Pinball Refurb - Where?

[guddler]

I would like to send my Black Knight 2000 to somewhere / someone for a no expense spared refurb as it's looking a bit sorry for itself these days.

I'll be looking at including:

• New balls
• Replace all switches
• Replace all coils as required
• Replace all rubbers (have kit already but may have perished I've had it so long)
• Possibly replace playfield bulbs with LEDs if they do a kit for BK2K (score display is fine)
• Repair / replace any broken plastics where possible
• Some minor cabinet repair work (bit of chipping, plus respray inside)
• Re-mylar, which on a BK2K means...
• Re-lettering all the inserts (kits are/were available for this)
• Thorough strip down, clean, polish, reassemble
• Electronics work just fine (or will do by the time I've fixed it)

I'm aware of Pinball Heaven, assuming they're still going but they're way up in Liverpool. Anywhere else, a bit more down this end of the country that people have had good experiences with? I'd entertain individuals as well as companies as long as they can be trusted to turn it around well and in a reasonable time frame.

I'm also aware there will be a big bill involved. I simply don't have the interest, inclination or time to do this myself. I like playing pinball but don't like working on them.

Martin.

 

[g00n3r]

I got a mate of mine to send his Star Trek (Data East) to Pinball Heaven and he was far from impressed for his money. I spoke to Phil at the time about it and he told me corners were cut as my mate didn't to spend the money on a no expense spared refurb. I don't believe a satisfactory outcome was ever achieved and felt a bit of a twat for getting involved and putting the two of them together in the first place.

I've had a couple of PH's super minty tables and they've been very good indeed, but these tables were home use only and not fully restored, just in very, very good condition to begin with.

Bob at Pinball Paradise would have done a great job. (RIP).

I'd wait for someone to give you a definitive answer based on their own experiences.

 

[guddler]

Thanks for the insight. Really, the only negative I had considered for PH was the distance from me so one to monitor I guess.

Also one of my criteria ought to be "will do a better job than i can" since I can technically do all of this myself, I just don't want to in this instance

 

[Macro]

There's a guy on the pinball group who has done some extremely high class restorations for himself and others - goes under the name of 'Dave the Taxman' on ukpinball.

I seriously doubt that his work comes cheap though ...

if you are really flushed I think you can get new playfields for BK2000 now!

(personally, I keep clear of those, that song drives me up the wall)

 

[guddler]

Aaaaahhhhhhhh, aaaaaahhhhhhh (etc.) BEAT THE BLACK KNIGHT.

How can you not like that?? It's pure class. Sooo cheesey BK2K is affectionately known as "Mr Cheese" around here

I'll investigate replacement playfields. I'm just not keeping up to speed with pinball goings ons.