I traced the letters for each of the buttons and uploaded as a PNG file, it can be edited and cleaned up more. The height of the letters on the buttons are 1/4", so the PNG file should print to scale on a standard 8 1/2" x 11" decal paper. I used clear decal paper instead of white decal paper, so I had to paint a white basecoat behind the decal for the green/black/red buttons so that the decal will look more opaque. Afterwards, clear it with enough coats to hide the decal edges more. The white button on the left is a factory button, my before/after is the right side and I'll clearcoat it tomorrow to hide the decal edges.

decalwhite.jpg

decal_template.png

That looks fantastic! When I had my machine I was lucky enough to find NOS buttons (and a NOS red ramp). Put the buttons in and probably within 50 plays or so some of the gold writing came off. Should have cleared them before installation.

Your solution looks really good.

Chris

Just joined the club and am having an issue that hasn't been posted yet. The ball regularly gets into "perpetual motion" between the top pop bumper and the 3" ring to the left. It can sometimes be shaken loose without tilting, but something is obviously not right. Has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone have an idea to prevent it?

Thanks!

Rack up those chips!

The usual reason for this is rubber that needs to be replaced.

When that doesn't fix it, I adjust the gap of the leaf switch underneath the pop bumper. There are two leafs of metal, with a VERY slight gap. Increase that gap slightly either by correctly using a switch adjustment tool:

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/77-SWK-A

or by just pulling slightly downward on the bottom leaf until it deforms ...just... enough to increase the gap slightly. You want the pop bumper to be slightly less sensitive, a little more 'dead', but still responsive.

If you bend it too far, and the gap is too big, just mash it upward toward the playfield ...just... enough to get the contacts closer to one another.

At the same time check to see if the mushroom stem (or peg) is properly centered in the 'spoon'. The entire switch assembly can be aligned by loosening the two screws holding it to the bottom of the playfield, then the switch assembly (with the spoon) can be moved to make the mushroom 'peg' perfectly sit in the bottom of the spoon. I have slightly cheated fixing this 'rapid fire' pop bumper' problem by intentionally not aligning the spoon properly so that the pop bumper becomes less sensitive on one side. This isn't usually necessary.

Yikes! The thread come alive. In the meantime I unlooped the rubber from the center post and I'm satisfied with the results.

Moving on, is this item a rarity, or do lots of people have them? The flip side is Mata Hari. It's actually in pristine condition. The apparent cracks are artifacts of the plastic wrap and/or my camera.

RBG (resized).jpg

I meant to add: thanks for the responses.

I've not seen one of those ever.

Pretty cool!

Chris

20220807_151845.jpg20220807_151900.jpg20220807_151906.jpg20220807_151914.jpg20220807_151920.jpg20220807_151928.jpg20220807_151941.jpg20220807_151958.jpg20220807_152005.jpg20220807_152010.jpg20220807_152017.jpg20220807_152020.jpg20220807_152025.jpg20220807_152033.jpg20220807_152040.jpg20220807_152050.jpg20220807_152058.jpg20220807_152104.jpg20220807_152110.jpg

I need a #02-4433 Post spacer #8 x 1-3/16" and see I can get it from Marco's, but I can't figure out what screw goes with it. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Disregard; not the right part number. What I need are the parts shown in the first photo, which go where the blue box is in the second photo. Can anyone provide part numbers or any other clues? Thanks.

RBG2 (resized).jpg

RBG (resized).jpg

!/2" metal spacer:
https://www.pinballlife.com/williams-metal-lane-guide-spacer.html

Wood screw for above:
https://www.pinballlife.com/search.html?Search=4205-01016-16

Excellent! Thanks so much.

I recently picked up a gambler with a disassembled playfield, and one of the many issues I've had after reassembly was the ramp not going down. After investigation and fine-tuning the linked ball guides (I had to make all but of of them from scratch, so ...), I found that the lever lifting the ramp was going a bit too far, the catch release mechanism not working as intended due to friction.

In order to keep it simple, I screwed a right angle hook to create a makeshit mechanical stop. Works like a charm
butée (resized).jpg

Can anyone explain the function of Switch 42 (Past Skill Shot) to me?

Thanks.

It is the switch towards the back left of the playfield where the ball makes that quick 180 degree turn and drops to the pop bumpers. It is to tell the machine that the ball was plunged too far and has traveled beyond the point of obtaining a skill shot so that it will not award you any bonus.

Also, I have a set of unused cabinet decals from Pinballdecalseu if anybody is restoring. I went with other decals with a more matte finish. $150 shipped.
20220906_194043 (resized).jpg

OK, but then what is the purpose of switch 20 (Skill Shot Made)? It seems redundant to switch 42; I believe it's impossible to hit both. Or is the redundancy intentional? The reason I'm asking is that I'm getting an error for switch 42, but I can't detect that gameplay is being affected in any way.

