So, I got my first job a few months ago, and I've been trying my best to save up for my first pin, despite all the school, car, and insurance payments I'm also beginning to have to pay for now! I'm not really sure what I want my first game to be, but the main question I have is, should I go for a less expensive, simpler game, or a more expensive, deeper game, first. Like, a $1500-$2000 game vs. a $2500-$3000 game. I've sort of been thinking I should go for the more expensive route first, since generally it would be a deeper game that could stand on it's own for a while, and I would be able to save up for less expensive game to put beside it more quickly than if I bought a cheaper game first and then started saving for a more expensive game. I'm also kind of wondering that if I get a less expensive game, say, F-14 Tomcat, it would get old too quickly if it was all I had. I'm in no rush, so I wouldn't mind waiting to save up more money, but obviously as I save more I'll begin to see less expensive pins for sale that I can actually afford, which could be pretty tempting. I also want to purchase one before school begins next year as I'll be driving back and forth to community college.

I will say, I kind of have my heart set on getting a Doctor Who (And I'd love to get my hands on one ASAP, because from what I can tell, the price of that game is going up pretty quickly!), but I'm open to a lot of other games too. Mousin' Around, F14, Diner, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Super Mario Bros., Roadshow, World Cup Soccer, Fish Tales, Monopoly, and Roller Coaster Tycoon, are just a few of the pins I'm interested in that seem to be within my price range. Also, I'm looking for something that's in good condition, but not necessarily modded out. Installing LEDs and other mods are things I'd love to learn to do myself.

I'll take any advice you guys have got, even if it's not related to my question! I just need to know what I need to look out for when buying, how I need to prepare for my first pin (I've actually asked for a bunch of tools for Christmas, and my Dad has a ton of tools too, so I should be good there), basically any first time buyer advice. Thanks for any help!

Right. I'm good to go there since I just bought my first car, a 2008 Ford Escape! Like, look at this: charlottesville.craigslist.org link
I could drive twenty minutes to go pick up this nice Roadshow right now... If I had the money! And I don't think he'd be willing to take 1K for it... Anyways, I guess my time will come soon enough. Right now I'm just going to focus on saving as much money as possible!

Right, this is kind of what I plan on doing. Once I get a pin, I can always trade it and throw in a little cash to get a slightly more expensive one. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get a Whitewater! (My favorite pin!)

Hmm, thanks for the tip, but I'm not interested in getting something that old just yet. I'd like to have a couple of nineties/late eighties pins before getting something like this.

Well, the consensus seems to be to go for a less expensive game. I plan on going to Pinfest again this year, so I'll definitely keep my eyes out for a pin there, too. I should be able to save about 2k by then. Challenge is definitely something I'm looking for, a game that's either hard to survive or has a challenging goal. (Or both!) Especially for my first game, since it will be all I have for a while and I wouldn't want it getting old.

Yep! At this rate that's probably what I'll try to get. My Dad and I got pretty addicted to Mousin' Around at Pinfest last year, There's a Big Guns at a nearby arcade that I really enjoy (That is, when it's working. Haven't played it in forever because the left cannon doesn't keep the balls locked *and* it's sitting next to a LOTR that's in amazing condition!), Earthshaker is a game I'd consider (It just has some amazing art and sound, imo, love the layout, although I would need to find a family ROM to go with it and I worry I'd always think of it as "Not Whirlwind" ), the list goes on!

The only thing I worry about with the earlier system 11s is, especially if it's my only pin, will I eventually be able to max out the display on a regular basis? F-14 is an extremely fast and challenging game that I think I would really enjoy, but I worry that I would eventually get good enough that getting 9,999,999 points would be fairly easy. Is this true, or am I underestimating the amount of challenge in these game? (And yes, I realize I can adjust settings/playfield to make it more difficult)

Yep, you got it, ha! I know TPA is a lot easier than real life, I just wanted to be sure I wouldn't end up being able to get too good at a game if it was all I had. And I guess I've severely underestimated just how brutal F-14 is!

I know you guys keep telling me I should start with an early Solid State, and while I do enjoy those, I just enjoy the newer games a lot more. I definitely think a System 11 would be a good starting pin for me. Besides, I've been lurking on these forums for a while now, I know what I 'm doing!

*Three months later*

HELP MY PIN IS EXPLODING I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!

I definitely wouldn't consider a Big Guns. I love trying to top the leader board at the arcade, but I can tell I'd get bored of it pretty quick if I owned it. Not much strategy other than get three million points away from the high score and then save the queen. As for Pin*Bot, I definitely wouldn't mind owning one, but again, I'd rather get something a little newer first.

Right. I never really thought much about Mousin' Around until I played it last year at Pinfest, and I actually ended up really enjoying it. Dr. Dude on the other hand... I wanted to like that game, but it just bores me to death (This is based off of the Pinball Arcade version, but still). Shoot magnet three times, shoot guitar three times, shoot Gift of Gab three times... It's like an extra boring version of Medieval Madness!

Hmm, how does this Earthshaker sound?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/for-sale-earthshaker-williams-1989-1993#post-2856531

Would that be a good pin to consider? Only a couple of hours away from me.

This sounds like what I'd like to do. If I get a System 11 first, I can probably save up for an earlier SS in a couple of months. (Or even buy one at the same time if I wait long enough!)

It really is crazy how much prices have risen over the past few years. I obviously don't have any first hand experience, but my brother got me The Complete Pinball Book 3rd Edition for my birthday this year, and I was chuckling at the prices. $3000-$3500 for TZ. $1700-$2000 for DW. $2500-$3000 for TAF. Book says the price guide was revised in 2011!

Anyways, been thinking and I think I'd really like to start with a Diner. Love the theme, a good amount of fun shots, rules offer some good variety for the time, and I think it's something friends and family would really enjoy, too.

Alright, I'm starting to look for a few tools, and I need some advice on good starter soldering irons and multimeters. I found this soldering iron on Amazon, but since I know nothing about this sort of thing, I have no idea if this is a *good* soldering iron for pinball repair: http://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Adjustable-Temperature-Soldering-additional/dp/B014KBIB3M/ref=sr_1_3

I'm not looking to spend too much on tools, since I'm certainly not planning on doing any major repairs or anything like that, just the simple issues when they come up.

Thanks, this looks like a good guide!

So, I was wondering what you guys thought about a Jokerz? I know of this place that had one for sale a few years ago, and I called a few days ago and they said they still had the pinball machines. One of the games they had was a Jokerz that I played quite a bit of. All I remember being wrong with it was the one-way gate above the draw poker kicker was broken so the ball went past the BET lanes and into the draw poker kicker whenever you shot the upper left lane, rather than falling into the BET lanes. I think the speakers may have also been buzzing a little bit, which I assume could require some board work? And a few bulbs were burnt out I think. Anyways I was thinking about driving up there to take a look whenever I get a chance, and was wondering if it would be a good idea to get it if it's still in good shape and what a good value for it would be? (It was priced a $1500 last I was there.)

I definitely wouldn't pay $1500 for the Jokerz, although I was wondering if the owner would be willing to sell it for less. I was thinking I might consider it at $800 if it was still as nice as I remember it. Plus I have no idea if the price has been lowered any, like I said it's been a few years since I last saw the machine.