Music pinball

[TWantiques]

I'm always looking for audio related items to add to our collection. I got lucky last month.

While antique shopping with a dealer in Connecticut last month he showed me a group of wood rail pinballs he had. Included was a "Be Bop". This machine was made in 1950 and has great music/audio decoration stenciled on the side. The back glass and play field were in great shape. I was hooked. A few minutes of negotiating and it was mine.

It is made by Exhibit and all the unpainted wood is oak. This style predates the pinballs many of us grew up with. I remember the electromechanical pinballs that had wheels that rolled over as points were scored along with ringing bells. Be Bop has lights behind the back glass that light up the score on the back glass. It is a nickel machine and smaller than the later EM machines.

We are delighted with it. I have since learned Be Bop is a very hard machine to find and coveted by some serious record collectors. As you can see from the pictures we haven't found it's final resting spot yet. We have it sitting in the middle of our audio area.

Terry

[wajobu]

I'm always looking for audio related items to add to our collection. I got lucky last month.

While antique shopping with a dealer in Connecticut last month he showed me a group of wood rail pinballs he had. Included was a "Be Bop". This machine was made in 1950 and has great music/audio decoration stenciled on the side. The back glass and play field were in great shape. I was hooked. A few minutes of negotiating and it was mine.

It is made by Exhibit and all the unpainted wood is oak. This style predates the pinballs many of us grew up with. I remember the electromechanical pinballs that had wheels that rolled over as points were scored along with ringing bells. Be Bop has lights behind the back glass that light up the score on the back glass. It is a nickel machine and smaller than the later EM machines.

We are delighted with it. I have since learned Be Bop is a very hard machine to find and coveted by some serious record collectors. As you can see from the pictures we haven't found it's final resting spot yet. We have it sitting in the middle of our audio area.

Terry

TERRY!!--you gotta PM me the next time you're in CT :yes:

Now, back for a look at those pics!

[Urizen]

Way cool, Terry.

We'll miss you at the fest, sir.

Ken

[wajobu]

Now THAT'S an excellent pinball machine! I have played one VERY similar to that one.

[jimmy666]

nice pinball you picked up i'm kinda curious as to what you paid for it i'm a pinball collector myself and have few machines from the 70's and 80's always wanted a woodrail but they are just not available where i live.

you may have created a new hobby that mixes well with audio booze and cigarettes

[XonXoff]

Real nice pinball. I have on from the early 80's called space shuttle. Always like the old one's too, but found sellers wanted a ton of money for complete junk.
Mike

[ozmoid]

Sweet Terry, that is a beautiful piece!

[cableguy]

Sweet Terry, that is a beautiful piece!

I concur....awesome Terry.





Bill

[TWantiques]

TERRY!!--you gotta PM me the next time you're in CT :yes:



I knew I was going to hear from you. There just wasn't time to do anything but go see this dealer and then hit the road. I promise...next time. :yes:

nice pinball you picked up i'm kinda curious as to what you paid for it i'm a pinball collector myself and have few machines from the 70's and 80's always wanted a woodrail but they are just not available where i live.

you may have created a new hobby that mixes well with audio booze and cigarettes

Let's not get into a discussion of values in this forum. However, I will say many range $500 up to maybe $1100. I've seen some killer ones sell for much more.

In our collecting a number of things over the years we have always enjoyed related items to whatever had our collecting interest at the time. We call them "go-withs". This pinball certainly fits as a go-with to our audio and LP collection.

Thanks for the nice comments.

Terry

[wrat]

Very Nice,always wanted a pinball machine

[spartanmanor]

Nice EM pinball. My copy of Mr Pinball gives this info: Mfr: 1950 - 1953 and less than 990 were made. A few years ago I was really into pinball machines. I would buy ones not working and had good success getting them going again. I would love to have a bunch but they take up a lot more room then audio gear.