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EP 15 - Is Pinball Restoration a Rip-Off?
Flip N Out Pinball Podcast
51 min
Summary
Flippin' Out hosts defend high restoration pricing; discuss quality standards and labor costs in pinball restoration.
Ken Cromwell and Greg Bone discuss pinball machine restoration pricing, specifically addressing community backlash over a $19,000 fully restored The Addams Family by renowned restorer Brian Kelly. They defend high restoration costs by breaking down labor, parts, and quality standards, comparing restoration work to new game manufacturing and establishing terminology distinctions between 'cleaning,' 'shop job,' 'refurbished,' and 'restoration.'
Highlights
- Brian Kelly is a renowned pinball restorer whose work is comparable to or better than HEP (High End Pins) quality
- Restored pinball machines, when done to highest standards, take 40-80 labor hours compared to 15-25 hours for new factory machines
- A fully restored pinball machine at $19,000 is reasonable given parts costs, labor, and comparison to new games like Jersey Jack at $15,000
- Terminology in the used pinball market is not standardized (shop job, refurbished, restoration have different meanings to different sellers)
- A 'shop job' should minimally include a topside teardown with full cleaning and parts verification, but not necessarily replacement of all hardware
In this episode, Ken and Greg wade into the most dangerous waters in pinball: restoration prices. From "museum-quality" makeovers to "yeah, we wiped it down," the guys break down why no two restorations (or opinions) are ever the same. We talk sticker shock, sentimental value, and why some collectors would rather protect their machines like newborns while others treat them like bar stools. Plus, it's December, which means people are buying pins, selling pins, arguing about pins…and we're adding fuel to the fire by teasing our Holiday Run – 10 Days of Giveaways beginning this month! Please consider purchasing your next pinball or arcade machine from Flip N Out Pinball Flip N Out Pinball USED INVENTORY on facebook HERE Contact Ken and Greg for sales and service at:
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