1953 Gottlieb Flying High

Enclosing some pix and a video of a fun 5 ball game. I’m partial to the early ‘50s woodrails, especially the Neyens/Parker games.

Funny, is that while I am trying to thin the herd and sell off some of my machines and make room in the basement for the grandkids, I came across the game last week and thought it was too nice to pass up. 

I picked up this disassembled game from a friend who had it in storage in his basement. This was his “B” game, having cherry picked the best parts which were used for his “A” game keeper. Looking over the game, in my opinion, was a very good playfield, very good original glass, solid cabinet, and, upon quick review, had the necessary mechanicals. Game had replaced plastics, but needed shopping with the prerequisite need for new rubbers, balls, bolts, legs, new bumper caps, lamps, etc. Recently took it through a thorough detail and freshening.

As expected, it was dead on arrival and needed much work freeing steppers, regapping switches, and cleaning. The cabinet is the ugly duckling of the observation….it has touch ups on the front, no paint on the top of the head and the right side…well, it’s been obviously exposed to wear and tear. But, in the spirit of keeping things original, and the reality that the top of the game and both sides are not visible when in the line up, the most important part is the very good playfield, clean trap holes, strong backglass and a game hitting on all cylinders. I’m not inclined to have it repainted, nor buy a replacement glass, and will let the next owner decide if that’s what they want.

Game is lively and the wonderful part of these old woodrails is the multiple ways to win with points, scoring, and on field specials.

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That is indeed a really nice playfield, and the lockdown bar and rails do not to worn or burnt.

The backglass animation for the pop and dead bumpers is something most people miss.

On the playfield there are many ways to win a Replay. High Scores. Points Setting. Hitting all 7 pop bumpers in a row lights the Special., Landing Four balls in a row in the Trap holes.

Odd question:

A few of the older Gottlieb woodrails I’ve seen (late 40s, early 50s) that have a jones plug connection on the coin door had a rubber ring (a 1” or 1.5” ring I suppose) affixed to/around the connection bracket on the coin door. Were these rubber rings typically installed on these connections (or is it just something unusual about the machines I saw)? If so, did they serve some not so obvious (or at least to me) purpose?

I don’t have a photo to illustrate this and just browsed ipdb and could find one there either...

Looks fun Joel

I always thought it would be too similar to Coronation but it really isn't.

Lovely looking game and I can only wonder what the A version is like

I believe its purpose is to be wrapped around the male and female sides of the jones plugs to keep them connected in order to prevent the door from falling to the ground when unlocked. These early style doors have no hinges.

Reference post #791 Straight Shooter

Might put it up for sale. I bought a couple of new games and space as always is an issue. The woodrail would be the odd man out. Nice game but it's the one that has the least connection to my current collection. Fortunately and Unfortunately lineups can change and games happen.

To add to your comment. The connection is live. If the door gets opened and falls out, if the connector separates, a person might instinctually grab the connectors and accidently touch the connectors, and get zapped.

Yes, with Flying High, the only way to lose the ball is in a trap hole. The flippers are close together and won't allow the ball to drain. There is a triangular door that opens at the start of the game that will allow a ball that is left on the field (from a tilt or power loss) to fall into the collector.
Like Coronation, it is somewhat difficult to avoid the traps and ball times can be quick, but winning a Special is not that rare.

The "A" game, which was not available for viewing, allegedly had much nicer cabinet paint and legs, and original plastics.

Just got done bringing this one back to life. What a nudger's delight. Hard game but keeps me coming back for more.

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Great game! Good luck with it!
J

Niiiice!!

A drive to Pa this weekend netted me a 1946 Big Hit. It’s a non flipper style but couldn’t pass up getting a machine from the 40’s to add to the line up.

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Nice bowler

I need space ! Help me out.

Machine - For Sale

Straight Shooter Archived

Used - shows wear but 100% working and clean - “Straight Shooter. Plays great. Shay Repro Backglass. New playfield plastics. New Backglass and plastics are about Five hundred dollars in upgrades alone... Nice playfield and soli...”

2019-05-22

Grafton, WI

NoQuarters

900 (OBO)

Archived after: 7 days

Viewed: 142 times

Status: Didn't sell to Pinsider

love that piccadilly too! Love games that look like Bingo cabinets. Does that game also not have bells, and only uses knockers for sound?

Thanks. And so far all of my older EM’s have bells. Even this non flipper. Chimes on the ones from 70’s up tho

I have an opportunity to buy a 1959 Around the World pinball. It will need a full restoration. Is this a game that is worth the effort and is fun to play?

They're ALL worth the effort!

