Taiyo Electron Arrangeball

[emmadog]

Well I know a powerflash that went for $1057 on ebay and this is alot nicer machine, it works and the powerflash was a pig in a poke, and their are more powerflash machines in the states than their are arrangeballs.

Taking all of that in to consideration in my opinion you are a little low. Maybe I am wrong but I would say it will easily go over a thousand.

The main reason is that if you bought this machine in Japan on Yahoo and you had it shipped over here you would be shocked at what the final bill would be. Yes their are cheaper ones to be bought on YJA but their is no gauantee that they even have all of the parts in them. Good Luck on your sale Emmadog.

It is unfortunate that these machines are so rare and even harder to find intact. Even though they were only made for a few years as compared to pachinkos in general, it was still around a 10 year production span and there should be more than what we see here or on YJA. I think many were destroyed just like slots and gambling pinballs were here in the US years ago. This particular one along with two others that I've imported had been rewired so that they couldn't use coins to play or pay. It also didn't arrive with a back to the frame. Not sure how they were used in that configuration. The missing back was easy enough to fix but reversing the mods took some research and careful sorting out. Fortunately it was nothing permanent and I've since restored two others with these same mods to their original function. You never really know what you're gonna get off YJA.

[Chumsize]

im out... going to Japan in March... I can dig one up there and ship it back for less than this is probably gonna end up...

[candyflip]

. I think many were destroyed just like slots and gambling pinballs were here in the US years ago..

Remember that the Japanese just haven't valued these machines, nor seen fit to collect them in numbers, like we have with video games, slots and pinballs.
They were routinely destroyed as being worthless junk up until relatively recently (pachislos, pachinks, arrangeballs et al.)

When you're producing less than 5% of the total number of machines as Arrangeballs and Arepachis, then landfilling or scrapping most of those every season, it's little wonder so few of these ever 'get out alive'. And that even fewer are then released by collectors over there for sale on YJP where we can see them.

[emmadog]

im out... going to Japan in March... I can dig one up there and ship it back for less than this is probably gonna end up...

If you can find some over there, let us know, I'd definitely be interested in " placing an order". I've spoken with half a dozen contacts over the years in Japan and they've had no luck.

[emmadog]

Remember that the Japanese just haven't valued these machines, nor seen fit to collect them in numbers, like we have with video games, slots and pinballs.
They were routinely destroyed as being worthless junk up until relatively recently (pachislos, pachinks, arrangeballs et al.)

When you're producing less than 5% of the total number of machines as Arrangeballs and Arepachis, then landfilling or scrapping most of those every season, it's little wonder so few of these ever 'get out alive'. And that even fewer are then released by collectors over there for sale on YJP where we can see them.

Good point. I forget that they went into landfills. In assuming now they all get recycled aside from ones that get exported or bought by local collectors.

[Drunkenclam]

Land fill

Dig one up

I'm sure there is a joke there. But I'm not going to make it

As said above. Unlike craiglist, vintage machines rarly appear on YJA and rakuten. Although there are some standard vintages on there at the moment. Also the Arrangeballs when they appear fetch quite a high price to in the 10s of thousands of yen, if not higher. And none to the condition this one is in. Or should I say restored condition.

[candyflip]

Good point. I forget that they went into landfills. In assuming now they all get recycled aside from ones that get exported or bought by local collectors.

I wish it was so, but no.

Parlour owners sell them on to whoever gives them highest prices, and when you're talking about MILLIONS of machines turning over every year, it's not to collectors and exporters, who can only take a tiny fraction. It's to junkers.

Most of these fully working machines still end up in floating barges as scrap, in huge messes of twisted metal and plastic, going to Hong Kong and other Asian destinations where they are recycled (not into pachinkos!).

In the time of the vintage arrangeballs that we are talking about, most were just buried, or left to rot in the parlours' landfills and rubbish tips out back. Nobody thought they were worth saving - why would they? New ones were on the way in, and these took up valuable space that no-one had. When you get to Japan, you'll understand the problems they still deal with in that regard.

The Japanese have always been the kings of disposable culture - and they beat the Western countries by some margin on that score. Out of necessity.

I actully have quite a deal more hope for Chumsize - if you can find a Japanese speaker to help you on the ground while there, you'll turn up something.
If you get to Osaka, let me know - I have a friend who is a native English speaker and whom works for a Japanese Pachinko/Slot TV broadcasting station there, who would be happy to give you leads.

[emmadog]

Thanks Candyflip. As always, good and interesting information.

[Chumsize]

Thanks for the info, candyflip. I'm not sure if I'll make it to Osaka. I've stayed in touch, however, with the parts dealer I bought from last month. Wants to show me his "2 warehouses full of pachis and parts". So who knows... Most of the fun is in the hunting. I usually spend at least a day of every trip in Akihabara scouring the hideaways for interesting stuff... And this will be my first post-pachiholism trip. Between playing the new machines and hunting for other stuff, I think 1 day will be a gross underestimate this time.

