Twelve

It’s been a dozen years since I bought Theater of Magic to put in the gameroom of our summer home. Pinball guys know what “just one pinball” means – right? I bought 5 more by the time we sold that house, 13 more by the time we sold our main home and moved here to Red Heaven Ranch. In the subsequent 3 years it took to finally get the new house built, I had bought 20 MORE games. Oh, and I had many of them stuffed into the 1,700 square foot area of the old ranch house. They were in the living room, the hallway, the office, the pole barn and folded/stored in a spare bedroom in the basement. It was a relief to finally finish the Pinball Loft and move the games into its dedicated 1,500 sq/ft environment. If you’re curious about the design and build, you can find the details HERE.

2 years have passed since I moved into the new space and 12 years since entering the hobby, I thought it appropriate to highlight some key lessons, memorable moments and interesting tidbits that I’ve gleaned from being an older and (hopefully) wiser collector.

Let’s dive in:

ONE

Stay engaged

– New hobbies come and go. I’m sure Pinball is no different. The initial euphoria subsides and people wander away for various reasons. One of the best ways to stay engaged in the pinball world, is to continue to play or own a variety of machines. Engaging with new rules, new shots, new themes and new manufacturers keeps pinball fresh. There are 2 main ways of accomplishing this goal in the world of home collections (location play is another ballgame). The first way is the most common, and is driven by available funding and space. Most home collectors will need to buy, sell and trade games often in order to keep their collection interesting to them. When I first started collecting I saw these type of enthusiasts and wondered why they were never satisfied with what they had. I asked myself if they really liked ANY game at all – because it seemed their latest buy lasted no more than 6 months or so and it was sold off for another title.

The truth is more obvious – there is only so much money and space available to most collectors. Routinely cycling in new titles is a way of keeping the collection fresh. Another approach is to simply keep building a larger and larger collection. This assumes you can afford it and (just as important) you have the space. This is the approach I took in collecting. Aside from the capital investment, this type of collection demands you have a bigger than life plan for future space. Knowing where you will keep 40-50 games is critical in approaching collecting this way. Knowing where you’ll “stop” is just as important as the endgame here is a dedicated, purpose built Pinball gameroom. The next segment will talk about how I answered that question.

TWO

Don’t go over 40

– I certainly did not expect it but when I got all my games into the Loft and fired them up at the same time, there were 5 or 6 of them that simply did not work or work properly. They worked perfectly when I folded and stored them 2 years prior! As I looked around the room that first night I became aware that this was the first time I had all 40 games in one spot and all turned on. Then I started to think that based on the sheer number of games, it was going to be highly likely that at any time 1 or 2 games would need a significant repair. That proved to be true over the long haul. In the past 2 years, and for several months at a time I’ll have a game that will be out of service. I’ll have 2 or 3 more games that need mechanical attention to “play right” and another few that are waiting to have mods installed. When the collection was smaller all of those prior mentioned numbers were smaller as well. Do the math on doubling the collection to 80 or more and you quickly become aware of the hours of maintenance and repair you sign up for when the collection is large. I made a decision that first week in the Loft that I would keep the collection at around 40 or less and have followed that standard since.

THREE

It’s a cheap hobby

– When I bought my first pin (Theatre of Magic) I paid 30% too much and had NO expectations that I would make any money should I decide to sell it. I assumed that if I ever sold it I would lose something because all expensive items depreciate. But … in the case of pinball, and the years 2010-2023, the current value of my collection exceeds the original investment (including mods). New to the hobby? This segment means NOTHING to you. You may be buying in at the peak for all I know. I’m only able to share what happened to me as I’ve collected over the past number of years. I have history and financial facts on my side. As rosy as this picture sounds, I’m sure the rate of gain is not sustainable, but until inflation settles, it appears that IF the big base of your investment was made say 8-10 years ago and you decide to liquidate, you could get your money back with interest. It’s an unexpected blessing from a hobby that has brought priceless joy.

FOUR

Designers are human

– To some extent, we ALL want validation from others. If you’re a game designer, even before you are a pinball celebrity, you’re just a regular Joe. While I’m not a designer, I have reviewed many games and personally interacted with designers as prompted from those reviews. I can say that the ones I’ve talked to WANT to know that we love and enjoy their games. It’s a little odd because in the business world we don’t look to end users to say “good Job”, we look to our leadership for that – but as a pinball designer, this validation matters. I think it means even more because the product is supposed to be “fun”, not just “a pinball game”. The games also have a significant amount of personal creativity embedded in them. When you share a positive opinion about a game, you are in a way validating the creativity of the person that made it. As a former Fine Art student, I can tell you that praise for my work was important

FIVE

Marketing is immature

– Holy cow. Coming to this hobby as a professional marketer with more than 25 years in the business, I was astounded by the level of amateur handling of my beloved product. I wondered if they “knew” just how far behind they were compared to other product based companies? The good news is that over the past 5 years that marketing effort has improved. Some would argue that given the backlog and unbelievable demand, that the marketing effort is “good enough” – after all, why push for more sales if you can’t meet current demand? My take is that pinball marketing is still relatively weak and it’s that way across all manufacturers. Yes, some are better than others but all still lack the level of polish you see in other mature hobbies (I consider pinball a mature hobby given it’s hundred year plus history). In many cases the manufacturer is the origin point for all things promotional and each does it differently.

