These threads always end up going off the rails. People are:

1. Talking about investing the money
2. What project or things they have they would spend the money on
3. Saying get as many good EM, SS, etc pins as you can get with 12K
4. Saying avoid getting JJP
5. or Make sure you get a JJP
5. or Get 2 Stern Pros
6. or Get a few pins that need some work on the cheap and fix them
7. Etc. Etc.

I think the OP has a 12K pinball budget and is just looking for ideas on which pin combos (or single pin) would be the best for him. It is very hard to 'pick' out what another pinsider would like to play - let alone owning it.

Summary, this thread will have some good ideas to consider here and there. But not as many as the OP was hoping for.

I don't know man...I am not sure I would want any on that list you gave. And that's my point - this thread has little actual value to the OP.

That is a GOOD list for you and the one that recommends it, and many others I am sure. But not me - or LordHumungus apparently.

He did the right thing in suggesting what HE feels is a good list, but it is unlikely to be the OPs. And that, again, is the issue with the request.

Well said, as long as people are actually suggesting pinball machines.