Your Advice Please... Satomi "Sammy" Computer Pachinko

[JACKSJE4]

I received a call from someone who found my name on the internet. He has a Satomi Computer Pachinko that he would like to sell and he wanted to know what it was worth. He says the electronics work fine, but the machine needs some "cosmetic work." I'm sure it could use a good cleaning, and the lock had been drilled out at some point because the key to open the machine was lost. I am personally considering buying it, however it would be an all-day drive to pick it up and get it home. I have been thinking of adding a computer Pachinko to my game room for some time now, but I don't know enough about these machines to tell if this is a good one, or if there are better types. What do you all think? Any advice would be appreciated.

Here are the pictures he sent me:

Pachi1.jpgPachi2.jpgPachi3.jpgPachi4.jpgPachi5.jpg

[Moparformances]

sold mine to card shark...

I did not pay it allot but i sure loved it.. kinda regret selling it.. told myself that if another came my way for the right price i would buy it in a heart beat..

if the price is right and ya can swing the drive... go for it.. there almost as nice as an arrangeball machine..

the Computer machines like this one with the green top light are much nicer looking then the other maker..

Go For IT

[Lt Teddy]

Anything less than $150 is a steal if it works like it should You haTe a good buy at anything under $250. The one thing you should check out before you buy is when you drop the quarter in their is a small space bar on the inside that lets a certain amount of balls from four to seven. It should drop three sets of balls with the first drop and it will register wins up to 9 for every jackpot you hit. Questions please call.

[JACKSJE4]

Today I received more pictures of the machine, as well as some additional information. The seller says the machine works great - you drop in a quarter and the balls are released into the game, it plays well and you get your free game(s) when you achieve the right score. The only issues with the entire machine according to him are:

- Overall condition: there is some wear and tear on the cabinet and the machine is dirty
- The lock to the Pachinko door was drilled out because the previous owner "lost the key"
- The "Computer Pachinko" sign at the top was broken at some point and glued back together
- The wiring for the florescent light for the "Computer Pachinko" sign was cut by the previous owner and an incandescent fixture was installed

Otherwise it is in fair condition for its age. Here are the cell phone pictures he sent me:

2012-08-07_16-13-37_309 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-55-14_115 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-55-22_849 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-55-53_617 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-56-04_584 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-56-14_80 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-56-51_505 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_14-57-25_933 (Large).jpg2012-08-07_16-13-24_581 (Large).jpg


As I mentioned above, the machine is quite a distance from my home and it would be an all-day venture for me to drive there, pick up the machine, and drive back. So I pitched the idea to my wife about a "weekend getaway" to visit another area of Colorado, go out for dinner, spend the night in a bed & breakfast, and then do some sight seeing before we came back home. She was suspicious at first, but then asked what area I had in mind. When I told her, she was immediately uninterested (it's not the most scenic or touristy area by far), so she countered my proposal by suggesting we go someplace completely different, but more inviting. I knew I had to come clean...

I'll spare you all the details of our conversation, but let's just say that she is a trooper, and in the end she agreed to join me for the trip.

I guess I will soon have a Computer Pachinko in my collection.

[Card Shark]

Congratulations!! Yours looks just like mine, just a different theme. I really think you will enjoy it. Definitely one of my favorite machines!!!

[Lt Teddy]

Picture eight is of the teeter totter I mentioned. Congratulations on your new purchase. Now you owe the wife a nicer trip to someplace else.

[Moparformances]

congrats

looking forward to hearing how ya like it..

[Moparformances]

- The wiring for the florescent light for the "Computer Pachinko" sign was cut by the previous owner and an incandescent fixture was installed

I would take the time to put a florescent light back in it.. i would be worried aobut he heat of incacescent bulbs

[mxfaiman]

I would take the time to put a florescent light back in it.. i would be worried aobut he heat of incacescent bulbs

You can buy cheap set ups that you can easily wire in.

Congrats; that thing looks great, sorry about the sign and the lock. But the lock is an easy fix.

[hanabi]

Congratulations Jeff!!

Sounds like you have a great, very supportive wife and a new pachi toy!!

[JACKSJE4]

I would take the time to put a florescent light back in it.. i would be worried aobut the heat of incacescent bulbs

Yes, I was thinking that would be best. I also believe that a florescent tube the length of the "Pachinko" sign would have better light distribution that a single, regular bulb. I will see what it needs once I get it home. I can't wait.