The widely used distributor model behaves the same with each distributor having varying levels of skills in the promotional process. Some use social, some don’t. Some produce slick video segments and some don’t even have a functioning website (call to order). There is little to no attempt to sell in the area of mass-media (billboards, web advertising, enthusiast magazines, TV, cable, etc.) The level of professional presentation skills at industry shows varies widely among each manufacturer (and bigger does not mean better). Some of the seminars and PowerPoint presentations are just cringeworthy to watch. Maybe my background causes me to see things here that others don’t. Maybe the efforts are “good enough”. Maybe the industry just doesn’t need or would not benefit from improved marketing. Whatever the answer, sometimes it hurts to watch

SIX

Fixing equals fun

– I started like many others … scared to death that my first game would break (it did) and that I would never be able to get it working again (I did). Every breakdown, diagnosis and repair since then has made me more confident, less frustrated and generally happier in the hobby. Heck, it’s even lowered my anger levels! Almost every NIB machine I’ve purchased comes with its own list of “things that don’t work right out of the box” and will need diagnosis and repair. When I started collecting, I’d be angry about it. I’d ask myself why the manufacturer didn’t do a better job of QC on the game – especially at these prices. Today, I never do that, I note the issue, diagnose the problem and quickly fix it (most times) and move on. Having that level of knowledge and the repair skills softens everything around the hobby of pinball. I think the reason is obvious. Pinball machines break. Collectors are left with answering the question “What level of involvement will I take to get it going again? Learning to repair your own games allows you to enjoy the hobby even more. Hobby satisfaction rises with repair skills

SEVEN

Don’t hurt yourself

– When I started collecting, every single machine was moved and set up with muscle. Lifting them into my truck, hand carting them up several sets of stairs or across an uneven lawn. Deadlifting them high enough to place a stool underneath to get the legs on, and then “coffin carrying” or worse dragging them into position. Just ahead of the move into the new Pinball Loft, I began to seek out the very best solutions for moving and setting up pinball machines. The thought of breaking down and transporting 40+ games and then hauling them up 18 steps only to then have to reverse the process was overwhelming. I started my journey with the obvious – an Escalera from Zach and Flip N Out Pinball. We talked back and forth a bit about which model and landed on the perfect one to accommodate my needs and the short landing I had at the top of the Loft staircase. I even bought a spare battery knowing that the poor thing would likely run until the first battery died and I wanted to be able to keep the party going no matter what. Following that I needed a way to break down and set up a game without another persons help. That was a tall order and it required a custom build. You can see the tool I built (stole the idea) in both the YouTube video HERE and in the commentary on the Loft build HERE. Utilizing only some judicially cut plywood, a cheap RV jack and your power drill, the tool does all the work and you do very little lifting. It’s indispensable and a game changer if you are handling a lot of games without help (even if you have all the help in the world it’s a blessing).

After getting all the games moved and setup in the new space, I then bought a coffin lift. This tool is used frequently to reposition games within the Loft by using only my body weight to lift a game. The coffin lift then rolls on casters and with very little effort I’m able to change a games position in a line quickly. Finally, my “pinskates” are the cats meow when maneuvering a pin in super tight spaces. Especially handy when buying a pin in a strange environment as unlike the coffin lift, they are very portable. Essentially, Pinskates add a caster to each leg allowing very fine control of the entire machines movement in every single direction. Having each of these specialized tools has very likely saved me a $50K hospital bill and a forever damaged back. Invest here and you wont regret it

EIGHT

I love the history

– If it’s a new game I want to know what the unfolding story of its development looked like. I want to hear about the “aha” moments, the bad days where everything went wrong, to the moments when the magic I see in the gameplay was created by the people building it. If it’s an older game, I want to know first the “who”, followed by discovering where they are now. I was the same way when I collected vinyl records – fascinated by obscure bands that had a single record out. Where did they go from there? Did they continue in music? Were they creative in another genre? The same holds true for the classics in pinball. I want to know if they stayed in the industry. What other games did they design or play a role in? What jobs do they have today? My interest goes beyond the game makers IF the game is a licensed theme. In that case I want to discover everything I can about that license. Its origins, history and status today. I’ll go so far as to collect various memorabilia from people associated with the license – in a way, bringing a piece of them into the Loft to join the game

NINE

Sharing feels good

– As we discussed earlier in this post, my first forays into repair were scary and daunting. I was able to learn by standing on the backs of others. Specifically by asking questions and consuming content on Pinside. Without the work of others who knew the answers and their willingness to share those answer in words and images, I could not have progressed. I received one of the first Batman 66SLE machines delivered in the states. I then spent many hours crafting a hand made playfield protector, then posted my results on Pinside and mailed the template off to another Pinsider in Florida to use to make his own. I beta tested the version that was mass produced in Germany and was happy to provide the company owners with some engineering feedback to make the protector fit better. It’s interesting that a dozen years on I still LOVE diagnosing a unique problem, finding the appropriate fix, documenting that repair and then sharing it with folks that may benefit from it. The shine hasn’t worn off that process after hundreds of Pinside posts that solve a problem for others. The obvious benefit to me is I get to pay it forward. I love to do it and don’t see that ever changing. Everybody wins.

