Play Meter

GUEST EDITORIAL . KEEP 'UM 'UM CLEAN AND WORKING! WORKING! was in machine business business in in II was in the the coin coin machine Fayetteville, N.C., for several years Fayetteville, N.C., for several years operating aa route route of of jukeboxes, jukeboxes, pinballs, operating pinballs, videos, and and other other types types of of machines. machines. videos, From 1970 1970 until until 1979 1979 II parlayed parlayed an an From investment of investment of $150 $150 into into aa business business that that was earning earning me me $20,000 $20,000 aa year. year. II left left the the was coin-op industry coin-op industry in in 1979. 1979. still love this industry industry and II still love this and am am partially self-employed servicing old partially self-employed servicing old pinballs--mostly in the the home home market. market. II pinballs -- mostly in am also also enrolled enrolled in in aa local local community community am college studying studying electronics electronics technology. technology. college Although II am am expanding expanding my my knowledge knowledge Although to newer to newer games, games, my my strongest strongest interest interest is is with, what what II consider consider the the backbone backbone of of the the with, industry, the the pinball pinball machine. machine. industry, Valerie Cognevich, Cognevich, editor Play Valerie editor of of Play Meter, has has given given me me the the honor honor of of sharing sharing Meter, my thoughts thoughts concerning concerning the the present present state state my of the the industry industry from from aa customer's customer's of viewpoint but knowledge of of what what viewpoint but with with aa knowledge it's like like to to be be in in the the coin-op coin-op business. business. it's Hopefully, my advice..comcomHopefully, my comments comments ..advice plaints will help some operators plaints will help some operators increase their profit margin. margin. increase their profit Basically, II am pinball nut; one of of Basically, am aa pinball nut; one my greatest greatest joys joys isis going going into location, my into aa location, getting aa soft soft drink, drink, and and spending spending some some getting time and and quarters quarters on on aa favorite favorite machine. machine. time The factories, factories, I'm I'm happy happy to to say, say, are are The turning out out some some truly truly fantastic fantastic machines machines turning that have have innovations innovations of of speech, speech, sound sound that effects, backglasses, backglasses, and and board board design design effects, that are are better better than than ever ever and and make make some some that of the the most most exciting exciting game game play play ever! ever! This This of has resulted resulted in in pinball pinball being being once once again again has major profit profit maker. maker. aa major remember just aa few II can can remember just few short short years years ago when the video craze almost ago when the video craze almost eliminated pinball eliminated pinball from from the the market. market. Thank goodness the pros at the factories Thank goodness the pros at the factories responded with with new, new, innovative innovative ideas. ideas. responded Unfortunately, this leads to the Unfortunately, this leads to the main main topic II want want to to address address--lack of -- lack of topic 12 PLAY PIAY METER/August METER/ August 1987 12 1987 maintenance on on the the games. maintenance games. jamming the the outhole. outhole. At At nearly nearly $2,000, $2,000, jamming that's aa pretty pretty expensive expensive piece piece of Video games Video games are are rather rather simple simple that's of rubber, rubber, isn't it? maintenance~wise; place them on on isn't it? This This is is ridiculous! ridiculous! AA little little bit bit of of maintenance-wise; place them looking would make it easy to avoid location, level them properly, and keep location, level them properly, and keep looking would make it easy to avoid expensive downtime. downtime. the cabinets cabinets and and glasses clean. Pinball Pinball expensive the glasses clean. machines on on the the other other hand, hand, by by their their Operators should take take the the time time to to machines Operators should brief employees about the necessity of complex nature, need constant tender complex nature, need constant tender brief employees about the necessity of loving care care to to keep keep them them working working preventative preventative maintenance maintenance on on pinballs. pinballs. loving properly. It is tragic when a brand new Don't assume the route personnel are Don't assume the route personnel are properly. It is tragic when a brand new keeping track; make sure they understand machine, costing hundreds of dollars, is machine, costing hundreds of dollars, is keeping track; make sure they understand the importance importance of of maintenance. maintenance. The The extra extra out of because of rubber the out of order order because of aa 25-cent 25-cent rubber time taken to do minor maintenance -,y;JJ ring jamming the outhole. This prevents time taken to do minor maintenance will ring jamming the outhole. This prevents be rewarded by the increase in the