[mxfaiman]

Thanks for the info, candyflip. I'm not sure if I'll make it to Osaka. I've stayed in touch, however, with the parts dealer I bought from last month. Wants to show me his "2 warehouses full of pachis and parts". So who knows... Most of the fun is in the hunting. I usually spend at least a day of every trip in Akihabara scouring the hideaways for interesting stuff... And this will be my first post-pachiholism trip. Between playing the new machines and hunting for other stuff, I think 1 day will be a gross underestimate this time.

If you can go to Ueno. Aka the Pachi district. All the companies HQ are there. (Literally get off at Ueno station and just walk down the block)

Also if you want pachinko tools make sure you stop by here. 大平商会

(Remember they deal in cash only.) Found some really cool tools there. Very handy in adjusting pins and stuff.

[Drunkenclam]

Its on my list for my trip to Japan, I'd love to attend a nail course too. I hope my 日本語 is up to it

[Chumsize]

wow.. cool catalog... think I'll be packing an extra-large bag for the bring home stuff.

Of course, I'm hoping to hit prime hanami time during this trip... so Ueno park is on the itinerary. And booze...

[mxfaiman]

wow.. cool catalog... think I'll be packing an extra-large bag for the bring home stuff.

Of course, I'm hoping to hit prime hanami time during this trip... so Ueno park is on the itinerary. And booze...

Watch it some things are more expensive then you think they would be. Like the basic Sankyo hammer set with the hammer, feeler gauges, ball gauge is about $500. But you look around you can find what makes up the set for less.

[Lt Teddy]

Watch it some things are more expensive then you think they would be. Like the basic Sankyo hammer set with the hammer, feeler gauges, ball gauge is about $500. But you look around you can find what makes up the set for less.

Yes I bought mine from a member in England for less than a Hundred.

[Lt Teddy]

Well emmadog your machine is up to $600.01 with 32 bids and five days left to go. It should be an interesting finish. It should be noted though that the $600 dollars would about pay for the shipping and fees for a machine imported to the US from Japan. Maybe you might get what you paid for it yet. I do not think you will get a much for all of the labor you have put into refurbishing it but good luck.

[emmadog]

"It should be noted though that the $600 dollars would about pay for the shipping and fees for a machine imported to the US from Japan."

i think I've only had one from YJA that was under this price in all the ones I've imported. The last Taiyo I imported cost over 400 for shipping and the machines rarely if ever go for 200 or less in just about any condition. Shipping has gone up since I've been collecting by about 15% due to fuel price hikes, etc. The auction extension system allows for last minute bidding to go on indefinitely.
so basically add 400 to a given arrangeball's price then tack on associated taxes, proxy fees, and shipping fees within Japan. then the uncertainty of the actual condition of the machine.

[Lt Teddy]

"It should be noted though that the $600 dollars would about pay for the shipping and fees for a machine imported to the US from Japan."

i think I've only had one from YJA that was under this price in all the ones I've imported. The last Taiyo I imported cost over 400 for shipping and the machines rarely if ever go for 200 or less in just about any condition. Shipping has gone up since I've been collecting by about 15% due to fuel price hikes, etc. The auction extension system allows for last minute bidding to go on indefinitely.
so basically add 400 to a given arrangeball's price then tack on associated taxes, proxy fees, and shipping fees within Japan. then the uncertainty of the actual condition of the machine.

My 600 dollar figure only included shipping and fees to Yahoo Japan. Their was no price on the machine itself. I think it would be very rare to get any arrangeball machine that was working on YJA for less than $500 dollars not including all of the fees. The machine as listed is quite a bargain for anyone that knows anything about arrangeball machines. I think this machine is about the second or third generation of arrangeballs made. All of mine are first generation of arrangeball and a little later but this one with the center spin matrix is much later. If you watch the videos of emmadogs machine and the one by Eddie you will see the difference.

[emmadog]

My 600 dollar figure only included shipping and fees to Yahoo Japan. Their was no price on the machine itself. I think it would be very rare to get any arrangeball machine that was working on YJA for less than $500 dollars not including all of the fees. The machine as listed is quite a bargain for anyone that knows anything about arrangeball machines. I think this machine is about the second or third generation of arrangeballs made. All of mine are first generation of arrangeball and a little later but this one with the center spin matrix is much later. If you watch the videos of emmadogs machine and the one by Eddie you will see the difference.

That's what I thought too but the Taiyo I just received like yours was built in '84 which is also when the ones I thought were much newer were made. So maybe the design is actually older but Taiyo just kept making all their styles of machines for the duration? Interesting.

[Card Shark]

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck in the final hours of your auction. I really wish this was in my budget right now. It is an amazing machine and you certainly deserve every dollar you get.

[mxfaiman]

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck in the final hours of your auction. I really wish this was in my budget right now. It is an amazing machine and you certainly deserve every dollar you get.

I'll be watching but it is to far out of budget for me to play. Best of luck to you emmadog.