Action Pinball Logo Game Service & Repair

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Phone: (801) 484-8033 - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Game Service & Repair Info
As professionals in the commercial pinball machine industry, we have over 25 years experience working with most makes and models of pinball machines- both old and new. We specialize in early "solid state" (electronic) games, as well as the latest model "high tech" games, and carry a large inventory of parts and supplies with us when we make service calls to the customer's location. Our goal is to provide prompt, fast service, and to be able to diagnose and/or repair your game in one visit. We have the most experience, and the best service of any pinball dealer in the Western states!

Most types of service and repair work can be done on-site, usually in one visit, if you are within our Service Area. Games can also be brought into our shop for work, or more extensive repairs or overhauls.

Page Contents:

Games we Service:
We service most makes and models of commercial (coin-operated) arcade pinball machines.

There are also some types, makes, and models of games that we do not service.
Call, or e-mail us with the name of your game, manufacturer, and a description of the problem(s), and we can tell you if we can help, and give you some more information.

We are always glad to service all types of games and gameroom equipment that have been purchased directly from us in the past, which have been sold brand-new, or restored and sold with warranty. We usually do not service games that we have sold in "as-is" condition ("project" or "fixxer-upper" games, etc.) which have no warranty. We also offer a discount on service rates on games that have been purchased directly from us in the past.

Bingo Pinballs: While we do not sell or service older mechanical "bingo" type pinball games ourselves, there is a good local source for repairs, parts, and complete bingo games for sale. For more information, contact Joe at bingo55joe@hotmail.com, or by phone at: 801-359-5342. Let Joe know we referred you!


On-Site and In-Home Service:
We can make service calls to most locations in our area (Salt Lake City, Utah) to service and repair games. See our
service area map below for more details.

Most "on-site" service calls that we do are limited to minor repairs or service work that can typically be done within an hour or two. If your game requires more work than this, it may need to be brought into our shop for service. We can make arrangements to have you bring your game in, or may be able to pick up your game for you at an additional cost, if our schedule and workload permit. Contact us for further info.

Indoor Games Only:
We will only service games on location that are kept indoors, in a dry, temperature-controlled area (room temperature of 65-80 degrees). Most games (especially older ones) will often not work properly if located in an area with extreme, humid, or non-room-temperature conditions. An additional service call charge will apply if we have to come back to service a game if it is not located indoors at room temperature when we arrive for the initial service call appointment.

Special Note: Pets and Children:
If you have any pets or small children at your location, we request that you keep them out of the area when we're working on your game. We realize it's exciting and fun to have your game being worked on, but game repair is very difficult and requires great caution and concentration for it to be done safely and correctly and without any damage to persons or property. Extra noise, disturbances, disruptions, pets, or children in the area can be very dangerous and very distracting, and even potentially harmful to ourselves, others, and your property. In the past, we have had dog problems, broken glass, knocked-over toolboxes, pinched fingers, stepped-on toes, and similar issues, so we politely ask for your courteous consideration when working on your game at your location. The better we can focus and work on your game, the quicker it can be completed, and this saves money.


In-Shop Service:
Customers are welcome to bring games into our shop to be serviced. Please
call or e-mail to set up an appointment to bring your game in for service.

Payment for In-Shop Repairs:
For games serviced at our shop, we accept only cash or credit/debit cards. We do not accept checks unless they are drawn on a local bank and received 7 or more business days before game is picked up or delivered. Sorry for any inconvenience, but due to too many problems with bounced and returned checks lately, we are forced to no longer accept checks at time game is picked up.

Game Storage:
Games must be picked up (or delivered) as soon as repairs are complete, otherwise they will be subject to storage fees and may be sold at customer's expense to cover any applicable storage and repair costs. We are not a storage facility, so make sure you can make arrangements ahead of time to pick your game up when repairs are complete. See our Game Storage Policy for more info.


Services That We Perform:
We can help your pinball machine with anything from general periodic service and repairs done on-site, to basic overhauls and tune-ups- even on a game you just bought "as-is", one that has been "sitting for years", or the all-too-common "eBay nightmare"! We deal with games like these all the time!