Switch 20 is to tell the machine that you accurately made the skill shot. It is impossible for the ball to roll over both switch 42 and switch 20 after a plunge from the shooter lane, so it is not redundant. Switch 42 being bad wouldn't affect gameplay severely other than probably not displaying text on the screen that you plunged too far, and it might also affect point value but not too sure. My machine is all disassembled otherwise I would see what all it does.

Capture (resized).JPG

Thanks. Pretty sure points are unaffected. Audio might be. Anyway, I got rid of the switch error.

The right hand GI circuit on my game is out. I can trace the wires from the lower playfield to the upper playfield, but I lose them there. I also see them on the power wiring diagram on p. 98 of the manual (5 violet, 1 white-violet) but I can't match anything I see on the diagram to the board in my machine. Can anyone point me to a likely point of failure?

Thanks.

Anyone have a source for the roulette plastic?

Well yes. There is a chap here on pinside that is selling the Cyclone wheel (same wheel different sticker). So go to pinside shops and email him, search Cyclone. Maybe he will sell it a little cheaper without sticker.
EDIT- WAS thinking the backbox wheel.
Which plastic? I may have one.

Bottom left of power driver board. You have manual?

I have a big hole in the circled area. It’s on the right side where it is just clear plastic. I don’t have the game with me now so I can’t take an actual pic

465085F2-3BDB-4093-B2AC-7D7F082076B4 (resized).jpeg

Thanks, yes. Are we looking at pp. 94-95?

Anyone looking for one?

Machine - For Sale

Riverboat Gambler w/Diamond Plate Archived

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “Ride that lucky Riverboat! Williams 1990 Riverboat Gambler with Diamond Plate playfield for sale. Only 100 made, according to the Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide. All...”

2024-02-13

Midlothian, VA

archimandrite

2,050 (OBO)

Archived after: 9 days

Viewed: 1696 times

Status: Not sold

That looks nice. Good price too!

Chris

sold

Hey guys... I have a Riverboat Gambler for sale near me and am considering getting it. Or at least going to look at it closer and make a good decision.

Besides checking all lights, switches and features to see if they are working, are there any other known problem areas I should be aware of? And is it safe to assume that the unique plastics and ramps are no longer available for purchase? The game I am going to see has a few chips and cracks that are likely more cosmetic than ones that affect gameplay, but thought I would ask about whether replacements can be found or not before I get too commited.

Thanks!!

To my knowledge I am not aware of reproduction plastics set for this machine. Make sure the large red ramp is in good shape as they are almost unobtainable. The lockdown bar buttons will likely have the writing rubbed off, but again, those are almost impossible to find. A few years back I happened upon a NOS red ramp and NOS lockbar buttons. They weren't cheap but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.

It is a really fun game with good ramp shots and some really nice shots. Great bumper action too.

Good luck!

Chris

I’ve owned a Riverboat Gambler for over a year. 2k plus games and still enjoy the play!

What to look out for:
1) The ramp is critical. No after market replacement. Any issues with ramp greatly reduce the price.
2) if game is set to factory default then the left ramp should drop after the ball passes through twice. Check to insure the ramp smoothly drops down. The ramp is known to bind up and not always drop. Not a big deal but will require work if it binds.
3) the plastic on the center drop target is known to break. Aftermarket replacements are available. If you see numbers ( part number) around the edge of the plastic then it’s original. If not, then it’s an aftermarket.
4) With only 3200 original units and not a highly sort after game, any unique replacement parts are difficult to find. My translight (spelling?) is not perfect. I purchased an aftermarket and it was too dark.
5) the alphanumeric displays are hard to come by. Can be replaced with LED display for about $300. My main alphanumeric display did not properly display. Thought I may have to reflow the solder or get LED display. When I swapped battery with coin batteries and reset ribbons the display went to perfect displays. I Got lucky.
Hope the game is everything you expect and you give it a good home!

Getting my RG ready to sell and I need some advice, please.

I have "Wheel Error" showing at power up and in Wheel Test. Player 3 shows "08Err". which the manual says that the game program did not detect the home switch. Switch 59, the Roulette Wheel switch shows as "closed" at power-up and in switch test. Is switch 59 the home switch? Is 59 the the opto on the motor control board? Is my first step to try and clean the opto? Q-tip and alcohol? Or is it (groan) more complicated than that?

TIA,

Alan

Update on the above: cleaned the opto and now the display reads Err, not 08Err. When I finish putting the playfield back together, I will play a game of Roulette and see what happens. Will report results.

In the mean time, I found this plastic on the lower left side has it's bottom end broken off.