Oh, Jesus, yes! I have been haranguing my local buddy to sell me his ever since I played it. Please, yes, save it. Completely worth it. Super fun two player game with some innovative playfield features.

I’m not ready for another project, but may pick it up based on your response. The seller isn’t in a hurry which works in my favor, but also means she is asking too much. Time will tell. I need to finish my Jacks Open first anyway.

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Got this game yesterday. It is challenging to play. Have to get use to 4 flippers and the lower reversed set up.

There are more photos on the, "Show Us Your EM Pinball Machines", Topic.

been a collector since 1977. it is a totally different em scene here in austraia. the coast where nearly everyone lives has been picked over for the last 30 years.

then this turns up, this is what keeps you going as a collector.

if this game could talk. all the stories yelled across from player 1 and 2.

Nice get, Darcy. Looks beautiful.

Uh...what turned up, exactly?

1951 Genco Double Action

Although I pledged to start thinning the herd and avoid more purchases, temptation overcame me a few weeks ago and I picked up another project…1951 Genco Double Action. This is the “sister” machine to my current 1952 Genco Springtime, both of which are an interesting combination of a backglass bagatelle and flipper playfield action. I feared being over my head on restoring this but believed there were enough original parts to make a go. Plus, I have a general idea of how the backbox animation works, and the Springtime has a schematic, so really needed to tackle the wood requirements. So, fast forward 2 weeks of part time working on it, and the update as of today – she’s up and running, scoring properly. Just need to get a playfield glass. The glass on this game and the Springtime is a little shorter than the standard glass, likely due to the extra depth of the backbox.

In retrospect, the biggest issues were the cold solder joints and the inevitable corrosion that built up on the contact points. I had extra marbles from a NOS set from the Springtime. Much thanks to the carpentry skills of Joe Cambino (Retro Amusements) who built a backdoor for me from measurements provided and he came extremely close to the yellow gold color from camera shots of the side of the cabinet. We knew the color of the backdoor didn’t have to be perfect, but all, in all, not a bad match.

Also need to thank some other members of the community who provided me with pix of a score card and a schematic, and a special call out to Tom Considine for preparing a jpeg for me to print out the card.

Will prepare a video of game play once I finish the final tweaking and move the game into the line up.

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That back board lighting is different, and interesting.

Looking really nice.

Joel....you just had to add that game to your collection. After playing your Springtime for quite sometime during my visit at your place and loving every minute of it, I can see why from the pictures of the Double Action that you just had to have it.

I too, haven't been doing good with not bring home anymore games and somehow have added 5 since the start of this year. Hopefully, I can avoid adding any other new machines in the future. Enjoy that beautiful condition Double Action! It looks magnificent.

How are those rubbers attached for those special side lanes?

Wow, Joel! That looks incredible!!! Great find!!!

They appear to be little brads. Similar to the Springtime, too.

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Tom Considine (active on Facebook...not sure about here on Pinside) has owned a number of Genco games and he's mentioned that Genco would often just nail the rubbers to the siderails. I guess it was a common practice for them. Sounds like a pain to re-rubber. Guess that's why you don't see it done anymore. Ha-ha!

I have a trick for that, use a razor blade to slice the rubber in half, making it easier to nail. You can make a jig with a small block of wood and a drill. Yes, small nails (brads) are needed to hold it to the sides.

Great looking game @oldcarz!

IS the rubber really needed, it appears to serve no purpose
other than maybe looks.
Maybe the bottom 3-4 inches past the sidelane exits, you might get some rebound action

This is my preferred method as well Nick...

1950 Gottlieb Buffalo Bill Buffalo Bill
Here’s a video of an early Harry Mabs/Roy Parker “oscillating ball shooter” game:

The moving ball shooter was also called a turret shooter. Gottlieb produced 4 turret shooter games in 1950; the first one was Just 21, then Select-A-Card, then Bank-A-Ball and Buffalo Bill in May 1950.

As someone who is mostly interested in the 1950’s woodrails, the Buffalo Bill had been on my shortlist ever since obtaining a mint version of the Bank-A-Ball a few years ago.

The pickings were slim for several months as far as finding the game, in any condition, but did find an original one that needed much work. The long-term goal of the anticipated restoration was try and duplicate the esthetics and patina of the unmolested Bank-A-Ball, as regards to paint and playfield glossiness.