Some of the services we commonly perform are:
  • Cleaning, polishing, and waxing playfield.
  • Testing and adjusting game devices.
  • Replacing rubber rings and bumpers.
  • Replacing burned-out light bulbs.
  • Installing new ball(s).
  • Replacing broken or worn-out drop targets.
  • Overhauling playfield, including full tear-down and reconditioning.
  • Rebuilding flippers and bumpers.
  • Repairing and replacing mechanical and electronic parts.
  • Upgrading electronics in older/aging games.
  • Replacing overheated connectors and wiring.
  • Replacing burned out or faulty score displays.
  • General game "tune-ups" and adjustments.
  • ...and more!
Costs vary depending on exactly how much work you want done to your game, or exactly what it may need, and can also vary depending on the type and complexity of the game, and what parts may need to be installed. We charge a competitive
hourly rate for our time, plus any parts that may be required.

If you would like a free estimate for pinball service, simply call, or e-mail us and we will send you a quick reply.

When contacting us, please provide the following vital information:
  • Name of your game (and possibly manufacturer).
  • Description (brief or lengthy) of what problem(s) it has, or what you would like done.
  • Your location (city/state).
Full Game Restorations:
PLEASE NOTE: The 40+ hour restoration process described on our Pinball Machines page is what we do on games in our own inventory, which we restore and sell through our showroom and website. We do not perform restoration work to this extent on any "outside" games, however, if you have a game that you want repaired, serviced, or reconditioned, we can help with most issues, typically involving items listed above. But with our always-busy workload, we simply do not have the time or resources to do full 40+ hour extensive restorations on games purchased from other dealers or individuals.

Contact us if you have any questions or need any additional information!


Our Service Area:
We are available to make
"on-site" service calls to most locations in and around our area (Salt Lake City, Utah). We have two service areas: our Full Service Area, and our Limited Service Area:
  • Full Service Area:
    We are available for service work to most customers within our Full Service Area.


























  • Limited Service Area:
    Our "Limited Service Area" is the area just outside our Full Service Area. We are not always available for service to locations in our Limited Service Area. Locations in our Limited Service Area take longer for us to travel to, so we are not always able to provide service to locations in this area- it depends on how busy our shop schedule is, and if we can afford the extra time spent in travelling to your location. An extra charge for additional travel time will apply to service calls made to locations in our Limited Service Area, if and when we can schedule them.

    Feel free to contact us if you have a game that you would like repaired, and we can give you more information, including an estimate.

    Most "on-site" service calls that we do are limited to minor repairs or service work that can be done within an hour or two. If your game requires more work than this, or if you are outside our Full Service Area, then you may bring your game into our shop for service. We can make arrangements to have you bring your game in, or may be able to pick up your game for you, schedule permitting. Contact us for further info.

Service Rate, Charges, and Work Hours:
Service Rate:
We offer a competitve hourly rate for service, based mostly on our experience, expertise, and quality of work. We have over 25 years experience in the pinball industry, and are the best qualified in the state of Utah. Our rate applies to time spent working on your game, plus any travel time to and from your location. Parts and supplies are additional.

Other Charges:
We also charge our standard hourly rate for any "consultation" work related to your game, a game you may be interested in buying or selling, parts or service related to your game, or technical info/assistance. Such charges apply (but are not limited to) the following types of work:
  • Technical help by phone or e-mail (on games not purchased directly from our shop).
  • Inquiries on parts/accessories that we do not stock (such as researching parts, tracking parts down, or locating parts).
  • Looking up and/or researching parts/supplies/tech info for you on the internet.
  • Tracking down parts from other suppliers (including any shipping costs to obtain them).
  • Other similar types of research pertaining to games in general.
Work like this takes time for us to do, and takes us away from other games and customers that we would otherwise be working with, so we must charge for this type of work if you ask us to do it for you. Please ask about any of these items if you have any questions.

In-Shop Service Hours:
Customers are welcome to bring their games in to our shop for service most anytime during our
normal business hours. Contact us first to discuss your game's service needs, and to set up an appointment to bring your game in.

On-Site Service Hours:
We do most on-site service calls in the morning hours, scheduled between 8am and 11am, on available days, schedule and weather permitting. Other times may also be available- feel free to call or e-mail us if you would like more info, or to schedule an appointment.


Repair Warranty:
Some repair work that we do, and parts that we install, may be warranted. Check with us before your game is serviced, or at the time of service, for exact details.