Parts - Wanted

WTB: Riverboat Gambler left side plastic Archived

Wanted! - “Looking for an unbroken plastic #50007-4-SP, for my Riverboat Gambler. It sits along the lower left side, behind the FIVE drop targets, and above the left slingshot. See pic of min...”

2023-08-18

Jarrettsville, MD

Alan_L

Wanted

Archived after: 12 days

Viewed: 92 times

Status: Not sold

Hi Everyone,
Just picked up a Riverboat Gambler and am in process of swapping all of the incandescent to non-ghosting LEDs.
I'm drafting a bill of materials with some color matching. I have the backboard, playfield, and flashers accounted for based on observations and specs from the manual.

The GI lamps not so much - Does anyone have a map of the GI they could share? Perhaps a count and socket type?

I currently have the FL-11630 flipper coils, the recommended ones in the manual. I was getting a lot of airballs on the center bank of drop targets, that would bounce off and hit the ramp plastic that is above the left bank of drop targets. Some of the plastic from this ramp has snapped off and the ball will then get wedged between the plastic ramp and the left bank drop targets. Making this plexiglass airball shield has prevented all the airballs in case others have the same problem.

rg (resized).jpg

Anyone looking?

Machine - For Sale

Riverboat Gambler w/Diamond Plate Archived

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “Ride that lucky Riverboat! Williams 1990 Riverboat Gambler with Diamond Plate playfield for sale. Only 100 made, according to the Mr. Pinball Pinball List & Price Guide. All...”

2024-02-13

Midlothian, VA

archimandrite

2,050 (OBO)

Archived after: 9 days

Viewed: 1696 times

Status: Not sold

Ooooooh, this is tempting. And not far away. Dang it!

Chris

Question- on my RG, it's almost impossible to go all the way up the ramp to roulette from the left flipper. Is that normal for everyone else or is there a way to adjust something to make it possible?

Not normal.
I would suggest new coil sleeves for the flippers if you haven't done that yet.

Does anyone have quality images/scans of the sticker decals they could provide/share?
The the ramp stickers and such.

I am in the process of acquiring a full set of Riverboat Gambler ramps that happened to become available to me. I have had an above average number of requests for this one over the years, and I am considering actually doing this project now if demand allows it.

The big red ramp is a pretty large undertaking, but I think I can probably pull it off. I am not totally sure on making them red though...the best I can do is spray paint the underside, or sell them as clear pieces and let the end user decide to paint them or keep them clear. Originally, they were probably pre-painted pieces of plastic which were painted with a printing process somehow before forming. The biggest problem with spray painting is getting them evenly painted underneath- which will show up if there are any lights underneath them. I am not very familiar with the game, so maybe someone in this thread would be able to answer that part. No lights under the ramp make this a better probability.

Is there demand for the two side ramps? These are much easier to reproduce, but I also see some NOS ones floating around out there still. NOS ones are going to be much more brittle than new though, as any clear plastic that old will be no matter how they were stored or taken care of.

Ideally, I would like to see 10 pieces of the back ramp committed to before I commit to doing the job...its going to be a big mold. It seems like a low number, but I know a few distributors I deal with will take a few as well on top of that. The big ramp will most likely be in the $225 to $250 range with new flaps installed.

Chime in here or shoot me a PM if this project interests you.
Thanks!

That's a great price for that red ramp. Hopefully you can get these made. It's a pretty intricate ramp and has been unavailable for quite some time.

I no longer have a riverboat gambler, and I had a NOS ramp for mine, but I bet there are many whos ramps are pretty bad at this point.

Great that this project may come to light!

Chris

As always Jodi, count me in if you do a run of these. Love my BTTF ramp!
The U-turn to the roulette wheel is a fail point and holes develop there. Maybe a metal flap or protector on that area. I can send pics later if you need them.

Sent message on interest

PM'ed and to remark -
I would certainly take a main ramp or two at the price point described!

What about the decals/stickers? Not a deal breaker for me; I'm slowly reproducing them from scratch based on scans and images. Only have the skill shot and roulette remaining.

Trying to get the top decal to fit a bit better. . . and boast the "older" not quite perfect print quality. That certain softness.
pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png

Lots of Riverboat Gambler Stuff for sale.
Making ads today, posting here first.
Will donate to pinside.

Full cabinet decal set.
Left ramp,
Used plastic set,
Chips light board,
All 4 lockdown buttons,
Random metal lot-grill-relay,
Full plastic set (Nos, oem original).
Listings in my Shop.

Edit- red ramp and roulette ramp sold.

Parts bump!
Used plastics gone.
Still have a nice set of cabinet decals. $185 shipped. East coast, add 10 bucks shipping.
Full set of New OEM Original plastic set. With extras. $200 shipped.
Thanks