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Thread: Vintage or Modern Classifications

  1. #1
    Mr. Vintage wrkey's Avatar
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    Post Vintage or Modern Classifications

    For the puposes of these discussion forums, Pachinko machines can be classified into two classes, Vintage and Modern. To best determine your machine class, you can use these simple filters:

    1. If you know the date of manufature, any machines 1980 or later is Modern.
    2. If the shooter is electronic in nature, it is Modern.
    3. Everything else is Vintage class.

    With that being said, here's a little history that I've been able to garner that may help you date and research a particular machine. Each of the two basic classes can be broken down into sub-classes as follows:

    Vintage - Antique, Classic Vintage and Vintage
    Modern - Classic Modern, Modern

    The original machines that started this craze had various pin placement and very simplistic scoring devices. These machines were generally made with only a single pane of glass and were not generally 'mass produced' nor fit into a standard 'frame'. These machine can be considered to be Antique and the production usually dates between the late 1920 to mid 1940.

    The first big change that started the standardization of the game came from a gentleman called Takeichi Masamura (1906-1975). Around 1949, Mr. Masamura created a standard pin placement that pachinko makers quickly picked up on which produced a consistant and manageable play. This pin placement became known as the Masamura Guage. Therefore, any machine with the Masamura Gauge was most likely produced after 1950.

    The first machines had a single pane of glass and each ball that is put in play had to be loaded individully by the player. The player then manipulated a spring loaded lever to shoot the ball into the play area. These types of machines (single load, single glass) falls somewhere between Antique and Vintage as they are more rare and do demonstrate a period of development towards a standardized machine that could be mass produced and withstand the stress of constant play. This is the Classic Vintage catagory.

    With the exploding popularity of Pachinko Parlors, machine makers improved on the design for durability, standardizing the size and adding commercial appeal. These improvements include the double pane glass, the auto loading shooter, standard frame mount, standard win hopper and lost ball exits. Lights were added in the most basic form to add to the win excitement and notifications of an empty win hopper. These mahines were made in great numbers and are sub-classified as Vintage.

    The big change that denotes the move from Vintage to Modern is the advent of the electronic shooter control and the ever increasing ability to change the game play with electronics. These machines came into mass production in 1980. The Modern class can be further broken down into Classic Modern and Recent (for lack of a better term). To be considered in the Classic catagory the machine would have basic electronics, very small LCDs and the most basic of jackpot repetition manipulation (now called Fever Mode). The Recent machine class can be recognized by the lack of a prominent Masamura Gauge, larger flashier LCDs. Classic Modern manufacture dates range from 1980 through the late 1990s with the Recent Modern beginning in the late 90 to the present.

    Well, there it is, a brief history and classification of Pachinko Machines.

    Thanks to Compirate, birdbrain, sid, sharmoni and the countless others who's research and posts I have plagurized to create this post.
    Rusty Key

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  3. #2
    wearing a suit birdbrain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    my only complaint is: 'further' rather than 'father' 7 lines from the bottom.


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    Sandwich Shooter sharmoni's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Very elegant summation. Thanks.
    “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”

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    Pachi Puro Ikaria's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Quote Originally Posted by birdbrain View Post
    my only complaint is: 'further' rather than 'father' 7 lines from the bottom.
    Did you mean to say 'farther' rather than 'father'?
    Gotta catch 'em all Pa-chink-o

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    SNORTARRIFIC! new in town's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    72 Pachi's, 36 Pachinko's, 2 Pallots, 3 Pinn's & 2 Pachinko Bar Signs. Links to About Me: pachijunkie's Videos


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    Mr. Vintage wrkey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Actually I meant to say "farter".

    If I knew how to edit it I would. Then the reply post wouldn't make sense.



    Oh well.

    I'm glad you folks like it. I think it will help all us newbies.
    Rusty Key

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    wearing a suit birdbrain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    after about an hour you can no longer edit your post and must rely on the education of the moderators to translate your meaning.
    P.S, Good luck on that one


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    Stuey - The RADministrator MrGneiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    2. If the shooter is electronic in nature, it is Modern.
    While anything with a thumb flipper is easy to call a vintage (well except for some modern Mahjong games) Its not aways the case that vintage can't have an electric shooter knob..I know its not common but the shooter knob came out in 1972..the same basic machines, just with an electric knob..but definitely still vintage!!

    It would be easier if it could be split into pre and post knob, (and it mostly can) but there is still this grey area that screws it all up!!

    just thought I'd point that out!!

    Very good post BTW!!

    "Blowing smoke rings at the moon."

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  14. #9
    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    I understand where MrGneiss is coming from, but I've never seen any knob machines pre-late 80's anyway so I don't think it will be an issue.

    人生は恐れなければ、とても素晴らしいものなんだよ。
    人生に必要なもの。それは勇気と想像力、そして少しのお金だ。

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    Stuey - The RADministrator MrGneiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    I don't think it will ever be an issue, I just like using every chance I can get to post my vintage knob info!!

    If only I still had the pics and links it would be perfect!!

    "Blowing smoke rings at the moon."

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    Blind Shooter thepachinkoman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Hi folks. This was great info, thanks Rusty and everyone else. I created a Vintage vs Modern pictoral guide of decades. It is a quick and dirty way to tell about how old a machine is (at least by decade). If anyone has pictures of machines from the 40s or older, I'd like to add them to the page.

    Any other suggestions or corrections are appreciated. This isn't as in depth as Rusty's analysis as my goal was just to provide folks who find or have a machine an easy way to tell about how old it is.

    Modern vs Vintage Pachinko Machines

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  20. #12
    Waste not, Want not mudfud's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    thanks bill. your webpage should help the folks new to pachinko that always want to know how old their machine is. nice pix, too.
    PachiTalk

    chewy's motto: life is plumbing

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    Kungishi DrDark's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Quote Originally Posted by txcanoeman View Post
    Hi folks. This was great info, thanks Rusty and everyone else. I created a Vintage vs Modern pictoral guide of decades. It is a quick and dirty way to tell about how old a machine is (at least by decade). If anyone has pictures of machines from the 40s or older, I'd like to add them to the page.

    Any other suggestions or corrections are appreciated. This isn't as in depth as Rusty's analysis as my goal was just to provide folks who find or have a machine an easy way to tell about how old it is.

    Modern vs Vintage Pachinko Machines

    A GREAT quick reference.
    Nice job.
    THANKS!

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    Tokie Owens plcharb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Thanks for the info! As a Newbie I am always trying to get more info.

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    Tokie Owens The bartman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Many thanks for the information. Are there any pictures available of the early wooden/lying down types as I can't find any pictorial refernces to pre war. I have started a thread to try and date my machine as it has a mix of basic buzzer electronic/lightbulbs and early features. If you can point me to early jpg's that would be great. Regards - - Paul.

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    Tokie Owens musicsnob4ever's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Fantastic explanations of how to classify a machine...thanks!

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Quote Originally Posted by musicsnob4ever View Post
    Fantastic explanations of how to classify a machine...thanks!
    Welcome to Pachitalk
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
    .....Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has............./
    .........................................Margaret Mead

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    Tokie Owens musicsnob4ever's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vintage or Modern Classifications

    Thank you for the welcome. Such a great site for information overload!
    Last edited by musicsnob4ever; 04-12-2016 at 07:11 PM. Reason: added to it

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