Please note that we do not warranty any work or parts on older electro-mechanical games. These are mechanical (non-electronic) games made up through approx. 1977. Work is not warranted on these games as they are generally unreliable due to design and age, and usually require frequent maintenance and repair just to keep them running, even after being repaired.

For other games, we may or may not be able to warranty work depending on actual game condition, or the make/model of the game. With used games, some are more worn out than others, or are less reliable by design, or manufacturer has gone out of business and proper replacement parts are no longer available, etc. So games like these may require further repair and maintenance or special attention just to keep them running, and therefore cannot be warranted.

Again, please check with us at time of repair, or when calling to schedule a repair, about exact warranty details.

Warranted Work/Parts:
On work/parts that are warranted, warranty period is for 14 days from the date of repair, and covers only what we specifically work on, and any new parts that we install on the game. Nothing else in the game is warranted.

Any work done on your game under our warranty must be performed by us ourselves (Action Pinball). Work done on your game by anyone other than ourselves will void our warranty. Any evidence of tampering or other work having been done since our original warranted repair will void our warranty. We are not responsible for any costs for any work done on your game by anyone other than ourselves (Action Pinball).

In any case of requested warranty work, an examination of the game will be required to determine if the problem is covered under warranty or not. If problem is not covered under warranty, a new charge will apply for any time spent working on or examining the game, and any travel time to and from your location.

Transporting a Pinball Machine: (In-Shop Repair Customers please note)
Transporting a pinball machine from location to location can cause things to get out of adjustment from vibrations, movement, jarring, etc. So if your game is repaired at our shop and is working when you leave our shop with it, there is a chance that something may get out of adjustment or stop working by the time you get to your destination. Such problems are not within our control and are not covered under repair warranty. A new charge will apply to repair any new problems that arise after the game has left our shop. Customers should take this into consideration whenever a game must be moved.


Circuit Board Repair:
We service and repair circuit boards only from games that we have sold to our own customers directly, in the past.

If you have a circuit board that needs repair, but is not from a game that you purchased directly from us, we would recommend you contact any of the following repair shops listed below, who may be able to help.

If you are interested in repairing your own game or circuit board(s), you can find some helpful information on our
Technical Articles page, or visit the Marvin 3M site at www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm

Please do not contact us for technical help, unless the game you have was purchased directly from us. We do not have the time or resources to provide technical help or repairs on games that were not purchased directly from our shop.

The following is a list of repair shops around the U.S. that specialize in pinball machine circuit board repair.
Some shops specialize in certain types/brands of games, as noted below. Shops listed below are not affiliated with us (Action Pinball) and we are not responsible for your particular dealings with any shop below, whether good or bad. This listing is simply provided as a helpful reference to those seeking circuit board repair help.

Be sure to tell them we referred you!

(Listings are in alphabetical order. Information below may not be current and is not guaranteed.)
Apollo Amusements
Steve Hryb (pronouced "Herb")
Brandon, FL
Phone: 941-752-4421
E-Mail: stevepinfl@aol.com
Specialty: Some board repair, exchange, and good source of used working boards & parts for many games.

Coin Service Technology
2721B Kate Ave
Bensalem, PA  19020
Phone: 215-633-7595
Fax: 215-464-2009
Web: (Website not available as of 1/30/2002.)
Specialty: Gottlieb board repair.

Coin-Op Cauldron
405 Wild Wing Way
Easley, SC 29642
Phone: (864)238-1707
E-Mail: coinopcauldron@charter.net
Web: www.coinopcauldron.com
Specialty: Most types of board repairs. Game servicing etc.

David Gersic
DeKalb, IL
E-Mail: dgersic@niu.edu
Web: www.zaccaria-pinball.com
Specialty: Zaccaria pinball circuit boards.

Joe ("Bingo Joe")
Salt Lake City, UT
E-Mail: bingo55joe@hotmail.com
Phone: 801-359-5342
Specialty: Electro-mechanical bingo pinball game parts, repairs, and game sales.

John's Jukes
Vancouver, B.C., Canada
E-Mail: jrr@flippers.com
Web: www.flippers.com
Specialty: Most makes of pinball/video/coin-op board repair.

