Fruit Machines how are they?

[Industen]

I was on ebay uk and saw some pretty cool stuff in the "fruit machines" search. Anyone play these machines before? I saw a show on television that showed a person playing one. He first played the machine normal then went out and broke all the superstitions (walking under a latter, stepping on cracks in sidewalks etc.) then went back. He actually did worst. Looked like it had a lot of "bells and whistles" The problem is importing them. I bet that would cost.

They seem reasonable to buy, if I remember a pound is almost $2 US Most machines very from 75 to 225 pounds. So $150 to $450 doesn't seem so bad.

Oh and they are in English too.

http://i14.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/8c/c0/1892_1.JPG


http://i22.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/8c/c0/1be1_1.JPG

[drcrippen324]

you have to be careful where you live as to the legalitys of owning one and they gonna cost a mint to ship as they weaigh a ton and to be honist as a uk guy they boring they got no whistles and bells in comparison to pachis i promis you if you do a quick serch i found a price for shipping to the US from the uk for one and did offer to help anyone who was interested

[hanabi]

I have a couple of Fruit Machines in the Garage

(shown on my Museum Page too)

The Family love to play them, but since I discovered Pachinko,
I haven't really bothered with them much myself.......

They are quite cheap to buy, but as Doc says, they weigh an absolute ton and are difficult to move, so postage / carrier is always gonna cost dearly.....

[azlew]

We have discussed fruit machines a few times here and I have to say that I have been curious about them also .
I would especially like to find that Star Wars one.
But for now I just pull out the dvd full of emulated fruit machines and play them now and again.....

[hanabi]

Yes, we have discussed Fruit Machines a few times,

You may be interested in this Thread??

Do you prefer Pachislos or UK Fruit machines?

[Industen]

Thanks guys, the reason I ask is because I just refinished 2 rooms in my basement (10 x 12 and 15 x 20) and looking to fill it up with stuff. The wife isn't so happy, but who cares? Considering I took 1 of the 4 bedrooms and made it a game room I really don't blame her. Maybe I'll just buy a LOTR Pinball or Simpons Pinball Party machine instead. Only around $4000 each...got to have my toys.

[malcymal]

I shall tell you a tale

It was one fine friday and all was calm in the ferris household. The phone rings and it is my brother in law. "malc, ive finally found a fruit machine and its only £50" My brother in law always wanted a fruit machine but more of the type our american cousins are used to, stick in your coin, pull the handle and let chance take its toll. He was into the 'having a bar' scene in a bit of his house, you know, a bar, little lights around it, coasters from around the globe, drinks from all over the planet that you would probably have to drink and lie down in a dark corner. SO, i say to the wife "we will be about an hour" we set out with an estate car down to sunny bognor regis (south coast of england, 25 miles from Portsmouth). We end up driving into an estate that to be honest is the kind that if you stop at the lights when you go and drive away your wheels are missing.
We go into a house, its a bit rancid, no carpets but there in the corner is the fruit machine. Man, shes a big beast... its a full blown pub machine that stands around 6.5ft tall, weighs in at about 130kg. The guy powers it up, its a 'CLUEDO' yep, the themed machine of the waddingtons board game surrounding murder and intrigue. Its a peach of a machine with so many features you cannot believe it. Working on 20pence a go and a £10 jackpot (about 20 bucks). We hand over the money but then thats where the fun starts. Im a slight build, my brother in law is a small stocky fella. So we bump it to the car and then try and get it in the back. WOOOOHHHHH this is heavy. Its so heavy i think my eyes are gonna start to bleed. We cannot get this thing in the car. In the end the rear end is sticking out and we strap it in with bungies. We are going along the road, about 20mph as the back end of the car is very low to the ground. Whats that blue light. YEP, we get pulled by the old bill (thats the police). It is a bit suss isnt it, i mean these things hold a lot of money and they thought we'd nicked it. SO delayed a further 30 mins.

Arriving at my sisters house, she comes out with nephews and looks into the side of car "hey, its a bit big isnt it" she then notices the rest of it sticking out back. "NO"... "what do you mean no" "you are not bringing that into my house" "what we gonna do, leave it on the pavement for a small child to get killed by" ..... it was gonna be divorce, it really was.

CUE the scene. Its now 10pm, we arrive at my house as we have a conservatory. THe dinner is burnt and my wife is none too pleased about me being five hours late. We bump it up my drive and manage to just about get it in the house. Wife goes to bed in a strop. Brother in law says, "well, why dont we give it a try" We turn it on and mary mother of god, my ears are about to burst. The audible alarm has gone off, the front cash door is loose so its set the thing off. The neighbours arent happy, the wife isnt happy and the cat never returned.

Well, the machine stayed in our house for about 3 years. It paid for itself, friends would come around and put their change in it at barbeques etc. We would empty it out to pay the gas bill, holidays etc and regularly cashed in around 200 pounds. The coin tube held about 80 before it started to 'back up'. This is a term the pros use in the arcades to strip machines 'backing up is a good sign for a payout'.

We eventually sold it, i put it on ebay and within the first day it went up to £150 before ebaypulled the plug. The last bidder got in touch with me and turned up with 2 other blokes. The 3 of them and me got it in the van and i must say that i wondered how me and brother in law moved it in the firstplace.

I said to my brother in law, never never never pull that stunt on me again. I will not do it again. 2 years later the phone goes, weve built an arcade shed and we need your help. They have got an Italian Job by Maygay now. But alongside they also have Popeye and Beast Sapp. My revenge on them. Please dont buy a full blown machine, get a couple of 40kg pachis.
I like the fruit machine, but i love the pachislos a lot better.
And so ends my tale.....be warned...all of you !

[Sid]

[slotter]

Loved the story!!! Thank you!!!

[johntofva]

It was a wronderful read, thanks.