Step 1: The first phase of the restoration was getting the mechanicals in order. Fortunately, having other turret games as a source of reference, it was a time consuming, but relatively straightforward process to get a woodrail game playing and scoring. Original backglass and playfield art glass were in very good condition, so repros weren’t a consideration.
Step 2: Playfield restoration. Worn paint, planking, delamination, etc., diminished the enjoyably of the game. Kudos to Joseph Cambino/ RETRO Amusements (https://www.facebook.com/RETRO-Amusements-262410473911111/), for his skill in fixing the wood, regluing, touching up the missing paint and putting on a topcoat with minimal sheen. Not as glossy as the modern machines, it works well on an old EM. Playfield is like glass, no ball hangs and a pleasure to look at.
Step 3: Cabinet restoration. While it is always my preference to stay with a nice unmolested, but worn original paint, this game had been previously and poorly touched up, had deep scratches and despite my purist intentions, there was nothing really charming about keeping it original. Further, when situated next to the BAB, the difference between the sister machines was evident. Joe Cambino, and I agreed that the cabinet on the BAB was the perfect example for us to use…after 70 years, it still has a nice shine and patina, but certainly isn’t brand new/vibrant any more. The legs and wood might have been a pale maple color at one time, but have aged to a medium oak color. In this regard, the decision was to use colors that were muted, a little darker to simulate the aging, and a low sheen in the paint. A little overspray and fuzziness around the graphics was intended. A little hard to see in pictures, but the red color of the graphics looks like the red/brown color of old leather, and is an ideal match for this old Western themed game.

Video of game play: Turret games play differently than the other EMs of the era. They are point and shoot games, designed to hit a target, then typically, a ricochet down the middle. Most games do not last long as it’s hard to keep a ball in play for flipper action, but occasionally one will get a good ball, several lanes or targets and it’s possible to actually win games.

Some pix to show a freshly restored game next to it's untouched 70 year old sister. Wood and paint sheen are very similar.
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Very nice restoration--wow! The silk-screened aprons on the turret machines are definitely impressive. I played a Select-a-card a few months back and the play of turrets is definitely a different feel than regular pinball and the lack of a shooter rod is initially disconcerting, but provides for a larger play area. And you certainly had some better balls in your video than my feeble first time attempts!

So what was the tune you used in the video?

1950 Bank-A-Ball and Buffalo Bill definitely take home medals for most glorious pinball aprons of all time. Magnificent Buffalo Bill restoration.

As you know, I am very fond of B-a-B's gameplay and art package. Rumor is that the enigmatic Roy Parker included an image of himself on the backglass.

Re-rubbering the sides gets easier after a few times. Just did this Genco Trade Winds a couple of weeks back. I position the rubber by the side wall and press the small nail thru the rubber with my fingers, then nail it in.

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With permission from the musicians (friends), excerpt from "The Dawn Thief," by Whale Fall.

wow that Buffalo Bill looks super fun

I am setting up a newly restored Universe for a friend tonight. I don’t own a woodrail so wondering how high to raise up the back legs? I will have the front ones all the way down.
Thanks for any suggestions.

I would get the PinGuy app. Set the phone on the playfield and start off at 3.5* and go up from there

I recently acquired a lockdown bar with an early 1950s Gottlieb machine that clearly wasn't the correct bar as it didn't fit well and is differently sized compared to bars from other machines of this era (although the posts were correctly spaced). See images below of this bar and one from an early 1950s Gottlieb (that's presumably original) for comparison.

Does anyone have any ideas about what machine this bar came from? I'd guess it might work on turret machines from 1950, but given the different dimensions, perhaps it's not even from a Gottlieb...?

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While I dont have the answer, +1 for the great graphic!

My Queen of Hearts and 1950 Bank-A-Ball lockdown bars appear identical, except for the shallow groove on Queen of Hearts to accommodate the shooter rod.

Bank-A-Ball is a turret shooter woodrail, which is why that groove is absent.

Below are photos of both lockdown bars. I will obtain measurements and post same.
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I posted reference photos above, in response to your inquiry.

Cool—thanks ZNET! This suggests that my guess about the bar being from a Gottlieb turret game is dead wrong. Still curious about where it might have come from...

Aside from turret machines, were there others that had lockdown bars that didn’t have the notch/cutout for the shooter housing but that had the same post/carriage bolt spacing as used on Gottlieb machines? Perhaps earlier Gottliebs...? I’ll have to check out fotos on IPDB to see which machines had bars without the notch.

I suppose a major (and easily measured) feature that differentiates the odd bar from the bar I examined from Quartette is the height of the bar (it’s a tad bit less than 1” high as opposed to being a tad bit more than 1” on Quartette). Does anyone have a machine with a bar that’s less than 1” high that doesn’t have a notch/cutout for the shooter housing but that has posts/carriage bolts at the typical Gottlieb spacing?