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Author Topic: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man  (Read 26995 times)

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TopJimmyCooks

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The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« on: July 12, 2012, 12:13:34 pm »
The Creed of the Low End Pin Man

In a time of pinflation and craigslist tomfoolery and game-rooms becoming like cryptlike shrines - there came to be known the ones called Low End Pin men.  This is their creed.  

The Low End Pin man craves not to line the walls of his lair with a NIB ACDC BIBLE with latest firmware and foundry cast brass bell mod. Ye Old Medieval Madness and the Clan Addams he avoids, unless the beasts be found on route location or at tourney.  Instead the LEP man seeks the true worth of a machine in the form of the Bally Freedom, the GamePlan, the sweaty EM stood on end in a dusty corner.  The undeservingly unloved, their rule-sheets short and their #44's dimmed with age and neglect - he cannot resist them.

The Low End Pin man does not wear white gloves while playing.  His pintable vibrates and groans with extended play sessions wearing it down to dust while the Low End wizard laughs maniacally. "It's meant to be Played, not Laid" is his motto, mating call and battle cry all rolled into one.

He eschews the mirror blade, the gold plated ball, the handpainted plastic toy, the $400 repopped topper, the subwoofer, the LED generally, the fiber optic, the magic fingers massager and the High-Def Color 3D Smell-O-Vision DMD - these fripperies are not for the Low End Pin man.

The LEP man does not buy what can be borrowed, does not replace what can be repaired, does not repair what can be spit shined, does not spit shine that which is already truly "decent" and "serviceable".  He endeavors to make the Low End Pin work with his own hands, via hacked tool, dodgy internet tutorial, paint marker, decoupage, needlepoint, necromancy - whatever it takes.  He does not resort to the hired gun for his board work or his coat of clear, except when he finds himself in truly desperate straits.  

The LEP man holds his breath when handling his backglass so that the flakes do not take flight and anoint him like so much multicolored dandruff.  

The LEP man is not an artist.  He does not spray that which may be brushed.  He does not brush that which may be wiped or smudged.  He does not touch that which may be concealed by post or plastic. He has no problem with quality or workmanship, he just knows that you are not supposed to be able to shave in the reflection off the playfield of that Evil Knievel, dude, WTF?

The low end pin man knows that the truest joy is the short green buy.  When he sells the beast on to the Medium pin man, he will realize the cost of his time at $1.50 per hour if he's lucky, but who cares?  The memory of the blood and sweat, the project game revived, the ball times long and oh-so-short, the echos of the triple knock shall sustain him until he can dip Low again.

(with apologies to HEP and Ken Rockwell)
« Last Edit: July 17, 2012, 04:00:18 pm by TopJimmyCooks »

ChadTower

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Nice!

 :cheers:

Le Chuck

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TL;DR


Just sound out the hard ones Jim, you can do it!  >:D

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TL;DR

RIIIF

(read it it is funny)

IWGTF

How did we go from urging PBJ's literary enrichment to the International Working Group on Trade-Finance Linkages? (IWGTF)   :dizzy:   :duckhunt


Scott

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2012, 04:54:59 pm »
TJC (LEP), you're quite a few rungs up the pin ladder compared to me... Star Explorer... So I guess that makes me a BLEP. :'(

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #8 on: July 17, 2012, 05:21:04 pm »
The Low End Pin man has no truck with a table that is not a moneymaking endeavor. . . Unless . . . Ok,yeah -- said home model turns up at a nearby jumble sale, in which case he shall sacrifice the weekend's promised 12-pack and purchase it. 

I say, if Ken Layton does home models, then so do I.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2012, 09:13:14 am »
Low end pin man agrees to buy a game for a grand, then shows up at my house in a car with $400.

Low end pin man can go suck a dick.  :cheers:

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2012, 10:04:44 am »
The Low End Pin Man honors all fair deals.  His pinball standards may be low but his moral standards are high.

You ran into the LEP man's bastard cousin, LowBaller Pin man. 

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2012, 10:57:06 am »

The Low End Pin Man wouldn't be showing up to purchase a game for a grand.  Low End Pins do not cost a grand.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2012, 11:50:51 am »

The Low End Pin Man wouldn't be showing up to purchase a game for a grand.  Low End Pins do not cost a grand.

