Pinball in the News:
Dr. Dave talks with Metrowest Daily News about bringing pinball machines back to look and play like new condition.
‘Pinball doctors’ combine a childhood love of arcade games with a knack for all things technical. An online registry counts just over 100 of the dying breed in the state.
For most techs, entering the world of pinball repair required hours of trial and error. Dave O’Neil, of Marlborough, said there were very few resources available to turn to when he first got started. He remembers spending vacations poring over thick manuals he stumbled upon and absorbing all he could from friends in the know.
“I got up to speed,” said O’Neil, dubbed “Doctor Dave.” “But there wasn’t much out there. You had to really hunt.”
With the internet, things got easier. Pinball doctors can scour eBay for pieces or trade tips in Facebook groups. Cottage industries sprouted up, remaking hard-to-find parts.
Still, they face a daunting challenge. The 1970s, ’80s, and ‘90s electronic components that are inside most pinball machines are aging and finicky, with a shrinking pool of techs able to decipher the machines’ precise workings. Most of the time, the games have been sitting untouched in a basement for years before the owner contacts a pinball wizard.
O’Neil is working on a 1991 Addams Family machine that has a problem that he’s seen in many games. A Double-A battery pack leaked inside, causing decay that could spread throughout the whole game. Corrosion can ruin the memory of the game, meaning the machine won’t be able to remember scores, player names or other settings.
After he cleans the residue, he plans to replace the batteries with a non-volatile ram, a no-leak alternative.
“The trick is getting it to somebody like me before it rots,” said O’Neil.
Many pinball mechanics in MetroWest referenced the Framingham arcade spot Fun and Games as a bright spot when growing up. The amusement center on Worcester Road has been around since 1974 and offered hundreds of games for play. O’Neil called it a “mecca” back in its heyday, saying a few years ago he was gifted a disco ball that once hung in the arcade.
“I got spoiled by it,” said O’Neil. “Everything was so pristine and ran gorgeously. It was like a child’s nightclub. When I’m restoring these things, my standard is Fun and Games. I want it to play like new.”
It’s that nostalgia that drives business for these mechanics, with customers eager to hold onto the games they grew up playing in noisy arcades.
Zane Razzaq can be reached at 508-626-3919 or zrazzaq@wickedlocal.com and on Twitter at @zanerazz.
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