A listener writes in with a question about cleaning their 1932 Ballyhoo pinball playfield.
The short answer of how to do this is 'carefully'. Ensure that you are not accidentally removing the artwork from the playfield as you remove the dirt.
The second question involves how to shore up the cabinet.
Thanks Mike!
Bingo serial numbers are shrouded in mystery.
Rod McLarge, aka CreditDotPinball asks how one may find the serials, their location, and any interesting information about them.
I do my best to answer these questions, and ask that anyone post their serials to ipsnd.net, and bingo owners, also contact Danny at danny.cdyn.com as he is collecting bingo serials as well.
Check out Rod's site at creditdotpinball.com to read some really fascinating articles about the hobby we love.
Did a lot of pinball-related stuff this weekend, in preparation for York.
Has new siderails put on the Night Club and have been playing it like crazy.
Unfortunately, the replays would never score - didn't matter if I had three, four or five in a line, or whether the winners were in the magic squares units or elsewhere!
So, it's time to bust out the schematic. Follow along with me by reading the schema on bingo.cdyn.com as I fix this issue.
Jeffrey Lawton is the premier bingo technician - we initially chatted on air on episode 54 with Steve Smith.
Jeffrey wrote the books Bally Bingo Pinball Machines and The Bingo Pinball War, both excellent books still in print today.
We discuss the York show, his involvement, parts and a little technical chat, some of his recollections of working for two different amusement vendors, and some in-depth gameplay discussions on a couple of games.
We also announce the contest for the Bingo Row at York:
Make a 4 or 5 in a line on _any_ of the awesome bingos in the row, and you'll win your choice of an autographed Bally Bingo Pinball Machines or The Bingo Pinball War by Jeffrey Lawton!
I've got a case of books to give away, so I want to see some smiling new bingo players!
I am more than happy to explain these excellent games in depth to anyone that would like a tutorial. What more can you ask for?
I'm excited to see everyone at the show!
United made this conversion game during World War II for the game Sky Blazer.
A sequence game - you try to unlight all 12 bumpers on the playfield, which will light super special at the bottom kickout hole.
There are two bumpers near the ball arch in an unusual arrangement.
A very fun game - if this was the game that I played... I forget!
Gottlieb's Knock Out woodrail is a beautiful game.
A V-shaped mechanism prevents your ball from draining until you complete certain goals.
Your main goal is to knock down a mannikin boxer in a three dimensional boxing ring in the upper middle of the playfield! You do this by hitting the 5 bumpers, the rollovers, or the center target.
The 5" bell when you knock down your opponent is great fun!
Criss Cross has an interesting gameplay feature - make three in a line or four corners to earn replays... sound familiar?
This game has a unique roto target with colored standups that light the bumpers of corresponding color. Lighting four corners lights the gobble holes for special!
Really fun gameplay with very interesting artwork.
Bally reprised the name Ballyhoo in 1947 with this super fun layout.
This flipperless game has a unique feature - two diamond shapes on the playfield with a total of seven kickout holes arranged in those diamonds.
The ball will travel from hole to hole and around a bottom arch back into another kickout hole (hopefully).
You win on score, and the only sequence opportunity is to hit one of the side rollovers to light super special at the lower passive bumpers.
Jack 'N Jill was manufactured by Gottlieb in 1948 as part of the 'fairy tale' series - the first games manufactured with flippers.
This game's dominant feature is the amazing artwork. There are multiple ways to earn replays, and the flippers allow you to move the ball back and forth across the playfield as you descend.
Jack's eyes at the bottom flash when you hit various items rapidly.
The backglass animation is also very cool, and in the style of the other early backglass animations on Gottlieb games.
A great overall package, and I hope to play one again one day!
Gordon Hasse, the famous woodrail pinball collector, discusses his recollections playing these beautiful games on location, where he learned pinball repair and maintenance, some of his favorite games and his upcoming book on 1954 Gottlieb woodrails!
To be put on the list for his book, please email hasse.gordon at gmail dot com
Gordon made an incredibly generous donation to the Pacific Pinball Museum (see: http://www.pinballnews.com/news/ppmdonation.html).
Please visit the Pacific Pinball Museum at :
1510 Webster Street
Alameda, CA
94501
(510) 205-6959
Tues - Thurs: 2pm - 9pm
Friday: 2pm - midnight
Saturday: 11am - midnight
Sunday: 11am - 9pm
Monday: closed
Also closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
$15 for adults $7.50 for kids under 16 (and you can play all day and as late as midnight!)
Please consider donating some time, money or even games to keep the machines we love alive for future generations.
I hope to make it out there one day soon and play some of Gordon's great games!
http://pacificpinball.org/