Looking to buy first pin...have questions

[billpa]

I just cleared out some room in my basement in hopes that I will purchase my first pin this year. It just so happens that the company next door to my work (actually the owner of said company) has a few pins that he is getting rid of. Most of them are way beyond my budget (Pirates of the Carribean, NASCAR, etc.) but he has a El Dorado, City of Gold pin that needs some TLC and I might be able to get it at a good price. I am going to take a few photos tomorrow to get a better idea of what I should offer...but I took a look at it today and its missing the glass that goes over the playfield, the plunger (he says he has it somewhere), as well as a few of the drop targets. The playfield is in alright condition...need to really wipe it down since it's dirty as ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- because of the lack of glass. There are some spots where its worn down to bare wood but they are all small spots and not too bad.

He said he would fire it up for me in a day or two to see if it still works. I am curious what I should be looking for and ultimately what a fair price would be...a general range would be fine and I am sure I can get a better idea once I post some pics and I have more details.

Thanks in advance,
Bill

[shardian]

That appears to be a somewhat rare title. That doesn't exactly translate to 'value' though. Gottlieb was making mostly junk games around that time. I would probably like it because of the drop targets. Personal taste will come in to play big time. If you want a game with lots of bling and ramps, this game is not for you.

Sounds like a junker though that you should only pay between $100-$300 for, depending on overall condition.

[Visitor Q]

You have to think what direction you are going to take the pin once you get it. If you are looking for collector quality, you are going to pay more up front and if you are looking for collector quality in the end, you are going to pay more later. If you are just looking for something to play, then buy something that plays well. Keep in mind this, playfield wear is the one thing that is going to be the hardest to fix so when I bought, I based the overall condition of the machine after the any pf damage was considered.

Look the game over well, inside and out. Be sure to play it a few times!

Check eBay and Mr. Pinball for current market value.

[shardian]

Good point Q. You also have to SERIOUSLY consider if you just want a game to play, or if you want to learn the intricacies needed to restore a game. You have alot of learning (and spending) to do in order to learn how to work on a dead pin.

If you just want to plug it in and start playing, save your money and get a fully working, shopped out title. There is nothing wrong with that.

[Visitor Q]

With that said, you are going to have to work on it sooner or later regardless just in the case of general maintenance. Sometimes buying something up front that need works is not always such bad decision. Learning to rip apart something and put it back together especially on something like this is a good skill to have. There is also the satisfaction of be able to work on your own stuff too.

Myself, I bought a fully shopped game but so far I have enjoyed little upgrades I have made to the machine like installing LED lights, updating the EPROM software, installing new balls etc..

Another thing you are going to want to look for when buying game is a service manual. I have used mine countless times already.

[billpa]

I am purely just getting something to play and I don't mind picking something up that is a little rough around the edges as I like to fix things up. It is probably not a title that I would pick if I had large pockets but it's a start. I will post some photos once I get them uploaded to my computer.

Thanks,
Bill

[Visitor Q]

Good Luck!