machine public be rewarded by the increase in the machine from from entertaining entertaining the the public collections. as well as earning the operator well collections. as well as earning the operator well deserved profits. profits. In all all fairness, fairness, the the operator operator can't be deserved In can't be expected to to know know everything everything about about his his Here are are some observations II have have made made expected Here some observations during my my travels: travels: route at at any any given given time. time. Some Some of of the the during route problems are caused by a lackluster Williams High Speed is one of the problems are caused by a lackluster Williams High Speed is one of the attitude of of the the clerks who work work at at the the finest pieces pieces ever ever made. made. The The scoring scoring and and attitude clerks who finest locations; they don't call the mechanic earning potential is unlimited. However, locations; they don't call the mechanic earning potential is unlimited. However, when aa machine machine isis down. down. It's It's frustrating frustrating one common common problem problem caused caused by by neglect neglect when one to mention mention aa problem problem with with aa game, game, only only the plunger plunger doesn't doesn't shoot shoot the the ball ball' to isis the to have the yawning clerk remark with completely over the ramp. This eliminates . to have the yawning clerk remark with completely over the ramp. This eliminates classic "I here, he the scoring scoring potential potential of of the the high high speed speed aa classic "I only only work work here, he (the (the the operator) will will fix fix itit when when he he comes comes in in chase, and and multiball multiball play play isis impossible impossible to to operator) chase, the next achieve because because you you can't can't lock lock in in the the the time.". next time." achieve Bullcookie.s! The The clerk clerk should should be be made made balls. When When II see see aa machine machine in in this this balls. Bullcookies! to understand understand that that he he isis responsible responsible for for condition, itit turns turns me me off off further further to condition, all the the store's store's fixtures fixtures..aren't aren't the the games games interest. Sure Sure II know know there's there's always always those those all interest. fixtures? The The store store loses loses money money when when the the customers who customers who don't don't know know the the difference difference fixtures? games are are out out of of order order so so it's it's in in their their and would play the and would play the machine machine anyway. anyway. games best interest interest to to make make sure sure the the games games are are However, would would YOU YOU play play it, it, knowing knowing best However, working. how it's supposed to play? Probably not. working. how it's supposed to play? Probably not. If the the clerk clerk doesn't doesn't have have the the initiative initiative This means means your your potential potential weekly weekly net net is is If This .to to make make aa lousy lousy phone phone call, call, he he doesn't doesn't drastically reduced. reduced. drastically need to to work work there! there! If If the the building building was was Also, the the top top right right flipper Also, flipper on on many many need burning II would would hope hope he he would would have have the the machines I've I've played played isis very very weak, weak, burning machines sense to call the fire department! preventing the the ball ball from from reaching reaching the the sense to call the fire department! preventing very much enjoy this this industry; industry; itit has has high score score zone. zone. These These problems problems are II very much enjoy high are brought me a great deal of satisfaction quite common common to to the the High High Speed Speed games games brought me a great deal of satisfaction quite as well well as excitement. For For all you in the the Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C. N.C. area. area. as as excitement. all you in operators out there, you are an Williams Comet Comet is is aa great great machine machine operators out there, you are an Williams important part of a fascinating business. produced in in 1985 1985 that that has has aa common common important part of a fascinating business. produced Good luck! luck! problem with with the the 1986 rollover lights lights at at Good problem 1986 rollover the top top of playfield; they don't light light the of the the playfield; they don't up, preventing preventing the the multiplier multiplier values values from from up, working. This This eliminates eliminates half half of of the the working. scoring potential by itself. Again, this is scoring potential by itself. Again, this is Todd Drachman Drachman Todd a simple problem often overlooked by a simple problem often overlooked by the routemen. routemen. the One of the the local local operators operators has has aa One of couple of Williams F-14 Tomcats on couple of Williams F-14 Tomcats on location. It's too bad they are out location. It's too bad they are out of of service due service due to to aa rubber rubber ring/post ring/post ~&~~