[JACKSJE4]

Sounds like you have a great, very supportive wife

Great? Yes, she is amazing. Supportive? I'm not entirely sure about that. I think she is going with me to make sure that I am only bringing ONE machine home. The last time I took a road trip for my Narita machine, I came home with a van full of Pachis.

[Moparformances]

The last time I took a road trip for my Narita machine, I came home with a van full of Pachis.

your not supposed to get them wet.. you know better then that

[JACKSJE4]

Mission Accomplished!!!

The Computer Pachinko is MINE!!!

My wife and I made the trip and picked up the machine, as well as a case of wine from a local winery, souvenirs, lunch and dinner. It was an expensive machine in that regard. We had a great time, though.

The machine is still wrapped up in the van, but I will unpack it and snap some pictures to post in the morning. The machine is in great condition and plays like new. It needs a good cleaning, a new florescent fixture in the top, and new lock. Other than that, it is like new. I'm very happy.

Mine is identical to the one Eddie bought a couple of years ago: http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/thes...tml#post352258

[Lt Teddy]

A computer pachinko is one of the best machines that you can buy. The main reason is that it is a short game and you can play as little or as much as you want like an arrangeball. One word of warning to all who would like to have a computer pachinko or an arrangeball. They have old computer boards that are not easy or cheap to work on. Their are not alot of them out their for spare parts so that makes it more difficult to work on.
Congratulations on your new purchase and hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it.

[Card Shark]

Congratulations on the new machine. I am really looking forward to picking your brain after you have checked out you new machine, to try to come up with some solutions to the problems I am having with my machine.

[hanabi]

Mission Accomplished!!!

The Computer Pachinko is MINE!!!

My wife and I made the trip and picked up the machine, as well as a case of wine from a local winery, souvenirs, lunch and dinner. It was an expensive machine in that regard. We had a great time, though.

The machine is still wrapped up in the van, but I will unpack it and snap some pictures to post in the morning. The machine is in great condition and plays like new. It needs a good cleaning, a new florescent fixture in the top, and new lock. Other than that, it is like new. I'm very happy.

Mine is identical to the one Eddie bought a couple of years ago: http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/thes...tml#post352258

Congratulations!!

So glad to hear the machine is in great condition!!

and sounds like you had a fun time on the road trip too

[Drunkenclam]

your not supposed to get them wet.. you know better then that

True but you can feed them balls after midnight.

[JACKSJE4]

I got the machine unpacked from the car this morning and spent most of the day exploring how it works and deciding what I need to do to it first. One thing lead to another and I ended up tearing the front of the machine all apart and scrubbing it clean. It didn't look that dirty, but as I started wiping things, I could see how much grime there actually was on it. So the front of the machine has now been fully cleaned and reconditioned.

1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 027.jpg1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 028.jpg1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 029.jpg1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 030.jpg1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 031.jpg1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 032.jpg


After playing it for a while I discovered a few minor issues. First, the "Tilt" mechanism doesn't seem to work. All the connections that I can see look good, so there must be an issue with the logic board. Second, there appears to be a spring missing from the arm that pops/loads the next ball into the shooter:

1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 023.jpg

I haven't had a chance to look at photos of other members machines yet, but I'm sure I can find a spring that will work. For right now I am using a small rubber band.

The next issue I found is that the LED numbers for the score board are very dim and some of the segments don't light:

1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 017.jpg

I was hoping I could easily replace the LED modules, but they are soldered into a circuit board and the task of replacing them is way above my skill level. Fortunately I have a pinball repair guy that lives pretty close, so I thought I would see if it was something he could fix for me.

Lastly, the florescent light fixture at the top of the cabinet needs to be replaced. Someone cut out most of the previous fixture and installed a regular light bulb. I plan to go to the hardware store this week and find a new fixture that will do the trick.

1977 Satomi Computer Pachinko 012.jpg

All in all, this is a pretty fun machine. I set the payout from 7 balls to 5 so that the machine wouldn't be so loose. Even with the adjustment it seems to keep winning balls so the game never ends. It will be fun to experiment with it and see what settings work best.

[Moparformances]

5 balls.. wow..

i would think 7 payout was tight.. ya might consider bending the nails a bit.. i dont see any that are way out but im sure ya can tighten a few up..