Low End Pin Man didn't show up to purchase a game for a grand... He showed up to purchase a $1000 game for 400.
Perhaps Low End Pin Man is tired of chimes and relays.

He didn't count on meeting Go ---fudgesicle--- Yourself Man.  :lol


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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2012, 12:20:47 pm »

Like TJC said... that's not LEP.  That's LowBaller.  I wouldn't even call him a pin man.  That guy does vids and usually also cars.

Low End Pin Man would look past the $1000 game and ask you about the beaten up Sinbad behind it.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #14 on: July 18, 2012, 07:14:48 pm »

Like TJC said... that's not LEP.  That's LowBaller.  I wouldn't even call him a pin man.  That guy does vids and usually also cars.

Low End Pin Man would look past the $1000 game and ask you about the beaten up Sinbad behind it.

You really have this guys profile narrowed down from an imaginary story!

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2012, 09:51:25 am »
I gave up trying to get vids a long time ago.  No room or project queue space.  Even for free most stuff will either get turned down or passed on to a local friend before it leaves my truck.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #16 on: July 19, 2012, 11:25:12 am »

Like TJC said... that's not LEP.  That's LowBaller.  I wouldn't even call him a pin man.  That guy does vids and usually also cars.

Low End Pin Man would look past the $1000 game and ask you about the beaten up Sinbad behind it.

You really have this guys profile narrowed down from an imaginary story!


CT fully understands where the LEaPman is coming from. 

I'm probably about the damned worst when it comes to offers on vids.  I can't think of a single one I'd give more than $50 for, and that'd have to be a working Donkey Kong that I could easily convert to Konkey Dong for the lulz.

Once I got a satisfactory mame rig running, the value of single game cabs fell through the floor for me.  I'm not out there trolling people by any means, but if I do negotiate for one it's going to be a very favorable deal for me or I'm out the door.  I could make an offer and be rejected but I never waste anyone's time.  I always state when I will pick up and pay as part of the offer.  Right now I've got exactly one upright more than I want/need and it's pissing me off.  It's a miss pac and it's too nice to liquidate.  I need to get my crap together and advertise it.  Then I'll be the one moaning about being lowballed I'm sure. 

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #17 on: July 19, 2012, 12:05:16 pm »
Once I got a satisfactory mame rig running, the value of single game cabs fell through the floor for me.  I'm not out there trolling people by any means, but if I do negotiate for one it's going to be a very favorable deal for me or I'm out the door.  I could make an offer and be rejected but I never waste anyone's time.  I always state when I will pick up and pay as part of the offer.  Right now I've got exactly one upright more than I want/need and it's pissing me off.  It's a miss pac and it's too nice to liquidate.  I need to get my crap together and advertise it.  Then I'll be the one moaning about being lowballed I'm sure. 

Just ask twice what you want for it. Worked for my Asteroids. Asked $600, got the $300 I was looking for. That's generally how I judge my offers too, I immediately cut their asking price in half... or more depending what it is.

ChadTower

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2012, 01:03:39 pm »
Once I got a satisfactory mame rig running, the value of single game cabs fell through the floor for me. 

That's part of the reason I mostly do vectors.



Just ask twice what you want for it. Worked for my Asteroids. Asked $600, got the $300 I was looking for. That's generally how I judge my offers too, I immediately cut their asking price in half... or more depending what it is.

I do the opposite.  I ask what I want and ignore emails offering half.  I might negotiate within 10% but that's about it.  The guy who offers $300 via email for a $600 game shows up with $150.  I don't have the spare time to deal with that guy.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2012, 01:21:45 pm »
Just ask twice what you want for it. Worked for my Asteroids. Asked $600, got the $300 I was looking for. That's generally how I judge my offers too, I immediately cut their asking price in half... or more depending what it is.

I do the opposite.  I ask what I want and ignore emails offering half.  I might negotiate within 10% but that's about it.  The guy who offers $300 via email for a $600 game shows up with $150.  I don't have the spare time to deal with that guy.

Well, you've spent 238 days, 18 hours and 19 minutes logged on to BYOAC; looks like you've got plenty of spare time. There aren't a whole lot of $600 games, there's not even a whole lot of $300 games... But value is subjective...