Mayfair Amusements
60-41 Woodbine Street
Ridgewood, NY 11385
E-Mail: themayfair@aol.com
Web: www.mayfairamusement.com

Otown Amusements
9279 Telfer Run
Orlando, FL  32817
Phone: (407) 677-6856
E-Mail: wkurtz@cfl.rr.com
Web: www.otownamusements.com
Specialty: Pinball board repair: Williams, Bally, Gottlieb, Data East, Sega.

Repair Connection
Plymouth, MA
E-Mail: tcallahan@adelphia.net
Web: www.repairconnection.com
Specialty: Early Bally, Stern, and Williams games and circuit boards.
* Note: 
 - Repair Connection are no longer doing circuit board repairs as of Feb. 1, 2005. :(
 - New replacement circuit boards and related products are still available. :)

Silver Ball Amusements
1641 Hill Rd., Novato, CA 94947
Phone: (415) 893-9600, voice or fax.

Steve Kulpa
Nashville, TN
E-Mail: stevekulpa@yahoo.com
Web: www.geocities.com/stevekulpa/pinball.htm
Specialty: Bally/Stern solenoid/regulator boards, lamp drivers, 6-digit displays, 
           and rectifier boards (Bally -18, -49, -54).

Two-Bit Score
4418 Pack Saddle Pass
Austin, TX  78745
E-Mail: sales@twobits.com
Web: www.twobits.com
Specialty: Most makes of pinball/video/coin-op board repair. 
	     Specialists in Pac-Man/Ms. Pac-Man boards.


Service Outside Our Area: For Out-of-Town And Out-of-State Customers
We do not service any games outside our
local service area (see above for info on our service area) but the info below may help you to find the help you need- whether "doing it yourself" or looking for a repair person or company to service your game.

Online Repair Guides:
A great wealth of online referenece information for "do it yourself" pinball repair can be found at the Marvin 3M web site, located at www.marvin3m.com/fix.htm. The online repair guides here cover everything from basic repair and maintenance to in-depth restoration work, on old games and new. The do-it-yourselfer can find just about anything on the Marvin3M site for maintaining a game and doing basic repair.

Finding a Pinball Repair Person or Company:
If you're looking for someone to help service your game "in person", and you're not in our local service area, there are a few places you can start looking. Regardless of where you look or who you find, there are some important aspects to consider about who you hire to service your game:
  • Experience: There are good mechanics, and there are lousy mechanics. Ask the repair person if they are experienced and/or qualified to work on the particular type of game you have. Many larger coin-op "distributors" usually only deal in the later-model "high-tech" games, and may not have any knowledge or experience with older mechanical or early solid-state type games made decades ago. On the other hand, some companies or individuals my only be skilled in older mechanical games and may not know anything about electronic (solid-state) pinball machines (made after 1976). Or some may only work on certain types or brands of machines. So be sure to ask if the help you will be paying for is qualified to do proper work on your particular type of game, before you commit to scheduling a repair call or appointment. No point in paying good money if you aren't getting good work.

  • Service Rate: A lot of people think that if they hire an expensive repair person, he will do the job quickly, properly, and be qualified to fix the game they have. This is rarely the truth. It's a good idea to ask what the service rate is, but also ask about experience with the type of game you have. Labor & service rates vary from company to company and do not always reflect the actual experience, or quality, of the work that the person you hire is going to do on your game.

    A cheap technician that is inexperienced may take 5 hours to fix a flipper. A more expensive technician may be qualified to do the job in a half hour, so the hourly service rate may not always reflect the kind of work you will get (or what the final bill will be). A cheaper repairman may end up costing more when all is said and done. Be sure to ask!
Sources for finding a repair shop or person in your area:

  • Local Phone Directory: Check your local "yellow pages" phone directory for pinball repair persons or shops. Most of these are listed under sections such as "Amusement Devices" or "Pinball". Before enlisting the help of a pinball company or repair person, we strongly advise asking if they, or their technician, are experienced with the kind of game you have.

  • Yahoo! Yellow Pages: An online version of "yellow pages" phone directories for the entire country. Go to: yp.yahoo.com

  • Mr. Pinball "Collector Register": The Mr. Pinball Collector Register is an online collection of pinball owners, hobbiests, collectors, repair persons, and other enthusiasts and includes listings of thousands of people & companies not only in the U.S., but world wide. You can search the listing for persons in or near your area. The Register is located online at: www.xmission.com/~daina/tpcr/index.html



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