New Member with Old Question

[marvinm]

Hey Guys. Thanks for letting me join. Surprise! I have a question on an estate sale find from yesterday. Picked up my 2nd vintage machine, with my first being a Nishijin Recycler that is 80% restored so far.

There was a post from 7-31-2006 on a similar machine to the one I found, but the thread didn't seem to reach a conclusion. Managi (or Yanagi) Meigin is the only visible writing, with a "Commodity" tax stamp pre-printed on the cell.

Machine is in pretty good shape. The "dirt" on the cell is cleanable (with effort) and it doesn't appear to ever been wet, unlike my Nishijin. There is VERY little plastic on this one, front or back. It's in almost-perfect working order as-is, although it will pile up balls in center jackpot if I run one jackpot after another. A simple cleaning will likely fully resolve that. I'll need to make a few tiny adjustments to tracking and clean track, but I'm pretty impressed. I appears to have been in climate control for the vast majority of its life.

I've only been able to locate two other references to this kind of machine on the entire internet, so any thoughts are appreciated. The cells are very simple, but elegant in their own way. Various pics attached...

[digital1]

Looks nice!

[DrDark]

This type of machine is a SINGLE SHOT.
I think these were the first style of pachinko machine available.
You got a real GEM!

[Moparformances]

we ahve members that have machine a bit older then yours but that is an earlier model.. looks to be in nice shape as well

hear is a like to mine it is similer to youers in its age

http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/members/moparformances-albums-vintage-single-shot-s.html

Welcome to Pachitalk

[hanabi]

Welcome to PachiTalk!!

Looks like a real nice old vintage you got there, congratulations!!

[emmadog]

That's a handsome machine. Single shots are cool and those older ones are the best, from an artistic standpoint.

[MrGneiss]

WELCOME!!!

Very cool indeed, sorry I don't have anymore info on it!!

[marvinm]

I posted this over 11 years ago and still know nothing about this machine. Hoping a re-post will set more eyes on it. Thanks. It always amazes me when I Google something and no results are found.

[lotsoballs]

I posted this over 11 years ago and still know nothing about this machine. Hoping a re-post will set more eyes on it. Thanks. It always amazes me when I Google something and no results are found.

Unfortunately there’s many small pachinko defunct pachinko manufacturers with next to no info about them or model specifics available on the internet. The oddball manufacturer machines don’t generally bring much more value with very few exceptions. Looks like similar rear mechanics to many different 50’s single shots.

[Spyder138]

Yanagi means Willow as in a willow tree. Meigin isn't a word I am familiar with. It is possible that they were phonetically trying to spell machine. The characters would be pronounced "ma e ji n", not too far off from machine. Or they could have been going for meijin which is a someone that has mastered their craft. Lotsoballs summed it up well, there were a lot of small manufacturers that went out of business, but makers are less collectible than models so I don't see anything about this machine that would make it worth any more than a similar early 1960's model from a more well known manufacturer like Ginza who was really cranking out the machines during this time frame. It's a cool looking machine.

[takethecastle57]

Very nice Single Shot Pachinko Machine .

[marvinm]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the info. I'm torn between selling it as it is or paying someone to restore it.

[pachiwall]

I don't see anything about this machine that would make it worth any more than a similar early 1960's model from a more well known manufacturer like Ginza who was really cranking out the machines during this time frame. It's a cool looking machine.

I agree...however, I like the "odd duck" manufacturers of any era machine, and might try harder to get one rather than a "more known" manufacturer.

[GameXGame]

Looks like a 50's era single shot. The center attraction looks the same on my 60's era Heiwa single shot; it spins from behind and reads: "Bonnet" underneath the red center on the white plastic ring.

There is a number stamped on the metal launch ramp rail guard; the stamp is located underneath the rail guard itself. Let us know the number if it's there, you can see it if you shine a light on it. Maybe the last two digits will give us a clue. Also sometimes earlier builds are stamped on the side of the playfield's plywood. You might find some info there. Unscrew the two mounts in the back to separate the playfield from the rear wood frame and check all the sides of the plywood.

There's a 53 marked on the bottom right-hand side in the back; it might be the year, or build number; often, earlier on into the manufacturing grind, machines would have build numbers written and/or stamped somewhere on the machine.

Willow (Yanagi) Masters (Meijin) seems to be the brand name. Never heard of them. I did sell a Kokusai single shot and they used the Ginza cowboy logo, so I wonder if Ginza was earlier named as Kokusai. Perhaps Willow Masters was the prior name to New Gin? Who knows LOL.

That's my take for whatever it's worth; hope it helps!