Pinball Basics

Pinball Basics covers the things you should know as a pinball machine owner...

Pinball Terminology

You have probably heard words like "Backbox", "Spinner", "Drop Targets", "Plunger" and so on... But what do these words mean?

And more importantly... Where are they on your Pinball Machine?

If you would like to know what all this Pinball terminology is about, then click on one of the following links for the different sections of a Pinball Machine...

Pinball Cabinet Terminology
Pinball Playfield Terminology

Opening a Pinball Machine

One of the questions we get asked the most is "How do I get inside my Pinball Machine". It's really quite simple, and you have a surprising amount of access once inside.

Once you know how to slide out the glass, you will be able to keep the playfield clean. You will also be able to replace worn rubbers and blown globes.

We will also show you how to lift the playfield, and even get inside the backbox...

So, click on "Opening a Pinball" to get started.

Transporting a Pinball Machine

You will at some stage have to move your Pinball from one location to another. And this can be easily done with out the need for removalists.

There are some things to take into consideration, but moving a pinball is really quite straight forward.

Just follow the "Transporting a Pinball" guide, and you're on your way.

Using the Test (Diagnostics) Menu

Solid State Pinballs have their own Test Menu to help with diagnostics and difficulty settings.

This diagnostic makes life much easier for us when we need to test globes, switches, coils, etc... And as pinballs became more sophisticated, so did the test menu.

We'll start with the main sections of each test menu system, giving you an understanding of how they work and the tests that can be performed.

These instructions have been written for the different variants of test menus used, so click on the one that is appropriate for your machine:

Sega/Stern Portals Menu System (Sega/Stern Pinballs from 1995 onwards)