ChadTower

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2012, 01:53:54 pm »
Well, you've spent 238 days, 18 hours and 19 minutes logged on to BYOAC; looks like you've got plenty of spare time. There aren't a whole lot of $600 games, there's not even a whole lot of $300 games... But value is subjective...


That depends on what set of games you deal with and who else is in your area.  I live in a very competitive market.  Prices are higher here.  I also focus mostly on vectors.  A dead complete vector starts at $150 for black and white, $200+ for color with a 6100, or $400+ for a color with an Amplifone.  That's if it even hit the open market to begin with.   Most of them never do.

Let's also note that this thread is about pins.  Lowballers are so much more aggressive on pins than on vids.  They'll show up and tell you anything to get that pin cheap.  Ask TOK.  :)

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2012, 03:22:46 pm »
Speaking of pins, a certain person investigated a Captain Fantastic today.  It has worked recently but the seller left it plugged in and now it is not running.  The backglass is beautifully perfect viewed without the lights on.  would have thought it was a repro but the lift bar was clearly old.  The playfield is nice with only a few scattered ball swirls and a single large planking mark running up the middle, mostly in the blue field.  The cab is yellowed but in nice shape - they would would clean it and perform minor touch ups only.  The person is interested but he hasn't worked on EM's before. It would probably take $700 to $800 to buy it.  Brief research shows these aren't going for top dollar even in nice shape right now. 

I know PBJ had/has one- what do you think?  too much?

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2012, 04:59:08 pm »

So it's a gay slapper that needs smaller balls? 

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #23 on: July 19, 2012, 05:29:12 pm »
Already got the same BS flippers on Harlem so I'm fully slap happy.  Good thing:  I never ever get bitched anymore.  **Unless someone's watching me play.  The 'Trotters broke me of that early. 

Is it too much money is my main question?  I know I can fix it, fluff it and sell it for at least break even since it doesn't need any costly parts, just a hunge worth of small stuff and varathane. 

Damn, meant to keep referring to the third person. 

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #24 on: July 20, 2012, 05:24:35 pm »

I think it's a couple hundred high for that game in that shape.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #25 on: July 20, 2012, 06:04:12 pm »
Concur.  it's in a shop so it's not going anywhere anytime soon.  I'm going to let it marinate next week while I'm on vacation.  I've been studying EM repair a bit online, and I'm feeling a little better about that aspect.  I'm going to try to work a trade a working game or the ms pac for it too. 

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #26 on: July 27, 2014, 01:50:57 pm »
I would to see a manifesto from the Low End Vid Man.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #27 on: July 27, 2014, 04:42:02 pm »
This one bought a ps4 and hasn't touched pinball since.

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #28 on: July 27, 2014, 04:55:54 pm »
    I want to be creeded too :-[....

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #29 on: July 27, 2014, 05:35:18 pm »
    I want to be creeded too :-[....
You say it, we play it.   ;D




Scott

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #30 on: July 28, 2014, 09:04:38 pm »
Creed sucks bad, but this from a man that just went to see Travis Tritt last Friday, so hmmmmm. . .

There is quite the manifesto in the first page.  it's really more like a manifesto than a creed. 
 
My creed:
I will purchase inexpensive unloved machines
make them work again,
and sell them for break even.
Thus providing an important function in this universe and the next.

I'm not kicking it that low end lately.  Tommy, Terminator 2, Black knight, Harlem globetrotters, Mystic and the world's nicest sharpshooter.  Teed off, Aladdin's Castle and Solar fire have come and gone.  Iron Man VE on order (just kidding on that last).





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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #31 on: July 28, 2014, 11:28:26 pm »
Creed sucks bad, but this from a man that just went to see Travis Tritt last Friday, so hmmmmm. . .

Here's a quarter, bro. Call someone who cares.
***Build what you dig, bro. Build what you dig.***

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Re: The Creed of the Low End Pin Man
« Reply #32 on: July 29, 2014, 11:25:50 am »

Also "to save the rare but inexpensive games".

I have two Dragonfists right now because the only way to get the playfield scan I needed to repair the first one was to get a second one.  Nobody would get a scan of theirs for me.  Not even with a $50 bounty on the scan.  It's just the area between the flippers, too, but pinball guys generally don't help each other out.