 to do it. The receipt thing doesn't mean shit.

For some sellers it means the game plays and they wiped down the easy to get at areas. I would rather buy them unshoped because I'm rarely satisfied with sellers shop job and really I'm not sure of there skills. There should be different levels or ratings for how through the game has been shopped