Short Term Trade

[Pinpickle]

This isn’t a classified add, looking for a discussing really.

I’m not sure I’m ready to trade a game yet but the idea is something I have been thinking of lately.

Lifespan of my pins seem to be about 400 games until I pack it up and ship it to the next home (if it’s not a keeper).

Currently have a few pins in my lineup that won’t go anywhere permanently but I would be okay with them leaving for 2 months.

Like most of us, I baby my pins. Modify them with powdercoat and other mods. The downside… low plays means (like it or not) higher resale value.

I know people have done it in the past. Not sure if there are rules or parameters. My thought would be 2-4 months or max 200 or 300 plays whichever happens first.

“Bolted Games” sometime become unbolted after the honeymoon phase but not having a pin for a while may rejuvenate interest.

Would work best with someone locally but I like the idea. For me, playing on location is limited and doesn’t quite do it for me.

Our neighbors to the south have the opportunity to rent pins. This might be a solution to play something not on your buy list, more on your try list.

It’s also a giant pain in the ass to pick up, setup etc. so constantly flipping may have its drawbacks.

Thoughts?

 

[MrMikeman]

I wouldn’t trade with you lol. What’s the point of trading if I can’t play the game?

I have done 2-3 month temp trades. Only with people i know and trust.

I would never impose a play limit or accept one. I mean come on. Why even bother. BTW I think you over estimate the value of low play count. It’s not a car(mileage). Play count can be hacked. Condition is what matters. I know in our case we would easily put 200 plays in a month or less. We play our games every day.

I’d say if you have games that you don’t play to keep them “fresh”, then do not trade those. Period. Any time a game gets hauled there’s a chance of bumps and bruises as well. That’s way more impactful on price than a low play count IMHO.

 

[Pinpickle]

I like the response.

I agree with you on play count. I can find a game with 1000 plays that looks destroyed an another with 4000 that looks great.

I think your right…. 2-3 months with someone you trust is the way to go. I wouldn’t care if they put a ton of games on.

If you bump and bruise your games when transporting I wouldn’t want to trade with you either. That and your too far. Haha

Great feedback.

 

[curlyhoward]

This isn’t a classified add, looking for a discussing really.

I’m not sure I’m ready to trade a game yet but the idea is something I have been thinking of lately.

Lifespan of my pins seem to be about 400 games until I pack it up and ship it to the next home (if it’s not a keeper).

Currently have a few pins in my lineup that won’t go anywhere permanently but I would be okay with them leaving for 2 months.

Like most of us, I baby my pins. Modify them with powdercoat and other mods. The downside… low plays means (like it or not) higher resale value.

I know people have done it in the past. Not sure if there are rules or parameters. My thought would be 2-4 months or max 200 or 300 plays whichever happens first.

“Bolted Games” sometime become unbolted after the honeymoon phase but not having a pin for a while may rejuvenate interest.

Would work best with someone locally but I like the idea. For me, playing on location is limited and doesn’t quite do it for me.

Our neighbors to the south have the opportunity to rent pins. This might be a solution to play something not on your buy list, more on your try list.

It’s also a giant pain in the ass to pick up, setup etc. so constantly flipping may have its drawbacks.

Thoughts?

I did a temp trade (6 months??) with a friend of mine. He got my TSPP and I got his LOTR L/E. It was a good thing to mix it up. The only downside was that he beat my GC score and I haven’t been able to get it back. Lol

 

[Smokezz]

I've thought about starting the whole rental business... but it's the moving them around that would be such a pain in the ass. Especially if you ended up with someone that had a unique tight location to get them in and out of.

I'd like the idea of a short term swap, but I'm down in the deadzone of Ontario. Not a whole lot of machine owners, no locations to play. LOL.

 

[Jeff K.]

A close pal of mine & myself had considered doing this in the past with our Stern titles. In the end, we decided against it simply for the risk of the pin getting damaged during transportation & set up.
It may also come down to how easy access you have for the pin moves on both sides.
Now, I’m just down to mostly all keepers.
Interesting to hear others feedback on this.

 

[ZoomZoomBoomBoom]

Inevitably they will get damaged during transport. Sooner or later, it will happen and who will assume accountability.
Plus, are you sure you will be able to get your machine back from the person you traded with?
Someone, somewhere will refuse to give you your machine back or just move somewhere and take off with it and you will have no recourse without a written contract etc.
Just sell them to each other and sell them back if you wish...

 

[Corrie]

Obsesssion over number of plays makes no sense to me. The real question is how well maintained the machine is. There are so many other factors too. If you are a noob you might have the same play time in 1000 plays as a veteran gets in 200. People talk about how they can go 45 minutes on games like Iron Maiden, meanwhile my average ball time on Maiden is like 2 minutes.

People who care about number of plays should be asking to see the average ball time stat, number of flipper presses and other stats which I think tell the story far better than plays.

That being said the idea of trading sounds fun but with how much of a pain it is to move these things I don't think I'd ever do it.

 

[Smokezz]

Obsesssion over number of plays makes no sense to me. The real question is how well maintained the machine is. There are so many other factors too. If you are a noob you might have the same play time in 1000 plays as a veteran gets in 200. People talk about how they can go 45 minutes on games like Iron Maiden, meanwhile my average ball time on Maiden is like 2 minutes.

People who care about number of plays should be asking to see the average ball time stat, number of flipper presses and other stats which I think tell the story far better than plays.

That being said the idea of trading sounds fun but with how much of a pain it is to move these things I don't think I'd ever do it.

Some people also start the game over if they have a shit first ball, even if that's not 100% logical.

 

[roar]

Some people also start the game over if they have a shit first ball, even if that's not 100% logical.

I’m one of those people and it is completely logical to me .

Whether I like it or not there are a lot of collectors hung up on play count, as flawed as the number is it has turned into a pretty universal way to judge condition of a game, which will always blow my mind, but sometimes I have to accept things I don’t understand .

 

[Corrie]

Some people also start the game over if they have a shit first ball, even if that's not 100% logical.

Lol I've definitely pumped my play count up by doing that, but these days I try to only do it if my first ball is absolutely horrible, like <1,000,000 points on IMDN.

 

[MrMikeman]

Lol I've definitely pumped my play count up by doing that, but these days I try to only do it if my first ball is absolutely horrible, like <1,000,000 points on IMDN.

I do that on Final Resistance, which means I pretty much restart my game all the damn time. Most brutal unforgiving game I've ever owned. TNA on steroids.

 

[Fifty]

Pretty soon we'll see pins for sale with "400 plays, lady driver" like an old AutoTrader ad. I could get behind this if they added, "400 plays, smoke and pet free home"

 

[Murphelman]

I have done it a few times with few different people. Never really had an issue. I play my games a lot but I also maintain them regularly.

 

[good_buddy83]

I love temporary trades. I've done these many times and it allows me to play some great games. Minor dings and scuffs on the cabinet don't bother me. If I lend it to you, I hope you play the hell out of it, becaue I will play the hell out of your machine!