TEN

Pinball and life

– Long term readers will know that I rarely post here without weaving into the story news of “life” here at the ranch. It’s hard for me to write about pinball without sharing what was going on during that time period or around that subject. After all, we don’t live for pinball, rather pinball is a part of our lives. Moments that pop into my mind? I’m sanding down a Harlem Globetrotters cabinet and I had to take time out to save a hummingbird that had flown into the pole barn. He was so exhausted from the ordeal, he sat on my index finger long enough for several photographs. The stories of bad weather and torrential rain storms associated with my pinball pick-ups are legendary. Playing pinball with and befriending John Schneider and his wife Alicia, Chris Blue and his amazing family, Keith Burns and his wife Bonnie, Big Smo (now simply “Smo”) and other entertainers are highlight experiences that are hard NOT to write about. Finally, even the painful parts of life happen parallel to the hobby – like it or not.

As we play, we live with the reality of losing family members (my Dad, Uncle), buddies (my best friend Andy) and a host of other pinball creators (Lyman Sheats, Barry Ousler, Steve Kordek, Wayne Neyens) The very best way to highlight the joy of playing pinball is to understand the depths of emotional pain that life can bring. Don’t misread my statement. Pinball is no substitute or palliative for grief or loss. It can’t “make it go away”. Pinball simply exists on the other end of the emotional spectrum. A joyful, all senses on deck game that provides entertainment. For a few minutes you can be in a different place than the stressors of the day or that painful season in your life. I really do wish that for everyone.

ELEVEN

Optimism and politics

– By biasing your point of view 2 people can write about the same topic, and come out with a significantly different outcome. I choose to write content that is positive and optimistic but never approaching rose colored glasses. I’ll call out the reality of an issue, but try to understand both sides and the potential for improvement. It’s more fun writing that way and it’s more fair to the subject matter because NOBODY is an expert or can know it all. The best decision I’ve made to date about writing is to keep politics out of it. Making the decision “up front” and having it be a hard and fast rule was the right call. As I shared in prior posts I’m very opinionated about my Politics. I have a well considered and years in the making line of thought about how I view the world politically, socially, and fiscally. While I would not consider my viewpoints extreme, they are most definitely not a middle of the road perspective. Even if they were, I would not write about them, push them as an agenda to others or preach to you my readers to “think like me”. The decision to stay apolitical has eliminated a thousand rough comments and probably helped me keep many readers. We all like Pinball – why destroy the common ground. I won’t do it.

TWELVE

It was worth it

– Pinball has occupied some percentage of my life now for about 20% of the time I’ve been on earth. It’s been there for me through COVID lockdowns, really tough weeks at the office, personal trauma and loss – those seasons in life have all been a little easier on me due to access to Pinball. I’ve met an incredibly diverse group of warm, giving and trustworthy pinball people over these years. Most of them happy to lend a hand, an ear or a hard to find part to a total stranger. The people in this hobby come from every walk of life but show up at the doorstep of pinball with a common set of very easy to love traits. Pinball also seems to “fit me”. I like to create, to stay busy, to build, design and learn. I adore graphic art and design. I’m a history buff and have a high nostalgia meter. Pinball fits all of these like a glove and has been my “go to” hobby long enough to feel like it will be a lifetime engagement. I have other lifetime hobbies – Firearms and competitive shooting (40 years now), Music and audiophile equipment (40 years) and they both remain and from time to time have taken center stage for a bit, but the bulk of my free time has been spent playing, fixing, studying, reading and writing about Pinball. It’s been worth it.

Conclusion

I still play pinball every day. The amount of time I play hasn’t really changed over the past 10 + years. If I miss a day or so, there is always a good reason – sickness, family commitments, etc.. I’ve recently met a few more folks that enjoy the game as much as I do and I take the opportunity to invite them over every chance I get. I’m buying a few new games, but selling at least the same number in order to keep the overall game count down. If you’re a regular reader you know that Fathom Mermaid Edition arrived last month (check out the review HERE). Scooby Doo is on order as it’s a dream theme for me. I’ll be selling a few to make room for Scooby. I will continue my focus on finding games I REALLY love to replace ones that I simply LIKE that sit in my collection, mostly unplayed. On the potential sales block are: Last Action Hero, Houdini, Dr. Dude and Time Machine. On the “need to find and buy” are titles like: Deadpool, Walking Dead and White Water.

I’m really happy that I’ve arrived at a point that I truly know what I like. This has given me renewed purpose in the process of upgrading my collection. So, yes … the thrill of the chase is still there. Is it as intense as it was 12 years ago? No, not even close. When I open a new in box game today, I’m MUCH more tempered in my expectations and initial reactions. When you cycle through 40-50 (or more) games, you understand that you will never find that “perfect machine”. The mature collector discovers there are only degrees of “better” and that’s the journey I’m on now.